Flight Simulator

Objective: Use the CH Yoke or the keyboard and mouse to fly a plane in Google Earth

What is a flight simulator? A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies, for pilot training, design, or other purposes.

Google Earth Flight Simulator Diagram

Take Off

  1. To taxi down the runway for take off, press the joystick forward to pick up speed.

  2. Once the plane is moving quickly, pull the joystick back slightly to lift off.

  3. When your plane reaches flight altitude and the wings have leveled off, center the joystick.

  4. To change direction, make course corrections, or bank left or right, move the joystick in the direction you want to go. Small movements work best.

Pause or resume a flight: Press the spacebar to pause a flight. Then, press it again to resume your flight.

  1. Speed: current speed in knots

  2. Heading: direction the aircraft is pointed

  3. Bank angle: angle you’re using to slowly turn the plane in a new direction

  4. Vertical speed: rate of ascent or descent in feet per minute

  5. Exit flight simulator feature: click this button to exit the flight simulator

  6. Throttle: level of the engine’s power

  7. Rudder: angle of the vertical axis of the plane

  8. Aileron: angle of the plane when you roll or bank it

  9. Elevator: angle and lift of the plane’s wings

  10. Flap and gear indicators: where the flaps and gears are set

  11. Pitch angle: angle between where the airplane is pointed and the horizon in degrees

  12. Altitude: how many feet above sea level the plane is flying

Fly using the keyboard and mouse

  1. Press the Page Up key to increase thrust and taxi the plane down the runway.

  2. Once the plane is moving, move the mouse slightly down. When you’re going fast enough, your plane will take off.

  3. When your plane reaches flight altitude and the wings have leveled off, center the mouse on your screen.

  4. To change directions, make course corrections, or bank right or left, use the arrow keys. Small corrections work best.

  5. To look around, press the arrow keys + Alt to turn slowly or + Ctrl to turn quickly.