Pilot Edge - anyone using? Thoughts?

[aanderson81]

If you're using a 3d cockpit, I strongly suggest using the Quick View feature.

1) Pan around the cockpit using q,e,r,f, comma, period, left, right up and down (pan left, pan right, pan up, pan down, back up, move forward, translate left/right/up/down respectively) to find the PERFECT forward looking view. Save is as a quickview with CTRL-<number> where <number> is one of the numbers on your number pad.

2) Do the same for a perfect panel view, a perfect radio stack view, a perfect left wing view, and right wing view (all using a different number, of course).

Now, at any time, you can press the number on the number pad (without the control key) to recall any of those views. That's how I zip around the 3d cockpit with precision and no fuss.

I hear pilots grumble about xplane all the time, but when they fly a well-configured setup, they have very few qualms about how it flies, feels and getting around the panel.

Take 15-20 minutes and go through all the menus, take note of where to change things like keyboard mappings, joystick mappings, joystick axes functions and sensitivity, weather, date & time, aircraft location, etc. Write down how to get to those functions and put them on a cheat sheet so that you're not swimming in options all the time.

X-Plane rocks, but it has a learning curve. Speaking of curves, play with the non-linear response curves for pitch, roll and yaw so that it's not stupidly sensitive about the center.

Thanks, I will have to put some time on trying to get it how I like it when i get back from vacation.

The non-linear response curves sounds like it will handle some of my frustration as well. I fly light sport, so I like to think I fly with a gentle touch already, but this thing felt like it was way out of control. This may be some of what my complaint about "physical feedback" was about

 

[coma24]

You have the right idea, you don't need force feedback controls to be able to fly the plane comfortably in the sim. You just need controls that are configured properly. The other thing you MUST do is move the controls through a FULL range of movement at least once (not each time you launch the sim, just once in general so it can be saved in the calibration preferences). If you only ever move the controls to, say, 20% deflection....then the calibration code assumes that's as far as they CAN move, and that 20% deflection of your stick will translate to 100% movement of the controls within the sim. That's the other reason it can feel COMPLETELY out of whack.

You can see this on the settings->joystick & equipment->axes screen. Move through full motion, then do small movements and see that the response matches what you're doing. If you clear the calibration and start over with a small input, you'll see a HUGE response until you set a new maximum.

Knowing this and the ability to set response curves and you'll make any system sing. Without it, it can be completely misery. As I said, pilots fly my rig from time to time, every one of them has been surprised at how well they were able to fly it and how natural it felt, even with the 'dead' controls.