Briefing

Starting the FlightGear Simulator The Major Options System Options Define the Aircraft Define the Startposition Features and Rendering:  Networking Starting with FGrun Starting Manual (by Hand!) Start with a Command-Line Start with an Option-File Start with a Command-File  The Instruments The HUD (Head Up Display) Keyboard, Mice, Menus and Joysticks Keyboard-Controls Mouse-Controls The Menu-Bar Joystick-Support Testing the Joystick

Ready to start in an Aerostar 700, LOWI, Innsbruck Kranebitten, Austria

Starting the FlightGear Simulator

The Major Options

System Options

Define the Aircraft

Define the Startposition

• on an Airport: For that you have three sub-options:

Define Airport and Park-position: This Option is the only one matching reality - and should be used each time. But not all Airports in FlightGear do have designed park-positions yet! If you do not use FGrun (which would list them for you to select) you can find the available Park-positions for an airport in the data-file  $FG_ROOT/AI/Airports/ICAO/ICAO.parking.xml.For San-Francisco that would be $FG_ROOT/AI/Airports/KSFO/KSFO.parking.xml

• you could define e.g.:     --airport=KSFO --parkpos=B26
  

2. Define just the Airport: In this case FlightGear chooses itself a runway that is best fitting according to wind etc. -- and by that finds exactly that runway, that everybody uses. And that probably leads to many bad wishes from
• other pilots just being on short final and suddenly find there runway blocked by you
• other pilots suddenly sitting with their plane inside your plane
• you could define e.g.:     --airport=KSFO
  

3. Define Airport and Runway: This is the worst selection at all, because in addition to the problems with item 2, you now may even start against the other traffic (and wind) - that surely will tempt the other pilots to even "worse wishes" against you! We suggest this solution only in cases were there is a small, unused runway available - which you leave as son as possible!
• you could define e.g.:     --airport=KOAK --runway=33
  

• by GPS Data: You can use MPmap, a normal map, a Handy with GPS, etc. to get the Longitude and Latitude and add to that a wanted heading.
• e.g. for KRHV you could define:     --lat=37.334047 --lon=-121.816320 --heading=234
  

• by Navigation-points: These could be: VOR, NDB, FIX, Carrier, airports, etc. If you use a VOR or NDB be aware that there may be used the same ID for several items. e.g. there is a "VOR Richmond" with an ID="RID". That same ID is also used for the "VOR RIED" in Germany, south of EDDF. So you cannot really be sure where you will show up! You better verify it prior using it!
• you could use the following options:

• you could define:  ­--fix=HAN85 ­­--heading=210 --vc=100 ­­--altitude=3000

Features and Rendering: (very nice - and very slow!)

Networking

Starting with FGrun

• “FlightGear _Launch Control” for Windows and Unix/Linux
• "GUI Launcher“ for Mac OS X
  

