FLIGHT Developers

Checklist API

Read every startup checklist in the FLIGHT library as JSON, by simulator or by aircraft model.

Read-onlyJSONAPI key

Base URL

https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1

Aircraft: 118
Simulators: 4
Endpoints: 3

Quickstart

Three steps from nothing to a checklist.

1
Get a key
Keys are issued by the FLIGHT team. Ask for one on Discord and say what you are building.
2
Store it safely
Keep it in an environment variable such as FLIGHT_API_KEY, on a server, never in browser code.
3
Make a request
Send it as a Bearer token. Every response is JSON with a data field.

curl "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/checklists?sim=msfs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY"

Authentication

Every request needs a key, in either of these headers.

Request headers

Authorization: Bearer flt_...
x-api-key: flt_...

Treat a key like a password. Call the API from a server or script, not from a web page or app: the API sends no CORS headers, and anyone who sees a key can use it. If one leaks, ask for it to be revoked and you will get a new one.

Try it

Send a real request from this page and see the response.

Paste your key, pick an endpoint and send. The response shows up here.

Endpoints

All endpoints are GET and live under https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1.

GET/sims

List simulators

Every simulator with at least one checklist, and how many aircraft it has.

Request

curl "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/sims" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY"

Response

200 OK

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "msfs",
      "name": "MSFS 2024",
      "fullName": "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024",
      "aircraftCount": 65
    },
    {
      "id": "dcs",
      "name": "DCS World",
      "fullName": "Digital Combat Simulator World",
      "aircraftCount": 43
    },
    {
      "id": "xplane12",
      "name": "X-Plane 12",
      "fullName": "Laminar Research X-Plane 12",
      "aircraftCount": 4
    },
    {
      "id": "bms",
      "name": "Falcon BMS",
      "fullName": "Benchmark Sims - Falcon BMS",
      "aircraftCount": 6
    }
  ]
}

GET/checklists

List aircraft

Every aircraft in the library, without the checklist itself. Filters are optional and combine.

Query parameters

Name: simoptional
Description: A simulator id from /sims.
Example: dcs
Name: qoptional
Description: Part of the model name or aircraft id. Case-insensitive.
Example: 737
Name: typeoptional
Description: The exact aircraft type. Case-insensitive.
Example: Twin Engine Jet

Name	Description	Example
`sim`optional	A simulator id from /sims.	`dcs`
`q`optional	Part of the model name or aircraft id. Case-insensitive.	`737`
`type`optional	The exact aircraft type. Case-insensitive.	`Twin Engine Jet`

Request

curl "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/checklists?sim=dcs&q=hornet" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY"

Response

200 OK

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "fa-18c-hornet",
      "name": "F/A-18C Hornet",
      "sim": "dcs",
      "simName": "DCS World",
      "manufacturer": "Boeing",
      "developer": "Eagle Dynamics",
      "type": "Twin Engine Fighter",
      "category": "Fighter",
      "era": "4th Gen",
      "phaseCount": 14,
      "stepCount": 130,
      "url": "https://flightchecklist.app/dcs/fa-18c-hornet"
    }
  ],
  "count": 1
}

GET/checklists/{aircraft}

Get a checklist

One aircraft's full checklist: its details plus every phase and step.

Path parameter

Name: aircraftrequired
Description: An aircraft id from /checklists.
Example: cessna-172

Name	Description	Example
`aircraft`required	An aircraft id from /checklists.	`cessna-172`

Request

curl "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/checklists/cessna-172" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY"

Response

200 OK · trimmed to the first phase and three steps

{
  "data": {
    "id": "cessna-172",
    "name": "Cessna 172 Skyhawk",
    "sim": "msfs",
    "simName": "MSFS 2024",
    "manufacturer": "Cessna",
    "developer": "Asobo Studio",
    "type": "Single Engine Piston",
    "category": "General Aviation",
    "era": "1950s",
    "phaseCount": 13,
    "stepCount": 178,
    "url": "https://flightchecklist.app/msfs/cessna-172",
    "phases": [
      {
        "name": "Pre-Flight Planning",
        "steps": [
          {
            "id": "pf1",
            "action": "Weather Briefing (METAR / TAF)",
            "expected": "REVIEWED",
            "note": "Check current conditions and forecast at departure, enroute, and destination airports."
          },
          {
            "id": "pf2",
            "action": "NOTAMs",
            "expected": "REVIEWED",
            "note": "Check for runway closures, TFRs, and airspace restrictions."
          },
          {
            "id": "pf3",
            "action": "Fuel Required",
            "expected": "CALCULATED",
            "note": "POH Section 5 Cruise Performance (Figure 5-8) at 2550 lb, recommended lean mixture: 8.2 GPH at 2400 RPM / 6000 ft, up to 10.4 GPH at 75% MCP. Usable fuel 53.0 US gal. Plan trip fuel plus a 30-minute VFR reserve (45 min at night)."
          }
        ],
        "gsxSteps": [
          {
            "id": "gsx-pf-1",
            "action": "GSX - Fuel Truck",
            "expected": "REFUEL COMPLETE",
            "note": "GSX menu: Refuel Aircraft. Total capacity 56 US gal (2 tanks at 28.0 gal each), 53.0 gal usable."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Response objects

Successful responses wrap their result in data. Lists also carry a count.

