Challenge
Flight simmers juggle mods, updates, VATSIM, VPN, and crew tools across five simulators. There was no single Windows launcher — and no site that explained the product without lying about a download that wasn’t ready.
Product / flight sim · 2026
Tapflight — Windows app + product site
Tapflight
What’s included
We designed and built both layers: the Windows desktop app (Tauri) and the marketing/docs site (Vite/React). Site, radar, reviews, tariffs, and legal pages sit on tapflight.app; the app covers mod library, updates, VATSIM map, VPN (Xray), logbook, overlay, and cabin-crew voice.
Outcome
Shipped product site + desktop application. Simulators: MSFS 2024/2020, X-Plane 12/11, Prepar3D, DCS, FSX. Free plan without an account. Store is a separate product (rupmdg.com).
Challenge
This is not a standard brochure site. The site has to sell a real desktop product: installers, VPN honesty, VATSIM quirks, RU/EN UI, and docs — while the app is the actual product.
Review
- What simmers actually install weekly (mods, liveries, navdata)
- Why consumer VPNs break VATSIM (FSD TCP, voice UDP, Velocity)
- What belongs in the app vs the site vs the add-on store
Plan
- App = command center. Site = story, radar, tariffs, FAQ, legal
- Honest copy: launch status, what VPN does and does not do
- RU/EN from day one; crew voice packs as a product feature
- Don’t mix Tap Flight with the RU_PMDG store
Ease of use
- Homepage: one launcher for all sims → download / install guide
- In-app: Home, Store, Apps, Sims, Library, Liveries, Radio
- Public VATSIM map without registration
- Clear next step: install on Windows 10/11
Look & feel
- Product site: white field, blue CTA, app chrome preview
- Desktop UI: command-center density, simulator switcher
Build
- Windows desktop app on Tauri (Windows 10/11)
- Mod manager, updates, library, liveries
- VATSIM live map, VPN (Xray-core, VLESS/XTLS), crew voice
- Marketing site on Vite + React: pages, docs links, i18n
Technologies
- Tauri
- Windows
- Vite
- React
- Xray