crowebar

Thanks guys, finally got my rift setup tonight and WOW! With my old tir based rig flying falcon, a programmable keyboard was really beneficial for macros to ease the workload in certain areas such as going straight to the data link scratch pad by the press of a button, rather than half as frozen clicks on entering the pit. And changing UHF channel's from tower to guard after take off again by the press of a button. And 10 other macros! Having had a go of the rift I reckon the way forward will be to buy a standard keyboard, and then somewhere down the line work out what I am going to do about Macros. Thinking about it though, the technology is possibly in place for ED to develope some sort of in game system for firstly creating and then during a flight selecting, a custom made macro, now wouldn't that be good.

My Rift was delivered yesterday, bugger!

Got my Rift yesterday so set about setting it up last night and ground to a halt with my keyboard. I have a madcatz cyborg V.7 keyboard which has served me well throughput my Falcon 4 years so owes me nothing. When I fitted the pci-e usb-3 card in preparation for the rift it knocked my keyboard out, just wouldn't respond. Used a spare keyboard while working to get cyborg working but by midnight I gave up. Basically it is too old, latest drivers are win 7. So I need to get a new keyboard. You guys that have been using VR for a while, is there a place for a programmable keyboard or is the keyboard something you don't touch in VR? In which case I just get a normal keyboard. Found macros really useful in Falcon 4, Flying Spitfire in DCS at the moment so no need for any gaming keyboard, but keeping a weather eye out for the F18 and straights of Hormoze

You bet!!!

I got a chance to have a play with both the Rift and the Vive at the Just Flight, flight SIM show held at RAF Cosford in Shropshire last September and was blown away. So much so that I started saving immediately. So with a little help from Santa I have finally raised sufficient funds and Placed my order. Just gotten wait for the nice postman . For anyone UK based interested, PC World have a buy now & pay in 6 months on the Rift

Hi Metzger, it's worth investing in acronis true image for this job. You can clone the image of your old drive onto the new ssd. Then replace the drives and you a good to go, in very little time & effort!

Thanks for taking the time to produce this clear & concise guide DD Fenrir. As they say, a picture paints a thousand words!

That's a great photo Basco

Hi Klem, thanks for the heads up on correct name. Original post updated. I think what I describe is hopefully useful to anybody new to the Spitfire and should help anybody trying to get the thing going in a straight line without swerving around and dipping wings. I would like to think that as my feet become more familiar with the rudder dance and my takeoffs continue to improve I would be moving my concentration away from the rate of turn needle to other things, including looking outside.

I have finally cracked the takeoffs. The uereka moment was in realising that I could use the Rate of Turn indicator to keep the aircraft running straight. Many people have mentioned the rudder dance, and not to be too hard with the rudder but how do you know how much 'dance' is required? You need to keep the aircraft straight and can use the bottom needle of the Turn & Slip indicator to do that. On your takeoff run don't look out of the cockpit but rather watch the Rate of Turn Indicator. Dance on your rudder to aim to keep this 'Rate of Turn Indicator' between Left 2 and Right 2. You will soon then get a feel for the amount of rudder required to keep her straight. When the speed reaches 90 MPH look up & pull up and away you go! Also, with the pitch trimmed nose down it is possible to run up the RPM to +8 boost while still holding stationary on the brakes. I have Warthog and took all curves off except throttle which has a curve of -24. I put a deadzone of 5 on the roll axis to avoid inadvertently applying aileron during the takeoff roll. 1. Create a mission where you are setup on the runway, so that you are lined up. 2. Apply brakes on entering mission 3. Setup rudder trim full right 4. Elevator trim 1/2 nose down. 5. Action rudder pedals to ensure both brakes applied as sometimes they are deflected. 6. Pull stick full back otherwise nose will tip forward on rev up. 7. Eyes in cockpit at instruments - don't look outside during initial stage of takeoff 8. Increase RPM to boost +8 9. Eyes now on the Rate of Turn Indicator at the bottom of the 'Turn & Slip indicator' 10. Release the brakes and apply immediate right rudder but watch not to exceed R2 on indicator 11. Centre stick, and dance on rudder pedals to keep rate of turn indicator arrow between L2 and R2. Be ready to apply a little aileron if she starts to dip a wing. 12. At 90 mph ish increase RPM and pull up, level off etc as per manual. Also worth centering rudder trim here so its worth noting how many seconds to apply trim so that you can take it off roughly without looking down. Next step is to achieve the same from a ramp start & taxi onto runway but I don't see this as being a major issue with the keeping straight on the takeoff run now cracked.

No wonder you struggled, must have been like trying to steer a shopping trolley lol

Holbeach..... Lol!

Well, after many frustrating evenings of ever closer analysis I am pleased to say that I have finally joined that group of people who are able to takeoff regularly, in a straight line, with zero assist. Yahoo! Few more evenings of takeoff yet, then takeoffs from ramp start (been starting from lined up on runway to get to this stage) Might be onto circuits and landings before end of Jan! LOL. And I bought the Spitfire on the day it released, it has taken me that long! But in my defence I have been flying Falcon F16 for the last 17 years so this switch to warbirds takes some getting used to.

Have downloaded and put to immediate use. Thanks very much Chuck, truely grateful!

Any of you experienced warbird pilots out there have any advice for warthog setup with the new Spitfire? Have been flying jets for long time but venturing in to new ground here.