If you really want to enhance your flight experience with the "Queen" then give Gamecommander a go. It is a brilliant voice recognition program that will activate keyboard strokes with a spoken word. Arguably it is the best voice recognition package out there. Virtually no voice training either. I have just downloaded the trial version from www.Tucows.com. It is limited to a 15 day trial period and you can only set up 5 keystroke commands but it gives a good feel for the program. You may have to temporarily reassign some commands and be careful when you do so that you do not inadvertantly operate some other function as well. I have it set up for selecting LNAV, VNAV, FLCH as well as opening the FMC pop up etc. It is great. I just say LNAV and the button lights up. Exactly as it would in the RW with the PM selecting it. You could even say "gear down" and it will do it. You can set up many game profiles and in fact some of the better known games are already there. It knows which profile to use for each game when that program is running. If you were to couple this with Track IR4, Radar contact or Vatsim, Activesky and FS2Crew then it would be as real as it gets.Trouble is the full program is a little on the pricey side and now that I have it I dont want to fly without it!!! Bugger.Definately worth a look.CheersSteve

Steve,VR Commander is also worth a look. It is only $9.99 and works well.www.vrcommander.comRegardsIan

Thanks will take a look.CheersSteve

Also check out Voice Activated Commands at www.dwvac.com.Ron T

What a great recommendation Steve, I have downloaded the trial version of Game Commander and immediately assigned buttons for LNAV, VNAV, C CMD and gear.Now I only have to get a few bucks to purchase one of these softwares and a good idea on how to implement, flaps 1,5.... . :)Thanks!Christian

Yes Christian it sure adds a whole new dimension to the operation. I have downloaded all 3 voice activated programs and are trialling each of them. They each seem to have their strengths and weakness's. I think I will pass on game commander as it is just too expensive. The others could be had for around $10 or 2 coffees!!!I am running this with FS2Crew and it just makes the operation of the queen so realistic. When hand flying the aircraft the PF usually calls for selections and the PM makes the selection. I have found that with the last program recommended www.dwvac.com. you can add a sound file to a sucessful voice command. I have yet to try it but you could record your voice (using sound recorder, which is avail on most Win XP programs or equiv) and have it say something like "LNAV selected" etc as if the PM was confirming the command. I stupidy had set up a voice command to close the sim instantly (after all you never know when a lurking spouse may suddenly appears to say "are you still on that thing") I used the command "finish" to close down the sim instantly. On one occasion my partner called from another room to tell me to do something or other and I said (without thinking) "I am just about to finish". As soon as the voice program heard the word finish it was all over rover. One minute I was hand flying the ILS with an engine out and in inclement weather and then BANG I'm staring at the desktop! I just about cried. Strangely the voice program did not recognise expletives and no big hammer appeared from the top of the computer to wack me on the head as should have been the case. Doh!CheersSteve

:-lol :-lol :-lol :-spacecraft

Good day allI tried Voice Buddy . it works . I like it and you can program it. You can add voice commands with the editor etc. It is a bit difficuly to work with the tech support and manuals, as well the documention is less than perfect. But, once you get the hang of it it works really wellOne small thing to think about.If you fly online allot (Vatsim) , dont forget that your calls and read back will also be heard by Voice buddy and all #### can break loose , You need to make sure the Voice buddy mic is off when you call Atc . Other than that it is pretty good. Regards Peter

Steve, that's a very funny story and I thought pilots are pretty cool heads when such a thing happens ;). In my opinion this is in the same leagues as phone calls on finals and a CTD right after 1 hour preflightplanning and take off :D. It would be fantastic to playback corresponding files after a certain voice command but you would have to record new voice sets for the 747 too, to make it perfect. I've already considered recording a soundset with german accent, but I don't want to hear my own voice nor do I know another person who would be willing to record a second voice for me :).Peter, I think in one of the mentioned programs is a possibility to stop recognising your voice on demand, my guess is Voice Buddy can do that too? At least this reduces the possibilty of failures while flying on Vatsim. I have already experienced problems while humming around and suddenly my gear went down.best regards,

Flight Assistant. it's free.http://www.thelindercompany.de/Robert

I used gamecommander a long time ago when flying combatsims. However until I realized it was best suited for use with a headset I had some rather awkward moments... Since the sound from the speakers made it hard for Gamecommmande to identify my commands, I tended to speak with a strong voice (sometimes very strong) and often varying how I pronounicated them so I could find the "sweetspot". Anyway I usually sat up in my apartment during nights flying. It didn't take too belong before two neighbours approached me very curiously and wondered what I'm doing in the middle of the night? Of course they had heard me more or less shouting "FLAPS..FLAAAAAPPS...FLAPPPSS.. GEAAAAR...GEARGEAR...GEEEEEEEAR...." in the wee wee hours... After that I got a headset! :)

>I used gamecommander a long time ago when flying combatsims.>However until I realized it was best suited for use with a>headset I had some rather awkward moments... Since the sound>from the speakers made it hard for Gamecommmande to identify>my commands, I tended to speak with a strong voice (sometimes>very strong) and often varying how I pronounicated them so I>could find the "sweetspot". Anyway I usually sat up in my>apartment during nights flying. It didn't take too belong>before two neighbours approached me very curiously and>wondered what I'm doing in the middle of the night? Of course>they had heard me more or less shouting>"FLAPS..FLAAAAAPPS...FLAPPPSS..>GEAAAAR...GEARGEAR...GEEEEEEEAR...." in the wee wee hours...>After that I got a headset! :)That is really funny, Almost could be a comedy routine,peter