Google Earth Flight Simulator Easter Egg!

[insidedesign]

Wow, this is great. Apparently there is a flight sim built into the new Google Earth!

http://www.insidedesign.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/googleflightsimss2.png (http://www.insidedesign.info/blog/2007/08/31/google-flight-simulator/)
Read more about it here:
Google Flight Simulator (http://www.insidedesign.info/blog/2007/08/31/google-flight-simulator/)

[sladys]

WOW, great find of you. It's really there. :givebeer:

[Captain Hornblower]

Very cool!!! :yep:

[Munden]

Yeah, I just wish it worked with my Sidewinder joystick. Still, it is pretty nifty!

[martin]

All i get when clicking the link is:
>>
The e-mail could not be sent.
Possible reason: your host may have disabled the mail() function...
<<

?

[sladys]

I guess you have entered Ctrl+Alt+E instead of Ctrl+Alt+A.

[Appletom]

I receive the same error - Firefox or IE. I'm just clicking the link, no Ctrl or Alt or anything special.

[Captain Hornblower]

Still working fine here (with Firefox).

Anyway, the link brings you to a blog. There you can see a short video of how to activate the easter egg and a short flight.

The important message: if you wanna start the simulator, start GE, be sure it's the lastest version, hit CTRL+ALT+A and a message box opens, where you can choose between the type of aircraft and the airport you want to start the flight at.

[martin]

Ahh cool, thanks!
Now the link works and i found the Flight Simulator within GE's Tools-Menu which i overlooked totally ; )

[Munden]

One bit of advice on using the flight controls:

One thing I missed at first as how to use the mouse. If you click in the window once, your mouse will now act as the flight yoke leaving you to only have to use the keys for the rudder. (use 'center' a lot when I'm done with a turn and want to center the rudder again)

Clicking the mouse again cancels the mouse-yoke and lets you access the menus again.

[JohnLouis]

hit CTRL+ALT+A and a message box opens, where you can choose between the type of aircraft and the airport you want to start the flight at.

I must be more stupid than I thought in my old age because, when I do a Ctrl+Alt+A in GE, all I get is an "a" [with an acute accent over it] in the "Fly to" box and nothing else.

I am using the latest version of GE 4.2.0181

Regards

[Iverson3]

this is very awesome
probably one of the most fun things in ge

[Munden]

I must be more stupid than I thought in my old age because, when I do a Ctrl+Alt+A in GE, all I get is an "a" [with an acute accent over it] in the "Fly to" box and nothing else.

I am using the latest version of GE 4.2.0181

Regards

There's the problem. That's not the latest version. :) Go to the 'Check for updates online' and afterwards your problem will probably go away.

Mine is currently at:
4.2.0184.9679 (beta)

[JohnLouis]

There's the problem. That's not the latest version. :) Go to the 'Check for updates online' and afterwards your problem will probably go away.

Mine is currently at:
4.2.0184.9679 (beta)

Unfortunately, doing that it tells me that "There are no updates available at this time" and downloading directly from the web site gives me the same version that I have, 4.2.0181.2634

[Captain Hornblower]

Click on the globe first, then it should work.

[JohnLouis]

Click on the globe first, then it should work.

Thanks, I tried that but with the same result that there are no updates available.

Regards

John

[Captain Hornblower]

No, I mean click on the globe first (to set the focus on that frame) and hit then CTRL+ALT+A

[JohnLouis]

No, I mean click on the globe first (to set the focus on that frame) and hit then CTRL+ALT+A

Thanks again but that does not work either.
Perhaps I will have to wait until the next major update.

Regards

John

[SpiderX22]

Did you get to the screen with the green crosshairs? Because if you did and its still not moving, its because your not applying any thrust. (press page up).

[BillyBob]

4.2.0181.2634

4.2.0184.9679 (beta)

How come we all have different version numbers yet are told there are no updates?

Mine is ... 4.2.0180.1134 (beta)

[JohnLouis]

How come we all have different version numbers yet are told there are no updates?