“FlightGear Launch Control” for Windows and Unix/Linux

To view or change the "System Options" you first have to press "Prev" on the "Page 2":
FGrun Page 1: The variables $FG_ROOT and $FG_SCENERY and $FG_PROG probably have been set already during installation - otherwise see the definition of those variables in the part "Installation". Notice: The shown FGFS-data are from a LINUX/UBUNTU installation, done with the "Scripted Compilation on Linux Debian/Ubuntu", which makes installation also for LINUX very easy - but does NOT install according to the LINUX-Distribution standards - so You may notice the unusually long directory-paths! Under "Executable" must be given the standard start-command for FlightGear $FG_PROG/fgfs In FG_ROOT is the pre-defined variable  $FG_ROOT. FG_AIRCRAFT is not yet used In FG_SCENERY you find the variable “$FG_SCENERY”. Notice that the first entry is a test-version for a new scenery - after that there is the TerraSync-directory - and only last the standard FlightGear directory. That is the order in which FlightGear searches for any given piece of scenery! New sceneries will be downloaded into the directory marked by "T" -- independent of what you named the "TerraSync"-directory (of course you better define the TerraSync-Directory as the one where TerraSync downloads the new sceneries into!). If you want to use TerraSync you must define the "Terrasync exe" in its field - it should be $FG_PROG/TerraSync. The "Airports-Cache" defines where FGrun saves a list of airport-pointers - that usually is within $FG_HOME. When starting FGrun for the first time it searches in a big database for all airports available, to present them to you for selection. Depending on how much scenery you have installed, that may take a long time! So FGrun does it only when it does not find the "airports.txt" at startup. After you installed new scenery you should initiate a rerun by the "Delete"-button here -- or by the "Refresh"-button on page 3.
After you clicked "Next" you are on the following page - which usually is shown first!
FGrun page 2: In the left column you select the aircraft you want to fly. After selecting you may watch it from all sides by moving the mouse over it while the left mouse-button is pressed. Watch the given "Status" in the lower part - that is a definition by the designer himself. You should not expect an "error-free model" when the status is not "production"  or similar.
FGrun page 3: Define the initial airport in the left part of the image (other types of start-locations you find on the "Advanced" page under  "Initial position"). You may either select an "ICAO Id" or a "Name" by mouse-click or you type (parts of) the name into the input field under the table - and the system will search for it. In the right lower part you select a "Parking"-lot (or Gate or Terminal). If there is no entry in that "Parking"-list then you may select nothing more: Then the system selects a best fitting runway to pop up on or you select a "Runway" in the upper right list. Remember that you should not use these last 2 Options when flying in "Multiplayer-mode"! See "Starting Positions" For the Carrier usage see the Carrier operations. If you do not yet have the scenery installed for the wanted airport, you might use "Scenery Prefetch" to get that scenery prior to start! (Of course you must be connected to the Internet if doing so!)
FGrun page 4: here you define the basic environment: Activate "AI models" if "Multiplayer" is activated - otherwise you will not see the other models! Activate "Show command line" to evaluate which options are defined how (you may use those in case you want to write some special Command-Files). Activate "TerraSync" if you want to refresh your sceneries - or download new parts "on the fly" (see TerraSync) Please enter a unique "Callsign" for your Multiplayer-sessions! If you have performance problems with your PC you may use the "Framerate limiter". With that the system will not try to be as fast as possible (and then may get surprised if workload suddenly rises!). A Framerate of 25 is standard for films - so I usually use 20 and have some other applications running in parallel! (Even a FPS of 10 is usable!) Remember: The other options may pull down your system-performance - so be careful when you have an older system or notebook!
If you click "Advanced.." on the previous page, you will be presented with the following pages. On those select a header in the left column to go to that sub-page!
General          (click --options  to see the command details) Executable, $FG_ROOT und $FG_SCENERY etc. had been set already during installation or on FGrun page 1 Airport & Parkinglot & Runway had been set already on FGrun page 3 Aircraft had been set already on FGrun page 2 Control: Define which is your prime control-unit: Joystick, Mouse, or Keyboard. Make sure the wanted device is plugged prior to starting FlightGear! Language: Starting with FlightGear Version 2.0 you can define in which language the menus will be displayed. See the directory "$FG_ROOT/Translations" for a list of available languages. (You are invited to add more!) Browser: In case you have different Internet-Browsers installed you define here which one shall be used for FlightGear. Config: Some Models do need special XML-Data for special effects. The installation-instruction for that model should define what should be entered here.
Features          (click --options  to see the command details) Most of these fields will show a PopUP explaining that item, when you hold the mouse-pointer over it. Just a few remarks here: Be careful when using these wonderful options! Some PCs and/or Graphic-Cards may become overloaded! "Auto-Coordination" may help beginners a lot by not having to control ailerons and rudder separately. But with it you cannot perform some very useful maneuvers, like Slip etc. AI-Traffic produces artificial aircraft and air-traffic. But those are limited to your local PC - in a Multiplayer environment each user will see some different traffic -- so you switch that off when having Multiplayer activated! "Failures" allow you to define problems you want to be surprised by during the flight! It may be easier to set those from inside the cockpit via: "menu --> Equipment --> failures". HUD:    Is grouped by itself in the options-list
Flight Model          (click --options  to see the command details) Usually the models will define them-selfs which FDM they need during start-up. So the standard user should not change anything here! For more informations see  the Flight-Dynamics-Models
Freeze         (click --options  to see the command details) Freeze starts FlightGear in the "pause"-mode, i.e. nothing happens unless you free it by keying "p". Be careful: Some models will not show up when starting in this mode! Fuel Freeze is a completely unrealistic modus: You can fly forever without burning any fuel - which is very nice for the environment - but very bad for your reputation as a pilot! And you will miss some of the fun when noticing that a fully loaded aircraft behaves drastically different compared to a light weighted one! That may shock you some times, especially during Starts and/or Landings! Clock freeze just stops the Simulation Time. Watch it: Some models will not function in this mode!
Initial Position         (click --options  to see the command details) These options have been discussed already in the chapter "Define the Startpositions" Watch it: Whatever you define here will overwrite what you define on FGrun page 3. Many people (like me) forget that they defined something here and then wonder (days later) why FlightGear does not accept the definition of an airport etc. on page 3 !!!
Rendering         (click --options  to see the command details) (Hold the mouse over an item to get hint-PopUp's) These options define some nice options for how to display things on your display! And that means: It may affect the FPS of your system -- so you should watch what happens when you activate those!
Time         (click --options  to see the command details) self-explanatory
Network         (click --options  to see the command details) In the upper part you define ports to interface to other programs, see the --options for details The values for "Multiplayer Options" Callsign: Your personal Multiplayer-ID (maximum 7 alphas) Multiplay 1: Define a "mpserverXX", ref. Multiplayer HowTo Multiplay 2: In the center is either the name or the IP-number of your PC Proxy: If you use a Proxy-server define it here!
Input/Output         (click --options  to see the command details) Here you define the Interfaces to other applications. Open the field "Protocol" to see a list of all available options. Start with selecting "New" (or an existing entry to edit) then open the field "Protocol" to see a list of all available options.   For FGCOM you need      --generic=socket,out,10,localhost,16661,udp,fgcom   For Atlas you need       --atlas=socket,out,1,localhost,5505,udp
Avionics         (click --options  to see the command details) Just define the Navigation Radio-Frequencies. Notice that you can only preset the "Selected" frequencies - not  (as usual) the "Standby". That way you can preset the Radios direct for startup! See the detailed description in the part "Radio-NAV"
Properties         (click --options  to see the command details) Properties are all the values that are used/calculated during the simulation. In  "menu » Debug » Browse Internal Properties" you can view, change, trace etc. all those values. Here you can predefine values, so that those values are as you would like to have them at startup. e.g. Set the Parkingbreak, if you do not like to start rolling without telling the aircraft to do so Disable the AI-traffic if e.g. you start in Multiplayer mode Define your Callsign for AI-ATC usage, this is different to the one defined on page 4! Set the frequencies for your radios etc. To enter a new value start with "New" -- to edit click onto the existing line.
Debugging         (click --options  to see the command details) The "Debugging Tools" are not commonly used by Users.
Weather         (click --options  to see the command details) The "Weather" settings are right now changing - have a look at http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Weather

