Airplanes with no Virtual Cockpit

[MarcoAviator]

Hello folks... I am new in this forum. It looks quite big and like it's been around on the simviation site for a while ... and I never even noticed it before!

I have a "psychological" block when it comes to airplanes without Virtual Cockpit.

For some reason whenever I get my hands on an aircraft if it doesn't have a VC I don't even consider it.

I am addicted to the VC ... not sure why.

I love the iFDG MD-11 but I can't bring myself to use it cause it doesn't have any VC ... neither does the Meljet 777 which is also a beatiful looking plane ... and yet I can't fly it for that reason.

do you guys fly aircrafts with no VC?

What's your preference!

Thanks!

Nice forum by the way!

[garymbuska]

It is not a big deal for me. It is nice if it has one but I prefer the other bells and whistles, like opening cargo doors airstairs flexing wings tilted wheels and struts that compress.

[beefhole]

No VC, I don't fly.

I never, ever go into spot view except when parked at the gate. I always, always fly from the cockpit and the VC just gives it that extra ambience. I know exactly where you're coming from Marco .

And welcome to the forums!

[MarcoAviator]

It is not a big deal for me. It is nice if it has one but I prefer the other bells and whistles, like opening cargo doors airstairs flexing wings tilted wheels and struts that compress.

Why would you care about the cargo doors?

I know a lot of planes that have that ... but I never even used it or cared about it ...

Just curious.  :D

[MarcoAviator]

No VC, I don't fly.

I never, ever go into spot view except when parked at the gate. I always, always fly from the cockpit and the VC just gives it that extra ambience. I know exactly where you're coming from Marco .

And welcome to the forums!

Thank you!

And yeah ... I have the hardest time accepting a plane without a VC...

I am a total immersion guy ... I gotta fly it the way they real guys would fly it, especially at takeoff and landing when 99% of the work is done VFR, eyes/hands and feet and the only instrument that matter is the airspeed indicator and the RPM gauges.

In cruise I switch to the panel view (I bet, just like you are doing beef). But I like to stay in cockpit view as much as I can even in cruise.

If I have to use a plane without VC, it's cause there's a plane I really like and it just doesn't have the VC ... I'll do it but it really turns me off to it.

I'll do it for the iFDG md-11 just cause it's beautful and I love the MD11 ... but as soon as the PMDG MD-11 comes out (and you can be sure that THAT puppy will have a VC) that's gonna be the plane I will fly 99% of the time...

[RollerBall]

I'm so sad for you guys  ;D

Frankly I've not found a VC yet that's much good for anything other than looking at. Certainly not for 'serious' IFR flying for which I don't think you can beat a good 2D panel.

VCs are OK if all you want to do is punt around flying manually - the instruments are always far too small to be of any use for a start and I've got a 19" monitor, and invariably you have to distort the outside world as well by going to a zoom of something like 0.5 just to get enough of the blooming VC panel in view.

Maybe that's the kind of flying you like doing - but I don't. I think VCs are just a gimmick, as are all the opening doors and interior views that are just rather silly FR reducers as far as I'm concerned. Seen em and played with em once - then what do ya need em for  :) I don't fly planes like the Meljets much because of those things, not because they don't have VCs.

........ wait for minor explosions... can almost hear em already  ;)

[commoner]

..mm...I'm a 2D panel freak myself..has to be a top class realistic looking one though...NEVER us the VC but I must admit   I do like watching my airplane from the spot view when cruising...get to see the scenery better too from there..commoner

[BiggBaddWolf]

VC's are ok I guess, but they dont make the plane, I go more for a nice outward looking plane, and most importantly one that flies well......because nothing else matters if it flies like a rock....

[MarcoAviator]

........ wait for minor explosions... can almost hear em already  ;)

nah ... no explosions.

I asked opinions and I got 'em didn't I?  ;D

I go through great pains to set up the VC view with the right zoom and view angle and position so that I can see outside and at the same time have the basic instruments in sight.

And yes, you can fly IFR in the VC. I do it all the time. the only requirements is that the VC is EXCEPTIONALLY detailed. But you can do it ...

I specifically do it with the PMDG 737 and the Captain Sim 727 (my favorites  ;)   ). It's not that hard and it's quite immersive.

I have the CH SIM yoke and i can rotate the view around to keep the runway in sight during landing (or keep traffic in sight, etc.).

To each is own ... I know of many people just like you that don't use the VC at all ... I don't know of anyone that uses VCs .. other than me. That's why I asked ... just wanted to see if I was the only one.  

[MarcoAviator]

VC's are ok I guess, but they dont make the plane, I go more for a nice outward looking plane, and most importantly one that flies well......because nothing else matters if it flies like a rock....

The CS 727 flies like a rock ... with wings ... and it's a load of fun to try to land it. You sweat quite a bit doing it ...  ;D

[dave3cu]

Tho I do not insist on a VC, I find them enjoyable as eye candy, or for changing seats on occasion. The exception is landing helicopters. I find the view thru the lower windscreen adds greatly to your perspective.

But why stop at VC's.

How bout a VFA, virtual flight attendant, to bring that much need cup-o-java, or sandwich during long flights.

Or VCP, virtual co-pilot, to handle ATC directions, while your off to the VH, virtual head, or chatting it up with the VFA/F or passengers, so you dont get cancelled.

Just a thought.....  ;)

Cheers,
DAve

[MarcoAviator]

How bout a VFA, virtual flight attendant, to bring that much need cup-o-java, or sandwich during long flights.

Or VCP, virtual co-pilot, to handle ATC directions, while your off to the VH, virtual head, or chatting it up with the VFA/F or passengers, so you dont get cancelled.

Just a thought.....  ;)

Cheers,
DAve

That's what my wife is there for!

[Rocket_Bird]

I sometimes fly aircraft with no virtual cockpit.  Normally if has both 2d and virtual cockpit, id frequently switch between both.  In virtual cockpit mode, i love the feel of it, yet its hard to pan my head around, press all the switches, and look back outside, so I frequently switch between the two.  If the aircraft only has a 2d panel, it doesnt bother me either  

Ive never actually used it, but theres this thing called track IR which lets you pan around the cockpit by moving your head.  Which I find would be really neat for FS2004, i dont know much about it personally.

[beefhole]

VCs are OK if all you want to do is punt around flying manually - the instruments are always far too small to be of any use for a start and I've got a 19" monitor, and invariably you have to distort the outside world as well by going to a zoom of something like 0.5 just to get enough of the blooming VC panel in view.

That's where shift+s comes in handy

I fly from the VC, and whenever I need to see an exact instrument I quickly hit shift+s and there I am.

And I think calling it a gimmick is a bit harsh, because as Marco said, it is a total immersion thing. We want to feel like we're there! Opening doors and virtual cockpits help us attain that.

[Mobius]

I never really used the VC until I got a TrackIR.  I still like the 2D panel for IFR and getting accurate instrument readings, but VFR, especially in an F/A-18 doing NOE at high speed is really great.