"user friendly" flying and navigation?

[sfojimbo]

I'm very impressed with MSFS and am a big fan, but I do find it frustrating at times. I seem to spend a lot of time trying to position the cursor "just so" in order just to do something simple like spin the heading bug. In some aircraft, the numbers on the speed tape are hard to see without leaning in and squinting and every night flight starts with me trying to find the click spots just to turn the floodlights on.
This may have more to do with my aging eyesight, but I find I need more hand-eye coordination to perform tasks in the cockpit than I do to actually fly. In that sense, the user experience could be better, imho.
But we've come a long way since my first experience with FS2002.

The heading and altitude bugs can be assigned to switches or buttons (increase heading and decrease heading). I've assigned them to unused push buttons on my Thrustmaster joystick. There are also assignable commands for some of the lighting functions.


Get to know the "Controls" menus, there's some very useful stuff there.

[hansb57]

I'm an ex FSX-er. Havent flown sims for some years until MSFS2020.
I bought the payware manual to get a general overview but as soon as I have some specific question it's not in depth enough.
ALthough usefull it is certainly not a manual that I keep next to my sim.
In the "old days" there were some nice manuals that did go into things step by step.
Now you have Youtube.
Search for a problem and 9 out of 10 there are some nice videos to get you going.
From the most elementary to in depth.
Watch them as you need them, dont overdo it.

[Rockcliffe]

Good tip. Thanks

[MikeDV]

You know, I am one of these “Leisure Pilots”, all the way back to FS98.

While I still enjoy FS9 and FSX for the reasons mentioned by the OP, I too have found MSFS a challenge for long flights on autopilot etc., mostly I just turn off all the autopilot and autothrottle (etc) in MSFS and I can fly even the lumbering 747 VFR and have fun.

Slowly, I am learning my way around the more realistic flight controls in MSFS as well. But it’s really all about the mood at the time I carve out some time to enjoy a sim, or other items on my PC, which is why FS9 and FSX are still sharing my game drive to this day.

Mike