I've been spending some time recently flying around in Easyfly using the Cap 232 (only decent plane on there, no trainer).

When the plane is at altitude, with no ground references on the screen, it's very difficult to determine exactly where you are.

By the time you can see the ground you're about 1/2 second away from crashing into it!

I've also got a copy of FMS, I haven't looked at it recently but I can't imagine it's any better. I've also got a copy of Cockpit Master on the way (got it for $10 through a post here).

I've heard something about a "look at ground" feature on RF G2. How does it work? And does it help in finding the runway for landing?

How do you find the runway on a sim, or do you just use it for flying practice and just bring the plane down anywhere when you're done?

The G2 uses the down arrow key to give you a quick glance at the ground then goes back quickly to your plane. It works pretty well if your not too close to the ground when you decide to have a look - been there - done that. I've been having a blast with the G2 utilizing the Giant Aeromaster with a 120 4 stroke and flying it with the view set to the rear of the plane and seeing how far and in and through all the trees I can go before I crash. It's like being in a chase plane only your flying the one out in front of you.

Cubman,

Does that mean it scrolls down so you lose sight of the plane? Of does it zoom out?

Easyfly has chase views too, with fixed or floating horizons (so either the plane or the horizon tilts). Great fun, spent hours on it.

Don't know if you know but Easyfly is based on an island with a couple of runways dotted around. I downloaded an upgrade so I now have a couple of aircraft carriers offshore.

I managed a successful carrier landing with the cap the other night !

Feature creates a somewhat walleyed view in order to keep your plane in view while always showing the ground.

If you climb vertical, you zoom out, if you come in to land it zooms in. Try flying right over you at a low altitude and you will see what I mean when I say walleyed.

Think of that ugly fish in the boundry waters in Canada and you will know what I mean as well

Cheers

It zooms way out whilst keeping your plane pretty much in the field of vision then zooms back in on your plane. Sometimes I've found for whatever reason mine doesn't always go back to my plane - sometimes it refocuses slightly off then it's a crash for sure.

Oooops, doesn't sound too good. :stupid:

Thanks for the info..

RF G2's default view is to zoom in on the aircraft, with no ground reference. For using RF as a game, it's great. For using RF as a training simulator, it's not good. RF does, however, give you a number of other view options, one of which is "Look at ground" from the View menu. This is different than using the down arrow, which gives you the (temporary) quick look described above.

The "Look at Ground" option puts your perspective as if standing on the ground, flying RC (permanently until changed on the menu). The ground is always in view, the runway is in front of you, the aircraft gets smaller as it flies away, etc. This is the view to learn RC.

I have no idea why it is not the default view, and a lot of RF G2 users don't even know about it because there is no factory-programmed hot-key to activate it. You have to use the menu, or program your own hot-key, which I have done.

BackAfter20,

Thanks for the detailed description.

Would it be true then, to say that this view is unique to RF G2 and that it is different from the 'standard' views offered by other simulators with autozoom turned off?

I use FMS and always use the Switzerland scenery, this gives mountains in the background for reference, but i always know roughly where i am anyway, i also don't dive when i want to see the ground, i just start a landing pattern, you come in low and slow and fly till your in the right place i have my auto zoom set lower also.

tiggerinva,

I can't comment on other simulators or the uniqueness of this view because I only own RF Classic and RF G2.

: )

I have assigned "look at ground" to the "0" key on the numbers pad. This way you can toggle the "look at ground" view any time in flight or leave it on all the time. Use F4 to return to default view. Don't know why Real Flight doesn't emphasize this feature more. It also helps to enlarge your plane to about 1.5 size or larger using this feature.

Thanks for everyones input in this, it has been very helpful.

I just learned yesterday that RCAirworld moved to a new place and has set up G2 on a big screen in their store, so it looks like I'll be able to try this out before forking out the $200.

Still waiting on the Cockpit Master, it'll be interesting to see how it compares to Easyfly and FMS.....

My CM CD arrived in the mail yesterday....

It seems to give a better perspective and somehow makes it a bit easier to find the runway....

I was hoping that one of my two leads would work on it though (FMS & Easyfly), but they don't seem to work

So it looks like I'll be using a joystick for a while on CM. Not exactly realistic for an RC sim!

Does anyone know if the CM lead is serial, parallel or gameport and what the connections are?