Hi All:

This time of year I find myself starting flights especially early in the morning. I always start from cold and dark. And it is really dark outside . Any ideas on how to get enough light to find the batt switches and the light switches? What d you guys and gals do? On some aircraft I can hit Shift + L and the lights come on regardless of batt position. Not so with the Lear.

 

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

 

Rick

The Flysimware C441 has the option to turn on cabin or panel lights in the Shift-1 popup. Unlike Shift-L this turns on the battery, too.

In the Flysimware MU-2B these options are present, too, but for me they don't work. They only display the current state. But here Shift-L works.

 

I don't have the L35A, so I don't know if this option is available and working here.

Start in daylight, crank the lights and then change the time.

Yes, it's a shame to have to use Shift L. I struggle finding the Bus's Battery switches pre-dawn.

Real World of course, you take a torch into the cockpit to get the battery switches on.

 

Mark Vanhoenacker (747 pilot) in his lovely book "Skyfaring" describes being first onto a cold and dark 747 with a pen torch going forward into the cockpit to get the batteries on.

 

I have always thought a torch addon would be excellent.

I temporarily boost up my monitors brightness to full and that helps. Or temporarily have cockpit Tool Tips enabled in Settings.

 

Failing that you'll have to grope around in the dark.

One approach is to use Shift+1 to bring up the 'Hanger' and then you can click on Read to Start.

 

Instrument night lighting seems fine, but while the night lighting does a good job of lighting up the switch labels, I find if difficult to see what position some of the smaller switches are actually in. Note the light dimmer controls to the pilot's left by the map light.

 

Al

Start in daylight, crank the lights and then change the time.

Awww.... Cheating.

One approach is to use Shift+1 to bring up the 'Hanger' and then you can click on Read to Start.

 

Instrument night lighting seems fine, but while the night lighting does a good job of lighting up the switch labels, I find if difficult to see what position some of the smaller switches are actually in. Note the light dimmer controls to the pilot's left by the map light.

 

Al

Yes. Sometimes I zoom like 2.5 to "get my eyeball" right next to the switch to check the position

 

Yes, it's a shame to have to use Shift L. I struggle finding the Bus's Battery switches pre-dawn.

Real World of course, you take a torch into the cockpit to get the battery switches on.

 

Mark Vanhoenacker (747 pilot) in his lovely book "Skyfaring" describes being first onto a cold and dark 747 with a pen torch going forward into the cockpit to get the batteries on.

 

I have always thought a torch addon would be excellent.

I temporarily boost up my monitors brightness to full and that helps. Or temporarily have cockpit Tool Tips enabled in Settings.

 

Failing that you'll have to grope around in the dark.

Does that Tool Tips thingy actually have the labels for the Lear switches, or at least the batts?

The Flysimware C441 has the option to turn on cabin or panel lights in the Shift-1 popup. Unlike Shift-L this turns on the battery, too.

In the Flysimware MU-2B these options are present, too, but for me they don't work. They only display the current state. But here Shift-L works.

 

I don't have the L35A, so I don't know if this option is available and working here.

Hmmm. Good thought. I'll look at that.

Thanks

I look very, very closely and then just flick the battery switches. After that, cockpit lights are no-brainers as they're pretty prominent features on the side walls.

 

Go by panel features to find the battery switches. Cursor near the lower left corner of the DME indicator, then go straight down until you find a clickspot. Click it, then move right to the next click spot and click it. Voilà, battery power.

I look very, very closely and then just flick the battery switches. After that, cockpit lights are no-brainers as they're pretty prominent features on the side walls.

 

Go by panel features to find the battery switches. Cursor near the lower left corner of the DME indicator, then go straight down until you find a clickspot. Click it, then move right to the next click spot and click it. Voilà, battery power.

Yes, I've been practicing exactly that. Like being a blind squirrel looking for an acorn....sometimes I find one.

Yes, I've been practicing exactly that. Like being a blind squirrel looking for an acorn....sometimes I find one.

 

Join the ranks. That's how us early birds in the dark have to do it.

 

There's something magical about it - isn't there?

Alone, in the cockpit - Cold and Dark.

Just you - and your precise knowledge of the overhead/ panel/ other areas of the cockpit and an internal map of where every switch/ button and control surface is located.

 

This is the aeroplane you'll be flying today - when the sun finally decides to rise.

 

You're there first. Alone. It's a special moment waking up the bird that you love and revere.

 

And when Dawn paints the horizon with her rose tinted pastel colours, and the sun rises in the East; you're there; Pre-Start Checklist in hand and the bird gently spreads her wings beneath your pilot's gentle authority..it's going to be a beautiful day.

 

Clear skies.

You can always increase the Gamma of your graphics setting for night.

 One of the cool things they added in XP is that is has a flashlight for just such times. It's pretty cool.

Join the ranks. That's how us early birds in the dark have to do it.

 

There's something magical about it - isn't there?

Alone, in the cockpit - Cold and Dark.

Just you - and your precise knowledge of the overhead/ panel/ other areas of the cockpit and an internal map of where every switch/ button and control surface is located.

 

This is the aeroplane you'll be flying today - when the sun finally decides to rise.

 

You're there first. Alone. It's a special moment waking up the bird that you love and revere.

 

And when Dawn paints the horizon with her rose tinted pastel colours, and the sun rises in the East; you're there; Pre-Start Checklist in hand and the bird gently spreads her wings beneath your pilot's gentle authority..it's going to be a beautiful day.

 

Clear skies.

 

Well said.

Join the ranks. That's how us early birds in the dark have to do it.

 

There's something magical about it - isn't there?

Alone, in the cockpit - Cold and Dark.

Just you - and your precise knowledge of the overhead/ panel/ other areas of the cockpit and an internal map of where every switch/ button and control surface is located.

 

This is the aeroplane you'll be flying today - when the sun finally decides to rise.

 

You're there first. Alone. It's a special moment waking up the bird that you love and revere.

 

And when Dawn paints the horizon with her rose tinted pastel colours, and the sun rises in the East; you're there; Pre-Start Checklist in hand and the bird gently spreads her wings beneath your pilot's gentle authority..it's going to be a beautiful day.

 

Clear skies.

Wow, beautiful... makes me feel unhappy at being stuck at work...

Want to get home and fire up something, anything...

 

Thanks for the beautiful words though

 

A

Hi Folks,

 

Let there be light ?

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Scott

Wow, beautiful... makes me feel unhappy at being stuck at work...

Want to get home and fire up something, anything...

 

Thanks for the beautiful words though

 

A

 

 

Just for you. View from my office window right now...

 

Sorry ;-)