Just reassign some views to a some spare keys on your controls for all the important places you need to look or views, assign the Shift version as well so you can flick back without having to stretch all over the keyboard, or cycle through the lot..I also use ctrl enter combinations to move back and a little more in to the center without getting silly perspectives that zooming out gives you..Danny Collsion

I prefer 2D panels, but the VC only J41 didn't put me off. I find the preset views a reasonable substitute. I have other VC only sims, but these tend to be single seaters with simple panels.The BIG problem I have with VCs is not to do with readability but the way the overhead panel appears when you pan round to it. The human head does not pan in the same way the MSFS eyepoint does. You turn your head, tilt it to the side and back and lean in to the centre. Anyone who has sat in a real airliner pilot seat will know that the overhead does not appear to be sideways on when you look at it, but in an MSFS VC it does. It makes it very hard to operate. The preset views help address the problem. A 2D popup would be nice.Another issue is the time needed to slew the view around. Engine starts are a particular problem as you need to switch rapidly between overhead, pedestal and engine indications. In the case of the J41, shutdowns are now also an issue as you need to watch RPM and then operate the condition levers. Yes I could invest in Track IR, but a good set of 2D veiws is much cheaper.PMDG shouldn't really impose a VC only approach. It's a matter of personal taste and 2D should be offered as an option.That being said, I am loving the challenge of the J41. I've had my fair share of engine fires, I just wish there was an easy way to reset the sim. I find that after loading the J41 there is a strong chance that I will not be able to load anything else without locking FSX completely. So an engine fire is GAME OVER effectively with an exit from FSX required in my case.Looking forward to PMDG's implementation of a free turbine turboprop on the Dash 8.Kevin

I find panning to be dead easy - push and hold SPACE BAR and pan with the mouse. Easy!! It's one aspect MS got right. Shutdown isn't a big deal.Best regards,Robin.

That being said, I am loving the challenge of the J41. I've had my fair share of engine fires, I just wish there was an easy way to reset the sim. I find that after loading the J41 there is a strong chance that I will not be able to load anything else without locking FSX completely. So an engine fire is GAME OVER effectively with an exit from FSX required in my case.

I have noticed something with respect to resetting saved flights. If I exit to the menu, and attempt to load the same saved flight, FSX crashes. However, if I load the saved flight using the menu bar at the top of the screen, it works.Of course, that doesn't stop it doing strange things at times. I removed all the passengers before saving the situation (at the runway threshold, with engines running), but sometimes I discover that the passengers have been added when the save has been loaded. Also, it sometimes loads with the condition levers in the TAXI position, and other times in the FLIGHT position. Since I didn't realise this at first, if the saved situation was loaded with the condition levers set to TAXI, increasing the power for the take off run resulted in two exploding engines!

I find panning to be dead easy - push and hold SPACE BAR and pan with the mouse. Easy!! It's one aspect MS got right. Shutdown isn't a big deal.Best regards,Robin.

Mouse panning works, but that's a two handed exercise, so you have no hand available to fly. The perspective of the VC is too distorted and some panels, like the overhead, are viewed incorrectly. Not a problem in something like the RealAir Spitfire, but I find it is in an airliner sim. The preset views make it possible for me to enjoy the sim though, even though you have to step through them, less easy compared to the usual shortcut icons in a 2D set-up. In comparison to the J41 VC, the MD-11 2D panel was sublime.Shutdown is a bigger deal on the J41 due to the need to operate the start locks properly.Is there a reason PMDG chose not to implement 2D panels, other than saving the time to produce them? The J41 is something of a technology prototype, so does this mean there will be no 2D panels in future?Kevin

I know what you mean regarding the odd angle for viewing the overhead, but after looking at it and trying to picture it from the FSX position, it is quite easy to operate.I actually find the MD-11 overhead easier to access, but I think it is because it is a larger flight deck.Best regards,Robin.

