Lesson: Use FS(X)Pilot in free flight, plane

This lesson describes how to use FS(X)Pilot in a winged aircraft and free flight (Newbie)

GENERALLY for fixed wings:

Please set the general realism slider (realism menu) to middle or left position and AUTORUDDER ON. Exception: aerobatic flightplans. Here autocoordination ON please.

(1) start FS, select the airfield, select your aircraft

(2) select 'AP and EFIS panel' from the FSPilot menu. This should open the two extra panels: APpanel grey, many buttons, EFIS: radar. Arrange them on screen. If you ever close the APpanel by hand the two window positions will be stored and 'remembered' for the next flight.

(3) Taxi to runway of your choice (Tip for ground taxi: see end of this lesson).

(4) on the AP panel select a target altitude (green numbers below altitude). You can click (left mouse button) right / left of the little turn button to change the target altitude.
Same is for IAS (speed; click into the field), heading (click next to turn button) and Vert. Spd (sink / climb; click the slider).
Define here: ALT 10000ft, climb 1000 ft/m, speed 250 knts and heading 120 degrees.

(5) Press AP button (will turn red). This switches the AP ON. Without this, nothing will work.

(6) check what ist written in the CMD field. If it says 'rud ' ok. If it says 'heli', switch to rud (rudder mode; click into the field once)

(7) press 'SPD' button (must be lit green). The plane will now accelerate to 250 knts.

(8) press 'LVL, 'VS' and 'ALT' button. All buttons will turn green. 'ALT' is the main altitude AP control button. Plane will now climb (VS) with 1000 ft/min to 10000 feet and levels out (LVL).

(9) Press HDG button.
Plane will make a turn into a heading of 120 degrees.
Fly and look around.
Click into the left or right half of the heading reading field and hold the CTRL key. FSP will add / subtract 90 degrees from current heading.

(10) left-click to any target on the EFIS (radar) screen.
Note the yellow circle around your target -> it is selected.
right-click to another target - it is preselected as follow-up target and FSP willl automatically switch to this target as soon as you reach the initial target.

(11) press NAV
Plane will turn towards the selected target - VOR, FIX, or NDB

(12) If you need a different radar range - click right or left next to the little range button on the EFIS (upper right corner) to increase or decrease the range up to 100 nm.
BTW: Now you will be able to name every major and minor airport you are passing by. Just check the names of the pink squares on the EFIS.

Have fun navigating.

TIPS for ground taxi with FSP

Ground taxi from the FSP AP panel is quite easy. AP button ON. Right click into the heading define field to preselect the current heading. Press HDG. Select 5 knt in the IAS define field. Press SPD.
Use the heading define field to adjust the taxi direction, the aircraft will remain on a 5 knt taxi speed unless altered. Set to zero to come to a full stop.