Can we have our Classic flyby views and tower views back please

[R6point0]

@Flak99

I did make a flyby view using Touch Portal, which lets you send sim variables and key-presses to the sim from a tablet (iOS or Android). It worked but was so janky I never really pushed it further. It’s still available here on flightsim.to FWIW. I feel like someone with better development skills might be able to take the same approach and do this as an in-game add-in panel. Maybe somebody such as the developer of the excellent Airshow Assistant might be interested in integrating this into their existing app!

The logic I used in my Touch Portal page is:

Prerequisites: camera control keys are mapped to the default WASD. The toggle for aircraft control while in drone cam is set to the default “C” key.

Step 1: user presses “prepare for flyby button” in my Touch Portal Page

1. The sim switches to drone camera
2. Reset the view to default position

Step 2: user presses a button to invoke “Flyby left”, “Flyby straight”,“Flyby right” in my Touch Portal page

1. The camera speed is set to an astronomically high number by editing the appropriate sim variable.
2. Button press W is sent to the sim for a duration derived from the aircraft speed, so the camera moves a distance which will result in the aircraft taking “n” seconds to reach it. Because the drone camera speed sim variable is set so high, this camera movement is done very quickly.
3. If the user pressed “Flyby left” or “Flyby right” then button press A or D is sent to the sim for a suitable amount of time to shift the camera to one side.
4. Set Camera Follow off, Camera Lock on using sim variables.
5. Send “C” keypress to restore flight controls
6. Restore default drone camera speeds
7. Enjoy your flyby! I also experimented with changing the zoom a little while the aircraft approaches - can’t actually remember whether that was effective or not, it’s been a while since I touched this!

Step 3: post-flyby cleanup - I never got this working right

1. When leaving the flyby, the drone cam should be set back to follow mode, otherwise it gets left behind and impacts Step 1 of the next flyby

I wanted to combine steps 1 and 2 but separating them was easier for me to debug.

Wow, in FSX you just had to press ‘S’.