FSHotSeat Features See Features FSHotSFX Features

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FSHotSeat™ Virtual Flight

Main Interface - Designed to be hidden during flight, it can be popped up at any time in its full or compact mode.

FSHotSeat™ (FSHS) is the hottest new add-on to Microsoft® Flight Simulator 2002 (MSFS) bringing you a host of new voices, sounds, information, activities and, ultimately, your permanent performance evaluation.

All this in an easy to use minimal setup package—it really is “jump in and go.”  Let’s try a virtual flight…

We’ll start with that commercial twin turboprop you just downloaded.  FSHS is specially designed to recognize and adjust to any aircraft (except sailplanes and helicopters) without any setup (in most cases.)

Fire up FSHS and MSFS (you may want to set FSHS to autoload MSFS.)  You’ll start from the MSFS  “Create A Flight” menu.  Select the twin turboprop, set the weather, and create or load a flight plan—from anywhere, to anywhere, FSHS knows every standard MSFS airport, runway, and navaid and their city, state and country.  Click “Fly Now!”

After announcing your aircraft by name, company and flight number, FSHS automatically checks it for essential parameters, primarily weight and reference speeds.  If anything is missing (rarely) you can check and fix the omissions on the FSHS Aircraft Specs MFD.  FSHS knows your aircraft’s equipment and capabilities and dynamically adapts checklists for it.  You’ll also hear your departure and destination announced by name and location and, as long as you’re at your departure airport, you’re ready go.  That’s it.

Bob’s the copilot today, Mary Ann’s Lead Flight Attendant and Herb’s the Dispatcher, but you can change their names, sex and voices to whatever you like.

Hotkey Setup - Commonly used commands are assigned to dual-use, in-context hotkeys supplemented by a dynamic in-flight menu.

You could load cargo or fly empty but you take passengers to give Mary Ann a job.

As you hear Mary Ann greet the passengers, Bob enters the cockpit, closes the door and introduces himself.  He could be a dork, but you’re not sure.  But don’t think about it too long because as soon as your copilot arrives you’re “on the clock.”

First Bob will run through your current fuel and payload weight. You may have to reduce your fuel or (in FS2004) reduce your payload to stay under MTOW.

Bob rattles off the current ground and aloft weather conditions. In FS2004 he'll give you a heads up on any significant weather forecast for you entire flight. Then he informs you that you’re scheduled to depart eight minutes from now.  As Mary Ann gives the first passenger briefing you realize you better get busy.

Popup WX/RouteMap - Shows the current weather along your route along with waypoint information up to 200nm away. It's gonna be wet from OBK to KMKE.

You call for the Before Start Checklist.  Bob offers to “handle” it for you, which means he’ll call each item, execute the item, and check it off.  Gee, that’s easy.  Yeah, and if you do that all the time it’ll destroy your Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) Rating.  Share the workload.  You tell him no and he waits for you to execute each item.  And try not to make him repeat himself; it costs you CRM points.  If for some reason you can’t execute an item, it’s not on your panel for example, Bob can do it for you at a small CRM cost. Near the end of the checklist, he prompts you to call for clearance and ATIS.  FSHS is designed to cooperate fully with native MSFS ATC.  You’re still responsible for ATC but Bob handles Dispatch coms and passenger briefings.

Just about now you might hear the first Advanced AIBlast™ traffic. The effect is amazing--just like a real thing. In fact, if you live near an airport, you'll have a hard time telling if the sounds are live or Advanced AIBlast™--it's that real. Approach and landing with thrust reversers, take offs with spool-ups, flybys and overflights--it's all there in stunning Doppler 3D. Best to dwell on it after your flight because you're still on the clock...

Sample Aircraft Specs - Also provides direct editing access to Aircraft, Panel and Sound config files.

After Bob calls dispatch for startup clearance, you splurge on the Engine Start Checklist and let him handle it, sitting back in the Spot View. 

You handle the extensive After Start Checklist—prop check, control surfaces and the like.  Better hurry—you’re up against your first time limit—departure time.  Putz around after your departure time and your passengers quickly get annoyed.

