Hello all, and please forgive me if the answer to my question is hidden in plain sight somewhere in the manuals that came with the PMDG Boeing 737NGX.  I did pore over some of the manuals that came with the NGX, but so far have not been able to find a fix for this predicament I encounter while flying an approach in the NGX, 

 

After a long wait I finally took delivery of my 737NGX on DVD, installed it and proceeded to try out a short flight and landing.  As I lined up for a visual landing,  I found out right away that I was unable to view the  runway PAPI lights unless I panned upwards until most of the instrument panel was out of view, such that I couldn't watch the PAPI lights AND the airspeed tape at the same time.  Panning my pilot's viewpoint downwards to check the airspeed meant that the PAPI lights and runway were out of view over the top of the instrument panel.

 

I have a feeling that there might be a simple key-stroke  that will allow at least the top half of the NGX instrument panel to be visible when the pilot is looking out at the runway, but after a good deal of reading in the manuals, I still cannot find that key-stroke.  Any advice on how to make BOTH the instrument panel, and the external view out the window visible at the same time, hopefully without having to  pan up and down, would be very much appreciated.

 

Once again I do apologize it this very basic question has been covered in this forum before, but since there is no 2D panel available for the NGX, I am stumped on this question about how to fly a visual approach without having to pan up and down between the panel view and the external out-the-window view.

 

It just occurred to me that perhaps the HUD was included with the NGX as a work-around for the "mutually exclusive" external and instrument panel views, so, if that is the case, I will be sure and use the HUD for all approaches and landings 

 

Thanks in advance for any clarification that can be offered.

Shift + Enter will raise your seat up

Look in the "controls" menu in FSX, (where you go to set up your controller axes and buttons). In the list of keyboard commands, you'll find several beginning with the word "eyepoint". These are the key combos to move up, down, left, right and forward or back in the VC.

Thanks for the quick fix to my worries William.  I will try this right now.  

 

The alternative eye-point shifting method described by Jim Barret is also much appreciated.  I have cut and pasted the menu path above, since my short-term memory isn't what it used to be.  

Sounds like your zoom is set very high. I can't really think of any other reasons that would cause what you are seeing. At the zoom levels I use, I can see all of the needed instruments, and still have no problems seeing outside. I normally raise my seat level only one notch from default.

Of course, the panel detail and lettering, etc are small compared to a high zoom level, but still readable.

 

I like the view to fairly closely mimic the overall big picture I would see if sitting in the plane, rather than a high zoom level on the instruments. I can always zoom in more if needed, and you can also click on the panels to see a zoomed in fixed version. I do that sometimes with the ND, and often with the CDU, as I don't like having to reset my zoom too often. I use a zoom number that is in between the 10 point zoom clicks using the space bar and mouse, so I have to fine tune using the keyboard.

Kind of a pain... So I don't change zoom very often while in flight.

 

Also, there is a 2D panel with the NGX unless it's not included in the DVD version. Don't see why it wouldn't be. I never use it, but if you cycle through the VC cockpit views with "A" you should see it.

Also, the HGS "HUD" is there because it's on many of the real world planes. It's not a view workaround.

 

An example of the appx zoom level I usually use.  Even if I zoomed in a bit more, I would still have no trouble seeing the runway on approach, and seeing most of the instruments.

 

I use the HGS most of the time, but this is one of the few videos I've made where I wasn't using it.

You would want to set for 720p resolution and go full screen on youtube to see it appx as how I see it when flying.

 

I used to move eyepoint all over the the cockpit when I first starting flying in the virtual cockpit (in the MD-11), but now I leave it alone and use my trackball and the spacebar along with view switching (the upper overhead in hidden by the HGS projector so I have to use A).

 

I am really happy with my trackball. Will probably never go back to the mouse.

I used to move eyepoint all over the the cockpit when I first starting flying in the virtual cockpit (in the MD-11), but now I leave it alone and use my trackball and the spacebar along with view switching (the upper overhead in hidden by the HGS projector so I have to use A).

 

I am really happy with my trackball. Will probably never go back to the mouse.

 

The FW overhead should be fully useable from default eyepoint if you click the projector to flatten the 3D model!