"GUI Launcher“ for Mac OS X

In Mac OS X  the FGrun looks different from the outside, but is based on the same principles. Also selecting the options is relatively similar but not via 4 pages after each other, but selected in parallel from the front-page. The settings of the directories is not of any significance, because the "GUI Launcher" is completely integrated into Mac OS X. Thus most settings as on page 1 of FGrun are not needed. Go to the aircraft-selection by clicking onto the toothed wheel at the right side of "Aircraft" (similar to page 2 of FGrun). You could also click onto "Advanced Features" and then select "Aircraft" Go to the Airport-selection by clicking onto the toothed wheel at the right side of "Airport" (similar to page 3 of FGrun). You could also click onto "Advanced Features" and then select "Airport" under "Positions" Activate "Download scenery on the fly" to activate TerraSync (similar to page 4 of FGrun). Activate "Navigation Map (Atlas)" to activate Atlas (similar to page 4 of FGrun). With "Advanced features" you reach similar functions like in the FGrun advanced pages. You then start FlightGear with "Start Flight".

Starting Manually (by Hand!)

1. Start-Icon: During installation there probably has been placed a Start-Icon onto your desktop and/or a Program-Entry into your Program-menus. You can just use those and FlightGear will place you in a  Cessna C172p onto a runway at KSFO (San Francisco). This is a very easy way to start FlightGear the first few times - but may become boring pretty soon. So you may want to use an additional Option-File.
   

2. Command-line: If there are only some options that you want to define, you can type those (together with the Start-Command) into one Command-Line and start. But after some time you probably become very tired of typing all that staff again and again! So you might use the Option-File for additional options.
   

3. Option-File: At each start FlightGear is designed to look for this Option-File when starting. That means you can type all your options into a file - and just change a few option-settings from time to time. The drawback here is, that you can have only one Option-File - thus you constantly have to change that file for different events.
   

4. Command-File: So you might want to use many Command-Files instead. Those are the same as the Option-File, but also include the start-command(s)! That way you can save as many of those files as you want, for as many events you want. You may e.g. have 1 file for casual occasions (which you change whenever needed) and some more which you just call up for certain occasions/events.
   

Start with a Command-Line

• up to and including Windows XP click “Start » Command” and type your Command (with the options) into the line popping up.
• starting with Windows Vista click “Start”  and type into the line popping up just above it.

Start with an Option-File

• For Windows this option-file must be named "system.fgfsrc“ and reside in the directory "$FG_ROOT“. That means you cannot define $FG_ROOT inside this Option-File because FlightGear needs to know the variable "$FG_ROOT“ in order to find that file! So you may start like e.g.:
  

fgfs ­­--fg-­root=c:\Program Files\FlightGear\data --aircraft=model --airport=ICAO --parkpos=Ann

• For Linux this option-file must be named ".fgfscr“ and reside in your private directory "~/". Watch the "dot" in front which makes it to a "hidden" file, i.e. you may have to tell your "File Browser" to list also hidden files to see it! So you may start like e.g.:

fgsf --aircraft=model --airport=ICAO --parkpos=Ann

• For Mac OS X:
  
• To my knowledge you do not have that option there - the FlightGear is always started via the "GUI Launcher"

Start with a Command-File 

1. The directory + the start-command for FGFS
2. The directories for fg-root and fg-scenery 
3. Defining a private "VIP parking lot" (instead of the usual "--airport= " etc., see above "Define the Startposition") 
4. See the "weather cooking" for the "IFR Cross-Country"
5. --enable-clouds3d is a relatively new option, that may not be in your release yet - and watch it: It uses lots of your Graphics-Power! But it looks fantastic - see the header for the "IFR Cross-Country"!
   

The Instruments

1. Clock:  Shows always the Simulator-Time, which my be very different to your "normal time". See the different options in the Appendix-chapter "Time".

