VRChat Aviation Journal: Gliders and Airships
- Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- 6 minutes ago
- 11 min read
The rarest forms of flight in VRChat aviation
Welcome to the first article in a new series, VRChat Aviation Journal. This series will be focused on discussing sets of VRChat Aviation (VRCA) worlds tied to a similar theme. We are creating this series to increase awareness of VRChat worlds and their world creators beyond a few dedicated articles on specific experiences.
There is no denying that to the casual onlooker, fixed wing fighters locked in air-to-air combat is the default experience of VRChat Aviation (VRCA). Rightfully so. If you were to gather all of the worlds that use the Sacc Flight prefab to make flight possible in VRChat, it is probably not an exaggeration to say that at least 80% of them are combat focused. On the General Aviation (GA) side of things, most of those worlds are about airliners, smaller fixed-wing passenger aircraft and helicopters. In this article, I discuss a few of the smallest subsect of GA worlds: airships and gliders. The list is short but distinguished.
I would like to thank fellow Skyward Flight Media staff members 'Cubeboy' and 'Hueman' for their assistance in flying these aircraft with me and providing the screenshots within this article.
Just Airship by Tobiuo
Up until recently, airships in VRChat have existed in name only. Just static objects that give the illusion of being in an airship. Really more of an object shaped like an air balloon permanently hanging in the sky. Just Airship by Tobiuo (とびうお) finally changed this by giving players a hands-on airship experience.
This world was released on June 21st, 2025, and if the fantastic promotional video did not win me over, visiting in person certainly did. It is set around the experience of traveling from island to island to view them from above or land to explore them on foot. Island houses, a crashed container ship, a windfarm, large beaches and other landmarks await. While in transit, even whales can be observed traversing the ocean. This is very much a sightseeing world.
The colorful airships in this gleaming archipelago are the stars of it all. While sitting in the back of the cabin, looking out the window, I felt myself physically unwind. The airships are flown with VR controllers or keyboard and mouse. They use standard Sacc Flight controls though they are so unusual compared to other aircraft, it takes a bit to understand how to properly ascend and descend correctly. The airship can come to a hover to slowly descend or ascend with nearly zero forward movement. This capability allows the airship to land in relatively secluded areas. Something especially useful on the islands and other landmarks scattered throughout the world.
While you will not see airships flying at the speed of sound, they can travel around the speed of an ultra-light aircraft. At time its feels as though, the airship is moving a bit faster than most real-world airships, but not so fast there is a danger of not being able to enjoy the finer details of the world. The world creator tuned the experience to be accessible for people that may be unsure how exactly and airship flies, while also letting people master its slow speed characteristics over time.
The flight deck, which has an eye bleeding amount of detail, seats up to six people with the pilot is in full control of this aerostat aircraft. There is an impressive array of flight instruments available, at least in terms of what you would expect from an airship.
While Just Airship by Tobiuo (とびうお) does have first person view drones and a helicopter with a rather impressive gyro-stabilized multi-axis gimbal housing an observation camera, it truly is the airship that makes the experience.
Test Pilots by Sacchan
Test Pilots is the birthplace of VRChat aviation. This world was created by Sacchan, the solo developer of the free to download Sacc Flight and Vehicles prefab; the "seed" that has made an entire generation of aviation possible in VRChat. Test Pilots is often the introduction for new players to see what is possible with aviation on the VRChat platform.
Since April 2020, the Test Pilots world was the first VRCA world and to this day continues to be the most visited world in the entire genre with over 15 million visits as of the time of this article's release. We have written about this pioneering world in detail, but its primary draw is the variety of aircraft and other vehicles it provides in a single experience. On September 14th, 2025, Sacchan added a new air vehicle to the experience: a Hot Air Balloon.
The Test Pilots Hot Air Balloon does not rely on the familiar control scheme that the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft in the world utilize. The balloon gains lift with its burner cluster mounted above the passenger platform and pilot seat. When turned on, the burners gradually increase the altitude of the balloon. Players that are standing on the platform are carried aloft even when not in the pilot seat. Synchronization issues make avatars seem as though they are clipping through the platform, making photos while standing on the platform a bit awkward. But it is functional.
Rather than use the tried-and-true control method of SaccFlight, the flight direction of the balloon is controlled by a wind controller - a first for a SaccFlight vehicle. While in the pilot seat, players use their left-hand Touch Controller while holding the lower button to show a small blue arrow which shows the direction of wind. Rotating this arrow by moving an arm to the left or right will change the direction of the wind and the direction the balloon will fly. That sounds rather 'normal' when you think about it in terms of how airships actually operate, but for VRChat aviation it is an entirely new concept.
