Star Citizen Alpha 2.6 Loaner Rules
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is not official and is provided as an amalgamation of information found online and is subject to change without notice.
Update: 18th Apr' 2017
The post on Spectrum about Loaner Ships has been updated.
Loaner ships were introduced for players to be able to play in the PU and Arena Commander if they have purchased a ship that is not flight ready yet.
Loaner ships tend to be as close as possible to the "best case substitute" of the ship and is not necessarily based on size or price.
Some ships have two loaners because the most similar loaner ship may not be usable in Arena Commander.
Star Citizen Alpha 2.6 Loaner Matrix
Please click the image below to see the full official list of Loaner / Trainer ships.
View the original Spectrum thread about loaners here: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/spectrum/community/SC/forum/1/thread/the-ship-loaner-matrix
Why do I have a Constellation Andromeda and a P-52 Merlin in my ship list but not in my hangar?
On the Port Olisar and Grim Hex ship decks you will see a Constellation Andromeda and a P-52 Merlin in the ship selection screen as replacements for any non flight ready ships that you own that are multi crew.
Please check the ship loaner matrix above for more details.
Why do I have a F7C Hornet in my ship list but not in my hangar?
If you own a concept ship that is not yet flight ready, or if you own a concept ship that is unable to be used in Arena commander you will have a Hornet F7C available to use as a loaner (also now known as a "trainer").
Please see the loaner ship matrix at the start of this article.
Can I Use A Ship Rented With REC In Port Olisar and Around Crusader?
No, since 2.4 it is no longer possible to “rent” ships for use in the public universe.
Why Are The Ships I Rented Not Showing Up In The Ship Selection Screen At Port Olisar or Grim Hex?
As of 2.4 and on ships that have been rented using REC are no longer available for use in Port Olisar or Grim Hex and around Crusader. Only ships purchased with UEC and Real Money on the RSI website will be available for use in the Public Universe. Ships rented with REC are still available in Arena Commander and will continue to be.
Why Can I No Longer Use Rented Ships In Port Olisar?
REC are credits that are earned by playing the simulated games in Arena Commander and eventually in Star Marine. The simulator exists in the Star Citizen universe as a separate place to test weapons, ships and PVP combat skills. Only UEC will be usable in the Public Universe / Star Citizen. As the game continues to be developed the separation between UEC purchases and REC purchases will continue to grow. Eventually the only items available for use in Star Citizen will be those purchased with UEC or earned / found in the verse. REC credits earned in the simulator will only go towards renting ships and items in Arena Commander and Star Marine simulations.