Not having a 2D panel available renders a plane un-buyable for me, it's that simple. I don't like to buy the J41 just to test and find out I cannot use it, there needs to be a trial version then...Andreas

If you move the eyepoint a bit, you can surely find a position that includes the info you need.You can save this eyepoint, and even make it the default, if you are willing to adjust the eyepointdefinition in the aircraft.cfg file.Attached is an example from the VC, that looks a lot like a 2d panel to my eyes..

Can't you or is there a way to assign the space key to the center mouse button so panning becomes one handed? I know DBS Walk and Follow lets me do it but that has its own issues!Danny Collison

Can't you or is there a way to assign the space key to the center mouse button so panning becomes one handed? I know DBS Walk and Follow lets me do it but that has its own issues!Danny Collison

Hi Danny if you look at post #14 in this thread made by myself you will see how I set up Xmouse to enable the middle mouse wheel click function to enable mouse panning, I've actually changed the way I've set it up in that post and replaced {shift}+O with just {space}. You also need to change the drop down box that says 'As mouse button is pressed' to 'During (press on down, release on up)'. So now when you press and hold the middle mouse button the view will pan, as soon as you release the button the pan stops so you can switch to manipulating the VC features .It's a cool piece of software that I've never seen before today and it works perfectly. I've tried reassigning the mouse look function in FSX before to a button press directly in the FSX assignments interface but it didn't work for some reason, and when I tried to reassign the default held down spacebar function it still wouldn't work, I ended up having to click on the 'reset to defaults' button to get it working again, which lost all my other custom key definitions in the process. It's safer to use Xmouse in my opinion and its free too.

Can't you or is there a way to assign the space key to the center mouse button so panning becomes one handed? I know DBS Walk and Follow lets me do it but that has its own issues!Danny Collison

Already covered in this thread by using X-Mouse.

Since discovering the FSX Mouselook functionality and using the brilliant software X-Mouse it has become so easy to use the VC. With X-Mouse you can assign the FSX Mouselook on/off to the middle mouse button - now you can view, move and click buttons and switches totally with your right hand while you fly the aircraft with the left hand .... even though I have exclusively flown 2D in the past, with these tools using the VC has become a pleasure!

Thanks for the heads up Armen! X-Mouse is a very convenient utility :(

Already covered in this thread by using X-Mouse.

Also, if you have a logitech mouse, you can use set SetPoint (comes with your mouse) to assign keys to your buttons.

Is there a reason PMDG chose not to implement 2D panels, other than saving the time to produce them? The J41 is something of a technology prototype, so does this mean there will be no 2D panels in future?Kevin

Can someone from development please give a short answer to this? What can we expect in the NG 2.0/NGX?Andreas

Thanks for that :( Must learn to start reading threads at beginning (DOH)Excellent utility.. Plus I can now use all the other buttons on my Razer mouse.. I wont need the keyboard at this rate :)Danny Collison

I'll be damned if I can change the default VC view.I have added another view successfully, but the default "Virtual Cockpit" view will not budge. AARGGHHH!!

[Cameradefinition.001]Title=Virtual CockpitGuid = {71C2B84D-4B1D-47fe-9F37-C60FC11B2F3C}Description = Virtual Cockpit ViewOrigin = Virtual CockpitMomentumEffect = NoSnapPbhAdjust = SwivelSnapPbhReturn = FalsePanPbhAdjust = SwivelPanPbhReturn = FalseTrack = NoneShowAxis = YESAllowZoom = TRUEInitialZoom = 0.60SmoothZoomTime = 0.1ZoomPanScalar = 1.0ShowWeather = YesXyzAdjust = TRUEShowLensFlare=FALSECategory = CockpitPitchPanRate=30HeadingPanRate=75InitialXyz=0, 0.035924769937992096, -0.14479263126850128InitialPbh=27.051122665405273, 0, 1.4050576686859131PanAcceleratorTime=0HotKeySelect=1

Best regards,Robin.