MS Flight Simulator Altitudes

[JamesDelphi]

Hello all, so far I am really enjoying visiting this web site for information and I have learnt a lot from visiting and just looking around. Thanks!

Through all the different versions of Microsofts Flight Simulators I have tried to do all the Flight Lessons. And this has been a great way for me to learn more about flying. I do seem to have a problem which seems to have followed me from MS Flight Simulator 2000, 2002, to also 2004.

This problem is that Rod tells me that we are at an altitude of 3000 but the dial shows 1500 feet or thereabouts. Then he starts telling me to go higher or go lower which is a struggle because I am not seeing the dial as he appears to be seeing it. THis can be very frustrating because he tells me he will end the lessons because its not going well etc, but it is because I haven't reached the desired altutude which he tells me I am to reach etc. I try pressing the B button but that does no good.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Has anyone a fix for this problem?

[HardCorePawn]

Howdy,

I can see how that would quickly get frustrating... I'm sure I'd want to punch my instructor if he kept doing that to me! As for your problem....

Firstly, are you sure that the 'B' key is mapped to the correct command? Does it actually reset the altimeter pressure setting? You may have accidentally changed it... FIX: double check your keyboard setup.

If that is correct, try manually changing the altimeter pressure setting to something completely wrong, and then press B... Check that it sets the altimeter back to the correct setting. I would assume that the tutorials are setup to use ISA conditions... so would be using 29.97 inches of mercury (or 1013 millibars)... Are you able to dialup an ATIS report on the aircraft radio and check what the pressure is?

Finally, you're not changing the aircraft, the location of the flight or the weather or anything are you? That might cause issues as things would be different to what the tutorial is expecting.


cheers,
HCP

[JamesDelphi]

Hello,
Thanks for all the suggestions, I tried them and the problem still exists.
The "B" key does work. As far as I can tell I am reading the altimeter correctly.
I am not sure about 'Are you able to dialup an ATIS report on the aircraft radio and check what the pressure is?' or how to do this.

Please have a look at the image at the bottom of this web page to get an idea of what I am peaking of.
http://www.geocities.com/jamesdelphinz/index.html
Rods instructions are at the top of the image.

Any more suggestions would be greatly apreciated.

QUOTE (HardCorePawn @ Apr 9 2008, 04:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Howdy,

I can see how that would quickly get frustrating... I'm sure I'd want to punch my instructor if he kept doing that to me! As for your problem....

Firstly, are you sure that the 'B' key is mapped to the correct command? Does it actually reset the altimeter pressure setting? You may have accidentally changed it... FIX: double check your keyboard setup.

If that is correct, try manually changing the altimeter pressure setting to something completely wrong, and then press B... Check that it sets the altimeter back to the correct setting. I would assume that the tutorials are setup to use ISA conditions... so would be using 29.97 inches of mercury (or 1013 millibars)... Are you able to dialup an ATIS report on the aircraft radio and check what the pressure is?

Finally, you're not changing the aircraft, the location of the flight or the weather or anything are you? That might cause issues as things would be different to what the tutorial is expecting.


cheers,
HCP

[NZ255]

That says your at almost 600 feet.....

EDIT: actually, come to think about it, I think there is some kind of a bug in those training sessions. Think I read it somewhere??

[toprob]

Are you sure you haven't set your display to metres?

[JamesDelphi]

Thanks heaps, you have got it I think.
I checked and yes it was set to metres.

I just tried the lesson and it seems to work well, I was at the correct heights, and when I wasn't I got told-off it all made sense this time!

Thank you all very much for your input, it looks like this case is solved.

QUOTE (toprob @ Apr 9 2008, 05:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you sure you haven't set your display to metres?