> In some ways, it was harder than it would be for a real pilot, since I > didn't have the peripheral vision or the motion cues (I cannot feel > when I'm in a slip, for example, or when I'm descending rapidly, and I > cannot feel any force feedback from the controls).
Don't be too sure; once you're in cross country cruise, you're trimmed and flying using tiny control inputs to maneuver very gradually. Can't feel it. When you're going mostly in a straight line, there is no point using faster turns than quarter standard rate and climbs/descents beyond 200fpm or so. After all, you're following a road lane and could shortcut corners any time. This isn't true for IFR, of course, or when in terrain or near the ground. The most realistic way to do that with a simulator is to use the keyboard, since an 8-bit joystick travel is _much_ too coarse for that kind of thing. However, remember to change the property settings to give you fine control. I find the artificial square cutout of the monitor provides similar attitude cues to the peripheral vision in an aircraft and don't miss it at height. So, I (personally) suggest that taking advantage of the monitor edge is 'ok'. Your body adapts to the forces of a slip and stops considering it something unusual that needs to be corrected, so the seat-in-butt sensation cannot be trusted (one of the things you have to learn for instrument flight). Instead, you are taught to look left and right at your wingtips and compare their position to the horizon to determine whether the aircraft is truly wingslevel. That's something you can still do with FGFS, with a lot less neck-ache too. Also, most aircraft make a noise when seriously uncoordinated (FGFS does not). Ascent/Descent and course (not heading) are things you detect visually by watching how the scenery flows towards and past you. A framerate of 20 or higher is needed to get the effect right, unless you've had real-life practice. The biggest problem I have is that our textures are too homogeneous to judge speed well enough to control height. I don't know what we can do about that. I end up having to you the 'other' way, comparing my height to hills and such. Try those elements and let me know what your next difficulty is ... 8-) _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-devel