2. Suction Gauge = Shows the "Suction pressure" which is needed for the Gyros in the "artificial Horizon" (9), "Gyro Compass" (19), etc.
   

3. Filling of the left and right Tanks (inside the wings).

4. Oil.Temp and Oil.Press

5. Ampere and Volt of the power supply (battery, generator)
   

6. Airspeed = IAS (Indicated AirSpeed):
   

This is the speed within the air, in opposition to the speed above ground (GS or close to TAS). Notice the typically colored markings: white = never exceed speeds with Flaps green = normal operation area (notice that with Flaps you may fly slower!) yellow = you are not yet damaging the airframe etc. -- but the engine may express it's dislike after some time! Red = danger of structural damages (loosening wings or similar)

7. Turn Coordinator

Indicates the "Rate of Turn" for "L"eft and "R"ight turns. When the controls (especially Aileron and Rudder) are perfectly coordinated, then the ball in the lower part will stay in the center. When you keep the banking on the first scale-line and the ball centered then you are executing a "Standard Turn" that completes a 360° turn in exactly 2 Min. - independent of your speed, aircraft or whatever! If the speed is higher - the radius and thus the circumference and thus the way to be flown will enlarge, resulting in the same time for a complete circle! Well now: Only the Autopilot will hit that exact time - but the closer you get to that 2 min., the closer you are to being perfect in controlled circling! See also the usage in the chapter "advanced KnowHow".

8. R.P.M. (Revolution Per Minute)
   

Because there is no Gear-Box the revolutions are the same for the propeller and the engine! While climbing the RPM may be just a little above the green area While cruising (for longer time spans)  the RPM definitely should remain in the green area During approach and final the RPM is often below the green area

9. Attitude Indicator or Gyro-Horizon
   

It's central position indicates already it's importance: It gives you the best and fastest indication of the aircraft-status - it surely is the most important instrument when flying without seeing the real horizon (IFR)! The line between brown/blue represents the horizon. In the center there is a little dot, representing the nose of your aircraft. This of course should always be on that line, as well in level flight as also during turns. During climb/descent it indicates on the center scale the AoA. Left and right of that point you see symbolic wings, helping you to level out. In the upper part you see how much you are tilted: The first 3 scale markings are 10° each, then 30°. At the beginning you should stay within 10-20°! With the black rotary button at the lower edge you adjust the height of the aircraft-symbol in relation to the horizon. During cruise the wings of it should be leveled with the horizontal line between blue/brown) - that way you notice deviations the fastest. The button at the lower right arrests the cage with the gyros etc. to prevent them from getting damaged during bad turbulences. Just push the button in when needed -- and do not forget to restore it afterward!!

10. Heading Indicator or Directional Gyro
    

You must correlate this Gyro from time to time with the magnetic compass (17), because the gyros will deviate over time! With the left button you adjust the Gyro to the indication of the magnetic compass With the right button you adjust the red marker to the course you want to fly, in order to visualize deviations fast -- and also as input for the autopilot (if you use it). Watch it: When you change the setting while using the autopilot, the autopilot will always turn the shortest distance (<180°)! Thus: If e.g. you fly (as shown) 280° and change the marker to "150°" the autopilot will turn LEFT! If you want to turn RIGHT you must go in two stages: First set the marker to the right (e.g. 60°) - and just before you reach that heading you set it to the wanted 150! So: If you need to turn into a certain direction, make sure the turn is not bigger than 180° (or cut it in pieces!).

11. Altimeter

There are many types of altimeters - here you see one with 3 pointers: The biggest one for 0-999 ft, the middle one for 1.000-9.000 ft, and the small one for 10.000-90.000. The altitude shown in the picture is: 00.000+1.000+400 = 1.400 ft! In the lower left corner you see the rotary button to adjust the QNH, which is indicated in the little window inside the scale on the right side. You adjust the QNH as follows: when on ground on an airport by adjusting the altimeter to the altitude of the airport or by setting the QNH according to ATIS or a weather-report, etc. If that QNH scale is not available (or not readable) you can set it via "Menu → Equipment → Instrument Settings → ALT Setting“. Some words to the technicalities: The altimeter does NOT really show the "altitude", but the barometric pressure at it. Just because the barometric pressure decreases with altitude it can calculate the altitude you are at, if it knows the difference from the pressure at 0 ft (sea-level) and the actual pressure surrounding you! So if ATIS (or whatever) tells you the QNH (on altitude "0"!) you set that into your altimeter and the altimeter then calculates the altitude based on the difference between the QNH and the actual barometric pressure around you (your plane). Never forget: The altimeter always calculates the altitude based on "0" (sea level) -- so there is no indication at all how high you are over ground - to calculate that (by checking a map!) is the "Pilots-Responsibility" -- and I guess that is YOU!

12. Vertical Speed

Indicates the speed by which you climb/descent in feet/minute. Be aware: That indication is always pretty much delayed, because the plane first has to change the altitude to a certain amount in a certain time, before the instrument can calculate the difference over time! So: Do not follow the needle but just control the effect of your doing over time!

