Lephturn,
I use the snap view mode, mostly. I have the hat switch on my TM stick programmed for forward-up, right, back, and left, then I program three buttons on my throttle for forward, back, and up, so I can use them to modify my hat stick view. For example, if I want to look back, left, and up, I can push the hat left while pressing the up and back buttons on the throttle. This gives me just about any view I want with minimal thinking (once I learned which button was which, that is).
Due to an unfortunate lack of buttons and a priority conflict between more necessary functions (flaps, trim, etc), I don't have a down button programmed. But I find I only need this in a bomber, when my hands are free to press the KP0 key, or when I'm in one of those German 190s, where the fuel guage is down below normal line of sight. In the case of the 190, if I want to look at or manipulate the fuel selection, I have to switch to the pan view for a moment, pan down, adjust the fuel selector, then switch back to snap view. This is awkward, but it works.
Hope this helps. Your point about head position adjustment is right on. I customize just about every head position to give me the "best" view I can get. Doesn't work in some planes like the new P-51B, where I get mostly "just ok" views, but I'm not complaining.
Thanks!
Walt (Buhdman) Barrow
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Walt (buhdman) Barrow
(formerly lt-buhd-lite)
The Buccaneers - "Return with Honor"
home.earthlink.net/~wjbarrow