X-Plane Operation Manual

1 1X-Plane Operation ManualAbout This Copy of the ManualThis is revision of the Manual to the desktop and professionalversions of X-Plane , last updated on November 13, This ManualThroughout the Manual , there will be cross-references to other parts of the Manual . These will generally be in the form of a dark gray page number for instance, Chapter 4 is on page 54 (clickingthe number there will go directly to page 53). The Table of Contents is also cross-referenced; click on the section you're looking for to travel there instantly. Alternatively, the PDF s bookmarks can be used to navigate quickly through the of ContentsClick a chapter or section heading to go directly to that About OverviewII. What X-Plane IncludesIII.

2 HistoryA. Austin's Bio, Last Updated Mid-2006B. X-Plane TodayI. Overviewa. The Level 1 X-Plane Simulatorb. The Level 2 X-Plane Simulator c. The Level 3 X-Plane Simulatord. The Level 4 X-Plane Simulatore. Summary2. Installing and Configuring System RequirementsII. Flight Control SelectionA. JoysticksB. YokesC. Rudder PedalsD. Other ConsiderationsIII. Display Requirements and System ArchitectureIV. Graphics Drivers and X-PlaneA. Updating Graphics Drivers in WindowsV. Installing X-PlaneA. Installation on a Windows PCi. Special Considerations for Windows XP Usersii. Special Considerations for Windows Vistaand 7 UsersB. Installation on a Macintoshi. Special Considerations for Mac UsersC. Installation in LinuxVI. Launching X-PlaneVII.

3 Updating to a Newer Version of X-PlaneA. Using X-Plane BetasVIII. Compatibility with Earlier Versions of Scenery, Models, and Plug-InsIX. Uninstalling X-PlaneX. Getting Help and Support3. Initial Flight General AccessII. Joystick Configuration and CalibrationA. Axis AssignmentB. Control CalibrationC. Button AssignmentD. Controlling Joystick Sensitivity and Aircraft Stabilityi. Sensitivityii. StabilityE. Setting Null ZonesF. Centering the ControlsG. Adding Special EquipmentH. Troubleshooting Flight ControlsIII. Rendering Options SetupA. Frame Rate and the Quality of Flight SimulationB. Setting Up the Monitori. Texture Resolutionii. Set Color Depth and Monitor Resolution on X-Plane Startupiii. Anti-Alias Leveliv. Screen Res (Resolution)a.

4 Making X-Plane Full Screenv. Draw IOS on Second Monitor on Same Video CardC. Setting Up the X-Plane Worldi. Forest Densityii. World Detail Distanceiii. Number of Objects3iv. Number of Roadsv. Airport Detailvi. Traffic Densityvii. Anisotropic Filter Texturesviii. Draw Birds in Nice Weatherix. Draw Hi-Res Planet Textures from Orbitx. Draw Forest Fires and Balloons in Warm Weatherxi. Draw View Indicatorxii. Dim Under High G Load or Hypoxiaxiii. Use Pixel Shaders for Amazing Fog andWater Effectsa. Draw Volumetric Fogb. Water Reflection LevelD. Setting up Cloudsi. Number of Cloud Puffsii. Size Cloud of Cloud PuffsE. Expert Rendering Optionsi. Compress Textures to Save VRAMii. Do Any Scenery Loads in the Backgroundiii. Runways Follow Terrain ContoursF.

5 Special Viewing Controlsi. Lateral Field of Viewii. Minimum Frame Rateiii. Multi-Computer Simulatorsa. Lateral, Vertical, and Roll Offsetsiv. Lock View to Forward CockpitG. Setting up X-Plane to Achieve the Best Resultsi. Displaying the Frame Rateii. Modifying Visibility and Cloud Renderingiii. Changing Texture Resolution for Best Performanceiv. Setting Screen Resolution for Best Performancev. Optimizing Other Rendering Optionsvi. Changing the Number of Other Aircraft4. Opening an AircraftII. Choosing an AirportA. Airport IDs ExplainedIII. Setting WeatherA. Basic Cloud ConfigurationB. Quick-Set ButtonsC. Weather SlidersD. Temperature and PressureE. Wind LayersF. ThermalsG. Runway ConditionsH. Using Real WeatherIV.