13. VOR 1: See "Radio-NAV", chapter: The NAV-Radio = VOR & ILS

14. VOR 2: Is a duplicate to the VOR 1.
    

15. ADF: See "Radio-NAV", chapter: ADF / NDB

16. Radio-Stack: For all the Radios needed for communication and navigation: See the chapter: Radio-Navigation
    

17. The "normal“ Magnetic-Compass
    

This is just a magnetic needle, as it is since some hundreds of years. It is very, very simple and thus very, very reliable (except that it does not point to the "Northpole" as shown on maps - but to the "magnetic North", see e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Magnetic_Pole) Watch it: That compass is mounted rather free/movable - so you can trust your reading only after flying in a rather stable attitude for some time!

18. Ignition Switch   :

Click into the 3 areas or use the keyboard-strokes as follows: Center area (="}“) moves from "OFF“ over "Magneto R(ight)" to "Magneto L(left)" to "Magneto BOTH" Left area (="{“) moves reverse from "BOTH“ to "OFF“ Right area "START“ (="s“). As also in cars you should keep "START" pressed some time, till the engine rotates freely.

19. Yoke:

20. Electrical Switches
    

The yoke makes it rather difficult to get to those - thus the designers offer you a C172 unique help: "Menu → Cessna C172P → Show/hide yoke“. Taxi Light: Lightens up the runway - use while taxiing Landing Light: Must not be used on ground, except during start and landing! Switch it on when you get the "Clearance to Take Off" and switch it of when reaching cruising altitude, and reverse - you must switch it "off" when leaving the runway! It must be "on" when on approach and/or in a pattern! Also during daylight! PitotHeat: This is no light but the heater for the Pitot, which measures the speed of the air going through it. i.e if there is icing in that Pitot you will not get a correct IAS-reading! You should always switch this on during icy conditions, i.e. when the outside temperature is below 10°C while flying through visible moisture (clouds, fog, etc.)! You should not activate on ground - at least not for a prolonged time, because the sensors may melt when overheated! NaviLight: Switches on the red light on the left wing, the green light on the right wing, and the white one at the tail. Beacon: Is a blinking red anti-collision light. For small planes that is located on the tail-unit - for big ones there often is one on top and one underneath the plane. Strobes: That are white flashlights - to be seen from far distances. They are allowed only in the air (never on ground!). Also they must be switched off when flying through clouds and similar!

21. Carburetor Heat

22. Throttle

23. Mixture
    

This is comparable to the choke in cars. You change the air/gasoline mixture, because the air-density changes when climbing/descending! Watch the RPM and speed: When that drops (without obvious reasons!) you should try to adjust the mixture (see part 5 chapter Mixture). Usually you will see a serious change starting above 7000 ft, depending on the weather. And be sure: As well as within a car you can stall also an aircraft-engine with that. Actual that is the preferred method to switch off the engine (intentionally, on ground!)

The HUD (Head Up Display)

FlightGear also provides a HUD (Head Up Display) . HUDs are generally found in military aircraft and some very advanced jets. However, FlightGear allows you to use a HUD in just about all models. To activate the HUD, press "h". Multiple "h" will then change the color, and finally switch off the HUD. Typing "H" will change the brightness of the display. Using "i" and/or "I" will change the size of the display.

• In the center you find the pitch indicator (in degrees)
  
• with the aileron indicator above and the rudder indicator below.
  
• and the elevator indicator the left of the pitch scale along with a pitch trim indicator. On the bottom there is a simple turn indicator.

• At the top you see the actual heading
• to the left and right of it the position in longitude // latitude
• in the very top left there may be shown the waypoints and other informations from the Route-Manger

• There are two scales at the extreme left regarding the speed:
• The inner one displays the speed (in kts)
• while the outer one indicates the position of the throttle.
  

• The two scales on the extreme right display your height
• the left one shows the height above ground in fee - i.e. it should be "0" when on an airport
  
• while the right one displays the height above sea-level feet (i.e. according to the QNH).

Keyboard, Mice, Menus and Joysticks

Keyboard-Controls

• Keys to control the Aircraft
• Keys to control the Engines
• Keys to control the View-Direction
• Keys to control the Field of View
• Keys to control the Auto-Pilot
  
• Other Keys

• only change the ASCII ("33") to any ASCII you like - and after reboot that newly defined ASCII will select the first engine
• for your own benefit you should also change the describing <name>!</name>  to the now related letter
  
• the former "33=!" will just type a "!" when keyed in - FlightGear does not care any more

• or you change the inside of <script>...</script> to tell FlightGear another routine to execute
  
• for your own benefit you should also change the <desc>...</desc> accordingly

Keys to control the Aircraft

• Be sure that the FlightGear-window is in focus
• then use the NumPad-keys when Num-Lock is on
• or the "normal" keyboard-keys
  

Keys to control the Engines

Keys to control the View-Direction

Keys to control the Field of View

Keys to control the Auto-Pilot

• a "common one" which can be used for about all models, even if that model in reality does not have an Autopilot
• and "model-unique ones" that may be operated with different menus, keys, mouse-options, etc.