When you’re done, you tell Bob to call Herb at Dispatch for departure permission—with pushback.  Taxi without taxi and/or pushback permission will cost your Skill Rating dearly.  And don’t forget the parking brake.  When you hear the parking brake release sound, and the thump and rumble of the tug you’re on your way.

As you taxi, you’ll probably have to put up with some inane joke or advice from Bob or maybe an Internet News item he's picked up—if you can hear it over the simultaneous cabin announcements and ATC. Try to stay focused because, once you’re airborne, it gets worse.

Bob’s aircraft weight, wind and “V” speed info helped the takeoff but things are rushed now.  He wants checklists, ATC wants vectoring, the Cabin’s on the PA again, and the GPWS is ready to “don’t sink” you at any moment.  Watch your speed and no abrupt maneuvers—the passengers will audibly complain and start filling out those little Pilot Rating cards.  If you can’t handle it all, lay the Climb Checklist off to Bob—just remember your CRM Rating.

Popup TCAS - Shows  all AI traffic within 10NM with a zooming to 2NM. We have a TA (Traffic Advisory) at 2 o'clock flying level, 500 feet below us, in the opposite direction. You'll also hear the audio TCAS barking "Traffic! Traffic!"

At cruise, things calm down quite a bit.  Mary Ann has competed her announcements and is busy distributing free peanuts and expensive drinks.  Bob makes the occasional bad joke, weather observation, or even tell you news he's heard (real-time from the Internet.) He'll also provide a current weather report, geographical location, fuel status, etc.  He likes to keep the passengers informed so he might tell them when you’re near a city or crossing from one state or country to another.

Time for some music!  But first you ask Bob for a status report—running six minutes ahead of schedule and 115% of target cruise speed. Not too bad. You turn on the music…

It’s FSHotSeat 88.6, “Your more music station”—yeah, we’ve heard that before. Jackie “D”, the DJ, promptly launches into a commercial for “Cessna City” which offers “pre-owned” Cessnas, promising “No job?  No money?  No problem!”  Now that’s a deal! After possibly announcing the time and ground weather at a nearby city, Jackie intros the next song—by name and artist—and you’ve actually heard of it since it’s your MP3.

If you're interested in what's going on in the rest of the world, you can change channels to an Internet All News Channel that brings you news from the likes of the BBC read continuously by the DJ. If all news is a bit much, selected headlines can be read every 15 minutes on music channels if you like.

You settle back for a moment, hitting the Tower View key to watch your aircraft zip past in the FSHS Flyby View.  Active from

Entertainment System - Just select one of your Mp3 directories, set the volume and your DJ will randomly select music from your collection even announcing the song name and artist (when available.)

takeoff to touchdown, the Flyby View automatically anchors itself near touchdown so you won’t miss a moment of that spectacular landing.  Bob calls out “Two minutes…” to the next waypoint.  He knows them all by name, type and frequency.

The music’s sounding so good, you’re tempted to turn the aircraft over to Bob who’ll announce and fly each waypoint, dutifully setting the radios and using seatbelts when required. If you can spare the CRM points, he’ll even fly the entire cruise segment, pausing MSFS at descent.

After a few more tunes, you ask Bob for an on-time report—whoops, wind shifted, five minutes behind schedule—it’s gonna be a hot descent. ATC calls so you hit the Music Mute Hotkey.  Yep, “descend and maintain…” If you’re sane, and wish to remain so, you’ll shut off the music right now.

You call for Descent Checklist.  It’s a fast one but now Bob wants to know if you’re ready to set the destination runway.  You do remember it don’t you?  You check the Flight Info MFD, there it is—or is it the reciprocal?  You give the go ahead to set the radios for the instrument approach—you can afford the CRM points—besides you’re trying to keep in the airspeed at 245 as you pass 10,000. 

Bob calls Herb at Dispatch with your distance and ETA.  Herb reminds you that you’re late, encourages you to make up the time, and reminds you not to speed.  What a moron.

Approach Checklist.  Bob suggests 155 as an initial approach speed—yeah, right—and 165 as maximum flap extension.  “Do you want flaps?” he queries.  Forget the flaps, Bob, we’re going in hot!

