Setting up FSX's 'Shared Cockpit' Mode

Here are brief instructions on how to use the FSX shared cockpit feature in the flightsimulator. These are the necessary steps to use the ‘Co Piloting’ feature in FSInn (see here).

• Click on Multiplayer. Here you have the “MULTIPLAYER – Sign In” menu. From this menu select Local network (Lan). Click on Sign In. This takes you to the “MULTIPLAYER – Lobby” menu.
• Click on Host a Session. This takes you to the “Multiplayer – Session Information” menu. From here you setup Session name and any other special options you prefer.
• Click on Next. This takes you to the “MULTIPLAYER – Session Conditions”. Here, you setup chose your aircraft, location and other conditions.

Note: There’s a bug where some of the parameters might not take effect. If you choose a Gate, that won’t take effect. When you start the session, it will take you to what Microsoft decides is the active runway. You’ll have to manually taxi to a gate before connecting to VATSIM.

• Click on Next. This takes you to the “MULTIPLAYER – Host Options” menu. Chose your other preferences (check on the Advance Options also). Be sure to put a check mark in “Share my aircraft”.
• Click on Next. This will take you to the “Briefing Room” menu.
• Click on FLY NOW. This will take you to the flight. Your plane will be on the active runway (a Microsoft Bug). You’ll have to taxi to a gate before you connect to VATSIM.

After you’ve taxied to a gate, you may continue to connect to VATSIM by clicking on the Add-ons –> FSCopilot –> Inn Control Panel –> VATSIM. You’ll have to give your IP address to the pilot you want to join your session. You’ll both be in the same plane after he joins.

• Click on Multiplayer. This takes you to the “Multiplayer - Sign In” menu. Select Local Lan. Type in the Handle you would like to use for this session.
• Click on Sign in. This takes you to the “Multiplayer Lobby” menu. Click on the Connect Directly Button. Type in the IP address the Pilot (the Captain, the host) gave you.
• Click on Find Sessions. This takes you to the “Multiplayer Session Conditions”. (Don’t select Share Aircraft)
• Click on OK. This takes you to the Briefing Room.
• Click on Join Aircraft.
• Click on Join Session. This takes you to the Cockpit of your host.

Your Captain will soon be alerted that you are now sharing his aircraft. At this point, you and the Captain are sharing control of the same aircraft. You won’t have full control of the aircraft at this point. You can request full control by hitting Shift-T (the default request key) on the keyboard. Upon your request, the Captain would be notified that you have requested control, and he would be notified to hit the Shift-T to transfer control to you.

That completes the immediate Shared Cockpit setup.

The next step is to connect the session to VATSIM. This is simple. The Captain will connect as normal. Be sure to taxi to a gate before connecting to VATSIM. Either the Captain or copilot may do the taxiing. There are tricks I’ll discuss later of how to get to a gate using the Flight Planner feature.

During this initial setup, only the Captain needs to connect to VATSIM. Because the two of you are in the same plane, you’ll both have the same visual of other online aircraft. The other pilots and Air Traffic Controller will only see one plane representing you and your copilot. In this setup, only one of you, the Captain, will be able to transmit and receive from the controllers.

Since the copilot has control over the aircraft, he can tune the radio for the Captain. He just won’t be able to communicate directly with the controllers.

To use ATC communication for both Captain and copilot(s) see fsx_shared_cockpit.

After successfully using the shared cockpit, you might want to consider some of these tips to enhance your experience. The host controls whether there is voice (VOIP) in the session. I find the voice option a convenient facility to remain in constant communication with the copilot. It adds to the simulation of being in the same plane. The copilot can actually hear the Air Traffic Controllers coming from the Captain’s speakers.

There are key configurations to turn voice transmission on and to stop voice transmission. However, this is not available for the Captain (the host) because it’s VIA his server that the client(s) have voice. This means, during the session, he will always transmit, even if there’s an occasion where the Captain may have personal unrelated to the flight conversations with his family. To temporarily suspend transmission; he would have to mute his mic, using the Windows mixer feature.

The voice option is found in the “MULTIPLAYER – Host Options” menu.

At present, I’d put a check mark under each of these in the “Advanced Host Options” menu. The main ones needed (for using the Flight Planner feature) are “Players can pause their session” and “Host can pause session for everyone”. Without check marks under those two, the Flight Planner menu would not be available.

A trick for getting to the gate of your choice without having to spend the time taxiing to the gate, is to create a flight plan that includes a gate starting point. Then after you enter the Flight (“Fly Now”) point, load your flight plan. Click on yes to “move your aircraft to the departing airport”.

This part has to be done before your copilot connects. Or if you do it after he connected, he will have to disconnect, then reconnect. This will be necessary to avoid having a GPS conflict. There are settings that are loaded to your copilot’s system that would be offset if you make certain slew type of changes.

As long as you’re careful not to pause your session, you should be all set.

Check out the New Booking Facility to publish your request.