"bob" wrote in message
r.com...
but how about how to change what direction the screen is looking? or how
to
configure the buttons I am convinced that if i can answer the quick
questions (found a web site about the handbook, and sent it to him, but
doubt he will dig into it enough) then he will make enough progress to get
interested and do it more

to be fair (and critical) dad has been using computers for 15 years. he
has
never used them well, however....


Bob,

I am also an "old fud" LOL, retired military (US Master Army Aviator) and
a user of MSFS since FS95 in 1996. What Quilljar said is correct--he will
only get enjoyment out of it if HE makes the decision to use it and spend
the time learning how--with help of course. But FS2002 has a pretty good
learning curve, especially if it is your first sim. Sure you can jump in an
airplane, and go fly, especially if you have real world flying experience.
But you will NOT be able to use all the features (ATC and Real Weather, to
name a few) if you do not read and study.

Some quick answers to your questions. He can use the hat switch on the top
of the joystick for looking outside the aircraft. Should be 8 different
spots he can see, but the front and back will normally be inside of the
aircraft--some have virtual cockpits which will show airplane parts in the
outside views, even when not in virtual cockpit mode.

You can also use the keyboard number pad. Turn OFF NUM LOCK (hit the key to
toggle OFF and ON), then a combination of SHIFT+ either the 1,4,7,9,6,3 keys
will give you outside views.

To configure the joystick buttons, you assign them to different functions
using the ASSIGNMENTS menu. In Window mode, click on
Options/controls/assignments, then scroll down through the menu, find the
function you want to assign, click on it, click on change assignment, then
hit the button you want to assign to that function. If it already has a
function assigned, it will tell you what is assigned to it--then you can
decide to make a change or cancel. Pretty intuitive, really.

Be advised. FS can become addictive, if you are REALLY wanting to recreate
the flying experience. I maintain a complete set of Instrument and visual
charts and pubs (only slightly out of date, DOD FLIP--your Dad may recognize
that term) which I use for instrument flying in FS2002 and FS2004(FS9). All
of the airports in the US are there, have yet to find one that I did not
have the proper approach charts for. The Real Weather function does provide
accurate current weather existing at the time of download IF the servers for
the various reporting stations have been updated. Normally, they have. You
can go on the internet, to the NOAA web site, and get weather flight
planning info for use in the sim flight ahead of time. It will work--I do it
all the time.

To be honest, I find it really amazing how much you can simulate the flying
experience right at your home PC. If your Dad really loved flying, this is
the best way I know of to recreate what we used to do in our younger days,
now that we can no longer do it for real.

Hope this helps. Post back if there are questions--or better yet, encourage
your Dad to do so. He will find a lot of help on these newgroups. He can
also try Avsim.com forum, lots of good help there.
alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim newsgroup is also an excellent place to ask
questions. He should be bale to find it in his newsreader, and "subscribe"
to it.

Paul