I held off on getting a yoke setup because I wanted to see how the VR setup worked. Unfortunate (unless someone can tell me otherwise), it appears that there is no interaction with the controllers in VR mode. This means I now have to go back to my original plan with the VR rig of getting a Yoke setup.
That said, I am a VFR who was new when I had to stop flying, and that was like 5 years ago. I’m rusty on everything from flight plans to ATF, as well as the fact that I’d like to teach myself IFR before eventually going to renew my pilots license and go for the IFR (when I can afford it, which is what’s held me back so far). If I get a yoke kit and am using VR, how do I adjust things like Comms, set my points in IFR (I guess perhaps that all can be done in the flight plan and imported in so I don’t have to manually mess with the Garmin?). I still need to be able to switch between ground and tower, as well as So-Cal Approach, or whatever is in the area I’m in for flight following.
For those of you who play this in VR and are actual pilots that perhaps use this as student instructional, or just to keep your skills up, how do you manage all of that? The mouse does not seem to be very efficient for that kind of stuff.
I was looking to get the Honeycomb Flight Yoke, as it looks like it has the best feel. I still need throttle control/carb heat/mixture controls, flaps, and pedals. I’d love some feedback from experienced users with VR. I was kind of disapointed as I thought that maybe I’d be able to use the Valve Index controllers to do things like grip the throttle and adjust it, as well as mixture, flaps, and steering.
Correct there is no interaction with the controllers in VR mode. Yoke is more realistic than controllers. However outside VR mode, the controllers are excellent in MSFS2020 for drone aircraft flying.
In VR you can interact with all functioning aircraft equipment just like real world flying. The desktop mouse pointer is your hand in VR.
MSFS2020 app and forums have really great info and tutorials to get you going.
There are peripherals like "Fly Inside " that provide virtual hands. Reviews are mixed but check it out on YouTube. I don’t use it. Maybe one day I’ll demo the app. I use a programmable joystick. Honeycomb is touted to be the best budget conscious yoke and great for VFR. I plan to buy it someday.
The mouse pointer will show up differently depending on which flight simulator you are using.
In Prepar3D, the mouse shows up as a small circle. In Microsoft flight simulator 2020 The mouse shows up as a regular arrow pointer.
Your hands will not show up in flight simulator. Only the mouse pointer shows up when you In VR mode in flight simulator.
You have to be very careful about your mouse pointer when you enter the VR mode. The mouse pointer is affected by both the mouse on your desk and your headset. Both of them will move the mouse independently. So when you enter the VR mode be careful not to dislocate the mouse pointer from view either by moussing too far away with the mouse or turning your head to the side. My best suggestion is to center your mouse by desktop before entering VR Mode. Once you enter the VR mode, locate your mouse first before turning your head.
I found you could interact with most of it with the mouse outside of VR as well. That said, habits like keeping your hand on the throttle as you are taking off, don’t work so well when you have to keep the throttle in sight or you lose control of it. It’s why I had hoped that the VR function would work as once you pick up objects in other games, you can turn your head away from the object and still manipulate it. Was hoping it would be the same in ms flight sim. Sounds like I need to get the yolk, a throttle rig, and some rudder pedals.
What about learning IFR, and communicating with tower? Since I’m flying with a VR headset on, is there an option to have a lap pad or something where you can put down important frequencies to refer to for your flight path?
You’re exactly right there. That’s why I have no real interest in using VR controllers. And would we need ‘foot controllers’ to work the rudder and brakes too
Resting left hand on yolk and right hand on (or just behind) throttle is how I was taught to fly. Now that I’ve long since been constrained to virtual flying, I have an old logitech joystick, an ancient Saitek throttle quadrant (with one axis non functional), and a set of indispensable and equally venerable CH Pro Pedals. That covers the primary controls nicely and everything else can be done with the mouse pointer … which I find quite okay in VR when you get used to it. Even mixture is manageable with the mouse. I’d say that for VR you need controllers for the primary functions.
For communication, you could look at some of the voice control add-ons such as Pilot2ATC or VoxATC (not sure this works with MSFS). I’ve used VoxATC in the distant past … really took some getting used to, but did avoid the need for using ATC menus in FSX.
MSFS currently has no means of displaying external documents (maps, charts, plans) or of copying clearances and frequencies etc. This is - in my opinion - a huge limitation in the current VR implementation. Easy enough in 2D to switch to another window, but can’t be done in VR. I know there are a few folk trying to come up with work arounds … but if it’s not native within MSFS, I’m not sure how effective it can be. Quite a few comments on this already - vote here!:
After all that though - I gotta say I’m addicted to MSFS in VR!
Hey guys did my first VR in MSFS today and WOW it was great, excluding the control issues i have ,I did some reading and research here on the forum and found a tweak here and there and went back in and it is way better . My setup is 12core 24 thread and it still bogged it down until i did some of these tweaks but eventually MS will get it all lined out I think it will be amazing . I have been in aviation for over 34years and this is the closest i have ever seen any body get to realistic look . My biggest complaint would have to be unable to read the console and gauges clearly, but I’m trying a tweak i just found on YouTube says it fixes that .Will know soon enough
“habits like keeping your hand on the throttle as you are taking off, don’t work so well when you have to keep the throttle in sight or you lose control of it. . . . . .”
This is not my experience. I CAN keep control of the throttle and many other things while in VR mode. You can too if you do it right. Here’s how:
“Grip” it: (translation - click and hold the your primary mouse button down on the [example -throttle]) . Now look around cockpit while still gripping it. Now rev the aircraft engines with the gripped throttle.
You can “grip” most controls like throttle, mixture, prop, flap lever , and other levers and controls .
Personally I like interacting with the actual aircraft as much as possible. However, there are certain things like a joystick and/or yoke, and rudder pedals are just mandatory for me. Using my mouse for the throttle quadrant in VR mode (for single and twin engine aircraft only) is just more realistic for me than an external add on. For quad or more engine aircraft I would like an external throttle quadrant. I’m looking really hard at the Honeycomb Yoke and Throttle Quad but have not pulled the trigger on purchasing them.
In FSX and (P3D both 2D and VR modes) with practice on multi engine aircraft: if you “grip” the side by side levers correctly, you can move them simultaneously. both throttles, props, and mixtures. Not so in MSFS2020 so this needs to be added to the list of future improvements.
I locate or create elegant workarounds for MSFS2020 current limitations fixes. For example, if you are OK with MSFS2020 default ATC, Multi Crew Experience MCE is a great add-on for interaction with ATC by voice. However it does a lot more. Multi Crew Experience Website - Downloads (multicrewxp.com)
