Learn to Fly 2: a launch game where the shop is the real level
The first Learn to Fly ended with a penguin flying face-first into an iceberg, and the sequel opens in the hospital ward where he has been reading a book called 888 Ways NOT to Kill an Iceberg. He is in a cast from beak to feet and he has a plan. Learn to Fly 2 keeps the loop that made the original work: a ramp, a run, a landing, a payout, a shop, and a new day. What changed is the size of the shop. There are four lines of gear to buy into, sleds from the Good Ol' Sled up through the Bobsleigh to the Omega Coil, gliders from a Kite to a Hang Glider to an Umbrella and, eventually, the Omeglider, boosts from a Rocket Firework and a Sugar Rocket to a Pulse Jet and the THOR Ramjet, and payloads, the dead weight strapped to the sled that makes a hit on an obstacle count. Fuel tanks and the ramp's length and height are upgrades too, and every item shows its stats before you pay.
The flight itself is short and busy. Left and Right tilt the penguin, and the trick is to hold a glide angle where the wing keeps generating lift without stalling; too much nose-up and you drop, too much nose-down and you hit the snow early. The boost key is a fuel budget you spend in bursts, usually at the top of the arc when the glider has nothing left to give. The sea at the end of the run will skip you along the surface if you hit it at a shallow angle, which is worth a surprising number of feet. Story Mode gives the days a purpose, a line of obstacles ending at the iceberg itself, while Classic Mode is a distance target and Arcade Mode is a single run with a fixed budget for the leaderboard. Medals and challenges pay out bonus points for a separate bonus shop. The copy on learntofly2.org is the original Kongregate SWF (version 1.14) running through Ruffle, so it plays on a Chromebook without a plugin.
Controls & mechanics
| Action | Control | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Tilt | Left / Right arrow keys (or A / D) | Nose down for speed, nose up for lift; find the angle where the glide ratio gauge stays green |
| Boost | Space (hold) | Fires the rocket or jet you bought; drains the fuel tank while held |
| Launch angle | Slider on the ramp, then the Launch button | Set before each run; the ramp upgrades change how much speed you leave it with |
| Shop and menus | Mouse | Buy gear between days, flip the notebook pages, read each item's stat sheet before paying |
| Options | Menu at the top left of the game | Switch to mouse control for everything, or rebind the boost to Backspace or either Ctrl key |
Getting further in Learn to Fly 2
- Buy the glider before the rocket: A boost adds speed for a few seconds; a better wing adds distance to every second of the flight. Early money goes on the Old Glider and then the Hang Glider, and the sled and boost lines come after.
- Hold the glide ratio, do not fight it: The gauge tells you whether the penguin is climbing or falling relative to how fast he is going. Small taps on Left and Right to keep it balanced beat holding a key down; the wing stalls if you pull up hard with no speed behind it.
- Spend the boost at the top of the arc: Firing the rocket on the ramp is wasted because the sled already has that speed. Wait until the climb flattens out, then burn the tank in one push to buy a second arc.
- Pick the payload for the obstacle, not the record: Payloads are heavy: they cost distance on every run. Carry one on the days you are lined up to hit an obstacle, and swap it out when you just want to bank money.
- Chase the challenges on quiet days: The distance, altitude, speed and duration challenges pay bonus points on top of the day's cash, and the bonus shop buys things the normal shop does not. A run that will not beat your record can still tick one off.
Key features
- Three modes: Story Mode, with a chain of obstacles ending at the iceberg; Classic Mode, a straight distance goal like the first game; Arcade Mode, one run on a fixed budget for a score.
- Four gear lines plus the ramp: Sleds, gliders, boosts and payloads with named items and stat sheets, plus fuel tanks and ramp length and height.
- Medals and a bonus shop: Twenty-four medals and a rolling set of challenges pay bonus points that unlock extras the cash shop does not sell.
- The original Flash build: Version 1.14 of the Kongregate SWF, served from this domain and run by Ruffle, with the saved game kept in your browser.
Game info
- Title: Learn to Fly 2
- Developer: Light Bringer Games
- Category: Launch and Distance
- Platform: Web browser (HTML5)
- Modes: Story, Classic and Arcade (the last two unlock as you play)
Pro tip: The sea is not the end of the run. Come in at a shallow angle with some speed left and the penguin skips across the water like a stone, and each skip adds distance. Coming in steep stops you dead. In the last seconds of a glide, level off rather than diving for the extra speed, and keep a sip of boost fuel for the moment you touch the water.
Frequently asked questions
What is Learn to Fly 2?
A launch-and-upgrade game by Light Bringer Games, released on Kongregate in 2011 as the sequel to Learn to Fly. You slide a penguin down a ramp, glide as far as you can, earn money for the flight and spend it on better sleds, gliders, boosts and payloads, with a story about getting even with the iceberg from the first game.
What are the controls?
Left and Right arrow keys (or A and D) tilt the penguin in the air, Space fires the boost, and the mouse handles the ramp slider, the Launch button and the shop. The options menu at the top left of the game can hand everything to the mouse instead, or rebind the boost key.
How do I unlock Classic and Arcade Mode?
Both are locked when you start. They open as you make progress in Story Mode, and each mode keeps its own save slot on the Load Game screen.
Is this the Flash version?
Yes. It is the original Learn to Fly 2 SWF (version 1.14), served from this site and run by Ruffle, an open-source Flash Player emulator, inside your browser. Nothing installs.
Does my progress save?
The game saves to your browser's storage at the end of each day, and Load Game on the menu picks it up. Clearing site data or switching browsers loses it, so finish a run before you close the tab.
