How do I set up separate pilot and copilot views in FSX?

In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, create separate pilot and copilot viewpoints by opening a second Virtual Cockpit view, moving its eyepoint to the right seat, and undocking it if required. For a reusable aircraft-specific copilot view, add a unique [CameraDefinition.n] entry to that aircraft’s aircraft.cfg file.

Which FSX view setup should you use?

Use a second view window for simultaneous pilot and copilot displays, or an aircraft camera definition when you want a selectable copilot view every time you load that aircraft.

Create pilot and copilot view windows in FSX

The quickest method is to leave the main Virtual Cockpit at the pilot position and reposition a second copy for the copilot.

1. Load the Virtual Cockpit. Select the aircraft and enter its Virtual Cockpit rather than the flat 2D cockpit.
2. Open another cockpit window. From the menu choose Views > New View > Cockpit > Virtual Cockpit. Press Alt first if the menu bar is hidden.
3. Select the new window. Click inside it before moving the camera. FSX applies eyepoint and viewing commands to the active view window.
4. Move to the copilot seat. Use the assigned eyepoint left/right, up/down and forward/back controls. A hat switch normally changes viewing direction rather than translating the seat. Our guide to FSX camera types and eyepoint movement explains the distinction.
5. Set the forward view and zoom. Avoid excessive wide-angle zoom, which distorts the instrument panel and makes the two seats appear farther apart than they are.
6. Arrange and save the windows. Resize the views side by side, then save the flight and reload it once to confirm that FSX has retained the layout.

Check the Views menu before editing files. Some add-on aircraft already include a camera named Copilot, First Officer or Right Seat.

How do I put the views on two monitors?

An undocked Virtual Cockpit window can be moved to a second display configured as part of the Windows extended desktop.

1. Right-click inside the copilot view and select Undock Window.
2. Drag the resulting window onto the second monitor.
3. Resize or maximise it on that screen, then save the flight.

Windowed mode is usually easier to manage if full-screen mode returns the view to the primary display or produces a black secondary window. Follow our dual-monitor setup and window-placement instructions for the complete display procedure.

How do I make the copilot view permanent?

An aircraft-specific camera definition is the dependable choice when the copilot viewpoint should appear in the Views menu on every flight.

1. Back up the configuration. Copy the aircraft’s aircraft.cfg before changing it. It is normally under FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\aircraft-folder\aircraft.cfg.
2. Find a Virtual Cockpit camera block. Copy a complete existing [CameraDefinition.n] section whose origin is the Virtual Cockpit. Copying the whole block preserves parameters that a partial definition may omit.
3. Assign an unused section number. Replace n with a number not already used in that file.
4. Create a new GUID. Every camera needs its own identifier; do not retain the GUID from the copied camera. Windows PowerShell can generate one with [guid]::NewGuid(). Put the returned value inside braces in the configuration.
5. Rename and reposition the camera. Set its title to Copilot or Right Seat, then adjust InitialXyz in small increments until it is at the correct seat. Use InitialPbh to correct pitch, bank and heading.
6. Reload the aircraft. If the new camera does not appear after changing aircraft, close and restart FSX so it rereads the configuration.

Aircraft dimensions differ, so one set of offsets will not align every cockpit. Our adaptable FSX aircraft camera definitions provide practical examples, while the camera-position parameter reference explains the coordinate and orientation settings.

A camera added to one aircraft folder normally covers the liveries sharing that folder. A variant installed in a separate folder has its own aircraft.cfg and needs the camera added again. Keep your backup because file verification or reinstalling a stock aircraft can replace edited files.

Why is the copilot camera missing or misplaced?

A missing or unusable copilot view is usually caused by the wrong camera type, a duplicated identifier or an offset outside the modelled cockpit.

• The camera is absent from the menu: check for a duplicated section number or GUID, confirm that the block has a Virtual Cockpit origin, and restart FSX.
• Both views seem to move together: click the copilot window before using camera controls. The active window should receive the command.
• The view is inside a seat or outside the aircraft: restore the copied camera’s original position and change one InitialXyz value at a time.
• The default pilot position moved instead: editing the eyepoint line under the aircraft’s [Views] section changes the default cockpit position; it does not create a separate copilot camera.
• The right side has missing geometry or instruments: the aircraft may not contain a fully modelled copilot station. A camera definition cannot create cockpit parts that the developer omitted.

Can a 2D cockpit have a separate copilot viewpoint?

A 2D cockpit cannot be translated across the flight deck like a Virtual Cockpit because it consists of fixed panel windows and bitmaps. It needs a dedicated copilot panel supplied or configured for that aircraft; otherwise, use the Virtual Cockpit method.

Will two cockpit views reduce FSX performance?

Yes. FSX must render the 3D scene again for every additional view, so a second full-screen Virtual Cockpit can reduce frame rate substantially. Make the secondary window no larger than necessary, close unused view windows, and simplify demanding scenery or weather settings if performance falls.