Set up ChasePlane head tracking and a hat switch in MSFS, avoid duplicate camera inputs, bind centre/pause controls, and fix jitter or drift.
To set up head tracking and a hat switch in ChasePlane for Microsoft Flight Simulator, let ChasePlane control both camera inputs, disable duplicate MSFS camera bindings, select one tracking provider, centre it in your normal seating position, then bind the POV hat to either camera movement or saved views—not both.
What should control the MSFS camera?
ChasePlane should be the sole camera controller when you want its head tracking and joystick hat functions to work together. The tracker’s own software still supplies movement data, but native MSFS tracking and overlapping camera commands should not operate at the same time.
This single-owner rule prevents doubled movement, sudden snaps and a hat switch that appears to fight the tracker. ChasePlane is a Windows desktop utility, so this setup applies to the PC editions of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, not the Xbox or PlayStation versions.
How do I configure head tracking and the POV hat?
- Check the tracker first. Start its normal driver or runtime and confirm that it detects your head movement before opening ChasePlane. If movement is missing or erratic in the tracker’s own preview, camera settings cannot correct it.
- Connect ChasePlane to the simulator. Load an aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator and wait until ChasePlane reports a simulator connection. If that connection or the aircraft profile is missing, follow our ChasePlane installation and MSFS connection procedure first.
- Remove overlapping MSFS assignments. Make a copy of the active controller profile, search by input and move the hat through every direction. Clear overlapping cockpit-look, quickview and external-camera assignments from that hat. Also turn off the simulator’s native head-tracking camera input when ChasePlane is handling tracking. Our guide to native MSFS camera commands explains which command families commonly conflict.
- Select one tracking source in ChasePlane. Open its tracking or input settings and choose the provider exposed for your device. Do not run a native tracker path and a TrackIR-compatible or emulated path into the camera simultaneously. The Tobii and TrackIR connection workflow covers the hardware-specific choices.
- Set the neutral position. Sit as you normally fly, face the centre of the display and centre the tracker. Bind separate, easy-to-reach buttons for tracking centre and tracking pause; neither should share a hat direction or flight-control command.
- Tune the axes progressively. Begin with yaw and pitch, then add lateral, vertical, fore-and-aft movement and roll if wanted. Use only enough dead zone to stop small tremors and add smoothing gradually—too much of either produces a sticky or delayed camera.
- Assign the POV hat in ChasePlane. Use ChasePlane’s input-assignment page and press each direction when prompted. Configure the four cardinal directions first, test that movement stops on release, and add diagonals only if ChasePlane detects them consistently.
- Save and test the aircraft profile. Check the controls in the cockpit while stationary, then test them during turns and turbulence. Aircraft-specific eye points differ, so save the neutral view and controller choices in the appropriate ChasePlane profile.
Should the hat pan the camera or recall saved views?
With head tracking active, the hat is usually more useful for recalling fixed instrument views than for looking around continuously.
| Hat function | Choose it when | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Momentary camera movement | You want the hat as a backup when tracking is paused | It can feel unnatural if head movement is modifying the same view |
| Saved-view recall | You need rapid access to the overhead, pedestal, instruments or wing views | Pause or centre tracking when exact framing matters |
| Native MSFS quickviews | ChasePlane is not controlling that camera mode | Mixing them with ChasePlane cockpit control commonly causes snapping |
For saved views, assign each hat direction to one ChasePlane viewpoint and avoid also assigning directional pan to it. Our aircraft-specific ChasePlane view instructions explain how to create and bind those viewpoints without duplicating native commands.
Why is ChasePlane jittering, snapping or ignoring the hat?
- Movement is doubled or too sensitive: both MSFS and ChasePlane are receiving the tracker, or a native camera command remains assigned to the POV hat. Disable one path before changing sensitivity.
- The camera snaps back: the hat is probably calling a momentary quickview rather than a pan or persistent saved view. Change the action type in ChasePlane and clear the equivalent MSFS assignment.
- The hat does nothing: verify that ChasePlane detects the controller and each POV direction. Test a keyboard binding against the same camera action; if that works, the problem is controller detection or the selected device profile.
- Tracking jitters near the centre: recenter first, then apply a small dead zone or modest smoothing. For optical trackers, also check sensor position, lighting and reflective surfaces.
- Only one aircraft has the wrong eye point: its base view was probably saved while the tracker was off-centre. Pause tracking, restore the desired neutral viewpoint, centre the tracker and save the aircraft profile again.
- Assignments suddenly differ: confirm that MSFS loaded the intended controller profile and ChasePlane loaded the correct aircraft profile. Simulator control profiles can vary by device and aircraft.
Can head tracking and the hat switch remain active together?
Yes. Head tracking can provide natural scanning while the hat changes the base viewpoint or recalls fixed cameras. The reliable arrangement is one camera owner, one tracking path and one action per hat direction; if either application responds to the same input twice, fix that conflict before adjusting curves or sensitivity.