I'd like to have a small box with knobs so that i could adjust my alt. and hdg without having to use the mouse and put it over the G1000 knobs on the monitor. it seems awfully awkward using the mouse and getting the pointer just in the right place on the monitor knob. does anyone make one? with a box i could have one hand on the stick and the other hand on the box (or throttle). thanks.................Bill Ps.........what other "boxes" would you recommend?

Try this. http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/multi.html

Be aware that those boxes not always work on addon autopilots or may need some sort of adjustment for it.But I'm happy with the VRInsight M-Panel so far, offering not only the AP features. It wasn't that cheap though.

I also recommend the VRinsight M-Panel. I use to rarely use the radio and only sometimes the autopilot because they were so hard to adjust with the mouse. The M-Panel really makes this easy--very intuitive. It's not cheap but it comes in a metal casing, very well made, easy to read. Give it serious consideration.

Well, each to his own, but I cannot see how having one of these boxes helps to create the illusion that you are flying a real plane?In trying to imitate the actions of a real airline pilot, it is possible in FSX to get very near this, but it means using a couple of things. 1. Using the virtual cockpit view. Any other view is going down the arcade road. Very nice to use when playing back the recorded flight, but at actual flying time...........2 Using Trackir .It's been around for several years, now refined to be the best hardware add on you can get. Using the pause button it is easy to click on any VC switch. ( as a real pilot would ) I have a friend who has one of these boxes where he inputs the various figures etc. If he flies the Maltby Comet on autopilot he can still input the speed -However, If you fly it as near to RL you cannot do that. You use the throttle to determine speed almost all the time, except when using the crafty autopilot switch in the VC ( exactly where the pilot found it ) which limits the climbing speed and converts your throttle increase to climb out pitch. ( Used in RL to lessen thrust, thus noise, at take off ) Now, THat can bring a little sweat to the brow!-great fun. But, as I said at the beginning - each to their own. I have posted this , not to stir it, but to give awareness of how "lifelike" one can now fly these tubes. ( Always aware that we are sat in chairs in the safety of our homes etc etc- But, as simmers, you know what i mean)I do get the impression that there are a lot of simmers out there who just don't know about Trackir and how you can fly using it.I can assure you that, once used, the days of 2d panels are gone! cheers

Well, each to his own, but I cannot see how having one of these boxes helps to create the illusion that you are flying a real plane?In trying to imitate the actions of a real airline pilot, it is possible in FSX to get very near this, but it means using a couple of things.

HelloUsing the VC + TrackIR is much more realistic if you are using any one of these units http://www.goflightinc.com/store/modules-commercialregional-c-1_34.html Using realistic hardware is always going to be closer to reality than clicking around with the mouseI could not imagine trying to tune the radio using the mouse anymore, or operating the AP in busy stages of a flightwhilst chasing click spots.It has nothing to do with 2D vs VC flying, as I have never actually used the Sim in the 2D panel, it is VC only for me.Good hardware can be a great help, why not use it ?

Hello Mad dog S! Sorry to disagree.It has a lot to do with 2d v VC . In VC Trackir can be used, And thus realistic looking around inside the cockpit and outside by moving the eyes as a real pilot wouldand it is that which gives the RL illusion- ie the illusion of being in a real cockpit. And thus you would want the illusion of using the knobs and switches as they are, and where they are, in the real cockpit.And they are not somewhere else- e,g in a box on a table or desk nearby. All airplane's cockpits are different, yet a collection of boxes is trying to reduce them all to look the same, is it not? And the pressure of finding, and using the different switches, levers etc in hectic time scales, e g descents and approaches etc is part of the fun. cheers

There's no need to argue about the personal opinion of how each person enjoys playing the simulation. Having said that, keep in mind there's nothing realistic about fighting to find a mouse-click-spot with your pointing, either. Pick your poison.

Hello Mad dog S! Sorry to disagree.It has a lot to do with 2d v VC . In VC Trackir can be used, And thus realistic looking around inside the cockpit and outside by moving the eyes as a real pilot wouldand it is that which gives the RL illusion- ie the illusion of being in a real cockpit. And thus you would want the illusion of using the knobs and switches as they are, and where they are, in the real cockpit.And they are not somewhere else- e,g in a box on a table or desk nearby. All airplane's cockpits are different, yet a collection of boxes is trying to reduce them all to look the same, is it not? And the pressure of finding, and using the different switches, levers etc in hectic time scales, e g descents and approaches etc is part of the fun. cheers

But what has using hardware got to do with 2D ?. I use hardware along with TrackIR in the VC exclusively and have never flown in the 2D panel, all my Goflight stuff works just as well in the VCIf it makes you happy clicking away, that's great, but there are other ways that are just as realistic to those of us who have invested in cockpit hardware. If you are interested in flying a Boeing 737NGX for instance, then why on earth would you not want one of these:http://www.goflighti...p-pro-p-80.html I would think that most simmers would prefer using this type of hardware if the cost was taken out of the equation.Still I have been known to be wrong in the past and maybe the mouse is the way forward after all. PS, never worry about disagreeing, it would not be a discussion forum anymore if we stopped offering our individual opinions on Flightsimming

PS, never worry about disagreeing, it would not be a discussion forum anymore if we stopped offering our individual opinions on Flightsimming

Quite agree Mad dog . What is it about some people who think a disagreement about a subject means there is some form of animosity involved? I think Timmer that Mad Dog and I were having quite an amicable discussion here and we didn't need a sort of telling off for doing so- especially when you then saw fit to sling in an opinion . Bearing in mind that your main reason for posting was to tell us off for giving our opinions Mad dog - The sort of thing I like about a mouse clicked VC is e.g where in the Comet and Trident I can activate the air brake by pulling the lever more or less as a hand would if pilot was sat in the cockpit, But I'm sure these things are all down to personal preferences as I said before. I just thought the thread may prompt one or two to try it the way I described

I use the saitek panels. One gentleman was right about some of the gear or portions of the gear not working with 3rd party aircraft but there are always workarounds. The radios and a/p are great.Look Mom "no mouse". Love it. With SPAD software being redeveloped in .NET I am sure that this software will also bring with it the ability to program any switch to work with a few of the A/C which do not support the FSXstandard. I was suprised to see how large they actually are as I had thought they would have been a much smaller unit. No problems here and love em, and the price is right compared to others. Bob

I have the Saitek instrument panel and really enjoy using it. I have several 3rd party planes and have always been able to make it work with them with a little work. If you get the saitek panel download the SPAD drivers for them. The SPAD drivers enhance the use of the Saitek panel considerable. I have several of the Saitek stuff: instrument panelradio panelswitch panelYokeruddertwo throttle quadrants I have enjoyed them all and, again, using the SPAD drivers had made their usefulness and reliability much better. Danny

That Go Flight panel looks sweet. Rather more than I am prepared to pay, but if money were no object, I'd be in like a shot.