Am wondering if anybody can lend me a flashlight - or show me some other way to find the switches in a cold and dark cockpit at night.I've gotten comfortable enough with X-Plane that I'm starting to do cold and dark starts on some of the more complex aircraft, like the BK117. And of course I want to take advantage of the wonderful night environment, too. However, I'm finding that the cold and dark cockpits at night are so dark that I can't find the first couple of switches I need (such as battery and panel lights) to get started. Also, the startup settings panels - such as the ones for the Dreamfoil R22 and the Dawson MD-902 - present the same challenge. I can see the settings themselves (like fuel quantity) glowing softly, but the buttons and sliders are blacked out.Is there a way to increase cockpit visibility at night? Or is it necessary to begin the startup process in daylight, then switch to the night environment after the panel lights are on?I'm guessing there's an obvious solution to this that, as a newbie, I haven't yet come across.Thanks in advance for any light (!) you can shed.

Alan,I found once I know where the light switches are it's not to hard to do.I use a key binding for the Battery, then turn on cockpit lighting to start setup.

@h2egc -Ah! Perfect! Many thanks. I figured it would be something like that that I should have thought of on my own, but didn't.For now I'll set up a key binding for the battery and maybe another for panel lights, if that's possible.I believe you that I'll eventually learn where the switches are. It's just that for the moment I'm groping around in the dark in all kinds of ways. :wink:Thanks again!

X-Plane has night vision, I have a three way switch on my throttle that toggles night vision one way and sunglasses the other, the NV comes in handy when you can't find the battery and dome light switches in the ditch black darkness. I know I could just assign the dome light to a switch instead but many aircraft have dimmer switches rather than just on off switches.

I reckon a little freeware app would be cool, something that turned your mouse into a flashlight while in the cockpit...

@Andy,I've never used the NV myself, BUT, I'm might set a key or button for it.

Oh, right - I'd forgotten about the night vision option. Will give that a try as well.

I reckon a little freeware app would be cool, something that turned your mouse into a flashlight while in the cockpit...

I think somebody once suggested that on the A2A forums and it got some serious consideration, but has never been implemented that I'm aware. A good idea - maybe somebody will give it a try in one of the sims.

There is something that can be done by developers to allow some visibility of the panel in a cold and dark cockpit at night. It's already been done by my texturer for a contract job we were tasked with.

@Andy,I've never used the NV myself, BUT, I'm might set a key or button for it.

It's already set by default: SHIFT+nIf I had the time to pursue mod-making, I'd definitely make a flashlight plug-in because I think the night vision work around is a bit ridiculous.

Shift+N, in total darkness works a treat. It really can't get any easier than that,unless the Aircraft designer adds some type of low level ambient light.

There is something that can be done by developers to allow some visibility of the panel in a cold and dark cockpit at night. It's already been done by my texturer for a contract job we were tasked with.

Good to know about that. It's a shame it's not in wider use (or perhaps it is, but I just haven't come across it yet). In either case, something to look forward to.

It's already set by default: SHIFT+nIf I had the time to pursue mod-making, I'd definitely make a flashlight plug-in because I think the night vision work around is a bit ridiculous.

Shift-N is perfect - thanks for that. Agree about the flashlight option.

It has been done to an x-plane.org "package" but it looks like $hit because it was overdone. Looks like it just came out of Chernobyl because it glows in the dark so much.Done properly with subtlety, it can look VERY nice.