Using Multiple Monitors

Flight Simulator's ability to display multiple windows on more than one monitor at a time creates a more realistic cockpit environment. You can use a center monitor to display the aircraft instrument panel and the outside view ahead of the cockpit, and use another monitor to display the radio stack, throttle quadrant, GPS, or any of the other windows available in the Views menu.

Aside from additional monitors, you'll need a video card that can support multiple monitors, or a system that can support multiple video cards. Consult your computer vendor for recommendations and installation instructions.

Flight Simulator can run in either full screen or windowed mode. When using full screen mode with multiple monitors, Flight Simulator fills the primary monitor and the other monitors will appear black. You can move windows, such as the GPS, a spot view window, the throttle quadrant, or an overhead panel, onto a secondary monitor.

EXAMPLE: To set up a cockpit like the one pictured above

Make the center moniotor your primary display. Run Flight Simulator full screen or in windowed mode.
On the Views menu, point to New View, point to Cockpit, and then click Virtual Cockpit.
Drag the window to the left monitor and size the window to fill the screen.
Pan the view in that window until you're looking at the left wing.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 for a view of the right wing on the right monitor.
Press SHIFT+3 to display the GPS.
Drag the GPS to one of the secondary monitors.
Press [ (left bracket) to display the a small view window.
Press S to display the view you want in the small window.

You can display more windows on multiple monitors than the ones described in the example. Feel free to experiment and create a cockpit setup that works best for your style of flying.

To learn more about opening multiple windows, see Using Views and Windows. Once you have another window open, moving it between monitors is simple. Remember that the radio stack, throttle quadrant, and other cockpit elements pop up in their own window and can be moved. Depending on your system, using multiple monitors may affect performance.

To move windows between monitors

Right-click on the window you want to move.
On the shortcut menu, click Undock.
Drag the window to another monitor.

Note: In full screen mode, it is not necessary to undock a window before moving it to another monitor.

Important note:
In windowed mode, you can view multiple windows on different monitors, but don't allow a single Flight Simulator window to stretch across multiple monitors, as this may slow system performance.