IBFLOYD:
Welcome! You will find an almost religious dedication to various opinions on the subject of view setup. Most people use the "Hat Switch" in combination with some kind of "UP" shift as described by several of those that already posted. It works great for a lot of fine pilots.
However, don't disregard the STANDARD view system, which is preconfigured by default with every AH installation unless you change it. It works especially well for right-handed people.
Set your joystick down immediately to the right of your keyboard, so that the numeric keypad is adjacent its left side, as close as you can get it to your throttle lever. Use your right hand for joystick functions, and use your left hand on that numeric keypad for views. This gives you constant, instant access to all 33 available views, leaving you with a big advantage over those that get by with only the best-known 17 views.
The hat switch view settings then become redundant, and you always have the option to remap them, giving you constant access to your favorite right-handed functions. I like to use my hat switch for "targeting" functions (like view zooming) that I want extremely handy in the heat of battle.
This is a tradeoff. It increases your view options, but it moves your left hand slightly off of your throttle lever. That tradeoff turns out to be advantageous for me in "Boom and Zoom" and "Energy Fighting", but others point out that it may penalize the "Turn Fight". You might want to give some thought to the kinds of aircraft you prefer to fly, and the type of fighting to which each is suited:
Boom and Zoom: In this kind of fighting, you'll work to create situations where you are moving 100 to 300 MPH faster than your opponents. The distances between you and your targets will be extremely dynamic, and you'll be zooming up and down through the fight. At long range, you'll sometimes want to zoom your view in so you can see the orientation of your target. At other times you'll want to zoom back out for an increased field of view to help you take in the big picture. Shot opportunities will be brief, and it will be very easy to visually lose track of your prey unless you can easily zoom your view back out. Most of the time your throttle will be either FULL ON or FULL OFF. The extra view flexibility of the standard view system delivers a big advantage in this situation, and the cost is minimal.
Turn Fighting: In this kind of fighting, you'll work hard to get a lot closer to your opponents and it will be somewhat easier to see them on average. You won't need to zoom your view in and out as often, so it's OK to map those functions to a less convenient location than the hat switch. You'll be making frequent adjustments to your throttle, and you'll spend a lot more time nudging it around, between its extremes. Your shot opportunities will last a lot longer, and you'll have more chances to fly into your own personal "sweet spot" for shooting at your preferred distance. Your mind may settle into a specific target image for that distance, and you may find that dynamic view zooming can be disruptive to your long-held aiming habits.
I also have a TrackIR system. I like it for "tourist" flying. But in combat, I keep going back to the standard system, with my hat switched remapped for targeting. That's the system that gets me the most success in combat.
Like I said, there are a lot of opinions and options. The point is that Aces High offers you many, many choices. You will probably be re-thinking this over and over again during your first year or two with us. Eventually you'll figure out what you like best. Enjoy the process!
-Peabody-
