Guides & hardware · English guide
Star Citizen beginner guide: your first flight
Your first session in Star Citizen is easier when you treat it as a short sequence: prepare your PC and account, reach your ship, take off carefully, complete one manageable task and return safely. You do not need a large fleet or expensive equipment to learn these basics.
Check accounts, referral codes and starter packagesWatch the original first-flight video · German ↗
Prepare your PC, account and game access
Check the current official system requirements ↗ before buying. Install the game on a suitable SSD through the official launcher. A supported configuration does not guarantee identical frame rates everywhere; location, patch, server conditions and settings also matter.
Make sure your package includes Star Citizen game access. A standalone ship is not automatically a starter package. If an official Free Fly event is available, it can be a useful way to assess the game before spending money. Check the event’s actual dates and conditions rather than assuming there is always a free trial.
Use your own account, a unique password and the available account security options. If you are creating a new account, our starter guide explains where the referral code belongs and why you should check the current official bonus conditions first.
Reach the hangar and request your ship
Follow the game’s current tutorial or onboarding flow where available. Starting locations and instructions can change between patches. Learn the route between your spawn point, transport and the spaceport before loading yourself with equipment.
At the ship terminal, commonly called ASOP, select an available ship and request it. Read the assigned hangar information. A request, a claim and an expedited claim are different actions; check any cost or timer before confirming. Current ship-state and claim behaviour should be read in the relevant patch notes rather than inferred from an older video.
Take only the items you need. Inventories are location-dependent, so equipment stored elsewhere is not automatically on your character or ship. An inexpensive first loadout makes a mistake or a bug less frustrating.
Take off slowly and learn the controls
Check the current keybindings in Options before your first flight. Old shortcuts and custom profiles may differ from your installation. Make sure you know how to interact, open your mobiGlas, manage landing gear and change view; use the displayed bindings rather than pressing keys at random.
- Enter your ship and reach the pilot seat.
- Follow the current start-up instructions and check the ship’s power state.
- Request the required departure clearance and wait for the hangar doors to open.
- Lift off slowly, leaving room above and beside the ship.
- Once clear of the hangar, practise gentle acceleration, braking and turning in open space.
For a first session, leave advanced manoeuvres and fast approaches for later. Learn how long your ship takes to stop before flying near stations, terrain or other ships. A controller upgrade is optional; basic familiarity matters more than adding equipment immediately.
Plan your return and land safely
Know your destination before starting a longer trip. Check fuel and avoid taking your first flight further than necessary. On approach, slow down early, request landing permission through the current interface and follow the assigned pad or hangar.
Keep landing gear and clearance in mind, and make your final movements gently. If you are unsure of the approach, pause at a safe distance and re-check the instructions. After landing, use the appropriate ship-storage procedure rather than assuming that leaving the pilot seat ends the session safely.
Pick one manageable beginner mission
Read the mission requirements before accepting. Your ship’s cargo space, equipment and the mission’s legal status should fit the task. A larger advertised payout is not automatically a better first mission if it requires combat experience or resources you do not have.
Start with a task you can understand and complete within your session. Learn where mission information, objectives and delivery locations appear. Keep your first cargo or equipment exposure modest, and do not spend more money on ships simply because a first mission fails.
Before leaving a ship or entering an unsafe environment, check your helmet, suit and oxygen. Many early setbacks come from small preparation steps rather than from the flight itself.
When something goes wrong
Separate a control problem from a performance issue or a reproducible bug. Check the current bindings and official starter instructions first. If the interface behaves differently from a video, your patch may have changed the flow. Write down the location and sequence that caused the problem so others can help.
For practical help, join our Discord community ↗ or visit Karolinger on Twitch ↗. Tell us your ship, task and what you already tried. A clear question is more useful than buying another ship or changing every setting at once.
Beginner questions
Do I need a joystick or eye tracker to begin?
No. Learn the game with the equipment you already have, then consider upgrades for a specific need. Our hardware guides explain the differences.
Why does an old video show different menus or controls?
Star Citizen’s systems change during development. Use the current Options menu and RSI’s official getting-started guide ↗ alongside the video.
What should I do if my first mission fails?
Check whether the cause was the mission requirements, controls, preparation or a bug. Keep your next attempt small and ask for help with the exact steps.
English guide reviewed on 10 October 2026, based on our German first-flight guide. Interfaces, controls and ship behaviour may change between patches.
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