How to Fly With Flightgear

Flightgear is an open source flight simulator program that lets you fly many realistic aircraft in simulated conditions and environments. The game's high level of sophistication requires that you follow a few crucial steps to fly Flightgear.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Start your engine by using the mouse to turn the ignition switch to "Both" after you set your mixture lever to 100 percent. Once you've selected both, hit the "S" button on your keyboard to start the engine. Then, draw the mixture lever all the way out so that you bring the engine to an idle.

2. Get your basic game controls down by either installing a joystick and rudder pedals or using the default keyboard controls. To start out with the keyboard turn your numlock on and use the nine and three keys to increase and decrease throttle. The 4 and 6 keys adjust your aileron while the 8 and 2 keys manipulate the elevators. You can center your controls (elevator, aileron and rudder) by pressing the number 5 key.

3. Familiarize yourself with the instruments on the instrument panel of your default plane, the Cessna 172P. The default display is 3D but if you have trouble reading the instruments (or just want to use the 2D display) then select it from the View menu. Start out by identifying your altitude indicator at the center, upper part of the display. To the left of this is your airspeed indicator. Below the airspeed indicator is your turn indicator.

4. Make use of Flightgear's flight simulator tutorial by watching as the computer starts up and flies the plane in the Fly Straight tutorial. After the plane takes off it will bank left. Right-click your mouse to activate mouse yoke control and then use the mouse to straighten out the plane, paying attention to your three main instruments, and maintain your course to complete your first flight simulator flight.

Resources

• Flightgear homepage