How to Do a Vertical Launch With the Atlantis Space Shuttle in "Flight Simulator X"

Explore the final frontier in your Atlantis space shuttle.

Flight simulators can provide a realistic flying experience compared to arcade fliers. Some, like "Flight Simulator X," are so realistic that they could act as practice for the real thing. From Cessnas to fighter jets, Microsoft's "Flight Simulator X" covers all the controls and nuances needed to fly the world's most popular airplanes. With the right download however, one need not be limited to the friendly skies. The "Atlantis Space Shuttle" download enables players to accurately simulate space travel. To start off your space adventure, try a vertical launch.

Instructions

1. Press "Y" to get into Slew mode. This allows the player to move the aircraft outside the realistic sim settings, making it easier to manage.

2. Press "Q" or "F3" to slew up slowly until the shuttle is in the vertical position.

3. Push the throttles at 20 to 25 percent. Only after doing this should you go out of slew mode. Press "Y" again to go out of slew mode.

4. Push the throttles to 100 percent slowly. The shuttle will soon launch from the ground.

References

• Flyaway Simulation: FSX / SP2 Space Shuttle Atlantis
• Bruce Air: Flight Simulator X Key Commands (PDF); 2006

Resources

• Microsoft: Flight Simulator