Help with cockpit view...

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 22:24:03 -0500, grumpydad wrote:

> he's not much of a computer whiz and has been bothered by the fact that
> his default cockpit view is only the left half...he wants to see the
> whole cockpit (I think it's a DC-9), right and left sides, on his
> monitor. I have tried adjusting the resolution and reading the manual

It depends on the aircraft you use. Most of them nowadays have so-called
virtual cockpit, in which you can look around in all directions by presing
the hat switch on your stick. In VC you can normally enter by pressing the
S key. But even then it is not always possible to see all perspectives you
would like. Some payware aircraft even need additional software (Active
Camera) to enable you to walk around the cockpit as you desire.

In 2D panel you can only see the right seat view (or both - larger - views
at the same time) if the developer has provided it. Otherwise you are
limited to the size of the bitmap picture that is included in your aircraft
- not more.

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

grumpydad wrote:
> Hi, I am posting this for my dad, who is a real fan of Microsoft Flight
> Simulator and has the 2004 (Century of Flight?). His problem is that
> he's not much of a computer whiz and has been bothered by the fact that
> his default cockpit view is only the left half...he wants to see the
> whole cockpit (I think it's a DC-9), right and left sides, on his
> monitor. I have tried adjusting the resolution and reading the manual
> for some clues about how to do this and haven't been able to fix the
> problem. Can anyone suggest what we can do? I've installed the
> program on several of his computers (he just got a new one) and they
> all do the same thing. Using some of the keyboard commands will switch
> the view around the various windows, but he feels there should be a way
> to view a wider area than what he's seeing now. I hope this makes
> sense. I'm not really a flight sim person, but if you know what I'm
> talking about I'd love suggestions about how to fix it. Thanks very
> much in advance...


Hello Grumpy Dad.  

It really depends on which aircraft you are flying. Many fixed wing will
only show the left side of the panel. Exceptions are many.

Helicopters usually show the right side of the instrument panel since
the PIC flys from the right seat. An exception to this rule is in the
Hughes Helicopter family where, for some reason, the PIC station is
depicted as the left seat.

Here is a collage of aircraft and some of the panels you see when
flying. It also shows some 3d (Virtual) panels on some aircraft.

Which aircraft is he flying? It would help to see what his choices might be.

Here are some pictures of panels of different aircraft.

Super Decathlon for FS2004 - nice full panel
http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs20&d=05115&f=aca-deke01.jpg

S-76 Helo
http://img99.echo.cx/my.php?image=mmap3rc.jpg

Aztec - CV240 - Howard 500
http://img115.echo.cx/my.php?image=leftside012wq.jpg

CV240 2D and 3D panels
http://img79.echo.cx/my.php?image=cv240kaus7cp.jpg

Aztec approach
http://img92.echo.cx/my.php?image=aztec02.jpg

Bell 406
http://img79.echo.cx/my.php?image=framerates4pl.jpg

Cobra Normal Approach
http://img44.echo.cx/my.php?image=normalapproach021ht.j...

Cobra Autorotation
http://img123.echo.cx/my.php?image=autopanelgoodauto023...

Aero Commander - 2D and 3D panels
http://img151.echo.cx/my.php?image=aerocmdr9nx.jpg

Helo 2D and 3D panels
http://img153.echo.cx/my.php?image=newpanelstrip022oj.j...

Socata TB20GT
http://img79.echo.cx/my.php?image=socata01.jpg

Nice 3D panel - Socata
http://img79.echo.cx/my.php?image=vp01.jpg

Little Bird flying NOE
http://img19.echo.cx/my.php?image=noe02.jpg

--

(Smiling) boB,
SAG 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Thank you very much for the reply and the links to cockpit views. It
helps a lot. I think he's flying a DC-9, and if there's a 2D versus 3D
cockpit view out there I'd love to know a link. I think his main
problem is that it's frustrating for him to have to remember which key
to press to see the whole cockpit and the other instruments, so he
wants them all available at one time and essentially just wants to look
straight ahead most of the time.

Many thanks, again, and please let me know if you know any DC9 shots...


Best...

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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

I'll try explaining a couple of things about cockpit views

There are two cockpit views possible.

The default view is a 2D view that allows you to see and set the major
instruments. Normally you look forward, see the main panel and look out of
the window and see the runway (or not).
Using the hatswitch on the joystick you can look left right up and down. You
can do the same using the arrow keys on the keyboard.

You can change the eye position using SHIFT ENTER and SHIFT Backspace.
This helps seeing the runway when landing or when flying a taildragger
plane.

Also you can zoom in and out with the minus (-) and = keys.

Most aircraft have a 3D cockpit view also.
You can change from 2D view to 3D view with the S key (or with a switch on
the joystick). The S key let you cycle four views: 2D, 3D, tower view and
spotview. The last two vies show the a/c from outside.

In 3D view you can look around using the hatswitch. You are able to view the
whole cockpit. Also the - and = switches let you zoom in and out and the
shift enter and shift backspace move the eyeposition up and down.
3D seems to be more fun, but it is harder to read the instruments (unless
you have a very large monitor and crisp vidcard). I guess most simmers fly
using 2D view.

Hope this helps. Please come back if you need more info

Gerard

"grumpydad" <grumpydad@forums.simradar.com> wrote in message
news:1117768985.29701@forums.simradar.com...
> Hi, I am posting this for my dad, who is a real fan of Microsoft Flight
> Simulator and has the 2004 (Century of Flight?). His problem is that
> he's not much of a computer whiz and has been bothered by the fact that
> his default cockpit view is only the left half...he wants to see the
> whole cockpit (I think it's a DC-9), right and left sides, on his
> monitor. I have tried adjusting the resolution and reading the manual
> for some clues about how to do this and haven't been able to fix the
> problem. Can anyone suggest what we can do? I've installed the
> program on several of his computers (he just got a new one) and they
> all do the same thing. Using some of the keyboard commands will switch
> the view around the various windows, but he feels there should be a way
> to view a wider area than what he's seeing now. I hope this makes
> sense. I'm not really a flight sim person, but if you know what I'm
> talking about I'd love suggestions about how to fix it. Thanks very
> much in advance...
> _________________________________________________________
> Posted via the -Web to Usenet- forums at http://forums.simradar.com
> Visit www.simradar.com and try our Flight Simulation Search Engine!

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Gerard, thank you...this is very useful information. I will try
telling this to my dad and see if it helps fix the problem. If you
think of anything else, please feel free to let me know! :-)

_________________________________________________________
Posted via the -Web to Usenet- forums at http://forums.simradar.com
Visit www.simradar.com and try our Flight Simulation Search Engine!