Thanks to a "hintful" answer I got at the .ORG from Cessna729, a fan of the FF WL 777 ( just as I'm progressively becoming ... ) I am finally using this very handy implementation of "quick views" with X-Plane 10.

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/07/the-views-updates-to-a-very-important-system/

 

 

You simply focus on a given view and record it by hitting CTRL-<Numpad N>, and from there on simply hitting that <Numpad-N> key to get that view :-)  ( other assignments are possible, even to joystick buttons... )

 

It has been of great use in my FF WL 777 flights, specially while flying coupled approaches.

 

The last week was prone in real bad weather situations all across Central Europe, and I tried to chose the worst scenarios for my arrivals / departures, but was having a bad time using the instrument panel. My close vision is rapidly loosing it's focus, even with the new pair of glasses :-/, I do not own Track-Ir, and any solution based on exporting instruments to other devices such as those fancy iPads or Droids is out of question for me ( I'm not rich... although I play being one everytime I takeoff in my C400, Baron 58, etc... )

 

Well, I knew about it, but really never used it. Maybe some of you are in the same state, so, I can only encourage you tro try the "Quick View" option of X-Plane 10 :-)

Good find J.C. This has been a struggling point for me in the cockpit. I will implement this tonight.

It's the first thing I looked for when I bought FSX. Yes, I got XP before I got FSX.

It's the first thing I looked for when I bought FSX. Yes, I got XP before I got FSX.

 

In FSX most complex add-ons have popup instruments. I used them often with all of my PMDGs - very handy!

 

I still would like to have popups ( ate least the FPD and ND ) for the FF WL 777, but now it's a lot simpler than having to constantly zoom in / out and pan the vews :-)

 

BTW: Here's my cahotic / random walk in flight simulation, since I got back in early 2011 :-)  In Red, the "stayers" :-)

 

MS FLIGHT - ELITE and FSX - X-Plane 10 - Aerofly FS - MS FLIGHT - X-Plane 10 - DCS World - P3D - FSX - X-Plane 10, Aerofly FS ELITE and DCS World

 

IL2 Battle of Stalingrad - an offer from another simmer & friend!!! - will join soon :-)

The whole FSX addon scene makes me feel I'm using two cups and a string to make telephone call.

 

Quite the list of software you have there, I only use FSX atm, but I do miss X-Plane. Btw, what's the deal with X-Plane, it's in red and black?

Btw, what's the deal with X-Plane, it's in red and black?

 

My imaginary friend playing his tricks on me... fixed!!!! :-)

My imaginary friend playing his tricks on me... fixed!!!! :-)

 

Weather and graphics wise, XP is so much nicer, though. And, this sounds silly, but compared to real flying, XP just feels more correct to me.

And, this sounds silly, but compared to real flying, XP just feels more correct to me.

 

Not silly at all. FSX has a problem with turbulence. IMO FSGRW is the best weather injector I had for it - very good at injecting variable wind and turbulence!  But updrafts / downdrafts are very poorly simulated with weather injectors, and non-available in default fsx / p3d weather. Problem is the way they act on the aircraft, pushing it in 3dof rather than in 6dof, something that X-Plane does a lot better...

 

Also, in X-plane 10 you'll experience the real thrill of going through a convective cloud, where in RL up / down air streams can reach up to 65 knot !!!  Traverse a CB in FSX, even with your best weather generator, and ... well...

 

I know, I know, we're not supposed to... but for simulation sake, and because in a simulator we should be able to do all the wrong things we would never even dream to do in RL, I really like to have it available.

 

Ridge lift and the overall influence of relief in the winds is represented by default in a very plausible way in X-Plane 10. You have to pay for it in FSX, and still, the available add-ons fall short from reproducing it the way X-Plane, even with it's limitations, does.

 

 would natuarlly love to have those effects in X-Plane 10 or 11 like I have them in ilent Wings or even Condorsoaring....

Ah, thanks for the explanation. I'm really new to this whole sim experience, and to be honest, I didn't expect much of it. But, I'm really starting to like it.

 

I started with X-Plane since the FSX Demo blackscreened on me. A friend told me to purchase it anyway since the demo was most probably outdated. I held back and started with X-Plane and got myself the FF 777 for it. Then, I bought FSX Gold anyway, since it was cheap, and although the lighting doesn't look as nice as XP, and neither is the flying, I like FSX more, especially now that I've found VATSIM.

 

XP is really bland looking with all those trees everywhere, and FF won't update the 777 anymore for 32-bit. So, I got tired of having to work around it not idling on first descent and the scenery and I'll probably come back when they're a little bit further.

 

All in all, I feel XP is the better solution, it just needs a big world around it like FSX has.

Brazen,

 

for 32 bit OS FSX or P3D v1.4 are probably best choices IMO. FSX has the advantage over P3D of allowing you to run those great PMDG airliners, their WL 777 recently released being simply superb, as you know.

 

When you find the way to migrate to a 64 bit OS, then X-Plane 10 will probably be the best option for you.

I'm running 64-bit Windows, that's not the problem. The problems, for me, are as I've stated:

 

1. No 64-bit VATSIM.

2. Can't use 32-bit VATSIM, since the 32-bit FF 777 has bugs that the developer won't fix, since they stopped with 64-bit (same for other new stuff that comes out, 64-bit only).

 

I'll leave scenery in the middle for now.

Oops!  Sorry Brazen, I didn't read it all in your previous messages :-/

 

BTW: Are you using the NOAA weather injector ( Python based ) for X-Plane 10?

 

http://x-plane.joanpc.com/plugins/xpgfs-noaa-weather

 

and Sandy's place is also a good source for plugins:

 

http://www.xpluginsdk.org/python_interface.htm

Oops!  Sorry Brazen, I didn't read it all in your previous messages :-/

 

BTW: Are you using the NOAA weather injector ( Python based ) for X-Plane 10?

 

http://x-plane.joanpc.com/plugins/xpgfs-noaa-weather

 

and Sandy's place is also a good source for plugins:

 

http://www.xpluginsdk.org/python_interface.htm

 

No problem.

 

Yes, I use the NOAA weather plugin, and for the rest of my needs, I use FlyWithLua. But, I haven't touched X-Plane anymore. :(