I can appreciate this new effort towards a more realistic hot air balloon experience. The only real "problem" here is avatar synchronization, but that is pretty minor. Also, that may even be a temporary issue as Sacchan has done a few interesting updates to solve similar issues. Let's see where Test Pilots by Sacchan this goes in the next few weeks.
Primary Gliders by JagaimoSkull
While most world creators were pushing the boundaries of world distances, innovating new aircraft functions and adding as many aircraft as possible, JagaimoSkull went against 'the wind current' so to speak to create the Primary Gliders world.
Back in February 2022, this world creator stripped away the excess from the standard VRChat aviation experience at the time to provide what is still one of the most distinct flight experiences on the platform even in 2025.
The layout of this world is as simple as it gets. Two islands, multiple gliders and the wind. Launching from the side of a hill, players must figure out the wind currents around the island to remain a loft and climb ever higher.
Primary gliders mainly saw use in the 1920s and 1930s when aviation was still a relatively new concept. These gliders were an inexpensive way to learn how to fly and to fly recreationally. Seeing such an old form of aviation available in VRCA is respectable. JagaimoSkull made a compromise since players cannot physically feel the updrafts and wind currents. A button toggle to also show the updrafts in the world as colored blocks in the sky is also in the world to let those that may not quite understand this concept to better visualize how they should be flying these gliders.
This type of flying is very unusual and crashing multiple times before consistently succeeding is an inherent part of the experience. Players that gain a good understanding of how to fly these aircraft can even gain a surprising amount of altitude above the wind-swept hill or glide across to the second island that seems too far away for these oversized kites with a seat.
Despite being released over three years ago there are very few other worlds that have incorporated gliders in a meaningful way. A further testament to how far off the beaten path Primary Gliders by JagaimoSkull this type of experience is.
Skyward Night Flight by Cubeboyy
Skyward Night Flight is the third world from Cubeboyy, co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. This tropical themed world set to a calm night features beach equipment for relaxing, a floating dock for social gathering, a media player for watching videos and listening to music and other 'social hangout' related design choices. Of the two aircraft available, the ASK 21 sailplane is featured.
Though this world was released on March 30th, 2025, the ASK 21 under Cubeboyy's direction has been one of the most high-profile sailplanes in VRChat aviation since January 2023. This glider has performed in multiple airshows in cooperation with The Black Aces. Large crowds of 80+ users were able to fly these gliders after each event, getting a limited time experience with a glider. For a time, it was the only frequently observed glider in VRChat aviation.
As of 2025 it appears in two publicly accessible worlds. This iteration of the ASK 21 is a solid representation of what the modern glider experience in VRChat is like. It is both easy to fly in long-term unpowered flight and is capable of performing limited aerobatic maneuvers if the pilot is skilled enough and knows how to smartly deploy its stowed electric powered engine.
The two-seat ASK 21 in this permanent night setting lends itself to the slower going night vibe relaxation. When players activate their battery powered engine for self-launch, their instruments show battery charge represented by green, yellow and red indicator light. The battery onboard is realistically shorter, as it is not meant to be relied on for extended flight operations.
Upon take off players eyes are naturally drawn to what looks like upward moving streaks of air. These are the updrafts that gliders rely on for extended flight times, visualized in a thematic way that fits the setting. Rather than spiraling cloud-like wisps as seen in Skyward Island Resort, Skyward Night Flight seemingly asks players to ride moonlight. While other glider worlds incorporate wind and updrafts, with there being little to no indications, players usually need to rely solely on instruments like Varios to potentially find these updrafts. By providing a minor visual reference players are able to "get to the gliding experience faster".
Once at a safe altitude and ideally within an updraft area, the Vario and speed indicator become the most important instruments. In airshows the ASK 21 has done formation breaks, barrel rolls, loops and hammerheads. Experienced glider pilots can also keep the sailplane aloft for well over an hour without ever coming down to land. Skyward Night Flight by Cubeboyy is one of the most accessible glider experiences in VRChat aviation to date.
Small Island Beta 3 by Builder_1
Released somewhat quietly on October 14th, 2023, Small Island Beta 3 by Builder_1 is technically still in development despite its world creator moving onto projects focused on air demonstration teams and airshow flying.