Aircraft

Field: id
Type: string
Description: Aircraft id, used in /checklists/{aircraft}.
Field: name
Type: string
Description: Model name as shown on the site.
Field: sim
Type: string
Description: Simulator id, as in /sims.
Field: simName
Type: string
Description: Simulator display name.
Field: manufacturer
Type: string | null
Description: Who built the airframe.
Field: developer
Type: string | null
Description: Who built the add-on.
Field: type
Type: string
Description: Aircraft type, e.g. Single Engine Piston.
Field: category
Type: string
Description: General Aviation, Airliner, Fighter and so on.
Field: era
Type: string
Description: Era or generation.
Field: phaseCount
Type: number
Description: Phases in the checklist.
Field: stepCount
Type: number
Description: Steps across every phase.
Field: url
Type: string
Description: The checklist on flightchecklist.app.
Field: phases
Type: Phase[]
Description: Only on /checklists/{aircraft}. Each phase is { name, steps }.

Field	Type	Description
`id`	`string`	Aircraft id, used in /checklists/{aircraft}.
`name`	`string`	Model name as shown on the site.
`sim`	`string`	Simulator id, as in /sims.
`simName`	`string`	Simulator display name.
`manufacturer`	`string \| null`	Who built the airframe.
`developer`	`string \| null`	Who built the add-on.
`type`	`string`	Aircraft type, e.g. Single Engine Piston.
`category`	`string`	General Aviation, Airliner, Fighter and so on.
`era`	`string`	Era or generation.
`phaseCount`	`number`	Phases in the checklist.
`stepCount`	`number`	Steps across every phase.
`url`	`string`	The checklist on flightchecklist.app.
`phases`	`Phase[]`	Only on /checklists/{aircraft}. Each phase is { name, steps }.

Step

Field: id
Type: string
Description: Step id, unique within the checklist.
Field: action
Type: string
Description: What to operate, e.g. Parking Brake.
Field: expected
Type: string
Description: The state to set or check, e.g. SET.
Field: note
Type: string?
Description: Optional tip.
Field: caution
Type: string?
Description: Optional attention item.
Field: warning
Type: string?
Description: Optional critical item.

Field	Type	Description
`id`	`string`	Step id, unique within the checklist.
`action`	`string`	What to operate, e.g. Parking Brake.
`expected`	`string`	The state to set or check, e.g. SET.
`note`	`string?`	Optional tip.
`caution`	`string?`	Optional attention item.
`warning`	`string?`	Optional critical item.

Errors

A failed request returns a non-200 status and an error object.

401 Unauthorized

{
  "error": {
    "code": "INVALID_KEY",
    "message": "This API key is not valid or has been revoked."
  }
}

Status: 401
Code: MISSING_KEY
Meaning: No key in the request.
Status: 401
Code: INVALID_KEY
Meaning: The key is malformed, unknown or revoked.
Status: 400
Code: INVALID_SIM
Meaning: sim is not an id from /sims.
Status: 404
Code: NOT_FOUND
Meaning: No aircraft with that id.
Status: 503
Code: UNAVAILABLE
Meaning: The API is temporarily down. Retry later.

Status	Code	Meaning
401	`MISSING_KEY`	No key in the request.
401	`INVALID_KEY`	The key is malformed, unknown or revoked.
400	`INVALID_SIM`	sim is not an id from /sims.
404	`NOT_FOUND`	No aircraft with that id.
503	`UNAVAILABLE`	The API is temporarily down. Retry later.

Recipes

Complete scripts you can copy and run.

Print a checklist to the terminal

List a sim's fleet, then fetch and print the first aircraft's checklist.

curl -s "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/checklists/cessna-172-xp" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY" \
  | jq -r '.data.phases[] | "\n\(.name)", (.steps[] | "  \(.action) ... \(.expected)")'

Save every checklist for one sim

One JSON file per aircraft. Swap bms for any sim id.

curl -s "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/checklists?sim=bms" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY" \
  | jq -r '.data[].id' \
  | while read -r id; do
      curl -s "https://flightchecklist.app/api/v1/checklists/$id" \
        -H "Authorization: Bearer $FLIGHT_API_KEY" > "$id.json"
    done

Good to know

Cache on your side
Checklists change only when the site ships a release, so store what you fetch instead of requesting the same checklist on every use.
Usage is tracked
Every request is counted against its key, per day and endpoint. The FLIGHT team can see what each key is used for.
Simulation only
These checklists are for flight simulation. Never use them for real-world aviation.

Need a key, a new field or an endpoint? Ask on the FLIGHT Discord.

Join Discord