Actually, the latest CP update now includes a Spotting feature - and much more:

Parallel 42

UPDATE: New ChasePlane Features, Let's Go Spotting™!

Hello Captain, Some of the best moments in a flight simulator happen when you’re not flying at all; maybe you're holding short while a heavy rolls past, lingering after shutdown to see what’s on final

1 hour ago, SierraDelta said:

the latest CP update now includes a Spotting feature

Spotty26 beat them to it 😆

"Actually, the latest CP update now includes a Spotting feature - and much more:"

Well, I finally caved in and bought Chase plane about 4 hours ago, and I don't have the spotting option in the menu, so not everyone has it yet..

My first impression of CP: Well it's not as easy to set up and use as the many videos had shown, or maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how to do it. But I have the time to fiddle with it, so maybe it will grow on me, but right now it's a 6/10 for me.

The only thing I dislike about Chaseplane is how it seems to make my sim "hang" when I first go into the cockpit (presumably while it loads my profiles from the cloud since I have absolutely terrible internet here).

Other than that it's superb. I only bought it because I missed the X-Plane camera system so much whenever I used MSFS.

Bonus feature: a reinstall of MSFS is frustrating enough - not having to set up my camera views ever again is worth the money on its own.

1 hour ago, jlund said:

My first impression of CP: Well it's not as easy to set up and use as the many videos had shown, or maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how to do it. But I have the time to fiddle with it, so maybe it will grow on me, but right now it's a 6/10 for me.

Easy to set up might be a bit inaccurate. It takes a little initial setup, but it is a powerful tool.

The thing is, it takes over all your cameras and keybindings, so those need to be set up in ChasePlane. For example if you had views assigned to a joystick hat, those are just gone now. The weird thing that threw me a bit was there is no default "look left(or right)" view. You have to make your own, for each plane. Then you need to map your keys per plane.

There's a button in MSFS that toggles between internal and external view. That exists in chaseplane but you need to map it in Chaseplane.

If I buy a new payware plane, the first thing I'm doing is setting up my views and keybinds in Chaseplane.

Now that I've done it multiple times, I can do it in minutes, but that's what is different from the default system.

On 8/10/2026 at 6:59 AM, jlund said:

"You don't use a num pad number--you use a number from the top row of number keys"

Do I still need to press Alt+ the number or just the assigned number? And is it possible to do the same on the num. keys, meaning without the Alt, but just the numbers?

You make the native msfs camera system behave any way you want. Just reprogram it the MSFS options. numpad 1...2...9...0 for moving to ten views. And then shift (or ctrl or alt or spacebar, or X, or whatever other keyboard key that you want + numpad 1...2...9 ...0 for setting a view.

You could use J+numpad 1, 2, etc. instead of alt or cntrl + numpad 1,2, etc. After all, J is right under your right index finger.

4 hours ago, jlund said:

...Well it's not as easy to set up and use as the many videos had shown, or maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how to do it. But I have the time to fiddle with it, so maybe it will grow on me, but right now it's a 6/10 for me.

It's true no matter what the salesforce crew says here. Once you figure it out you'll be okay, but again if you're after myriad views beyond the default 10 views the plane developer creates (Shift-#), and the 10 custom views you create (Ctrl-Alt-#), then hopefully it makes sense for you. Best wishes hopefully it meets your needs because as I recall the reason you came here was that you couldn't figure out how to get the much simpler default system to work.

8 hours ago, jlund said:

"Actually, the latest CP update now includes a Spotting feature - and much more:"

Well, I finally caved in and bought Chase plane about 4 hours ago, and I don't have the spotting option in the menu, so not everyone has it yet..

My first impression of CP: Well it's not as easy to set up and use as the many videos had shown, or maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how to do it. But I have the time to fiddle with it, so maybe it will grow on me, but right now it's a 6/10 for me.

Yeah me neither (have the spotting version), I had it for a day or two, then it auto-updated to a version that does not have it. I then turned off the auto update option and went to their web site, to download their manager, and could never get back that spotting version, pretty underwhelming to my liking.

Edited yesterday at 12:12 AM1 day by SN737

13 hours ago, Noel said:

I responded to @lancealotg comment in that fashion because of the irony involved

I would say Flyby is a killer feature but CP of course does so much more.

I fly in VR and find creating camera views and adjusting them vastly superior to the default camera system. Having the adjustment knobs pop up allows for precise and easy adjustments while in VR.

I use a Thrustmaster Cougar to see any view I want, either cockpit or external, all with the push of a button.

I also really enjoy the cinematic views while in cruise. I hit one button, sit back and enjoy the beauty of the sim.

I don't have Spotty so I cant compare the two side by side.

I prefer external view to flyby.

dd

20 hours ago, FPVSteve said:

The only thing I dislike about Chaseplane is how it seems to make my sim "hang" when I first go into the cockpit (presumably while it loads my profiles from the cloud since I have absolutely terrible internet here).

This is SO annoying, but I've learned to live with it.

20 hours ago, jlund said:

My first impression of CP: Well it's not as easy to set up and use as the many videos had shown, or maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how to do it. But I have the time to fiddle with it, so maybe it will grow on me, but right now it's a 6/10 for me.

When I first tried it, for me it was 1/10. A month later it was 9/10. Hang in there and learn how to use it. It's worth it!

Just buy it……

17 hours ago, Noel said:

the salesforce crew

Oh dear... What would be an appropriate qualification for you then? You seem to be quite keen on talking people out of getting ChasePlane 😉

19 minutes ago, Rimshot said:

Oh dear... What would be an appropriate qualification for you then? You seem to be quite keen on talking people out of getting ChasePlane 😉

Yes, Bert, I'm just as passionate about discouraging the wrong people from CP as it is a big hassle by comparison to the default system, no matter what salesforce says. The OP was stumped on how to capture a custom view and when you compare what it takes to set up a camera in CP versus default, I'm talking about as a new inexperienced user, there's just no comparison. And, unless you have needs for more than 10 custom views plus default dev camera views, it's just overkill IMO. Now that Spotty is out Flyby, Tower, Spot views are now available for a fraction of the cost AND effort to learn and use it compared to CP. I understand CP is fine for those after what it offers and I own it, but won't install it in 2024. Sadly, it came out before the camera SDK was opened else it could have been a lot simpler for those after what it offers.

10 minutes ago, Noel said:

Yes, Bert, I'm just as passionate about discouraging the wrong people from CP as it is a big hassle by comparison to the default system, no matter what salesforce says.

I respect your opinion Noel, but I do not share it.

I spent a long time setting up 2024 and it was not easy and quite cumbersome. I hated it at first.

Like anything else, once you get the hang of it it goes well, but it is not faster or easier then Chaseplane.

I admit Chaseplane has a learning curve to it, but I found it way easier to learn then I did the 2024 default that had me swearing at my computer when I first got 2024.

The combination of Chaseplane and FSRealistic has been worthwhile for me.(I would not fly without it today) .

I still hold the view that you are better off with Chaseplane if you are just starting out binding your hardware.

Your opinion is valid but it does not negate mine.