For those people who owns either the NGX or the MD-11, do you actually use the adjustable dimmer function for the cockpit lighting? Or do you use them only as an on-off switch?

 

I've never used it myself to be honest, either it's full brightness or off for me. I found the dimmer makes the cockpit lighting look rather ugly with a lot of color banding.

Yes, I find 50% intensity reduces glare at night. I agree with you that the flood lighting isn't pretty at intermediate ranges, but the LEDs look fine.

Yep. All the time.

I nearly always use the dimmers, but normaly only background lightning, because I the flood lights are pretty bright and uncomfortable for me.

In the NGX I also reduce the display brightness of all displays including the FMCs to get the "blue" tone at night away. The MD-11 displays don't have the "blue" tone, however turning down the brightness still makes it much more comfortable for me at night.

 

I am always pretty disapointed if I start an AddOn aircraft for the first time and then find out that the light dimmer switches are either INOP or only toggle switches.

 

So +1 for PMDG

The back flood lighting to me looks pretty unrealistic as to what I've seen in the real 737 flight deck. It can look okay when you move the knob a little and it gives a dark grey look. But if you put the flood panel lighting to full it gives this horrible light blue colouring which makes you forget you're even in the NGX!

 

Screen brightness I use, I don't like the blue tint - it looks better when the backgrounds of the screens are black like how you see it in the real aeroplane; same with the FMC's. The terrain radar doesn't look the best in full brightness either - so I like to half that around half.

 

However the lighting for all switches etc are left on full, even during the daytime sometimes. Domelight I use for pre-flight too, rarely during cruise.

 

In the 777 there's a 'Storm' light which turns all lights to the fullest setting in the flight deck - it's to be used to protect pilots eyes during lightning. I see that used a lot in-flight in the 777's. That will be cool to use!

 

Overall I think it's a brilliant feature.

Yep! I can't stand having the lights at full blast!

I prefer just turning on the backlight for the panel. I've never really been a fan of bright floodlights in aircraft cockpits.

I just use the integral lighting at night. Dome lights are used during preflight and postflight activities.

I use them quite a lot during night flights, including screen brightness.

They work great at night when dimmed. In addition i found the background of the panel on my LED screen to be actually black at 75% so i keep 'em there. Turn them down as needed.

Of course, i do not see a reason why not to use them or why other (recent) addons deliberatly omit them...

'Storm' light which turns all lights to the fullest setting in the flight deck - it's to be used to protect pilots eyes during lightning.

 

I did not know this was its purpose. Thanks for sharing!

I just use the integral lighting at night. Dome lights are used during preflight and postflight activities.

 

Same for me, on NGX; floods only at lowest possible, panellight at 50-60% and domes dim for non critical phases.

I use them, pretty useful at night.

I am annoyed at aircraft that don't have them. You either get on (which is too much) or off