A question to the flying veterans here (in simulation of course)

[Fozzer]

I learned my basic flying skills, including Radio Navigation, through my excellent "FS2000" and "Pro Pilot '99" Manuals.....wonderful books!

Still got them...still regularly read them, and practice!

Its a real shame that they are not included with the latest (Boxed) versions of the Flight Sims...would save lots of questions... ;)...!

Paul...G-BPLF..FS 2004...FS Nav...and some Flight Manuals to study in Bed!... ;)...!


The boxed Pro Pilot '99 version...>>>

http://www.answers.com/topic/pro-pilot-99

Worth getting if only for the excellent paper Manuals!

[Nav]

JimPhelps, the historical flights are 'scenarios' - the people who set them up included all sorts of difficult weather conditions etc. You have to 'build up' to them! The DC3 Alaska scenarios in particular are just about 'suicidal' at first!

The magic word about turns, wind, etc. is 'coordination.' Part of the charm of FS9 is that it's quite realistic; turns and things (particularly in windy conditions) require quite precise coordination of rudder and bank angle inputs to get them right. In addition, some of the 'ready-made scenarios' are extremely challenging - the creators put in all sorts of challenging weather conditions etc.

My advice is, fly 'ordinary' aeroplanes while setting increasingly-challenging wind/weather conditions - and, above all, get into the habit of looking ahead at where the aeroplane is GOING (in both directions) rather than just moving the controls. It really IS different to driving a car!

Further, though, try some of the less challenging scenarios first - the round-Hawaii one is a doddle compared to the DC3-Alaska one. I'm sure that you'll soon get the hang of things with practice.

As to the 'newer version,' IMO it's a backward step. They seem solely to have addressed improved scenery etc. - as far as the sim model was concerned, they seem to have taken a number of 'backward steps' - particularly more or less making the 'Virtual Cockpit' the default, it's hard enough flying any aeroplane (real or virtual) without having to click blasted buttons to see the particular instrument you need information from........

In case it helps, also have a look at this. It seems to have attracted quite a few views in its time; and I hope that it also 'gets over,' to some extent, the difference between controlling an aeroplane in three dimensions as opposed to a car in (hopefully!) only two.......

http://205.252.250.26/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaB ... 1111322151

[JimPhelps]

Unfortunately, after pricing the pedals, I just don't have the dough to pick those up yet. I wanted to get the control yoke first for a more authentic flight experience. Can you control the rudder with finger triggers on the yoke? So much to do and get in order to make this game the best possible, I just don't have the money for all of it yet.  Ill have to go check those books outta the library.  I'm guessing its not a good idea to control the helicopters in this with the Flight yoke however. Are the helicopters the only ones I would need the twist joystick for if I get the control yoke?

[snippyfsxer]

[quote]
As to the 'newer version,' IMO it's a backward step. They seem solely to have addressed improved scenery etc. - as far as the sim model was concerned, they seem to have taken a number of 'backward steps' - particularly more or less making the 'Virtual Cockpit' the default, it's hard enough flying any aeroplane (real or virtual) without having to click blasted buttons to see the particular instrument you need information from........

[Fozzer]

[quote]

.......As to the 'newer version,' IMO it's a backward step. They seem solely to have addressed improved scenery etc. - as far as the sim model was concerned, they seem to have taken a number of 'backward steps' - particularly more or less making the 'Virtual Cockpit' the default, it's hard enough flying any aeroplane (real or virtual) without having to click blasted buttons to see the particular instrument you need information from........

[JBaymore]

So much to do and get in order to make this game the best possible, I just don't have the money for all of it yet.

Jim,

If you want a real shocker....... stop down in the "Homebuild Cockpits" section of the SimV forum for the real "best possible" out of the sim department.    (My signature picure is shot in my simpit.)

Yes, you can assign anything you want to the buttons.... although that would be difficult to actually use, I think. Probably best to use the sim's "auto-coordinate" feature for a while.

You can MAKE a set of pedals yourself out of an old joystick.  If you have time and not moeny. and the hand skills and tools, then this is an option.  See the homebuild section for ideas.  If you are willing to go without toe brakes on the pedals....it is not hard at all.

best,

.................john

[Brett_Henderson]

"Click" the image at the bottom of my post 

[JimPhelps]

I have to say that is a hell of a set up you have there JBaymore.

[Fozzer]

......And I just wanted to make sure of this: the multiplayer function in 2004 is shut off since FSX is out, right? I am usually a console gamer and I used to always thought PCs had an advantage over consoles that when a server got shut down for a game there was ways to keep playing online.

Multiplayer works wonderfully with FS 2004.... [smiley=thumbsup.gif].....>>>>

http://cockpit.netfrag.org:81/

Menu: Multiplayer: Connect:

http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/f ... player.jpg

Just press "Join"......easy-peasy!.... ...!

(Just make sure you lock your Frame Rate to 20 FPS, and make sure all your Ports are open).

Pop down to the Multiplayer Forum and join in with the fun!.... ....!

Paul...G-BPLF...FS 2004...FS Nav... 8-)...!

[JBaymore]

Jim,

No, no force feedback on any Commercial yoke that I know of.  There have been some people in the simpit community that have modified them for that aspect...... but it is a bear of a project.  It is pretty easy to add a "stick shaker" for simpit use (standard stall warning) ...... but the multi axis force feedback is complicated.

best,

...............john

[hhomebrewer]

What means PPASEL?

[JimPhelps]

Aww man? No force feedback? Nuts. I thought with the rumble paks and controller vibration in the 360 controllers and other consoles, I thought it would be simple to have it on a control yoke. I didn't realize it would be much more complicated.

Multiplayer still works on FS 2004? really? Wow, thats another pleasant surprise. I really thought it didn't work when I would click on multiplayer on the menu and there never was a "Connect" option, just host and join but nothing would happen for me when I tried it and I just assumed the servers were shut off and if I wanted to fly with anyone other than AI I was gonna have to upgrade to FSX.

[Rocket_Bird]

You'd have to find the IP addresses of servers I believe; its been a while since I've flown online.

[Fozzer]

[quote]

Multiplayer still works on FS 2004? really? Wow, thats another pleasant surprise. ......

[Daube]

Aww man? No force feedback? Nuts. I thought with the rumble paks and controller vibration in the 360 controllers and other consoles, I thought it would be simple to have it on a control yoke. I didn't realize it would be much more complicated.

Have no regrets. The handling of the forcefeedback in FS is very bad anyway, it's really a useless feature, to say the least.

I have another question about Virtual Cockpits. I watched a few videos on Youtube and it showed people being able to look around their virtual cockpit with the mouse so it was like you were moving your head. Whenever I try to do it, the only way I can look around the VC is by pushing 1,4,7,8,9,6,3,2 on the number pad and its a static look so I can't move the view around smoothly and I have to jump-cut views. Is there something Im not doing right? Ive tried to push the mouse scrollwheel and look but that doesn't do anything for me.

Those people are using a little tool nammed TrackIR, which I strongly recommend you. It's a camera device that reads the position of your head, and reproduce it in the simulator. So if you turn your head right, the view turns right in the sim.
Have a look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AO0F5sLdVM