Other Keys

Mouse-Controls

• select a menu-item
• activate certain functional areas (buttons, areas, etc.)
• open the "property-menus"
  
• etc.
  

1. "Normal mode“ - as usual
   
2. "Control mode“ - controls the aircraft like a joystick
   
3. "View mode“ - allows fast changes in viewing directions
   

Normal Mode → Mouse-Pointer: Normal (arrow-pointer)

• change the state of a control-element by clicking into that "hotspot" with the left mouse-button
• operate specially secured elements by clicking with  the center mouse-button (or wheel)
• rotate dials with the mouse wheel
• for most dials there are also 2 areas to rotate left/right by "clicking", those usually react slow with normal mouse-clicks and fast with clicks of the center mouse-button (or wheel)

Control Mode → Mouse-Pointer:  +

• moving the mouse left/right controls the ailerons (rolling the aircraft)

• moving the mouse forward/backward controls the elevator (changing the pitch of the aircraft)

• holding the left mouse button down changes the behavior so that
• moving the mouse left/right controls the rudder

• holding the middle mouse button down
• and moving the mouse forward/backward controls the throttle.

• finally, the scroll-wheel may be used to set the elevator trim.

Viewing Mode → Mouse-Pointer:  <=>

• simply moving the mouse changes the view into that direction. This is particularly useful for looking around the cockpit, or out a side window.
  
• the scroll-wheel can be used to zoom in or out.
• clicking the left mouse button resets the view back to its initial position, usually straight ahead
• holding down the middle mouse button and moving the mouse allows you to move the viewpoint itself left/right and up/down
• moving the mouse while both the middle button and Ctrl are held down allows you to move the viewpoint forwards and backwards
  

The Menu-Bar

• File
• View
• Location
• Autopilot
• Environment
• Equipment
• AI
  
• Multiplayer
• Debug
• Help

File

• Reset (Shift-Esc):  resets the flight to the selected starting position. Comes in handy for a retry if you get lost or something goes wrong.
  

• Screenshot (F3): Saves the actually shown FlightGear-Window into a "fgfs-screen-XXX.jpg" file. This picture also contains all open PopUps and also the File-Select menu.
• you may predefine the location to save by a  "--prop"-option. e.g.
• --prop:/sim/paths/screenshot-dir=YourDirectory

• In case you forget where you saved the files, you find that pointer in:
• "/" --> sim/paths/screenshot-dir/screenshot-last

("/" = shortcut for "Menu/File/Browse Internal Properties/")

• Sound-Configuration: Configures the volume for various sound channels, and whether they are heard outside the aircraft. That does NOT include the sounds of feature programs like FGCOM, Festival, and alike.
  

• (Browse Internal Properties: These are shown since FlightGear version 2.0 under "Debug")
  

• (Logging: This is shown since FlightGear version 2.0 under "Debug")

• Quit (Esc): This is the "orderly end of session" saving the actual options/settings prior closing. If you use the "X" in the Window-Bar all new options/settings set in this session will just be lost.

View

• Display Options (since Ver.2.0): Configures various display options, including whether the 2D panel, frame rate and chat messages are displayed.
  

• Rendering Options: Configures various graphical features. This allows you to trade eye-candy (such as shadows, 3D clouds and specular reflections) for frame-rate. To help you achieve a good balance, enable the “Show Frame Rate” option in the Display Options menu, which will show the current frame-rate in frames-per-second in the bottom right of the screen. Most people find a frame-rate of around 20 FPS adequate for flying. The frame-rate is affected by the graphical features you have enabled, the current visibility (set by Z/z), the number of objects in view and their level of detail (LOD).
• To test your settings fly somewhere over the ocean and check the FPS. Then do the same flying in a very busy, much modeled area like e.g. KSFO, LFPG, or fly over the area of the City of Paris/France, etc., and check again. If the FPS drops below a usable rate try to reduce the options and/or limit the FPS, e.g. to 20 frames/sec. (Even 10 FPS may be acceptable)
  

• View Options: Defines which views you can select with "v“/"V“.

• Cockpit View Options: Configures the view within the cockpit, the pilot’s head movement, black-out due to high G (gravitation forces), and red-out due to negative G.

• Adjust LOD Ranges (Level Of Details): Sets the range at which different levels of detail are displayed. This affects the textures and objects displayed in the simulator. The standard settings are:
• up to 1 mile you see all details
  
• up to about 5 miles you see just the contour of the models 
• up to about 15 miles you just see shadows of the objects - i.e. you see there are coming mountains  - but you have no idea how high, where there are valleys. etc.
  

• Adjust View Position: This gives you three buttons, that allow you to move your "point of Viewing" from. Adjusting it here is rather inaccurate - smaller steps you can adjust by using the mouse (see there). And very precise you can set those in the "menu » Debug » Browse Internal properties", see the "/sim/current­view“ with the values x-­offset-­m, y­-offset-­m, and z-­offset-­m. 