Meanwhile, a wacky ATC vector makes your “straight-in” not so straight.   Just pray you’re “Number 1 for landing.”  Bob announces, “Localizer acquired…”

You bleed off some speed then a notch of flaps.  Bob calls out, “Flaps 18 degrees,” then, “Glide slope acquired…”

You’re late with the Landing Checklist.  And Bob says you’re 10 knots over gear extension.  Better listen, ‘cuz you’ll clobber your Skill Rating even if your gear survives.  With more flaps the buffeting sound gets even louder.  Gear down.

Flight Status Sample - This is the main real-time MFD.    Provides departure and destination runway information, waypoints and, most important, your on-time progress.

A quick MFD check—you’re one minute late.  Bob calls out, “Reference plus forty…too hot.”  There’s a pronounced roaring sound when the gears are dropped—it’ll quiet down as the airspeed drops.  You hand off autopilot disconnect and thrust reversers to Bob—it’s worth the price—landing is a rating all of its own.

You make a quick scan for the location of airport terminal—you don’t want to waste time during the taxi, you’ll need it.

The GPWS barks “Two-hundred.” At 150, Bob disconnects the autopilot. 100...50…

Thump.  “Well, it felt good…,” you think, as you hear the click of the throttles being pulled past reverse detent.  When Bob announces, “Reversers disengaged,” you’re already eyeing the highspeed to the left. You take it…

As soon as Bob tells the passengers not to get up just yet, you hand him the After Landing Checklist—you’re too busy getting your gate assignment while trying the keep the aircraft moving.  And Mary Ann’s on the PA.

One minute late. But then it happens, some yob in a beat up Cessna with a fading “Cessna City” sticker pulls around a hanger.  You’re given the dreaded “Hold your position.”  Damn.

Precious seconds tick off.  The passengers get antsy—they don’t like waiting.  They finger those evaluation cards.  You tell Bob to apologize for the ground delay.  It helps, but only a little.

Finally, the Cessna putts away and you push ahead past taxi speed limit.  Bob reminds you you’re speeding but you ignore him since you’re almost at the gate…

flt2 flight logs.png (33096 bytes)
Flight Logs Sample - Keeps permanent record of each flight by date in a printable format.  Provides detail of all significant flight events.   Another MFD (not shown) provides the same information broken down by individual aircraft.

You’re really not sure of the CRM points but you’re so exhausted you hand the Secure Checklist off to Bob.  He sets the parking brake.  You switch to Spot View and watch the shutdown sequence.   There’s not much you can do now—four minutes late. 

The passengers file off as soon as the last engine spools down.  As you listen to Mary Ann say goodbyes you wonder about your eval.   When Bob calls out “Master switch off, secure checklist complete,” it’s crunch time.  He calls Dispatch…

Herb comes back with “The customers were mostly satisfied with their arrival time.  There were a few complaints about ground delays.  They reported that the ride was very smooth.  Your flying skills were rated excellent.  Your landing was rated good.  Overall, your flight rating is good.”   Not too bad…

Then Bob tells you, “Personally, I think your Cockpit Resource Management Skills are good; you did a bit less work.”   "Maybe if I didn't have to listen to your lame jokes...," you think, but you hold your tongue.  You' may have to fly with him again.

plt9 pilot eval.png (36168 bytes)

Pilot Evaluation Sample - This is what it's all about--your permanent personal record broken down by aircraft type.

You check your Aircraft Log MFD.  Your entire flight’s permanently recorded along with the times of all significant events and your ratings for the flight:

OverAll Good (88%)

      Pass Good (87%)

      Skill Excel (100%)

      Land Good (84%)

     CRM Good (81%)

Not too shabby.  This is all folded into your overall Pilot Evaluation that computes your total hours and ratings broken down into six different aircraft types.  (See Samples.)

Get the full-featured demo and see for yourself how FSHotSeat™ transforms Microsoft® Flight Simulator into a goal-oriented simulation with enhanced realism and entertainment value. There's really nothing else like it...




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