Some Trouble Off The Bat

[ctaranovich]

Hello all, 

 

I am trying to change the cockpit view from “fixed” to “free view”. It initially lets me select that as an option, but when I click away or out of the box, it reverts to the previously selected “fixed” option. How do I save and lock-in the change?

 

Also, after beginning a flight I went to shutdown the (already running) engines. After pressing Control, Alt, Shift, F1 the engines briefly spool down but immediately get turned back on somehow. 
 

Can anyone help with either? Thanks in advance!

[tiger1962]

1 hour ago, ctaranovich said:

How do I save and lock-in the change?

 

Press keyboard F11, or click on the F11 - Save button on the bottom left of your screen - you might have to scroll down to see it.

[ctaranovich]

10 hours ago, tiger1962 said:

 

Press keyboard F11, or click on the F11 - Save button on the bottom left of your screen - you might have to scroll down to see it.

Ok starting to get it figured out. For some reason even though AUTO ENGINE START is set to Cntl+E, that command doesn't do the trick. 

 

Another question, I come from 3000 hours of FSX. In FSX, I could press SHIFT+3 and bring up my GPS in a window, or SHIFT+5 to bring up the throttle quadrant. Or the radio stack. Any such feature here?

 

One more question, I'm trying to set up my Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X Joystick / Throttle, and when the throttle is at idle on the controller itself, the engines are in full reverse mode. If I move the throttle to the 1/2 position, this is idle thrust according to the game. And full throttle is still full throttle. Any idea how to fix this? I can't even back out of the gate to try to play the game. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by ctaranovich
more info

[tiger1962]

8 hours ago, ctaranovich said:

Ok starting to get it figured out. For some reason even though AUTO ENGINE START is set to Cntl+E, that command doesn't do the trick. 

 

Another question, I come from 3000 hours of FSX. In FSX, I could press SHIFT+3 and bring up my GPS in a window, or SHIFT+5 to bring up the throttle quadrant. Or the radio stack. Any such feature here?

 

One more question, I'm trying to set up my Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X Joystick / Throttle, and when the throttle is at idle on the controller itself, the engines are in full reverse mode. If I move the throttle to the 1/2 position, this is idle thrust according to the game. And full throttle is still full throttle. Any idea how to fix this? I can't even back out of the gate to try to play the game. 

 

Ctrl+E doesn't work on all MSFS aircraft, especially the airliners which have more realistic startup procedures. You can find several "How to operate..." guides here: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/c/msfs/official-tips-troubleshooting/395

 

The zoom views are now Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+0 instead of Shift+1 etc. You can download the keyboard commands guide here: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/reference-keyboard-shortcuts-guide/167151

 

You'll need to calibrate your Hotas X for MSFS, there's a very good guide here: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/how-to-calibrate-your-joystick-yoke/129335

[ctaranovich]

4 hours ago, tiger1962 said:

 

Ctrl+E doesn't work on all MSFS aircraft, especially the airliners which have more realistic startup procedures. You can find several "How to operate..." guides here: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/c/msfs/official-tips-troubleshooting/395

 

The zoom views are now Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+0 instead of Shift+1 etc. You can download the keyboard commands guide here: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/reference-keyboard-shortcuts-guide/167151

 

You'll need to calibrate your Hotas X for MSFS, there's a very good guide here: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/how-to-calibrate-your-joystick-yoke/129335

Thank you very much for your help, I'll look through all this info and give it a shot. Thanks again. 

[ctaranovich]

The problem with the reversers still exists. When the throttle is idle on the joystick, reversers are fully out. When the joystick position is halfway, that's what the game considers idle/no reversers. I don't know how to fix this other than just live with it. Curious is anyone else has had the same issue.

[budreiser]

My controller is also a HOTAS Thrustmaster X. In previous MS Flight Sims, there was a CONTROL OPTION command to TOGGLE REVERSE THRUST. Doesn't seem to be one in MSFS2020.

A few months ago, Tim Wright passed this on to me and, although not as neat as toggling ON & OFF, it does the job. See screenshot below. If you want to back up at gate, release PARKING BRAKE and hold HOTAS Button 3 for a few seconds (3 or 4) and you'll see the reverse thrust units on engine cowling sliding back. Pretty much the same for landing. Upon touchdown depress Button 3 and reversers activate. Throttle in both cases must be pulled all the way back. Anything forward negates reverse thrust, which you must do to exit runway. Don't ask me how it works, but it does. And thank Tim Wright if it works for you.    

