FS2004 Virtual Cockpit, pretty, but?

["" <Ping Lhough>]

Hello,

Does anyone 'really' use the virtual-cockpit to fly FS9?

I find it's very nice to look at, yet it seems pretty much useless
during flight, 'especially' take-offs and landings.

It's fun to pan-around and look at things, take some neat
screenshots, but I just can't find good use for it, at least for
controlling aircraft, and with 1 monitor.

Btw, I have found a few freeware aircraft that really -do- utilize
the VC, they're much more practical to use (better layouts), but it's
kind of rare, and the 2D panel always seems best use when things get
busy.

Otoh, I really do enjoy panning around the cockpits, it does add
some 'reality' to the flight-experience.

p.s. Does FS2002/Pro have a VC too, or is this new with FS9?

[Bryan]

The latest incarnation of Fred Bantings Beaver has no 2D panel at all ,just
the VC.

and 2k2 pro has VCs

Post by "" <Ping Lhough>
Hello,
Does anyone 'really' use the virtual-cockpit to fly FS9?
I find it's very nice to look at, yet it seems pretty much useless
during flight, 'especially' take-offs and landings.
It's fun to pan-around and look at things, take some neat
screenshots, but I just can't find good use for it, at least for
controlling aircraft, and with 1 monitor.
Btw, I have found a few freeware aircraft that really -do- utilize
the VC, they're much more practical to use (better layouts), but it's
kind of rare, and the 2D panel always seems best use when things get
busy.
Otoh, I really do enjoy panning around the cockpits, it does add
some 'reality' to the flight-experience.
p.s. Does FS2002/Pro have a VC too, or is this new with FS9?

[hb]

I use a trackIR, and basically fly only in the Virtual Cockpit. If its a
good one its sheer bliss - my personal favorite is the Piper Cub. The
tubular struts, the minimal panel controls - just wonderful. Having said
that, some of the VC really do suck - flickering outlines round the dials,
some parts of the panel in focus, some out. I guess thats why the Cub is my
favorite - no discernable flaws.

I'd love to hear from other TrackIr users about their favorite cockpits,
the good and the not so good features.

[Quilljar]

I use the latest virtual Cockpits all the time. Anything else does not seem
realistic enough. It helps, of course, if you can have a high mode setting,
such as 3840 X 1024 with the Parhelia card!


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[Neil Jones]

Post by hb
I use a trackIR, and basically fly only in the Virtual Cockpit. If its a
good one its sheer bliss - my personal favorite is the Piper Cub. The
tubular struts, the minimal panel controls - just wonderful.

Totally agree - the Cub is just great for sightseeing. I'm fairly new
to this quality of flight sim, and the VC in fs9 and IL-2 Sturmovik are
the features which drew me in. I'd prefer the mouse-driven IL-2 VC, but
even the hat-controlled one is definitely my choice for flying.

Neil

[Emilio]

I use VC during landing and takeoff. This is a must for tail draggers.
With cockpit view you can't even see the runway! With VC with zoom reduced,
runway edge can be seen although the nose of the aircraft still obscures the
centerline of the runway. There are wealth of information one derive from
periphery vision in real flying.

For landing, VC is a must to determine when to start and adjust turn rate to
line yourself up to final approach. If you use cockpit view for the turn,
you are totally blind until you finished your turn! In real life you are
looking at the runway location with respect to your location "all the time."
Each phase of landing pattern must look "right."

Emilio.

Post by "" <Ping Lhough>
Hello,
Does anyone 'really' use the virtual-cockpit to fly FS9?
I find it's very nice to look at, yet it seems pretty much useless
during flight, 'especially' take-offs and landings.
It's fun to pan-around and look at things, take some neat
screenshots, but I just can't find good use for it, at least for
controlling aircraft, and with 1 monitor.
Btw, I have found a few freeware aircraft that really -do- utilize
the VC, they're much more practical to use (better layouts), but it's
kind of rare, and the 2D panel always seems best use when things get
busy.
Otoh, I really do enjoy panning around the cockpits, it does add
some 'reality' to the flight-experience.
p.s. Does FS2002/Pro have a VC too, or is this new with FS9?

[Dashii]

Yep, that's the main problem that I have, is not being able to see the left
view properly when doing a circuit. The VC helps quite a bit, may have to
get another monitor for the left view only.

Judging distance and determining when to turn Xwind, Dwind, etc is difficult
without having any visual references, I was thinking of using a timer,
anyone with any suggestions on how to do that?

