Finance, loans and bankruptcy — where money comes from and goes
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Finance, loans and bankruptcy
ledger, rating, loans, month-end close and the grace period
General ledger
The company keeps double-entry books: every movement of money is an entry in the general ledger, and cash, the income statement and the balance sheet are all computed from it. Transport revenue, humanitarian income, event winnings and facility revenue have their own accounts, so you can see where the money really comes from. You will find it all on the Finance screen.
Rating and credit
The bank judges the company by its profit over the last three months, its assets (cash and fleet), debt, reputation and age. That gives a rating from AAA to D, and the rating gives the interest rate, the longest repayment term and how much the company may borrow without collateral — which grows with profit. An aircraft as collateral raises the limit. The Finance screen lists why the rating came out the way it did.
Starter loan
A new company with no profit and no aircraft would get nothing from the bank. That is why it is entitled, once in its life, to a starter loan with its own rate and a longer term — only while it has no aircraft of its own and has never borrowed, and only for a player’s first company.
Repayment
The instalment is deducted once a month according to the amortisation schedule. When there is not enough cash, as much as possible is paid and the rest stays owed — the debt does not disappear. An extra repayment is possible at any time and without a fee.
Month-end close
Once a month pilot salaries, lot rent, facility and factory running costs, aircraft insurance premiums, aircraft depreciation and tax on the past month’s profit at the rate of the home airport’s country are all deducted at once; a loss is not taxed. Tax is paid from cash, and Finance shows what the running month currently comes to — profit spent on an aircraft is taxed too. A message about the close arrives in your inbox.
Negative cash and the end of a company
When cash drops below zero, the company gets fourteen days’ grace. The period only runs when you know about it: if you have been away for a few days, it starts when you return (the wait is capped at three months) — costs keep running meanwhile. Finance shows how many days cash lasts without flying. During the grace period no new loan is granted, but it can sell, fly and earn. If it is still in the red when the period ends, it is dissolved: its aircraft go to the market and its bookings back to the board. The player’s account remains and can found a new company — only without the starting capital and starter loan.
Income
Job pay — On closing the flight. Cut for lateness and multiplied by reputation; on a job from an FBO route a share goes to the route owner.
Contract — For every cycle flown. Won in a tender; a cycle not flown costs a penalty.
Humanitarian job — Like an ordinary job, when the flight is closed — just at a lower rate. The HAS aircraft costs nothing and reputation grows more for a mission.
FBO route share — When somebody delivers a job from your route.
Facility revenue — Part of the handling fee from every flight departing an airport where you have a cargo terminal or a passenger lounge.
Fuel sales — When someone refuels from your fuel depot.
Leasing out your aircraft — When somebody rents an aircraft you are offering.
Sale — An aircraft to the dealer or another player; commodities to NPCs or players.
Insurance payout — After damage to an insured aircraft, up to its market value, less the deductible.
Loan — Not income but cash — and it is repaid monthly, with interest.
Expenses
Fuel — On dispatch, at the price of the departure airport; cheaper from a fuel depot at the airport. Prices differ from airport to airport — the job detail shows both.
Rental — After each flight by the actual flight time, at the rate per flight hour; taxiing is not charged. On return, add the ferry back when the aircraft is elsewhere and, for a dry lease, the fuel used from the tanks.
Flight fees — On closing the flight: landing fee, handling at both ends, passenger service or cargo handling, en-route charges. Without a slot at peak time and during a strike, handling costs more.
Commission — From revenue on closing the flight.
Crew — An hourly rate for the block time on closing. On top of that an AI pilot's salary monthly, even in a month without flying; hiring fee and severance once.
Maintenance — Every flight hour adds a payment to the aircraft’s maintenance fund when the flight is closed — until the fund is full. Repairs and checks are paid from the fund first and only the rest from cash; dearer without a workshop, cheaper with parts from your own shop.
Insurance premium — Once a month at the close for each of your own insured aircraft — a twelfth of the annual rate on the hull value. An uninsured aircraft pays nothing — and bears the whole loss.
Parking — On departure, for the time the aircraft sat idle. The first day is free, the charge has a cap and nothing is paid in your own hangar.
Lot rent — The first month right when you lease, then at each monthly close, even for an empty lot; plus the running costs of facilities and factories.
Supplies — Continuously, as facilities consume them, at their purchase cost; when they run out, an emergency NPC delivery at a much higher price.
Depreciation — Monthly at closing: how much the model says your own aircraft lost in value.
Tax — Monthly, from the past month's profit, at the rate of the home airport's country. A loss is not taxed and does not carry over to the next month.
Loan payment — Monthly with interest, the rate follows the rating. When there is no cash for it, it is skipped — the debt does not go away.
Starter loan — A one-off line for a company that has no aircraft of its own yet and has never borrowed. It has its own rate and term and can be taken once in the life of the company.
Purchase — An aircraft, a facility on a lot, a factory, tooling for a product, commodities, pilot training — at the moment you buy it. The reward for your own consignment up front, when it is posted.
Penalties and fees — A contract cycle not flown, closing a facility, posting an aircraft listing or a commodity offer, and the commission on a sale to a player.
Finance. Income statement, balance sheet and general ledger down to the line. The bank rating is computed from the books — it cannot be inflated by anything but earnings.
Based on the in-game help and manual (Help tab) — the numbers are the default rule values; the in-game manual shows the ones the server is using right now. Post questions and experience in this thread.
Finance, loans and bankruptcy
ledger, rating, loans, month-end close and the grace period
General ledger
The company keeps double-entry books: every movement of money is an entry in the general ledger, and cash, the income statement and the balance sheet are all computed from it. Transport revenue, humanitarian income, event winnings and facility revenue have their own accounts, so you can see where the money really comes from. You will find it all on the Finance screen.
Rating and credit
The bank judges the company by its profit over the last three months, its assets (cash and fleet), debt, reputation and age. That gives a rating from AAA to D, and the rating gives the interest rate, the longest repayment term and how much the company may borrow without collateral — which grows with profit. An aircraft as collateral raises the limit. The Finance screen lists why the rating came out the way it did.
Starter loan
A new company with no profit and no aircraft would get nothing from the bank. That is why it is entitled, once in its life, to a starter loan with its own rate and a longer term — only while it has no aircraft of its own and has never borrowed, and only for a player’s first company.
Repayment
The instalment is deducted once a month according to the amortisation schedule. When there is not enough cash, as much as possible is paid and the rest stays owed — the debt does not disappear. An extra repayment is possible at any time and without a fee.
Month-end close
Once a month pilot salaries, lot rent, facility and factory running costs, aircraft insurance premiums, aircraft depreciation and tax on the past month’s profit at the rate of the home airport’s country are all deducted at once; a loss is not taxed. Tax is paid from cash, and Finance shows what the running month currently comes to — profit spent on an aircraft is taxed too. A message about the close arrives in your inbox.
Negative cash and the end of a company
When cash drops below zero, the company gets fourteen days’ grace. The period only runs when you know about it: if you have been away for a few days, it starts when you return (the wait is capped at three months) — costs keep running meanwhile. Finance shows how many days cash lasts without flying. During the grace period no new loan is granted, but it can sell, fly and earn. If it is still in the red when the period ends, it is dissolved: its aircraft go to the market and its bookings back to the board. The player’s account remains and can found a new company — only without the starting capital and starter loan.
Income
Expenses
Finance. Income statement, balance sheet and general ledger down to the line. The bank rating is computed from the books — it cannot be inflated by anything but earnings.
Based on the in-game help and manual (Help tab) — the numbers are the default rule values; the in-game manual shows the ones the server is using right now. Post questions and experience in this thread.