Just getting back into this - couple of questions

Sticking to local flights in the 152 for now, looks good, its been 10 years but the muscle memory seems to be there (once I turned off the AI "assistance" (what's that about?) I can still land, take off and park.

 

Is the only way to shut down/start the engine the keys? (Shift CTRL E and CTRL E) I seem to recall that there was a clickable ignition switch in FSX. Maybe a different on other aircraft I guess?

 

What does the "drone camera" do? (Insert)

 

That's it for now, any assistance is welcome, its good to be back!

 

Geoff

Sticking to local flights in the 152 for now, looks good, its been 10 years but the muscle memory seems to be there (once I turned off the AI "assistance" (what's that about?) I can still land, take off and park.

 

Is the only way to shut down/start the engine the keys? (Shift CTRL E and CTRL E) I seem to recall that there was a clickable ignition switch in FSX. Maybe a different on other aircraft I guess?

 

What does the "drone camera" do? (Insert)

 

That's it for now, any assistance is welcome, its good to be back!

 

Geoff

 

HI Geoff, while I cannot answer all your questions, I can say Welcome!

 

I can answer the drone camera question-it is just another camera that is outside the plane, and IMNSHO (in my not so humble opinion) is one of the best camera views around. I like to fly low and slow and spend 90% of my time OUTSIDE the AC as it is about 1,000 feet AGL. The drone camera allows me to fly all around the AC, even miles away (if I choose to) without affecting the AC at all.

 

Insert get's you outside the plane. Using the numeric keypad, the '5' key resets the view of the drone so you are viewing the back of the plane. It is a fast way to get back to the plane. The 'W' key moves the drone forward, 'S' is back, there is a left and right as well (I think??) When I am flying straight, I usually go in front of the plane and with my VR in place, it is nice!!!! You can also have a LOT of fun while you are sitting on the ground at an airport. I sometimes will land at a super busy airport and then fly around in the drone view just looking at the planes, watching them take off and land.

Sticking to local flights in the 152 for now, looks good, its been 10 years but the muscle memory seems to be there (once I turned off the AI "assistance" (what's that about?) I can still land, take off and park.

 

Is the only way to shut down/start the engine the keys? (Shift CTRL E and CTRL E) I seem to recall that there was a clickable ignition switch in FSX. Maybe a different on other aircraft I guess?

 

What does the "drone camera" do? (Insert)

 

That's it for now, any assistance is welcome, its good to be back!

 

Geoff

 

Hi Geoff,

 

Yes, the showcase/drone camera is completely new to MSFS and had no equivalent in previous versions. The good news is you can get fantastic shots of the plane which look great; the bad news is that it has a learning curve. It's best to watch a demonstration. Here is a an overview of all the camera views.

 

Regarding the startup, the shortcut keys are NOT the only way; you can do it completely manually as in previous versions of the sim. But cockpit interactions are a bit different. Once again, best to watch a demonstration:

 

Since you said you've been away for a while, it's worth knowing that this sim works VERY differently than the FS2k to FSX era sims. I've noticed folks coming back from those sims often get frustrated because the sim doesn't work like they expect. But if you stick with it, the sim will reward you. Think of it this way: Windows Vista is also much different than Windows 10; the difference in the sims are equivalently different as they come from the same eras.

Edited November 21, 2022 by KiloWatt

Another major difference from earlier sims -- really THE major difference -- is the use of streamed satellite-based real-world scenery, which requires at least a decent internet connection. While it's possible to run MSFS without it by using "off-line" scenery, this is not very satisfactory, especially once you are used to seeing the real world! This can be a source of frustration for some, when the servers are down, but at least in my experience this is unusual. Just be aware.