• Toggle Glide Slope Tunnel: Displays a virtual tunnel to guide you down to the runway on a normal approach path. Useful if you are training setting up your approach for landing.
  

• Instant Replay: This is a very nice feature to reevaluate whatever you have done (good or bad) just before. Here you set the time-span that will be saved constantly and that you can replay whenever you want. 

• Stereoscopic View Options: Configures stereoscopic display, using Red/Green glasses or other display methods.
  
  

Location

• Position Aircraft on Ground  positions the aircraft on the runway of any installed airport. You need to know the ICAO code for the airport you wish to start from (e.g. KSFO for San Fransisco International).  (Also see the WIKI http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Initial_Starting_Positions)

• Position Aircraft (in air) positions the aircraft at an arbitrary point in the air. You must select a known ground point, e.g. an airport, VOR, long/lat coordinates, and a position relative to that point, e.g distance, direction, altitude. You can also set your initial speed and heading. This is useful for practicing approaches. (Also see the WIKI http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Initial_Starting_Positions)

• Select Airport from List positions the aircraft at an airport. You can search amongst all the airports that you have installed. Clicking "Apply" will place you at that airport on a runway appropriate for the current wind.
  

• Random Attitude: Sets the aircraft with a random heading, speed and attitude. Useful for practicing recovery from unusual attitudes.
  

• Tower position: Moves you directly to the tower of your choice - but without your aircraft. So if you are at EDDF/Germany you can just have a look on what is going on at KSFO/USA. Again: Only your view changes to that location, and thus you can only use the "View-Options": "Tower View" and "Tower View Look From".
  
• When you select "Preset" you will be reseated back into your aircraft.

Autopilot (AP)

• Autopilot Settings configures the aircraft autopilot. You can set the autopilot up in a variety of different ways - from simply keeping the wings level, to following an ILS.
  
• For details see the WIKI http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Autopilot
• See also how to set the Autopilot at the device in chapter Radios-AP
  

• Route Manager generates the route (list of waypoints) for the autopilot. Waypoints can be airports, NAV-aids, or fixes. The heading, distance and time to the current waypoint may be displayed in the HUD.
• For details see  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Route_manager
• Right now some airports start enabling the possibility to choose STAR's (Standard Terminal Arrival Route) and/or  SID's (Standard Instrument Departure) from pulldowns within the Route Manager. If those are available, they are defined in definition files in /Scenery/Airports/I/C/A/ICAO.procedures.xml !
  

•  Pop Waypoint: Removes the top waypoint from the route list.

• Clear Route: Clears the complete current route.

• Set Lat/Lon Format: Toggles the HUD Latitude/Longitude format between decimal minutes and seconds.
  
  
  

Environment

• Global Weather shows the current weather. You can change the weather scenario between various general weather scenarios, configure weather manually, or use the weather reported by the closest weather reporting station (usually an airport) via METAR.
  

• Local Weather allows you to place individual clouds anywhere you wish.
  

• Local Weather Tile configures specific weather scenarios in the local area, which may change over time.
  

• Local Weather Config allows you to fine tune local weather settings for performance.
  

• Time Settings allows you to set the current time in the simulator, speed up the simulation, and change the rate at which time passes in the simulator. Also displays UTC and local time.
  

• Wildfire Settings configures whether aircraft-crashes start realistic wildfires, which may spread and be extinguished using an appropriately equipped water bomber aircraft. For details see http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Wildfire_simulation.
  

Equipment

• Map: displays a moving map, showing airports, navigational beacons etc. There is a description to it in chapter MAP in Part RNAV.
  

• Stopwatch  displays a simple stopwatch. Useful for instrument approaches. (Prior ver. 2.0 this was located under "Debug")
  

• Fuel and Payload allows you to set the fuel and current payload within the aircraft. Only available on some aircraft.
  

• Radio Settings (F12) sets the frequencies and radials being used by the radios and navigational equipment. For details see the part "RNAV - Radio Navigation"
  

• GPS Settings configures waypoints and views course informations for the GPS. For details see http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/GPS
  

• Instrument Settings allows you to set the "Altimeter Pressure" and "Heading Indicator Offset".
  

• Random Failures allows you to configure
• MTBF = "Mean Time Between Failures“ -- e.g. "happens every 1 hour"
  
• MCBF = "Mean (start/stop) Cycles Between Failures“ -- e.g. "happens every 3rd flight"
  

• System Failures configures random failures of aircraft systems, such as e.g. the vacuum system.
  

• Instrument Failures: configures random failures of specific aircraft instruments.
  
  

AI = Artificial Intelligence

• Traffic and Scenario Settings: For many simulations you may want to use predefined Scenarios to operate in. Here you have now the possibility to set those scenarios when you do not use FGrun to start FGFS! But after setting the options here within the FGFS you must restart FGFS to activate them! So: If you have FGrun available you may rather set them there!

