AIRCRAFT CONTROL VARIABLES

The tables below indicate the properties for the Simulation Variables that can be used to get and set properties related to the various aircraft control systems. For information on the units listed for each variable, please see here: Simulation Variable Units

NOTE: When Microsoft Flight Simulator is running in multiplayer mode, only a small number of variables are communicated between aircraft. Those variables that are available will say so in the description as being either for "All Aircraft" or for "Shared Cockpit".

You can find a complete index of all available SimVars here: SimVar Index

 

Ailerons

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
AILERON AVERAGE DEFLECTION Angle deflection for the aileron. Radians
AILERON LEFT DEFLECTION Angle deflection for the aileron. Radians
AILERON LEFT DEFLECTION PCT

Percent deflection for the aileron.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
AILERON POSITION Percent aileron input left/right.

Position

(-16K to 0)

-16K = full left
AILERON RIGHT DEFLECTION Angle deflection. Radians
AILERON RIGHT DEFLECTION PCT

Percent deflection.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
AILERON TRIM Angle deflection. Radians
AILERON TRIM DISABLED Whether or not the Aileron Trim has been disabled. Bool
AILERON TRIM PCT

The trim position of the ailerons. Zero is fully retracted.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100

 

 

Elevator

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
ELEVATOR DEFLECTION Angle deflection. Radians
ELEVATOR DEFLECTION PCT

Percent deflection.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
ELEVATOR POSITION Percent elevator input deflection.

Position

(-16K to 0)

-16K = full down
ELEVATOR TRIM DISABLED Whether or not the Elevator Trim has been disabled. Bool
ELEVATOR TRIM DOWN LIMIT Returns the maximum elevator trim value. This corresponds to the elevator_trim_down_limit in the Flight Model Config file. Degrees
ELEVATOR TRIM INDICATOR Percent elevator trim (for indication).

Position

(-16K to 0)

-16K = full down
ELEVATOR TRIM NEUTRAL Elevator trim neutral.

Radians
ELEVATOR TRIM PCT Percent elevator trim. Percent Over 100
ELEVATOR TRIM POSITION Elevator trim deflection. Radians
ELEVATOR TRIM UP LIMIT Returns the maximum elevator trim value. This corresponds to the elevator_trim_up_limit in the Flight Model Config file. Degrees
ELEVON DEFLECTION Elevon deflection. Radians

 

 

Flaps

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
FLAP DAMAGE BY SPEED True if flaps are damaged by excessive speed. Bool
FLAP POSITION SET Set the position of the flaps control. Position
FLAP SPEED EXCEEDED True if safe speed limit for flaps exceeded. Bool
FLAPS AVAILABLE True if flaps available. Bool
FLAPS EFFECTIVE HANDLE INDEX:index This returns the effective flaps handle index, after some of the conditions have potentially forced the state to change. Number
FLAPS HANDLE INDEX:index Index of current flap position. Number
FLAPS HANDLE PERCENT

Percent flap handle extended.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
FLAPS NUM HANDLE POSITIONS Number of available flap positions. Number
LEADING EDGE FLAPS LEFT ANGLE Angle left leading edge flap extended. Use LEADING_EDGE_FLAPS_LEFT_PERCENT to set a value. Radians
LEADING EDGE FLAPS LEFT INDEX Index of left leading edge flap position. Number
LEADING EDGE FLAPS LEFT PERCENT

Percent left leading edge flap extended.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
LEADING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT ANGLE Angle right leading edge flap extended. Use LEADING_EDGE_FLAPS_RIGHT_PERCENT to set a value. Radians
LEADING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT INDEX Index of right leading edge flap position. Number
LEADING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT PERCENT

Percent right leading edge flap extended.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
TRAILING EDGE FLAPS LEFT ANGLE Angle left trailing edge flap extended. Use TRAILING_EDGE_FLAPS_LEFT_PERCENT to set a value. Radians
TRAILING EDGE FLAPS LEFT INDEX Index of left trailing edge flap position. Number
TRAILING EDGE FLAPS LEFT PERCENT

Percent left trailing edge flap extended.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
TRAILING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT ANGLE Angle right trailing edge flap extended. Use TRAILING_EDGE_FLAPS_RIGHT_PERCENT to set a value. Radians
TRAILING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT INDEX Index of right trailing edge flap position. Number
TRAILING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT PERCENT

Percent right trailing edge flap extended.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer to all near aircraft. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100

 

 

