In the Cockpit
Article: 2000
Let's face it - 90 % of your sim flying time with be done in the cockpit view.
I like flying in "FLY - BY" view with the wingtip smoke on ... ... but I crash a lot more that way!
Back to the cockpit. Here's the beauty of the internet... I get to show you what the cockpit actually is going to look like on the monitor you'll be flying on!
![](pics/in-the-cockpit-001.jpg)
I look at the Virtual Cockpit
![](pics/in-the-cockpit-002.jpg)
In many of the exhibits if you click on parts of the cockpit you'll see close up views of each instrument
![](pics/in-the-cockpit-003.jpg)
We check out the fixed or "snap" views as well.
![](pics/in-the-cockpit-004.jpg)
Then the main view in a full page image.
![](pics/in-the-cockpit-005.jpg)
The gauges shown actual size, so by the end of it all you really get a good feel for the cockpit and decide if it's one you care to fly in!
![](pics/in-the-cockpit-006.jpg)
In the add-on packages for Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator (1998) - Microsoft Combat Flight Sim 2 - Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 in particular, the cockpits have extra panels which you can pop-up and move around the screen like this.
Sure - having an extra monitor or two helps - I have three! Look around - I paid less than AUD $ 150 (USD $ 75) for two second hand 15 " monitors and 2 old old graphics cards. They don't need to be powerful to run these gauges.
I'm running a Hercules 3D Prophet III Titanium 500 on the centre screen - 64 meg of RAM, heaps of power and smoooooth anti-aliasing - lookin' good!
How about, as well as a close up look at the panels you get tables for each aircraft showing what panel they have and what keystrokes activate them! (Gotta print these out!)
Article pub.2000