Anyone with video's of their descent, approach and landing, I'd like to see
them.


Dashii

Post by Emilio
I use VC during landing and takeoff. This is a must for tail draggers.
With cockpit view you can't even see the runway! With VC with zoom reduced,
runway edge can be seen although the nose of the aircraft still obscures the
centerline of the runway. There are wealth of information one derive from
periphery vision in real flying.
For landing, VC is a must to determine when to start and adjust turn rate to
line yourself up to final approach. If you use cockpit view for the turn,
you are totally blind until you finished your turn! In real life you are
looking at the runway location with respect to your location "all the time."
Each phase of landing pattern must look "right."
Emilio.

Post by "" <Ping Lhough>
Hello,
Does anyone 'really' use the virtual-cockpit to fly FS9?
I find it's very nice to look at, yet it seems pretty much useless
during flight, 'especially' take-offs and landings.
It's fun to pan-around and look at things, take some neat
screenshots, but I just can't find good use for it, at least for
controlling aircraft, and with 1 monitor.
Btw, I have found a few freeware aircraft that really -do- utilize
the VC, they're much more practical to use (better layouts), but it's
kind of rare, and the 2D panel always seems best use when things get
busy.
Otoh, I really do enjoy panning around the cockpits, it does add
some 'reality' to the flight-experience.
p.s. Does FS2002/Pro have a VC too, or is this new with FS9?

["" <Ping Lhough>]

Post by Dashii

Post by Dashii
Yep, that's the main problem that I have, is not being able to see the left

view properly when doing a circuit. The VC helps quite a bit, may have to
get another monitor for the left view only.<<<<<<<<<

I have the same problem too, that 'left' view, checking many times
during a landing pattern, relative to the runway.

Should have mentioned first post, I'm flying 95% IRF flights
(600/2000+ nm), with little need for VC views.

I've tried and tried getting used to the views for VRF-type pattern
landings. It's 'decent' and 'close', but I still can't get things
quite right with the 1-screen/monitor view, even toggling between left
view and front, VC or otherwise.

Oh well, real-life landings are much easier, but FS9-landings are a
whole lot cheaper..<g>.

[Scet]

Post by "" <Ping Lhough>
Hello,
Does anyone 'really' use the virtual-cockpit to fly FS9?
I find it's very nice to look at, yet it seems pretty much useless
during flight, 'especially' take-offs and landings.
It's fun to pan-around and look at things, take some neat
screenshots, but I just can't find good use for it, at least for
controlling aircraft, and with 1 monitor.
Btw, I have found a few freeware aircraft that really -do- utilize
the VC, they're much more practical to use (better layouts), but it's
kind of rare, and the 2D panel always seems best use when things get
busy.
Otoh, I really do enjoy panning around the cockpits, it does add
some 'reality' to the flight-experience.
p.s. Does FS2002/Pro have a VC too, or is this new with FS9?
Love the VC's and agree with hb on the Cub.

Scet

[Noi]

Post by "" <Ping Lhough>
Hello,
Does anyone 'really' use the virtual-cockpit to fly FS9?
I find it's very nice to look at, yet it seems pretty much useless
during flight, 'especially' take-offs and landings.
It's fun to pan-around and look at things, take some neat
screenshots, but I just can't find good use for it, at least for
controlling aircraft, and with 1 monitor.
Btw, I have found a few freeware aircraft that really -do- utilize
the VC, they're much more practical to use (better layouts), but it's
kind of rare, and the 2D panel always seems best use when things get
busy.
Otoh, I really do enjoy panning around the cockpits, it does add
some 'reality' to the flight-experience.
p.s. Does FS2002/Pro have a VC too, or is this new with FS9?

I use the VC a for the t/o or landing views and when I need to on/off the
fuel in the heavies. At high altitude cruise there's less to see although
it's still useful for locating traffic. Some days shading sometimes makes it
difficult to read the instruments in VC so I have to the shift+1 keys to
bring up a cockpit view. It's a lot better for flying the single engine
or aircraft with 360 views like the Piper Cup and Cessnas.

When you're in VC you can use the mouse to turn on/off most of the
instruments, ie, fuel cutoffs in the heavies. Sometimes you'll need to
grab a knob and pull it to turn it on/off or move the flight control
(yoke) out of the way to get to a instrument switch but you can use the
mouse on the instruments just like the cockpit view.

You can also zoom the VC in or out using +/- to get a closer or farther
look at the instruments and raise the seat (ctrl+enter).