Fly By Wire

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
FLY BY WIRE ALPHA PROTECTION Returns true if the fly-by-wire alpha protection is enabled or false otherwise. Bool
FLY BY WIRE ELAC FAILED True if the Elevators and Ailerons computer has failed. Bool
FLY BY WIRE ELAC SWITCH True if the fly by wire Elevators and Ailerons computer is on. Bool
FLY BY WIRE FAC FAILED True if the Flight Augmentation computer has failed. Bool
FLY BY WIRE FAC SWITCH True if the fly by wire Flight Augmentation computer is on. Bool
FLY BY WIRE SEC FAILED True if the Spoilers and Elevators computer has failed. Bool
FLY BY WIRE SEC SWITCH True if the fly by wire Spoilers and Elevators computer is on. Bool

 

 

Folding Wings

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
FOLDING WING HANDLE POSITION True if the folding wing handle is engaged. Bool
FOLDING WING LEFT PERCENT Left folding wing position, 1.0 is fully folded. Percent Over 100
FOLDING WING RIGHT PERCENT Right folding wing position, 1.0 is fully folded. Percent Over 100

 

 

Rudder

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
RUDDER DEFLECTION Angle deflection. Radians
RUDDER DEFLECTION PCT

Percent deflection.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

 Percent Over 100
RUDDER PEDAL INDICATOR Rudder pedal position. Position
RUDDER PEDAL POSITION Percent rudder pedal deflection (for animation).

Position (-16K to 0)

-16K = left pedal pushed full in
RUDDER POSITION Percent rudder input deflection.

Position (-16K to 0)

-16K = full left
RUDDER TRIM Angle deflection. Radians
RUDDER TRIM DISABLED Whether or not the Rudder Trim has been disabled. Bool
RUDDER TRIM PCT The trim position of the rudder. Zero is no trim. Percent Over 100

 

 

Spoilers

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
SPOILERS ARMED Checks if autospoilers are armed (true) or not (false). Bool
SPOILER AVAILABLE True if spoiler system available. Bool
SPOILERS HANDLE POSITION Spoiler handle position.

Percent Over 100

or

Position

(16K = down, 0 = up)
SPOILERS LEFT POSITION

Percent left spoiler deflected.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

Percent Over 100

or

Position

(0 = retracted, 16K fully extended)
SPOILERS RIGHT POSITION

Percent right spoiler deflected.

NOTE: This is available in multiplayer. See here for more information: Note On SimVars In Multiplayer.

Percent Over 100

or

Position (0 = retracted, 16K fully extended)

 

 

Carrier Operations

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
BLAST SHIELD POSITION:index Indexed from 1, 100 is fully deployed, 0 flat on deck Percent Over 100
CABLE CAUGHT BY TAILHOOK:index A number 1 through 4 for the cable number caught by the tailhook. Cable 1 is the one closest to the stern of the carrier. A value of 0 indicates no cable was caught. Number
CATAPULT STROKE POSITION:index Catapults are indexed from 1. This value will be 0 before the catapult fires, and then up to 100 as the aircraft is propelled down the catapult. The aircraft may takeoff before the value reaches 100 (depending on the aircraft weight, power applied, and other factors), in which case this value will not be further updated. This value could be used to drive a bogie animation. Number
HOLDBACK BAR INSTALLED Holdback bars allow build up of thrust before takeoff from a catapult, and are installed by the deck crew of an aircraft carrier. Bool
LAUNCHBAR HELD EXTENDED This will be True if the launchbar is fully extended, and can be used, for example, to change the color of an instrument light. Bool
LAUNCHBAR POSITION Installed on aircraft before takeoff from a carrier catapult. Note that gear cannot retract with this extended. 100 = fully extended. Percent Over 100
LAUNCHBAR SWITCH If this is set to True the launch bar switch has been engaged. Bool
NUMBER OF CATAPULTS Maximum of 4. A model can contain more than 4 catapults, but only the first four will be read and recognized by the simulation. Number

 

 

Concorde

Simulation Variable Description Units Settable
CONCORDE NOSE ANGLE The nose angle, where 0 is fully up. Radians
CONCORDE VISOR NOSE HANDLE The visor nose handle position.

Enum:

  1. 0:[index] visor up, nose down
  2. 1:[index] visor down, nose up
  3. 2:[index] visor down, nose 5 degrees
  4. 3:[index] visor down, nose 12.5 degrees
CONCORDE VISOR POSITION PERCENT

The visor position expressed as a percentage where 0.0 = up and 1.0 = extended/down.

 Percent Over 100