The world's setting is at a somewhat sizeable regional airport. The flight line features many types of unflyable aircraft and undriveable cars to fill out the scene between the hangars, support buildings and air traffic control tower. The world has a day and night cycle that feels natural. That is to say that the sun and moon don't scream by every 5 minutes for the sake of pushing the gimmick.
Of the aircraft that can be flown, there are four Alisport Silent 2 Electro gliders. The cockpits of these gliders feature a limited function LX Navigation Zeus system showing the positions of other aircraft while in flight. A pretty handy feature in a busy airspace. Few aircraft in VRChat aviation, including most representations of fourth and fifth generation fighters, have a type of situational awareness display like this.
These sailplanes are able to self-launch with their nose mounted front electric sustainer identified as the ENGINE function in the Sacc Flight function dials. When activated the propellers fold out from the nose of the aircraft and produce thrust. Players will need to taxi their gliders to the runway to gain enough airspeed to lift off, as the sustainer motor is only powerful enough to allow for a long takeoff roll with a very shallow climb to altitude before beginning gliding. While in flight and at a safe altitude, the sustainer can be shutoff with the propellers folding back into the nose of the aircraft.
When this world was first released the gliders did not have updrafts / windzones. Something that was not obvious from the start. The glider experience was difficult because of this with many people relying on using the engine to fly them as you would normal aircraft with very short periods of gliding in-between. That being said, the experience was not great for gliding from day one. I have a memory of thinking the gliders were great while under their own power, then the experience immediately becoming rather difficult the moment the FES was shut off.
On February 10th, 2024, the world creator pushed a sizeable update that did include an updraft system and a toggle to make the updraft zones visible as solid blocks, similar to the Primary Gliders world. The glider experience dramatically improved with the electro gliders still retaining very high battery capacity making long-term sustained flight with the engine activated very easy. Players not too accustomed to how gliders operate may find having ample engine power available appealing. These days Small Island Beta 3 by Builder_1 is now a decent glider experience.
ドラード砂漠海岸 -Dourado Desert Coast- by Yakisaba dayo
With both player vs player combat focused worlds and non-combat GA worlds, Yakisaba Dayo has established a reputation for themselves as a reliable VRChat aviation world creator. On October 13th, 2025, they released an unusual dusk dipped desert world with a rather ambitious pair of features centered around gliders.
ドラード砂漠海岸 -Dourado Desert Coast- features biplanes, a single seat trainer with instructions on how to fly aircraft built into the cockpit and the JAG Assets JGT-21 glider. The newest glider for sale on BOOTH designed with VRChat in mind. The features listed on the JGT-21 product page include a winch and tow launch system based on the Sacchan Grapple System and an experimental script for thermals (rising air currents).
The pilot of the glider has two dial functions for attaching their glider to either a tow truck with immensely high horsepower or any of the other propeller driven aircraft in the world. In the case of the truck, the tow vehicle should gear up to maximum speed with the cable either being detached by the pilot once maximum altitude is achieved or the cable breaks on its own. With a tow aircraft players will be following the same lift off and gradual climb sequence followed by real world gliders. Both tow capable aircraft have low engine power, making the process to gain altitude a slower, more deliberate process.
While in flight the JGT-21 has a clean dash of instruments providing the necessities for navigating and remaining airborne. This glider is not highly aerobatic but is stable for longer flight sessions. The experimental thermal system, while interesting in concept, does need a bit more testing. After a few flights it was difficult to reliably find thermals leaving most flights to rely on high altitude than thermals to remain aloft. However, if that system can be refined, having an easy to access thermal script for gliders along with a glider that can be easily purchased from BOOTH, there is a potential for other world creators to start experimenting with including gliders in their future projects.
ドラード砂漠海岸 -Dourado Desert coast- by Yakisaba Dayo occupies an unusual space in terms of VRChat glider operations. Unlike all other current worlds which rely on different methods to self-launch the gliders, this world relies on having at least two people in an instance to get a glider airborne. On one hand this requires players to either bring friends or be social with others to get airborne. On the other hand, this experience of multiple people working together to get an aircraft airborne is yet again another sort of "only in VRChat" experience. With the process of aligning aircraft and tow vehicles, coordinating the flight path to gain altitude and decoupling the aircraft mid-flight is all done by humans with no in-game assists.
While it is highly unlikely that gliders will suddenly take up the "airspace" in VRChat, there does seem to be potential for them to appear in freely accessible worlds and further airshows in 2026.
About the Writer
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile]
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