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Getting Started

Need help getting up and running? Installing FlightGear, add-on planes, sceneries etc.
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Getting Started

Postby bayvista170 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:44 am

Help please. I can't get going.

Linux Mint 20.1
FG 2020.3
Geforce GTX 1050TI
Logitech Extreme 3D Pro

I'm following Flight Gear First Flight Guide - Taking Off! - 3. - Steer the aircraft along the runway.
As the aircraft is tail down, I cannot really see the runway. When I increase throttle, aircraft meanders to left and right. Holding down L mouse button and trying to steer is impossible as movements are far too sensitive. I end up on the grass.
How do I take off?
How do I restart without closing down FG?
How do I use my joystick instead of a mouse?
How do I steer using a Joystick. It seems to me that its is only for controlling flight.
I thought planes could control direction when taxiing using wheel brakes?
Also, clicking 'Flight Gear mailing lists' gives 'Oops - page not found'

Many thanks
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Re: Getting Started

Postby wkitty42 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:34 pm

perhaps you should try with a different craft instead of a tail dragger? i'm guessing that's what you're in with your description ("As the aircraft tail is down")... if you watch shows/movies with tail dragger craft, you'll note that many of them are open cockpit and the pilot is leaning over the side so they can see where they are going... kinda like sticking your head out the window of your car to see because the front glass is all fogged/frosted/dirty...

if you are, indeed, using a tricycle gear craft like the c172p, then you might need to raise your seat position a little bit so you can see over the cowling...

i started to answer some of your other questions but there are too many variables in the way for specific enough answers without knowing the craft you are trying to use... perhaps you can point us to where this document is that you are trying to follow?


on the possibility of steering with a joystick, have you tried twisting it? it depends on the craft as to whether that will work at low speeds... generally a joystick with a twist will move the rudder but you have to have enough speed for the rudder to have any authority... and yes, you can roughly steer craft on the ground by using the wheel brakes... but again, it depends on which craft you are trying to use...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Getting Started

Postby Bjoern » Mon Jun 14, 2021 9:03 pm

The main menu has all the functions you need for resetting the situation and joystick assignments.

And practice your takeoffs with the Cessna 172 instead of a taildragger as it's much more suited to flight training.

See this for a tutorial:

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Re: Getting Started

Postby bayvista170 » Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:21 am

Thanks, guys. I'll try today. The interesting thing so far is that I am unable to steer when taxying with either the KB or Mouse.
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Re: Getting Started

Postby bayvista170 » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:58 am

OK I tried this video. All went well until I was about to take off. When I released the Parking Brake, the plane just goes in circles. I Tried all the keys, but cannot 'steer'. Any suggestions?
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Re: Getting Started

Postby Johan G » Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:07 pm

In mouse control mode you could press the left mouse button to control rudder. Keep in mid though that it is very, very sensitive. Pressing "h" should bring up the default HUD which show the flight control surface deflections and the throttle setting. That might help a bit.

Note that I can not myself make a decent takeoff or landing with mouse and keyboard. I failed miserably when trying just the other day, but a full decade ago I could do it somewhat well.
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Re: Getting Started

Postby MariuszXC » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:51 am

bayvista170 wrote in Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:44 am:Help please. I can't get going.
...
(1) How do I use my joystick instead of a mouse?
(2) How do I steer using a Joystick. It seems to me that its is only for controlling flight.
(3) I thought planes could control direction when taxiing using wheel brakes?


re 3: yes, using different keys:
'b' is for all brakes
',' (comma) is for left brake
'.' (dot) is for right brake
See menu:
Help -> Basic Simulator Keys, and
Help -> Common Aircraft Keys

re 2: that is correct, joystick is mostly for flight control - ailerons and elevator. Some joysticks have twisting handle and you might consider using this for rudder, but this will feel very unnatural. As an alternative consider the option --enable-auto-coordination, or buy rudder pedals. If you have one or more sliders on your joystick they may be configured for things like throttle, flaps, etc.


re 1: this is a multistep process
a) make sure your device is recognised by your distribution, are there any log messages, related to joystick, when you plug it in? See the output of 'dmesg' in the terminal (or 'tail dmesg' 'dmesg | tail' if you are interested in only a couple of last lines)
b) if your joystick is recognised, a device node should be created in /dev/ (usually it is /dev/joystick0, but check what your distro is doing)
c) make sure your user has read permissions on the /dev/joystick.. device; do ls -l /dev/joy* and see what user:group this device belongs to, then check whether your user belongs to the respective group (type 'id' in terminal and see what groups your user belongs to, modify if necessary (refer to 'man adduser')). Changes to group membership become active on new login.
d) in FlightGear go to Menu -> File -> Joystick Configuration
e) before flight: move your joystick and observe whether the yoke in the cockpit moves as you would expect. If yes - have fun flying :-) If not, tweak some more in step d.

Hope this helps
INOP
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