Sounds like your zoom is set very high. I can't really think of any other reasons that would cause what you are seeing. At the zoom levels I use, I can see all of the needed instruments, and still have no problems seeing outside. I normally raise my seat level only one notch from default.

Of course, the panel detail and lettering, etc are small compared to a high zoom level, but still readable.

 

I like the view to fairly closely mimic the overall big picture I would see if sitting in the plane, rather than a high zoom level on the instruments. I can always zoom in more if needed, and you can also click on the panels to see a zoomed in fixed version. I do that sometimes with the ND, and often with the CDU, as I don't like having to reset my zoom too often. I use a zoom number that is in between the 10 point zoom clicks using the space bar and mouse, so I have to fine tune using the keyboard.

Kind of a pain... So I don't change zoom very often while in flight.

 

A high zoom level will not change your view over the glareshield in VC view. So zooming out will not help. Nor is it more realistic. A zoom level of 1.0 is most realistic but for convenience 0.9 or 0.8 allows a view of the PFD and ND too.

 

It's a matter of personal preference but a wide view is not how you would perceive things in reality. Of course, you are missing the peripheral vision you get in real life but in my opinion that is a good trade for having correct perspective and seeing detailed displays in the panel and not having to use 2D popups.

I found out right away that I was unable to view the runway PAPI lights unless I panned upwards until most of the instrument panel was out of view, such that I couldn't watch the PAPI lights AND the airspeed tape at the same time. Panning my pilot's viewpoint downwards to check the airspeed meant that the PAPI lights and runway were out of view over the top of the instrument panel.

 

[snip]

 

It just occurred to me that perhaps the HUD was included with the NGX as a work-around for the "mutually exclusive" external and instrument panel views, so, if that is the case, I will be sure and use the HUD for all approaches and landings

 

Thanks in advance for any clarification that can be offered.

Panning up and down should not change your view of the runway relative to the panel. The preset view, as installed, should enable a correct view without adjusting the seat height. Without a screen shot it's hard to work out what the cause of your problem might be.

 

By the way, the HUD is there for realism. The real aircraft has thus as an option. It's not to correct a view problem.

MMM wonder why no one has mentioned  the tweak in your cfg  that got to be added  as per the introduction manual

 

WideViewAspect=true  under  the display section

A high zoom level will not change your view over the glareshield in VC view. So zooming out will not help. Nor is it more realistic. A zoom level of 1.0 is most realistic but for convenience 0.9 or 0.8 allows a view of the PFD and ND too.

 

It's a matter of personal preference but a wide view is not how you would perceive things in reality. Of course, you are missing the peripheral vision you get in real life but in my opinion that is a good trade for having correct perspective and seeing detailed displays in the panel and not having to use 2D popups.

 

Might be true, but if I zoom in that far, I have to move my viewpoint around so much it gets

to be a real hassle.  Don't use trackIR, etc, so I have to hit space and use the mouse to pan

around.  The main reason I use the CDU 2D popup is that I think part of the yoke often covers it

if I remember right. It's not that I can't read the lettering. It's to be able to hit all the buttons without

the right handle of the yoke being in the way. I think anyway..

Sometimes I'll popup the ND if I want to check the small blue letter airport ID's with a higher res.

It's faster and easier than changing the zoom. Other than that, I don't use the popups much.

When flying I'm usually zoomed in a bit tighter than what the video showed. Not a lot, but I'll

usually see only the left engine gauges, not both when the view is straight ahead.

 

Having to space and mouse my views, being zoomed out a tad makes for shorter view shifts

when diddling with the MCP, etc. And I like a bit of a peripheral view. Seems more natural to me.

Fer instance when driving my car, I see almost all of the front dash, both left and right sides with

my usual vision that I see. I realize the 737 is a lot wider, but I think I would still be aware of

more than just the PFD and ND when flying unless I had the seat cranked up really close.

 

I'll have to sit in a 737 and see how it looks/feels if I ever get the chance.. Never have been in the

cockpit of one. A Learjet is the only jet I've ever sat in up front, and it's pretty narrow overall.

Not much wider than a car as I recall. It's an exercise of contortion just climbing into the cockpit

of one of those things.  lol