Mine is ... 4.2.0180.1134 (beta)

That is what is puzzling me also. Does the Flight Sim function work with your version?

Regards

John

[BillyBob]

Yes, this was the version I downloaded to get it.

[D14D]

How does one go about actually getting it to start moving once on the ground?

I cannot figure out how to accelerate!

[BillyBob]

Page up to accelerate, page down to decelerate.

[JohnLouis]

Yes, this was the version I downloaded to get it.

Thanks. That narrows the areas I have to explore to find out why it does not work for me, at least I can forget about finding any later version.

Not that I have any idea where to start to find out why it is not working for me.

[BillyBob]

.. when I do a Ctrl+Alt+A in GE, all I get is an "a" [with an acute accent over it] in the "Fly to" box and nothing else.

On my keyboard I have three buttons on the bottom left .. Ctrl, start and Alt.

If I hold down Ctrl+start+A I get the simulator too ... have you tried that?

[martin]

In Tools menu there's an option "Enter Flight Simulator..."
At least here with V 4.2.0181.2634 (beta)

[BillyBob]

In Tools menu there's an option "Enter Flight Simulator..."
At least here with V 4.2.0181.2634 (beta)

That only appears after you start it with Ctrl+Alt+A.

[JohnLouis]

On my keyboard I have three buttons on the bottom left .. Ctrl, start and Alt.

If I hold down Ctrl+start+A I get the simulator too ... have you tried that?

Thanks. I do not have a Start key on my keyboard but your suggestion prompted me to try Crtl+Winkey+A and, lo and behold, that worked.

Now I can crash an aeroplane all over the world <g>

Regards

John

[JohnLouis]

That only appears after you start it with Ctrl+Alt+A.

Ctrl+Winkey+A worked. Yippee!

[neilwilkes]

It doesn't work here either.
Are we talking the free basic version, or Plus/Pro versions?

Running GE build 4.2.0181.2634 (beta)
CTRL/ALT/A does nothing at all.
There is nothing in the TOOLS menu either.

Does it require SSE2 Instructions (This is a Dual PIII 1.4GHz with 2Gb RAM old office machine)

Found it.
Required CTRL-ALT.GR-A here

[Appletom]

Ctrl+Winkey+AI am absolutely delighted to now have an official name for that silly key between "Alt" and "Ctrl" on the lower left side of my keyboard. Good call JohnLouis!

[JohnLouis]

I am absolutely delighted to now have an official name for that silly key between "Alt" and "Ctrl" on the lower left side of my keyboard. Good call JohnLouis!

The "Winkey" can actually be a useful key as it provides shortcuts to a number of functions. Some love it, some hate it.

A Google search on "winkey shortcuts" will bring up lots of information about it.

Regards

John

[Appletom]

Now I'm bummed. "Winkey" stands for Win(dows) Key. I was pronouncing in "Winky" - like to close and open one eye quickly.

Oh - and you can put me squarely in the camp of those who dislike the Winkey, too often my left pinkie finger hits it by accident when going after the Ctrl, Alt or Shift key and up pops the start menu. But I might get used to the Winkey-D shortcut, thanks for the tip on the Google search.

[JohnLouis]

Now I'm bummed. "Winkey" stands for Win(dows) Key. I was pronouncing in "Winky" - like to close and open one eye quickly.

Oh - and you can put me squarely in the camp of those who dislike the Winkey, too often my left pinkie finger hits it by accident when going after the Ctrl, Alt or Shift key and up pops the start menu. But I might get used to the Winkey-D shortcut, thanks for the tip on the Google search.

You can disable the Winkey but it does require changing things in the registry.

The Microsoft knowledgebase article is at this URL:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=216893

Please note the warning about backing up the registry before proceeding.

Regards

John

[Mastertexan]

I can't wait til they get all the buildings, mountains, and general terrain in google earth. That'll be a really awesome experience!!!

[D14D]

It's that I'm locked on the tarmac w no acceleration.

I can';t figure out how to start it while parked and to get it moving!