Using Flight School in the VEX AIR Flight Simulator – VEX Library

The VEX AIR Flight Simulator provides a safe space for users to develop piloting skills with a virtual VEX AIR Drone and physical VEX AIR Drone Controller. Flight School turns that practice into measurable assessment through mission-based challenges directly from the VEX AIR Virtual Flight Course, real-time feedback, and shareable badges. This allows users to clearly track and share progress over time. This article will walk you through how to access and use Flight School.

View this article to learn more about using Flight School as an assessment tool.

Opening a Flight School Mission

Each mission from the Virtual Flight Course is included in Flight School. You must be connected to VEXcode AIR and have the Simulator tab open to access Flight School. View this article to learn more about connecting to the VEX AIR Flight Simulator.

A button with wings and a star in a circle icon, on the lower left corner of the VEX AIR Flight Simulator interface.

To open Flight School, select the Flight School button in the lower left corner of the simulator.

This can be selected at any time to open the Flight School Missions menu.

The Flight School Missions menu window showing a list of missions as buttons on the left side, with a preview pane on the right. The preview pane shows an image and text summary with buttons in the lower right corner.

The Flight School Missions menu will open. The missions from the Virtual Flight Course are shown in a scrollable list on the left-hand side including practice layouts for the Competition and Ring options.

The same menu, now with the Takeoff and Land mission button selected on the left, and the preview pane showing that mission's summary and buttons on the right highlighted.

Select a mission to view a summary of the mission along with a link to the Mission Log from the Virtual Flight Course on the right-hand side of the menu.

The same image as the one previous, now with the Start Mission button in the lower right corner highlighted.

Select the Start Mission button to begin the mission in Flight School.

Flying a Mission

Each mission in Flight School is designed to support focus on the mission objectives and includes progress monitoring features. Flying the drone in Flight School works the same way as in practice, using the same controller settings and functionality. View this article to learn more about controller settings within the simulator.

A screenshot from the simulator upon mission start. The drone is on the platform, and two yellow rings are shown on the field, diagonally left and right from the drone. The ring on the left is highlighted.

In certain missions, only the elements on the field that pertain to the selected mission will appear. This helps to simplify the layout and keep the focus on the mission objectives.

In missions with a prescribed flight path, the first ring in that path will be highlighted upon starting as shown in the image here.

A close up screenshot of the upper left corner of the simulator with the metrics box highlighted showing a counter for yellow rings and collisions, as well as a timer.

The metrics in the upper left corner show the elapsed time and additional mission-specific criteria.

A screenshot during the flight showing the drone through the left yellow ring. The yellow ring count reads 1 in the metrics corner, and there is a green checkmark in the center of the completed ring.

Once a mission objective is completed, a check mark will appear and the metrics in the upper left corner will update.

A screenshot during flight showing the left yellow ring with a green checkmark, and the remaining right yellow ring is highlighted in pink, with the drone flying between the two.

In missions with path highlighting, the next step of the flight path will then be highlighted, showing where to fly next.

A fail state message for the Yaw Flight mission. The text reads Failed to meet mission objective: Failed to follow flight path. In the center on the bottom is a Retry Mission button.

If at any point the drone fails to complete the mission objectives, the mission will end, and a fail state message will appear.

Select the Retry Mission button to restart the mission and try again.

Mini-Map Feature

A screenshot during flight with the small square mini map feature in the lower left corner highlighted. Within the map the drone is represented by an arrow, and a line shows the drone's flight path.

The mini-map in the lower left corner of the simulator shows the drone's path in a top-down view of the field as you fly.

A line tracing the drone's path in real-time appears on the mini-map to help keep track of the flight path.

A screenshot of the Pre-Flight checklist with the options for Mini Map highlighted. There is a button for on and one for off.

The mini-map can be turned off in the Pre-Flight Checklist at any time.

View this article to learn more about accessing the Pre-Flight Checklist in the VEX AIR Flight Simulator.

Earning Flight School Badges

Upon a successful mission completion, a customized badge will be awarded.

Badge Levels

Three badges for the Yaw Flight mission with a medal on the top and flight data on the bottom of each. From left to right they are completed, with an orange medal, Silver with a silver medal, and gold with a gold medal.

Each badge shows the level of completion, as well as the individual mission data of date, time, scoring metric, and the distance flown. Users can also enter their name to further personalize their badge.

The mission metrics determine which badge is awarded.

Completed (orange) - indicates that mission objectives were accomplished.
Silver - indicates mission objectives were completed with fewer collisions or in less time.
Gold - indicates optimal mission completion.

The Flight School Missions menu with the Takeoff and Land mission button on the left selected and the Open Mission Log button on the lower right corner highlighted.

Select the Open Mission Log button for any mission in the Flight School Missions menu to view a PDF of the Mission Log and review badge criteria.

Personalizing a Badge

The mission badge dialog with the text box to select and enter name here highlighted below the mission data and above the retry mission button.

Select the text box to enter a name to further personalize a badge.

The same mission badge dialog, now with the save badge button on the bottom highlighted.

Select the Save Badge button to save a PDF of the badge to your device. Once saved, badges can be shared electronically or physically by printing.

Note: Badge information is erased once the window is closed. All badges must be saved in order to view specific flight data at a later time.

Leaving the Badge Window

The same mission badge dialog, now with the Retry Mission directly below the name text box highlighted.

Select the Retry Mission button to try the same mission again and earn an additional badge.

The same mission dialog box, now with the Select New Mission button, located vertically between retry mission and save badge, highlighted.

Select the Select New Mission button to return to the Flight School Missions menu and fly a different mission.

Closing Flight School

You can return to a practice layout in the simulator or close the Flight School Mission menu at any time.

Returning to Practice

A screenshot during flight with the flight school button in the lower left corner highlighted.

Select the Flight School button at any time to return to the Flight School menu.

The Flight School Missions menu with the top two mission buttons reading practice - ring layout and practice - competition layout highlighted, along with the Start Mission button on the lower right.

Practice Layouts are always available at the top of the Flight School Missions menu.

Select the Practice Layout you wish to return to, then select the Start Mission button to leave Flight School and continue practicing.

Closing the Flight School Mission Menu

The Flight School Missions menu with the x button in the upper left corner highlighted.

Select the X button in the upper left corner of the Flight School Mission menu to close the menu, and return to the previous screen.