Inside the Virtual Cockpit: My Deep Dive into Infinite Flight’s Instrumentation and Interactive Controls

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Let’s Talk About the Evolution of Our Virtual Cockpit

Hey everyone,

I’ve spent a good amount of time tinkering with Infinite Flight’s virtual cockpits lately, and I wanted to share some observations and spark a discussion about where we might take things next. There’s definitely more happening behind those screens than meets the eye, and I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

  1. The Current State of Virtual Instruments

• Static vs. Live Data:

I’ve noticed that in many aircraft, the virtual instruments are fairly static—they don’t update in real time like the HUD does. This sometimes creates a disconnect between what we see on the panel and the actual flight data. Has anyone else experienced this? I’d love to know if you’ve found any workarounds.

• Balancing Realism with Usability:

In real cockpits, every gauge and switch interacts with you in real time. On mobile, though, it’s a tough balance between achieving hyperrealism and keeping the interface user-friendly for casual flying. How do you all feel about this trade-off?

  1. The Challenge of Interactivity

• Touchscreen Realities:

Let’s face it—using touch controls for every cockpit function isn’t always straightforward, especially on a small screen. I sometimes wish I could zoom in to fine-tune a throttle or adjust a switch more precisely. Would you be interested in an “advanced mode” that offers more interactive controls, or is that too much to ask?

• What Could Be Next:

Imagine if we could tap into the cockpit to adjust settings, view live engine data, or even experiment with a fully functional FMC. What interactive features would you like to see on mobile? I’d love to hear your ideas.

  1. Comparing Our Experience to Full Flight Simulators

• Learning from the Big Leagues:

I often compare our setup to full flight simulators on PC, where dynamic, interactive cockpits have been the norm for a while. It would be amazing if we could incorporate some of those ideas without overwhelming the mobile experience. Do you think a dual-mode cockpit—switching between a simplified view and an advanced interactive one—might be the solution?

• Your Personal Touch:

If you’ve discovered any hidden settings or tricks that help bridge the gap between the static cockpit and the dynamic HUD, please share them here. I’m all for swapping little hacks and tips!

  1. Questions for the Community

• Would you prefer a cockpit with a dual-mode option: one for simplicity and another for advanced interactivity?

• What are your thoughts on the balance between visual fidelity and interactive functionality on mobile devices?

• Any cool tips or workarounds that have helped you feel more connected to your cockpit?

I’m really excited to hear your thoughts and ideas. After all, it’s our shared passion for flying that keeps this community soaring. Let’s work together to imagine what the future of our virtual cockpit could look like!

Clear skies and smooth flying,
Yaz

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You do made some valid points tbh. As someone who has come from x-plane mobile which has interactive cockpits and actually interact with instruments, it was such an interesting experience to fly in a sim that is rather touch screen only instead of one that can interact with the aircraft switches.

That’s what I was thinking as well tbh. We had some challenges similar to what FSX have. I have flown on FSX since 2021 but a great feature that I think both PC-based flight sims and IF possess are passenger announcements and boarding music via third party apps. However, even though IF doesn’t possess the resources that PC-based sim has, I think it’s still a great sim in itself. We have a grade system that encourage the safety of all people flying on this sim, it’s probably the best thing that we have which I truly appreciate.

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Honestly, I’m kinda content as is. I’ve played xplane mobile and it sucks having to be so careful about every little touch! I like the simplicity.

Also, this post looks like a chat gpt output

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I don’t really mind the interactivity. I’m just concerned about the live data given in the cockpit. Sometimes it’s not that specific (like FOB in A359 or flight time in A320) and sometimes it’s way too specific (like FOB in A320 or flight time in A359). And I don’t know if it’s a problem with Boeing but the load (in live cockpit of B738) is in pounds—I prefer kilograms—and I wonder if I can customize it someday.

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@Ken_wei:
Great points! X-Plane’s interractive elements def add another level of realism, and I totally get how that makes the experiance more imersive. IF does a great job ballancin realism with usability, but I’d defo love to see more interractive elements added gradualy. Maybe a hybrid system where core functions stay touch-frendly while advanced stuff offers more depth? Wat u think?

Yesss, 100%! FSX & other PC sims had interactive cockpits 4 yrs now, and while IF ain’t got the same resourses, it still holds it’s own as a mobile sim. The gradeing system is defo one of the best features. Wonder if we’ll ever see 3rd-party add-ons for more costumization—boarding music, interactive FMCs, etc. Wud that be smth u want?

@Petre2026:
True that! X-Plane’s detail is crazy, and IF’s simplicity is kinda its charm. A toggle system sounds dope—best of both worlds. U think that wud work or just make things more compliacted?
Also, if ChatGPT this pasionate abt flight sims, maybe it deserves a pilot’s lisence too! :joy: But fr, what u think abt the ideas?
Jokes apart, I do use a lil bit of AI 2 clean up my paragraphs. :laughing: It’s all good, right?

@tsuuki:
Good take! The inconsistancies in live data defo need some fixin. More customization wud be a game-changer—being able 2 tweak unit settings or personalize data display wud make flying feel way more intuative. If u had full control over settings, what’s the 1st thing u’d change?

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It’s certainly possible

Yeah definitely :slight_smile:

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At least try to put some effort into your posts instead of a straight copy/paste from ChatGPT…

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Honestly, I don’t have a problem with chat gpt, I’d just use this rule of thumb: if you’re using it, use it for information, don’t let it write your post. Basically when people write their posts with it, it feels like I’m talking to a robot, reading an essay, and NOT having a conversation :joy: But in general, nothing against ChatGPT

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Noted, let me not use it now onward.

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