Your Controls is a freeware shared cockpit add-on for the Microsoft Flight Simulator. A community member Sequal32 has done an amazing job of providing shared cockpit functionality. The latest version adds several supported aircraft mods, such as the Working Title Citation CJ4, and Salty Simulations Boeing 747-8. The FlyByWire Simulations Airbus A32NX has been supported already since launch, allowing the Captain, First Officer, and a jumpseat pilot to connect from their homes for the same flight.
Your Controls shared cockpit add-on will also work when flying in online airspaces, such as VATSIM. While the First Officer handles the radio communications, the Captain turns the knobs and vice versa. The one who controls the plane can be switched in-flight. It’s so much more “As Real As It Gets”, and takes flight simulations to the next level. Asobo Studio has promised an in-build shared cockpit mode coming in with the future Sim Updates, but it can take some time to happen.
Setup the FlyByWire A32NX with Your Controls on VATSIM:
- Make sure both the Captain and First Officer have the same A32NX version installed.
- MSFS Multiplayer settings should be the same as usual on VATSIM (Group Flight, AI off, Live Weather).
- Load your flights with the same plane, airport, and gate/ramp.
- Run Your Controls application, one of you makes the server, and the others connect to it.
- The one who made the server is PILOT FLYING, controlling the aircraft by default.
- PILOT FLYING can give the aircraft control to the other pilot by choosing GIVE CONTROL.
- PILOT FLYING connects to VATSIM using callsign, for example here, AAL123, aircraft type A20N, and files a flight plan.
- PILOT MONITORING connects to VATSIM using callsign AAL123A, with the same aircraft type A20N, and check that “shared cockpit mode (observer mode)” is on. Do NOT file a flight plan.
- A third pilot can join the jumpseat by connecting to VATSIM using callsign AAL123B, aircraft type A20N, and checking “shared cockpit mode (observer mode)” on. Do NOT file a flight plan.
- Voice connection between the crew is not supported at the moment, so you will need a separate program for it.
- To setup a shared cockpit for any other of the supported aircraft, just follow these steps again by replacing A320 with the other aircraft type.
