Is a touchscreen a good present for Flight Simmers this Christmas? Not everybody can afford to have a full, expensive cockpit at home. But all of us flightsimmers struggle to get our simulation “as real as it gets”.
I have been doing some Internet research on touchscreens for flight simulators, trying to find any review on whether it’s really worth it to shell out the money to be able to really “push” or “pull” the buttons directly with your fingers on the screen. But I didn’t find much help. After all I bought one and I’m really happy with it! It’s working quite well on a Windows 7 Professional with FS2004.
So I’m writing this review to tell you my experience. I usually fly Wilco Airbus A320, but this applies to anyone flying anything with an FMC and lots of pushbuttons. I just have to say I’m amazed at how much realism you can get with a touchscreen. Of course it’s tricky at first and sometimes it just doesn’t work, but you get better at it with practice.
Programming the FMC is real fun on a touchscreen, although the most thrilling of it all is being able to push DIR and feeling the plane go there. It is also nice to push or pull the autopilot buttons (HDG/SPD) or ALT to start the descent.
Turning knobs and wheels is not so easy with a touchscreen. And that’s where my other gadget comes in: an M-Panel from VRInsight. They have loads of expensive panels but this one is a cheap, multifunction one. You get a COMM Box, Autopilot Control, and lots of user clickable buttons, PLUS A ROTARY KNOB!!
So I would say I’m quite happy with this setup: the touchscreen is for everything that you want to push or click, and the M-Panel is great for the rotary knobs which are tricky to rotate with the touchscreen (or activating things that are not easily accesible in critical times like the transponder, flaps, or the Landing Lights).
These touch screens are beginning to get relatively cheap: mine was less than 300€ (an HP 2310ti) and anyway even if it wasn’t for the touchscreen the display is anyway of great quality to begin with.
So if you’re looking for a xmas present for a flight simmer, here is my current setup in my “super budget virtual cockpit” to give you gift ideas. I’m sure he or she would be glad to receive these as presents because they are great and not too expensive. They are in order of what I’d like to get first if I’m into Flight Simming of commercial or IFR flights:
- Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals
- Touchscreen (for example an HP2310ti)
- M-Panel from VRInsight
- TrackIR
On a side note, for those of you are into virtual ATC, the touchscreen performs great on the IvAC program for ATC on IVAO. It even handles iPhone-like pinching zooming in and out. Amazing! Although the buttons and I/O font size may need to be tweaked a little!
Looking forward to your comments on touchscreen technology for Flight Simulators! I hope I can post a video soon!
