I have just started trying to use the VC view more but I am having a problem that is driving me nuts. I use the Flight 1 view utility, so I hold the mouse wheel down and move the mouse to pan which works very well. The issue is when I have to turn a knob like the HDG knob. I mouse over and use the mouse wheel to increase/decrease the number (with the wheel NOT held down). This increases/decreases the heading number like it should BUT it moves the view back or forward at the same time in the VC! It's so annoying! Is there any way to stop this happening? Andy S

I can't help you with your problem I'm sorry to say but I can suggest some alternatives to using the mouse. If you have or are willing to purchase a joystick/yoke with a point of view switch, it becomes totally natural to use it to look around the cockpit. I almost never use 2D panels and using the POV is just second nature now. Of course, if you're feeling really ready to part with some cash, there's the IR Tracker thing. Many people swear by it.Whatever solution you find, my guess is that once you get used to using the VC you will never go back to the "good old days."Good luckIan

Thanks Ian. If you use a joystick with hat switch I'm guessing you use your right thumb. How do you use the mouse at the same time to alter switches/knobs etc? I actually have a TrackIR that I bought second-hand but I just can't get it working. I think it might be broken. Andy S

When I ditched 2D panels and became a VC enthusiast I had to get rid of the F1 view utility for that very reason. It's too bad there isn't a key you can hold down or something to temporarily disable the F1 view, it'd be nice if you could hold down the space bar just long enough to turn the knobs on the gauges and then have F1 return to normal functionality when you let go of the key or something. Jim

best you can do(I think) if you want to keep the F1 is click the + an - on the knob with the mouse button, instead of using the wheel.

When I ditched 2D panels and became a VC enthusiast I had to get rid of the F1 view utility for that very reason. It's too bad there isn't a key you can hold down or something to temporarily disable the F1 view, it'd be nice if you could hold down the space bar just long enough to turn the knobs on the gauges and then have F1 return to normal functionality when you let go of the key or something. Jim

What do you use instead of the F1View Jim? I would miss the F1View in outside view too. Find it very useful for panning outside to take screen shots.

What do you use instead of the F1View Jim?

"Mouse Look" in FSX Seriously, the flight recorder module 1.3 (in the file library) has some advanced view functions that are highly customizable. They are fixed views, but you can pan around in them if desired. What I did was make up a bunch of views and saved them specific to each aircraft. When I fly a paricular aircraft i load the appropriate views and then I can cycle through them with the "V" key. There are custom VC, Spot, and Tower views available and you can have as many of each as you want. Another advantage for screenshots is that in spot view for example, you can pan the aircraft completely out of view if desired, unlike standard FS screenshots where the acft is always dead-center in the middle of the screenshot. Jim

Thanks Ian. If you use a joystick with hat switch I'm guessing you use your right thumb. How do you use the mouse at the same time to alter switches/knobs etc? I actually have a TrackIR that I bought second-hand but I just can't get it working. I think it might be broken. Andy S

I also bought a second hand TrackIR and couldn't get it to work either! Yes, I do use right thumb for the POV function and have done for so long that it's just second nature. I don't use my mouse all that much as I am fortunate enough to have some GoFlight modules with lots of knobs and switches to play with. But I have my mouse directly in front of me with throttle quadrant to one side and stick to the other so I just reach for the mouse with whichever hand has the least to do at the time. As for the outside views Jim, being an ex-real world pilot, I was always taught that stepping outside the aircraft in flight was detrimental to ones health and/or career! Just kidding mate. Like most people I do pan around the outside view from time to time.....

"Mouse Look" in FSX Seriously, the flight recorder module 1.3 (in the file library) has some advanced view functions that are highly customizable. They are fixed views, but you can pan around in them if desired. What I did was make up a bunch of views and saved them specific to each aircraft. When I fly a paricular aircraft i load the appropriate views and then I can cycle through them with the "V" key. There are custom VC, Spot, and Tower views available and you can have as many of each as you want. Another advantage for screenshots is that in spot view for example, you can pan the aircraft completely out of view if desired, unlike standard FS screenshots where the acft is always dead-center in the middle of the screenshot. Jim

That sounds like something I should check out. Is it a bit like ActiveCamera? I have that but I don't think you can pan in the VC.

FSRecorder and ActiveCamera are my perfect combo. Especially since (with the arrival of the iFly 737NG) I switched from 2D to VC panels.I did have and use TrackIR, however it was never something exactly for me. Now after my TiR4 died I am not planning to buy version 5.With FSRecorder I set my views for each aircraft (then just switch the FSRecorder.ini when necessary) and mousepan via Active Camera.Works like a charm! I even have wing views, lol... My usual views set is something like that:- main panel- overhead- radios- throttle panel (sometimes together with radios)- FMC/CDU- wing views - when possible (e.g. with Level-D)I use my right CH yoke rocker switch to go between the views.

That sounds like something I should check out. Is it a bit like ActiveCamera? I have that but I don't think you can pan in the VC.

I'm not sure, I never played with Active Camera, but yeah similar I think. There isn't much in the way of documentation on the advanced views themselves, you sort of have to figure them out for yourself, but here's a thread you may want to look over when you get fsrecorder installed and running: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/347274-new-aircraft-focus-point-for-fs-recorderhow-to-do-it And here's the download:http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=114860&Name=&FileName=&Author=&CatID=root @Rafal, once you get your views all set up just go to menu: "Recorder > Advanced VC Views > Save VC views" (or spot, tower, etc) and save the views to a file. Then you can load them on the fly without restarting the sim if you switch aircraft, no need to swap out the .ini :) . You can also edit these saved views in Notepad, so if you wanted to change the window titles or whatever (I usually eliminate them completely)... Jim

save the views to a file. Then you can load them on the fly without restarting the sizm

That's right, Jim! Certainly the simplest solutions are the best solutions.The reason I was switching the file is I seldom change the plane (usually flying one for quite some time) and have ready inis.But of course the way you describe is the right one to follow. Thanks for the tip!

I had a play with FSRecorder and I think I got the hang of most of it apart from one major thing.....I couldn't get the view to "spin" in either the vertical or horizontal plain. What I mean is I could get the camera so it was low to the ground but I couldn't then angel it up a bit. I mean like nodding your head up or down rather than just moving your head up/down with your view staring straight ahead. The FS view controls said it was something like Shift or Ctrl + num pad 1-9. I just couldn't get it to work at all.Andy S

If you're talking about a spot view, there are two modes of panning, these modes are toggled with the numpad DEL key (numlock on). In one mode you can pan around the aircraft pretty much like the default FS spot view, but then press numpad del and you'll be able to spin around in all directions at that fixed point relative to the aircraft. If that key's not working for some reason I believe there's an option to tick a checkbox in FSRecorder > ADV spot views > edit spot view. I can't remember what the option is called but something to do with "locked panning" or something. Jim

Thanks Jim I will give that a try tomorrow.