• ATC Services in Range: This enables you to select any (installed) airport by it's ICAO and view all it's Radio-frequencies,
  

• Wingman Controls: Allows you to control an AI-wingmen (depending on aircraft). For details see  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Howto:_Add_wingmen
  

• Tanker Controls: Allows you to dynamically create an air-to-air refueling tanker, if your aircraft supports it. For details see http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Howto:_Aerial_refueling.

• Carrier Controls: Allows you to control an AI aircraft carrier. For details see http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Howto:_Carrier
  

• Scenario Select: Configures the active AI scenarios. Note that this will only take effect after the simulator is re-started.
  
  

Multiplayer

• Multiplyer Settings:
  
• new since FGFS 2.8:
• "Hide replay ...:" Activate this, if you do not want to see "replays" of other pilots (compare under "View" the option "Instant Replay")
• "Show AI Traffic ..." This is a new Option to disable the "AI-Traffic" -- especially nice: This works imidiately - you do not need to restart FGFS to activate!
• already available since version 2.0: Here you may
  
• change your MP-UID
  
• and your MP-server

without the need to restart FGFS -->  you only need to restart the MP-services with the "disconnect" and "connect" buttons!

• Chat Dialog: Opens a dialog-window with
• a list of the last messages exchanged between the Multiplayers (in an area of 100mi radius)
  
• an input field to type and send a message to others. The system will automatically add your Multiplayer-ID in front - so you should start the message with the ID of the addressee and then type the message.

• Chat Menu (-): allows you to send common chat messages to other aircraft in the multi-player environment. Some menus contain sub-menus of options. See examples of a usage in the parts "VFR Cross Country" and "IFR Cross Country"
  

• Pilot List: Opens a list of all Multiplayers in a radius of 100 mi. That list contains the Pilot-ID, his aircraft, his altitude, the distance from you to him, and the heading to him (so you can try to meet him). Starting with version 2.0 there is a field that neglects a "non wanted pilot" in the list - so he might not bother you any more!
  

• MPCarrier selection: (new in Ver.2) displays a list of the available MPCarriers in an area of 100 mi.
  
  

Debug

• Browse Internal Properties: All values that are used during the simulation are listed here in a structure similar to File-Directories. You can navigate in that structure as usual. You can view, change, and trace all values from here (but it may happen that a value will be changed back again very soon -- if it depends on other values!). In order to:
• Change: Click the wanted value - that will be copied into the input-filed at the bottom - where you can change it. Hit "set" or "Enter" when ready
• Trace: Click onto the wanted value while the Shift-Key is pressed - the trace will be shown in the upper left corner of the FlightGear-window
• Binary Values may be flipped by clicking while "Ctrl" is pressed

• Logging: Will bring up a PopUp in which you can define
• the name under which that log shall be saved
• which values shall be logged
• the time-intervals between the loggings
• which type logging shall be performed
  

• Help opens the help system in a browser window.

• Aircraft Help displays informations specific to the aircraft
  

• Joystick Information displays informations about any joystick in use, including axis and button assignments. This menu is disabled if no joystick is attached! See a description in the following chapter "Joystick Support"

• Basic Simulator Keys lists the basic keys for controlling the simulator. See a detailed list also in chapter Keyboard-Controls
  

• Common Aircraft Keys lists the basic keys for controlling the aircraft. See a detailed list also in chapter Keyboard-Controls

• (Toggle Glide Slope Tunnel: Is now listed under "View")
  

• Current Aircraft Keys shows unique keys for the active model and/or additional informations for it.
  

• Start Tutorial allows you to start an "In-Simulator" tutorial for the current aircraft. This is only available on some aircraft. For more informations see the feature AI-Instructor.
  
  

Joystick-Support

Testing the Joystick

A joystick was detected! That means your Operating System did find an appropriate system-driver and also FlightGear did find a fitting XML-Bindings-File There is only one joystick connected - and that has the ID-number "0" (computers start counting with "0", not "1" like we humans!) The joystick did identify itself as "Mega World USB Game Controlers“. This name is hardwired inside the joystick itself and is transmitted during the "handshaking routine" between system and joystick. FlightGear also tells us which XML-Binding-file it found for that stick:  $FG_ROOT/Input/Joysticks/MegaWorld/USB-­Game-­Controlers.xml. (in this example you see a directory-structure as is typically for Linux -- for Windows the beginning of the stream will look different) The joystick has: 5 analog controls: "Axis #0" to "Axis #4" 4 digital controls: "Button #0" to "Button #3" Because they are listed we know that they are functional even if we might not like the function that is assigned to it (we can change it if we want!) and yes: Also "Button #1" has a correct assignment! The designer of the XML-file just forgot to tell us what it is (e.g. "<desc>view cycle</desc>") - but that is just a "nice to have" info for us humans - the system does not care about it! You can correct it if you want! None of the "Axis" is outside its "0-position". Just try it: Move your joystick a little and watch the numbers changing in the upper part of the window. Sorry: But you cannot test the buttons as easy!

• if there is an error
• if the assignment is as wanted (if the designer did care to tell us (see "Button #1")!)