FS95/98/2000: How to Use the POV Hat and POV Keyboard Commands (176890)

SUMMARY

This article describes how to use the point-of-view (POV) controls assigned to the hat switch on your joystick or to certain keys on the keyboard.

In Flight Simulator 98, you can use the hat switch on your joystick to rotate the view in a 360-degree panorama around the cockpit of your aircraft.

NOTE: This can cause confusion in a normal cockpit view window, because the control panel in normal cockpit view always remains in front of you. This can create the illusion that the aircraft is changing direction with the view when the aircraft actually remains on the original heading.

In Flight Simulator 95, when you use the POV hat button, you can rotate your view up to a 90-degree angle to the plane.

You can also use keyboard commands to switch between views and to resume normal view in Flight Simulator. The keyboard commands used to change views are listed in the "More Information" section later in this article. The basic commands are the same for both Flight Simulator 98 and Flight Simulator 95; however, there are more commands for Flight Simulator 98 to allow for the 360-degree panorama option.

MORE INFORMATION

The POV hat button movements and keyboard commands that can be used to switch views in Flight Simulator 98 and Flight Simulator 95 are listed below.

NOTE: When you type the keyboard commands listed below, you must use the number keys on the numeric keypad on your keyboard.

Flight Simulator 98

Cockpit and Virtual Cockpit views

The following table shows how to use the hat switch on your joystick to change your view direction when you are in Cockpit view or Virtual Cockpit view:

   View direction   Hat switch direction
   -------------------------------------

   Pan up           Hat switch up
   Pan down         Hat switch down
   Pan left         Hat switch left
   Pan right        Hag switch right

NOTE: When you are in Cockpit view, the aircraft control panel always remains in front of you when you use the hat switch to change the direction of your view. This behavior does not occur when you are in Virtual Cockpit view or when you use the keyboard to change the direction of your view.

The following table lists the keys or key combinations you need to press to change your view direction when you are in Cockpit view or Virtual Cockpit view, depending on whether the NumLock feature on your keyboard is turned off or on:

   View direction   Key with NumLock off   Key with NumLock on
   -----------------------------------------------------------

   Front-left       SHIFT+Num 7            Num 7
   Front            SHIFT+Num 8            Num 8
   Front-right      SHIFT+Num 9            Num 9
   Left             SHIFT+Num 4            Num 4
   Up               SHIFT+Num 5            Num 5
   Right            SHIFT+Num 6            Num 6
   Rear-left        SHIFT+Num 1            Num 1
   Rear             SHIFT+Num 2            Num 2
   Rear-right       SHIFT+Num 3            Num 3

Spot Plane view

The following table shows how to use the hat switch on your joystick to change the direction from which you view your aircraft when you are in Spot Plane view:

   View direction   Hat switch direction
   -------------------------------------

   Orbit up         Hat switch up
   Orbit down       Hat switch down
   Orbit left       Hat switch left
   Orbit right      Hag switch right

The following table lists the keys or key combinations you need to press to change the direction from which you view your aircraft when you are in Spot Plane view, depending on whether the NumLock feature on your keyboard is turned off or on:

   View direction   Key with NumLock off   Key with NumLock on
   -----------------------------------------------------------

   Front-left       SHIFT+Num 7            Num 7
   Front            SHIFT+Num 8            Num 8
   Front-right      SHIFT+Num 9            Num 9
   Left             SHIFT+Num 4            Num 4
   Top              SHIFT+Num 5            Num 5
   Right            SHIFT+Num 6            Num 6
   Rear-left        SHIFT+Num 1            Num 1
   Rear             SHIFT+Num 2            Num 2
   Rear-right       SHIFT+Num 3            Num 3

Tower view

When you are in Tower view, you are always in the tower, looking at your aircraft. You cannot change the view direction in Tower view.

Flight Simulator 95:

To use keyboard controls in Flight Simulator 95, turn off the NumLock feature on your keyboard.

Cockpit view

The following table shows the keys or key combinations you need to press or the directions you need to move the hat switch on your joystick to change your view direction when you are in Cockpit view:

   View direction   Key combination   Hat switch direction
   -------------------------------------------------------

   Front-left       SHIFT+Num 7       Hat switch up-left
   Front            SHIFT+Num 8       Hat switch up
   Front-right      SHIFT+Num 9       Hat switch up-right
   Left             SHIFT+Num 4       Hat switch left
   Right            SHIFT+Num 6       Hat switch right
   Rear-left        SHIFT+Num 1       Hat switch down-left
   Rear             SHIFT+Num 2       Hat switch down
   Rear-right       SHIFT+Num 3       Hat switch down-right

Spot Plane view

The following table shows the keys or key combinations you need to press or the directions you need to move the hat switch on your joystick to change the direction from which you view your aircraft when you are in Spot Plane view:

   View direction   Key combination   Hat switch direction
   -------------------------------------------------------

   Front-left       SHIFT+Num 7       Hat switch up-left
   Front            SHIFT+Num 8       Hat switch up
   Front-right      SHIFT+Num 9       Hat switch up-right
   Left             SHIFT+Num 4       Hat switch left
   Right            SHIFT+Num 6       Hat switch right
   Rear-left        SHIFT+Num 1       Hat switch down-left
   Rear             SHIFT+Num 2       Hat switch down
   Rear-right       SHIFT+Num 3       Hat switch down-right

Tower view

When you are in Tower view, you are always in the tower, looking at your aircraft. You cannot change the view direction in Tower view.