Help getting started with MSFS

User Support Hub User Interface & Activities
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WOW! I am such a “noob” that I struggled just to figure out how to post what I am typing right now! :o I am not a gamer, and that will surely be obvious to some of you Pros on here. Anyway, if you can bear with me, that would be GREAT…

I just purchased Microsoft Flight Simulator for my pre-teen son for Christmas. We downloaded it from the Microsoft Store, onto his PC. Then, we connected the Turtle Beach Velocity One Yoke and Rudder Pedals. While he plays Roblox and a couple of other games, and is very high-functioning autistic, neither of us have ANY experience or knowledge of aircraft, so we are TOTAL BEGINNERS here. First, when we open the flight sim program, there are apparently different settings (axis, etc.?). We have no idea how the settings should be adjusted, nor do we know what many of them even mean. Also, we obviously know that the first thing that we should probably do is the “Flight Training”, since we know NOTHING. When we open that, it appears to put us into a Cessna airplane. We have no idea how to check instruments, start the plane, fly the plane, or ANYTHING else. (And even if we knew how to start the plane, the fuel gauge shows EMPTY, and we have no idea how to procure fuel.) Obviously we need to be walked through EVERYTHING, starting at the most basic thing about planes, instruments, etc. Can you help us?? So far, this program does NOT seem like it is suitable for beginners.

HELP!!!

Thank you!!

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You tube is your friend here. go to https://www.youtube.com/@Huddison/playlists

He has extensive videos on flying in MSFS.

I wouldn’t worry about the controller settings yet. As you become more familiar with aircraft and flying, you’ll want to set the controllers for each aircraft; however they will work without any customizing. Default settings are fine for now. If you need to set them later look at this link

You will find plenty of help here and as you progress in flying the various aricraft there is always someone ready to help. Best wishes.

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First of all: Welcome to the beautiful world of flight simming.
I’d leave cold and dark start ups for what it is for now.
Just start a flight on the holding point of a runway of your choice ( preferably a long one.
You can also select a starting point on a parking lot but in that case the plane will be cold and dark. ( ctrl+e will cheat an automated start up btw)
Now, try to get a bit familiar with taxiing around the airport use the rudders to steer, and the throttle to regulate your speed.
Have a look at the gauges and try to understand what they’re telling you.
Once you get a bit of a feeling of what’s happening, line up at the beginning of the runway.
Important to take off with the windsock pointing towards you.
In the beginning I would turn off live weather and select clear skies.
Now add full power, keep the plane on the centerline using the rudders and at some point the nose of the plane will get light weight and lift up.
Try to keep the climb rate in a safe region using the yoke.
No hurry, no worry… Try to level off at about 1500ft or so and look what happens while steering left and right.
Try to keep the nose more or less pointing at the horizon.
If ATC is ordering you things, ignore them.
Try to stay in the vicinity of the airport, fly circuits around it, line up with the starting runway, without actual landing the plane, go around and repeat.
Once you get a bit of a feeling with it, try to extend the flaps an look at how the plane reacts on it.
Now it’s time to land the plane.
Reasonable chance you will crash a lot in the beginning or have difficulties with keeping the bird on the centerline but since this is a sim, there’s no man overboard.
Good luck and above all: have a ton of fun with the new born hobby.
Happy :small_airplane:

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Thanks for all of the help!! Obviously there are a couple of things in your post that I don’t fully understand, so I know NOTHING about all of this, but your instructions lead me to believe that we may be able to get started with this and see what happens. The only question left is, how do we power up and start the ■■■■ plane? :wink:

Thanks again!!

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You’re more than welcome Ramsey.
My advice: use the search function on this forum ( magnifier symbol on the left side of your profile picture.
Enter some relevant words there and it will return a list topics that will probably lead you to the desired answer.
For example: ‘POH cessna 172’ will return several topics regarding the pilot operating handbook for this aircraft.
I known that it might feel like overwhelming to you now but overtime you’ll be able to filter out the so called ■■■■.
We’re here to help each other so don’t hesitate to ask for advice.
Happy :small_airplane:
By the way: ctrl+e on your keyboard will always initiate an automated start up of the aircraft.

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In the world map you select your starting airport and airplane. If you start on a runway, the plane will be powered up and ready to go. If you start at a parking space, Cntrl E will start the engine.

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An alternative to taking off from an airport would be to start in mid-air. I would suggest taking one of the many Discovery Flights as a way to initially experience the simulator, especially for beginners.

From the “Welcome” page that you see after starting the game, click on “Activities”, then “Discovery Flights”. Pick any one that takes your fancy, though I’d suggest skipping any soaring (glider) or helicopter flights for now.

The benefit of the Discovery Flights is that you’ll find yourself in mid-air with the engines running. The flights also, as far as I can tell - automatically set a simplified set of control parameters (for example, the fuel level never changes, so you can fly for as long as you like without running out of gas while in the air). The flights I’ve made all have had calm air, so there is no turbulence to worry about either. Your son will soon learn how the movement of the yoke & rudder pedals affect the direction of the aircraft. If you need a break mid-flight, just press the pause/break button on your keyboard, and the sim will pause until you are ready to fly again - pressing the pause/break key will toggle the game back to flying-mode.

There are also ways to assist you in taking-off & landing successfully by configuring various assistance options to make flying easier. To get to them, from the main “Welcome” page, click “Options”, then “Assistance Options”. Peruse the list (there are rather a lot of options) - descriptions of each are provided. Clicking on each main option will display a drop-down box where you can configure each specific assistance option individually.

In particular, if your son is having difficulties flying, I’d suggest that you set the following 4 sections to “Easy”:
Aircraft Systems, Failure & Damage, Navigation Aids and Piloting.

Setting Notification to “Easy” will provide many useful tips about how to fly the aircraft while in-flight.

Setting Points of Interest to “Easy” will enable little markers that your son can fly to, to see what is there.

The User Experience settings are a bit more complex. You can inittially set them to “Easy” (recommended) or modify each item individually to suit your preferences.

Hope this helps make your first flights fun flights! :smiley:

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Find your house on the world map, spawn on it in the f18, and just mess around. start simple, then build your way up to actually learning the systems

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While there is TONS of help to address any specific question, I’ll just offer this bit of advise if things get too cumbersome.

This software can be played as a sim, and arcade style, and anywhere in between.

In other words, you can just get in and go without worrying too much about the specifics. In the options menu you’ll find a tab for assistance/accessibility. There you can turn on things like unlimited fuel, no stress, no crashing, flight assistance, helpful markers, etc. Take time learning some things, then finish by just going up and having fun. Do a barrel roll in a 747 if you want, just make sure you have enough altitude first!

Much of the more serious things will come in due time and you can learn at your own pace.

Oh, and for fueling, aircraft have a half tank by default. You can change that in the weight and balance menu when setting up the flight, or the W&B menu can be accessed from the bar at the top of the flight screen when you mouse up to fuel at any time. Most airports have fuel pumps or the ability to call a fuel truck for added realism, but it’s not necessary.

One last thing are the discovery flights. Those can be entertaining, but they lock out many settings to present the intended type of flight.

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Does anyone know how to read The Complete Guide to FS 2023? I mean, how to get access to it. I bought and downloaded it, but can’t read it!

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Where did you buy it from?