Idea for clickable cockpit

[Chic]

Among my favorite features of DCS are the highly detailed, nearly full functional cockpits. For me, using the clickables as opposed to the keyboard improves immersion.

 

I fly the Huey. The trick has been to avoid ditching her while turning to a panel switch and trying to get the cursor on target. For a while, I had Snap Views of all the panels and used the "cockpit view toggle" (programmed on a cyclic button) to operate switches. Worked OK but somewhat of an immersion killer, and mousing with left hand to keep control of cyclic isn't fun. SO, I've adopted the following.

 

I found a wireless 4" Logitech TouchPad and Velcro taped it to the side of my collective box. It is positioned inches from my collective hand, and oriented such that my hand intuitively finds the pad without groping. (See attached)

 

I have a button on the cyclic programmed to "PAUSE" TracIR. I just look at the switch, "pause" TracIR to lock on, move coursor with subtle finger swipe, tap the pad, then "unpause". With little practice, you can actuate switches in virtually same time as a live cockpit scenario.

 

Notes:

You can run the TouchPad and a conventional mouse in parallel.

 

My Collective is out for repair so I rigged up a Saitek Throttle Quadrant for temp collective and throttle. It works beautifully. Would keep it if it "looked" more like a collective!!