[ctaranovich]

14 hours ago, budreiser said:

My controller is also a HOTAS Thrustmaster X. In previous MS Flight Sims, there was a CONTROL OPTION command to TOGGLE REVERSE THRUST. Doesn't seem to be one in MSFS2020.

A few months ago, Tim Wright passed this on to me and, although not as neat as toggling ON & OFF, it does the job. See screenshot below. If you want to back up at gate, release PARKING BRAKE and hold HOTAS Button 3 for a few seconds (3 or 4) and you'll see the reverse thrust units on engine cowling sliding back. Pretty much the same for landing. Upon touchdown depress Button 3 and reversers activate. Throttle in both cases must be pulled all the way back. Anything forward negates reverse thrust, which you must do to exit runway. Don't ask me how it works, but it does. And thank Tim Wright if it works for you.    

I'll give it a shot shortly and report back. I appreciate you sharing this screenshot.

[budreiser]

Toying around with this REVERSE THRUST issue, seems the default setting for this works also. It's the F2 key but, unlike with FSX, instead of a quick tap of the key, you have to hold it down about 3 seconds. Just tapping the F3 key will negate REVERSE THRUST. Quick taps on the F2 key also decreases the throttle. I've been wrong many times in my life so I'm not 100% certain, but in previous sims, I think that after touchdown, all you had to do is tap F2 to activate REVERSE THRUST.

 

Hope this helps.

[ctaranovich]

9 hours ago, budreiser said:

Toying around with this REVERSE THRUST issue, seems the default setting for this works also. It's the F2 key but, unlike with FSX, instead of a quick tap of the key, you have to hold it down about 3 seconds. Just tapping the F3 key will negate REVERSE THRUST. Quick taps on the F2 key also decreases the throttle. I've been wrong many times in my life so I'm not 100% certain, but in previous sims, I think that after touchdown, all you had to do is tap F2 to activate REVERSE THRUST.

 

Hope this helps.

Thank you for sharing this! Yeah I’m totally fine with using the method of holding the key for a few seconds, no biggie. 
 

Now I just have to figure out how to set up the joystick hat switch to pan around in free-view. 
 

And, I need how to learn how to build/follow/execute routes. Then learn how to use the FMS to execute that route. I really want to get proficient soon, as I really want to use MSFS on VATSIM.

 

Thanks again,

Colin 

[budreiser]

Back at you Colin. Don't know if this will help, but below is my HAT SWITCH setup. What, if anything, that 11 and 12 do is beyond me, but those selections are the same for COCKPIT and EXTERNAL views, except for Button 2 being selected in the EXTERNAL section. This works for me. Hope it helps for you.

[budreiser]

Oops!   As 11 and 12 says, they ZOOM In and Out on both COCKPIT and EXTERNAL if you select for both.

[ctaranovich]

8 hours ago, budreiser said:

Oops!   As 11 and 12 says, they ZOOM In and Out on both COCKPIT and EXTERNAL if you select for both.

Thanks again brother! I'll report back hopefully later tonight when I can test this out. The pointers are a big help. 

[ctaranovich]

Had a business trip pop up when I was trying to get this setup, but now I’m home and about to try all the great suggestions Will report back. 

[budreiser]

Gotcha!

[ctaranovich]

11 hours ago, budreiser said:

Gotcha!

Thank you tons for the controls screenshots, I have the camera moving the way I want now. Also, I’m able to use reverse thrust just fine. Excellent!! 
 

After playing around with the game enough, I started to notice some things that have me stumped. I come from using FSX as my simulator since it came out, so I’m trying to figure out how to do a few things:

 

When I try to plan a flight in Free Flight, it defaults to the active runway. So I change the departure location to a parking spot, and the simulator accepts the change in departure point. But if I change ANYTHING, such as cruise altitude, choice of high-altitude airway route, etc, the sim will reset the departure point to the active runway. Then, it will no longer let me change the location manually. Almost seems like a bug. I’m essentially used to the “Flight Planner” dialog box in FSX. What is the equivalent to this function?

 

That leads me to my next issue. Say I just set up a waypoint route, to fly on airways. Before I start the flight, the Navlog shows the waypoints as planned. But when I start the flight, the waypoints are gone and it just shows direct to my destination.

 

Lastly, how do I view and follow my filed flight route using the PFD and the FMS system? I’m trying this process using the A310 by the way.
 

I guess I just need help with the process of actually loading the flight plan into the simulator, then I should be good haha. Thanks again for your help budreiser, cheers to that. 

