How do right handed people work mouse and HOTAS?

[imacken]

I am left handed, and I have my mouse placed to the left of my throttle on the left hand side of the keyboard, with the joystick located on the right. For me, it's easy to keep one hand on the stick, and move the other to the mouse when needed.

It occurred to me - when I was looking at a right handed mouse - how do you guys work with the mouse and joystick without taking your hands off the stick in flight?

Silly question I know, but I'm just curious!

[ricktoberfest]

Trim the airplane And be quick! Autopilots help too even if it’s just an altitude hold

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mr_sukebe]

I use two mice. Normal mice on my right, for when I'm not using a joystick, and then a trackball mouse for my left hand. Works great.

[Mud]

Left hand on stick in planes or helos where it's needed.

[Mars Exulte]

I just switch the stick to my left hand and do what I need to do, usually. If your HOTAS is set up properly, you should have all commonly needed functions on it and not need to do this during 'critical' moments like combat or landing. I usually only use the mouse during startup or fiddling with odds and ends controls like radios, etc, where the momentary distraction/loss of finesse isn't going to matter. (He says while lawndarting into a hillside messing with the radio)

[imacken]

Thanks guys, I guess it's mostly radio stuff that requires mouse input during flights and QFH/QFE. Also activating different external stores, armament positions, etc. in the F-5E for example.

Not possible to assign all that to HOTAS.

From what has been said, am I right in thinking you guys have you joystick central on your desk? I have mine as (left to right) mouse, throttle, keyboard and joystick.

[ricktoberfest]

Thanks guys, I guess it's mostly radio stuff that requires mouse input during flights and QFH/QFE. Also activating different external stores, armament positions, etc. in the F-5E for example.

Not possible to assign all that to HOTAS.

From what has been said, am I right in thinking you guys have you joystick central on your desk? I have mine as (left to right) mouse, throttle, keyboard and joystick.

 

 

 

Actually by having my joystick on the right I can use my left on the keyboard for most common buttons. For example on the F5 I have Z to B mapped to arming stations so I just pop my throttle hand down to the keyboard for a second. Like others have said, all major combat buttons are mapped to my Hotas anyways

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TomOnSteam]

Trim the aircraft and use autopilot, and letting go of the stick usually not an issue :-)

 

Of course all of your combat controls are on the HOTAS so no need to let go (usually)

Edited April 3, 2018 by TomOnSteam

[wrl11]

I have just learned to use my left hand. It took a little while but now I am as good with my left hand on a mouse as my right.

[imacken]

Trim the aircraft and use autopilot, and letting go of the stick usually not an issue :-)

 

Of course all of your combat controls are on the HOTAS so no need to let go (usually)

Autopilot on the F-5E or WW2 planes, hmmm.... If only!

All the combat controls can’t be mapped to the HOTAS, there are too many. The principal ones are, sure.

 

I have just learned to use my left hand. It took a little while but now I am as good with my left hand on a mouse as my right.

But most mice are right handed, which is why I became curious and asked the question!

 

Most of you guys seem to be saying we don’t need clickable cockpits at all once in the air.

[FlankerMan]

I just have a "pivot stick" on my joystick, and I can use my thumb on it (it's on the top of the stick, I use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro) to look around. It's not as good as the mouse, but it works.

[Chic]

VoiceAttack!

[Baz000]

So, I learned what fighter pilots do IRL which is usually they actuate buttons on MFD, UFC, etc... With their left hand (the one that would be on throttles)

 

It is not a problem when you have to take your hand off the throttles as much as it is a problem when on the stick.

 

So the problem is trying to get to stuff on the right side of the cockpit IRL, I have seen the pilots take their left hand off the throttle and put it on the stick and use their right hand to hit buttons and switches etc on their right side. When finished, right hand goes back on stick and left hand goes back on throttle.

 

In DCS, I am right handed... So I take my left hand off the throttle and grab the stick and right hand goes on the mouse. Then I return both hands back to throttle and stick when finished.

 

I'd like to see the VR gloves turn into a reality in DCS, I think ultimately having haptic feedback VR gloves is the way to go for a true immersive experience of flipping switches, pushing buttons and turning dials.

[smallberries]

Yeah, trim and AP, and a lot of cursing for the incredibly small hitboxes on DCS switches.

[NineGzuz]

Autopilot on the F-5E or WW2 planes, hmmm.... If only!

All the combat controls can’t be mapped to the HOTAS, there are too many. The principal ones are, sure.

 

Most of you guys seem to be saying we don’t need clickable cockpits at all once in the air.

 

They all can be trimmed surely? That should give you enough time to take your hands off the stick long enough to flip a few buttons.

 

Most if not all combat controls absolutely can be mapped to the HOTAS - that is the whole point of a HOTAS in a real plane :-)

 

 

Granted, I would love to have a 40" touch screen or some positionally tracked vr gloves, so that I could use my left hand more!

[imacken]

So, I learned what fighter pilots do IRL which is usually they actuate buttons on MFD, UFC, etc... With their left hand (the one that would be on throttles)

 

It is not a problem when you have to take your hand off the throttles as much as it is a problem when on the stick.

 

So the problem is trying to get to stuff on the right side of the cockpit IRL, I have seen the pilots take their left hand off the throttle and put it on the stick and use their right hand to hit buttons and switches etc on their right side. When finished, right hand goes back on stick and left hand goes back on throttle.

 

In DCS, I am right handed... So I take my left hand off the throttle and grab the stick and right hand goes on the mouse. Then I return both hands back to throttle and stick when finished.

IRL though, the stick is in the centre, so it is not hard to hold the stick with the left hand for a few seconds.

In DCS, I'm guessing most of us have the stick sitting to the right of the keyboard, which makes holding with the left hand quite tricky, even for a few seconds, and makes using the keyboard almost impossible as your left arm will be across the keyboard holding onto the stick.

I'm so glad I am left-handed with the mouse, as all I have to do is take my hand off the throttle and move it to the adjacent mouse!