Virtual Reality Setups for Flight Simulators.



I have completed my latest cockpit without building an actual cockpit.
I am using a Virtual Reality headset so that I am flying in VR which means I don't need to have three screens
BUT still have my cockpit panel that I can actually see inside my VR headset!
This is called a "passthrough/mixed reality" headset which used to cost thousands of dollars.
These headsets are now so low in cost that they are within reach of many people's budget.

I have yet to make a video on my setup because I still need to tweak the display.

The way it works is this:
    * You draw an outline of your cockpit panel and save it as a flat SVG file (Size doesn't matter.)
    * Then you load it into a paint program and color it with a specific color that you won't see in your simulator then export it to a PNG file (Pink is an example.)
    * You then load and run "open kneeboard" software and create a tab containing the location of the .png image.
    * You use your headset and run the "virtual desktop" program then in configure, you set the same color as the .PNG file.
      (Virtual desktop links your headset to the computer)
    * Run the flight sim and adjust the see-though area to match your cockpit panel.
You will need to set the settings in "Open kneeboard" such as position of the mask, size, angle and so on.
I will be uploading my settings and the sample cockpit mask later on.
The color mask tells "virtual desktop" to show the real world in that area (the mixed reality headsets have cameras on the outside to show the scenery outside of the headset.)



The links below show how to setup a Virtual Reality cockpit for flight simulators AND
    have a passthrough view to a physical cockpit panel.
    This uses a passthrough VR headset (which are really getting within budget that many can afford.)


These are the following requirement
  1. A Metaquest Oculus 3S headset ($320.00 Canadian.)

  2. Freecad (or other cad capable of exporting to flat .SVG file. (FREE)

  3. Inkscape drawing program to color the .svg file and export to a .PNG file. (FREE)

  4. Open Kneeboard software (FREE)

  5. Virtual Desktop software from Metaquest store (apx. 30.00 Canadian).

  6. Xplane 12 or MSFS2014 (Costs money).



CHANNELLink and Title
Russ Barlow  OpenKneeboard: Mixed Reality Sim Done Right!
The Warthog Project  How I set up mixed reality in DCS
Simpit Academy  Episode 27 How to set up DCS Mixed Reality for any Aircraft
Simpit Academy  Episode 35 DCS Use Mixed Reality for Total Visual Immersion
EritoKaio  How to place ANY overlay or window in VR
Create With Tech  Easy/Free Mixed Reality for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 VR
FSPRIMO  X-Plane 12 - The VR BIBLE - for Quest 3 and Quest 2


Back to menu