I have a couple of questions regarding 2D panel control:Firstly, in order to shutdown the engines is there a shortcut to display the engine start panel directly or must you go through the forward pedestal view first? It's a shame the fuel switches aren't functional in the pedestal panel view. The Engine Start Panel seems to be the only panel which can't be reached in one selection.Secondly, the fire handles are out of view in the full overhead panel view. There seems to be no way to display the aft overhead panel so that they can be used. In VC mode the fire handles can be operated.The way the relevant systems component panel is displayed when its System Display page is selected makes operation and monitoring really easy. Excellent design.Kevin

you can assign a key command for the engine startup panelcheck under Add-ons-PMDG-Keyboard Commands-Panel Windows-Toggle Engine Start PanelsJohnhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_trijet.jpg

Maybe, but it's still bad design, completely at odds with the rest of the product. I don't see why this panel alone is not a single mouse-click away, like all the others.And how do you get to the aft overhead in 2D?Kevin

Sorry to bump this, but there seems to be no way to display the aft overhead (fire handles) in 2D. Is this intentional or an omission? There should be some way to operate the fire handles from the overhead view if the aft overhead is not a separate panel.Kevin

See this screenshot here.....as how to bring it up, i dont know, im still waiting for the FS9 version:(http://www.precisionmanuals.com/priv/img/p.../md11_2_jpg.htm

There is a clickspot there in the very upper part of the overhead panel, that will open up the 2D fire handles.Tero

Excellent, but where? I ran the mouse over the whole thing and got no cue that there was a click spot.Kevin

If you right click on the "x" in the bottom left hand corner of the firehandle panel it will open it up.Paul.

Paul,Many thanks. That makes sense now you mention it, but I hadn't thought of trying it.Kevin

Kevin,The rationale behind the arrangement for the engine start panel is straightforward. First, you really can't adequately view and manipulate the start switches in the existing pedestal view, and second, the throttle levers cover the engine start panel from the top-down view. Additionally, since there are few times you would need to access the engine start panel (engine start and shutdown), adding one more mouse click in a logical search sequence does not seem a terrible inconvenience. The engine fire panel is large and at the very top of the overhead panels, and the only panel in that section really necessary to access. To have included it in one lower overhead panel view would have minimized the other, more used panels. Again, the engine fire panel is rarely accessed, but can easily be reached by going to the overhead panel view, and with one extra RIGHT mouse click on the 'X' in the bottom left corner (you can't see the top corners) using the same mousing scheme for the rest of the overhead panels ... voila!, the engine fire panel appears.Bill

In addition to what Bill said, in case you do get an engine fire condition, if you are in 2D panel view, the engine fire panel will pop-up automatically so that you can access it immediately.

Thanks guys... not to diminish the OP's point, but I am actually extremely impressed with the layout and usability features in the MD-11; setting a new bar to be sure.

>Thanks guys... not to diminish the OP's point, but I am>actually extremely impressed with the layout and usability>features in the MD-11; setting a new bar to be sure.You aren't diminishing anything I said, I'm very impressed too. @ Bill and Michael,Thanks for taking the time to explain the rationale behind the design. Once Tero had explained how to display the fire panel the logic for it became obvious.Kevin