6 Using the Keyboard/Keyboard ShortcutsV. Using the Mouse Instead of a JoystickVI. Controlling Instruments and Avionics with the MouseA. Note on Radio TuningVII. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Demo FlightVIII. Flying Yourself5. X-Plane The About MenuA. About X-PlaneB. InstructionsC. Selects Your AircraftD. Flies Your AircraftE. Controls Your ViewsII. The File MenuA. Save/Load SituationB. Save/Load ReplayC. Quicktime Movie SpecsD. Toggle MovieE. Load Flight Data Recorder FileF. Take ScreenshotIII. The Aircraft Menu4A. Open AircraftB. Open LiveryC. Weight and Fueli. The Fuel/Payload Tabii. The Ordnance TabD. Equipment FailuresE. Aircraft & SituationsF. Show Mouse-Click RegionsG. Show Instrument DescriptionsH. Toggle Puff SmokeI.

7 Cycle 3-D Flight PathJ. Reset 3-D Flight PathK. LogbookIV. The Location MenuA. Select Global Airporti. The Take Off Buttonsii. The Final Approach Buttonsiii. The Ramp Start ButtonsB. Local Mapi. The Hi-Speed Tabii. The Low Enroute Tabiii. The High Enroute Tabiv. The Sectional Tabv. The Textured Tabvi. Check Boxesa. The Instructor Operator Station (IOS) Boxb. The Edit Boxc. The Replay Boxd. The Slope Boxe. The Inst Boxf. The 3-D Boxvii. Aircraft Controlsviii. Viewing ControlsC. Planet MapD. Set Planet to Earth or MarsE. Get Me LostV. The Environment MenuA. WeatherB. Date & TimeVI. The Settings MenuA. Data Input & Outputi. The Data Set Taba. The Four Checkboxes in Depthaa. Internet via UDP (First Checkbox)bb. Disk File ' ' (Second Checkbox)cc.

8 Graphical Display in 'Data-See' Tab (Third Checkbox)dd. Cockpit During Flight (Fourth Checkbox)ii. The Data See TabB. Net Connectionsi. Inet 1ii. Inet 2iii. Inet 3C. Joystick & EquipmentD. Rendering OptionsE. SoundF. Quick-Flight SetupG. operations & Warningsi. Flight Modelii. Startupiii. Warningsiv. Damagev. DataVII. The View MenuVIII. The Special MenuA. Show Flight Modeli. Fun with the Flight Model5B. Output Flight ModelC. Open/Toggle Text File for ViewingD. Open/Toggle Checklist for UseE. Find Pitch/Yaw Stability DerivativeF. Set Environment PropertiesG. Set Artificial Stability, Autopilot, and FADEC constantsH. Show Control DeflectionsI. Show Weapon GuidanceJ. Show Sky ColorsK. Show Projector TestIX. The Plugins MenuA.

9 Plug-in Admin6. Navigation, Autopilots, and Flying on NavigationA. Historyi. Dead Reckoningii. Aural NavigationB. Modern Navigationi. NDB Navigationii. VOR Navigationiii. ILS Navigationiv. GPS NavigationII. AutopilotsA. Descriptions of Autopilot Functionsi. WLVii. HDGiii. LOCiv. HOLDv. V/S vi. SPDvii. FLCH viii. PTCHix. G/Sx. VNAVxi. BCB. Using the Autopiloti. Turning It Onii. Using the Controlsa. Wing Leveler and Pitch Syncb. Heading, Altitude, Vertical Speed, Speed Hold, Flight Level Change, Auto-Throttlec. Pitch Sync with the Pitch Sync Joystick Buttond. LOC and G/Saa. LOC bb. G/Scc. Flying an ILS Using LOC and G/Siii. Flying an FMS Planiv. Turning the Autopilot OffIII. Flying on InstrumentsA. HistoryB. The Inner Ear and Your Sense of BalanceC.

10 Gyroscopes and Their Application to FlightD. The Six Primary Flight Instrumentsi. The Airspeed Indicator (ASI)ii. The Attitude Indicator (AI)iii. The Altimeter (ALT)iv. The Turn Coordinator (TC)v. The Directional Gyro (DG)vi. The Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI)7. Expanding Adding Third-Party AircraftII. Adding Third-Party SceneryIII. Installing Plug-Ins8. Expert Tuning the Handling in X-Plane6II. Factors Affecting X-Plane 's PerformanceIII. Tuning the AutopilotA. Tuning Autopilot Rolli. Roll Error for Full Aileronii. Roll Predictioniii. Roll Tune Timeiv. Localizer CDI Gainv. Localizer CDI PredictionB. Summary of Roll SettingsC. Tuning Autopilot Pitchi. Pitch Error for Full Elevatorii. Pitch Predictioniii. Pitch Tune Timeiv.