[davidc2]

I use Little Nav Map for my flight planning (I am a low and slow type of flyer, 1000 AGL is my preference).  With LNM I use a LOT of custom waypoints, get the flight set up to what I want to fly over, then I export it to the sim via LNM.  Once in the sim, I load up the newly created FP, if I am not on the correct runway (or location at the airport), i just click on the space where I want to start, select Departure, I do the same thing if I am flying an ILS approach and need to land at a certain runway, I just select the runway, click on it and select Arrival.  I usually resave that flight plan for use later on.

 

May not be exactly how you doing, but hoping it will provide you with a template to go off of.

[budreiser]

Not quite sure if I can be of help on all your issues, especially those dealing with the A310. Since Aug. 2022, after regaining some vision, I purchased MSFS2020 and have toyed with several aircraft along the way. Most of all, I've become glued to the stock B787-10, and, although not a perfect product, I've become attached to it. I've acquired much help along the way, mostly from this forum and a lot from it's member Tim Wright. It has taken a lot of trial and error along the learning curve, and I doubt if I'll ever master the beast. But I've come a long way.

 

My advice to you is watch (as many as you can) youtubes about MSFS2020 and the A310 in particular. As Tim Wright pointed out to me, the more data you feed the FMC, the better the results. And I am of course still learning. I have tried LittleNavMap and SimBrief primarily for NAV help. I have since gone back to the DEFAULT Flgt Planner.

 

When I file a plan (which is usually 2 or 3 hours long, and in reality not what the 787 was meant for), before I exit the DEPARTURE and ARRIVAL page, I take the Snipping Tool and capture a view of the WAYPOINTS, Rwys and SIDS (hold off on STARS until near destination). Except for KMCI & MABQ, these WAYPOINTS should show in this order on the LEGS page of the FMC. If any other entries such as "THEN, VECTORS or others are on the LEGS page, press the DELETE key below the keypad then click on the key adjacent to the erroneous entries. I'm not 100% certain that this is proper, but it seems to work. 

 

My flights become more satisfying each time I learn something new. Hope the above helps you out a bit. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[tiger1962]

Further to Bud's great advice, there's a series of 9 tutorial videos for the A310 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka-S-3wBRBo&list=PLHHNa7e7hf9NWlA69jXQ-xzU2IuawCdd7

[budreiser]

And to Tim,  you always come through!

[ctaranovich]

7 hours ago, budreiser said:

Not quite sure if I can be of help on all your issues, especially those dealing with the A310. Since Aug. 2022, after regaining some vision, I purchased MSFS2020 and have toyed with several aircraft along the way. Most of all, I've become glued to the stock B787-10, and, although not a perfect product, I've become attached to it. I've acquired much help along the way, mostly from this forum and a lot from it's member Tim Wright. It has taken a lot of trial and error along the learning curve, and I doubt if I'll ever master the beast. But I've come a long way.

 

My advice to you is watch (as many as you can) youtubes about MSFS2020 and the A310 in particular. As Tim Wright pointed out to me, the more data you feed the FMC, the better the results. And I am of course still learning. I have tried LittleNavMap and SimBrief primarily for NAV help. I have since gone back to the DEFAULT Flgt Planner.

 

When I file a plan (which is usually 2 or 3 hours long, and in reality not what the 787 was meant for), before I exit the DEPARTURE and ARRIVAL page, I take the Snipping Tool and capture a view of the WAYPOINTS, Rwys and SIDS (hold off on STARS until near destination). Except for KMCI & MABQ, these WAYPOINTS should show in this order on the LEGS page of the FMC. If any other entries such as "THEN, VECTORS or others are on the LEGS page, press the DELETE key below the keypad then click on the key adjacent to the erroneous entries. I'm not 100% certain that this is proper, but it seems to work. 

 

My flights become more satisfying each time I learn something new. Hope the above helps you out a bit. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

No worries! Totally understandable! And thank you for passing along Tim’s advice. And your post totally fixed the flight planning issue. There were indeed parts with VECTORS, and when removed, the problem went away. And thank you for YouTube advice, I’ll definitely be watching those.

[ctaranovich]

6 hours ago, tiger1962 said:

Further to Bud's great advice, there's a series of 9 tutorial videos for the A310 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka-S-3wBRBo&list=PLHHNa7e7hf9NWlA69jXQ-xzU2IuawCdd7

Thank you Tim, I appreciate it!