Set up ChasePlane with TrackIR or Tobii in MSFS, stop double camera movement, tune tracking, and fix centring, drift and connection problems.
To use TrackIR or Tobii with ChasePlane in Microsoft Flight Simulator, calibrate the tracker first, connect ChasePlane to the running simulator, create a neutral cockpit view, then enable ChasePlane's tracking input. Disable Microsoft Flight Simulator's native head-tracking provider so only one system controls the camera, and centre the tracker before flight.
This applies to ChasePlane on Windows with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024. Setting names and locations can vary between ChasePlane builds, but the connection sequence remains the same.
How do I connect the tracker to ChasePlane?
Use the following order so that hardware, camera and simulator faults remain easy to isolate.
- Position and calibrate the tracker. Mount TrackIR where its camera has a clear view of the reflectors or active clip. Align Tobii with the correct display and complete its user calibration at your normal seated position. Confirm that movement works in the tracker's own software before opening ChasePlane; our TrackIR and Tobii calibration guidance covers centring, smoothing and duplicate inputs.
- Load an aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Enter the cockpit rather than leaving the simulator on its main menu, then start ChasePlane and confirm that it recognises the active flight. If it remains disconnected, resolve that first using our ChasePlane connection fault checklist.
- Create the neutral cockpit camera. Keep tracking disabled, place the eyepoint where your head would naturally be and save that view. Do not save it while physically leaning or looking sideways. We explain the process in our guide to building and saving a neutral ChasePlane cockpit view.
- Select one tracking provider. Open ChasePlane's tracking or input settings, choose TrackIR or Tobii and enable tracking for the cockpit view. Do not enable both providers. If separate Tobii head and gaze controls are available, begin with head movement only.
- Give ChasePlane sole control of the camera. Disable MSFS's native TrackIR or Tobii response in its camera settings or in-flight Camera panel. Leave the tracker's companion software running because ChasePlane still needs its tracking data.
- Centre from your normal posture. Look straight ahead, sit comfortably and use the assigned centre or reset command after loading the saved camera. Assign a pause command as well; both controls should be reachable without looking away from the cockpit.
- Test each axis separately. Check yaw, pitch, roll, left-right, up-down and fore-aft movement. Correct an inverted axis in ChasePlane rather than applying inversions in several different applications.
Should native MSFS head tracking be turned off?
When ChasePlane reads TrackIR or Tobii directly, Microsoft Flight Simulator's native response to the same tracker should be off. Leaving both enabled makes one physical movement reach the camera twice, producing excessive rotation, oscillation or a view that snaps back after ChasePlane moves it.
A quick diagnostic is to pause ChasePlane tracking and move your head. If the cockpit still follows you, MSFS or another tracking helper remains active. Disable that camera path, not the hardware's companion software.
Also check analogue cockpit-look bindings for stick drift. A mouse or hat switch is safe when idle, but an off-centre look axis can fight ChasePlane continuously.
Which TrackIR and Tobii settings work best?
Start with restrained translation, moderate rotation and only enough smoothing to remove visible noise.
| Setting | TrackIR starting point | Tobii starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Camera input | Use the six head-pose axes | Use head tracking first; add gaze gently if offered |
| Rotation | Enough yaw to see abeam without turning away from the monitor | Moderate head rotation with low gaze influence |
| Translation | Restrained but sufficient for leaning towards instruments | Keep translation conservative until calibration is stable |
| Dead zone | Small central zone to suppress sensor noise | Small head dead zone; a larger gaze zone can steady instruments |
| Smoothing | Increase only until reflector jitter disappears | Increase if the viewpoint swims while reading gauges |
Fore-aft head movement should translate the eyepoint, not operate cockpit zoom or field of view. If leaning towards the panel changes magnification instead of moving your head through the cockpit, remove the competing zoom assignment.
TrackIR generally suits pilots who want deliberate six-axis movement and do not mind wearing a clip. Tobii avoids headgear and can incorporate gaze, but strong eye influence often makes the camera wander while scanning instruments. For cockpit flying, head-led movement with little or no gaze contribution is the calmer starting point.
Why does ChasePlane tracking drift, jitter or snap back?
Most ChasePlane tracking faults come from duplicate camera providers, poor calibration or an incorrectly saved centre position.
- No movement: confirm that the device responds in its own software, the correct provider is selected and ChasePlane is connected to the loaded flight.
- Movement doubles or snaps back: disable native MSFS tracking and any other application sending camera or look-axis input.
- An axis moves backwards: invert it in one place only. Two inversions can cancel each other or create inconsistent behaviour between views.
- The centre position is offset: pause tracking, reload the neutral saved camera, adopt your normal posture and centre again.
- TrackIR jitters: check line of sight, reflector visibility, unwanted reflections and an unstable clip before adding heavy smoothing.
- Tobii wanders: recalibrate it for the correct display and seating position, then reduce or disable gaze contribution. Aircraft-specific Tobii problems are covered in our focused Tobii cockpit troubleshooting.
- Only one camera works: check whether tracking is disabled or unsaved for that ChasePlane view or aircraft profile.
Can I run TrackIR and Tobii together?
No. Select one active provider for ChasePlane and disable the other; combining two head-pose streams does not improve precision and commonly causes jitter or conflicting centres.
ChasePlane and this desktop-tracker workflow require a Windows PC, so they do not apply to the Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5 versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. In VR, the headset supplies its own head pose and should not be combined with TrackIR or Tobii camera movement.