From setup to your next flight.

Before your flight

Install FlightWatch and its vPilot bridge. Start MSFS 2020 and vPilot as needed for your session, then open FlightWatch and check SYSTEM CHECK → VPILOT. Follow the application prompts for Public Beta licensing.

Monitor the ATC Route

Select the flight you want to monitor. Review CURRENT, NEXT and LATER controllers, their callsigns and their relevance to the route. Watch for changes in the current network; do not interpret the route as a prediction of future controller availability.

Send and receive messages

Read incoming vPilot communications in FlightWatch. Before sending a private message, check its recipient and text. Your connected vPilot callsign remains the sender, including when you FOLLOW another flight.

Manage COM1 deliberately

Check the active and standby values. Use explicit tune and swap actions only when you intend to change the radio. FlightWatch does not auto-tune or auto-swap.

Use Hoppie CPDLC and PDC/DCL

Enter your own Hoppie code locally in the application and keep it secret. Choose the appropriate ATC Route, nearby datalink or manually entered station. Review the request preview before sending. WILCO, UNABLE and STANDBY are manual pilot responses; no clearance is accepted automatically.

Pair the Mobile Receiver

Put your phone and PC on the same LAN / Wi-Fi and scan the pairing QR shown by FlightWatch. The receiver displays messages, ATIS, datalink information, route changes and history. It is read-only and requires no cloud relay. Keep pairing details within your trusted local network.

Print operational information

Select a Windows printer and set 50, 58, 80 or 90 mm paper, or enter a custom width. Adjust font scaling and print the required ATIS, CPDLC or PDC/DCL information.

Review flight history

Open Flight History to review the timeline for the current flight or an older flight. ATC changes, communications, CPDLC, ATIS and alerts are stored locally. Use the application’s available retention settings to manage local history.

Read the forward timeline

Use FULL TIMELINE to review confirmed relevant online stations from your present position towards the destination. For other online stations, use ATC WATCH → ALL or search. CURRENT/NEXT/LATER are advisory; a real controller instruction takes priority.

Open NAVLOG and ACTIVE LEG

With a live flight loaded, use NAVLOG at the top of the flight panel for the full route. ACTIVE LEG opens the current leg, next fix and available distance. Local AIRAC details require your configured local database; missing or uncertain data remain labelled.

Inspect runway geometry and ETA wind

Open the arrival/runway information and the ATC RUNWAY editor to inspect the runway diagram. Compare runway-end wind components in RUNWAY WIND MATRIX. Clicking a runway end requires confirmation before recording your pilot-entered assignment; it does not transmit or provide approach clearance.

Check weather provenance

In Route Weather, select SOURCES to inspect NOW / +30 / +60 / ETA locations, times and data sources. An airport TAF is not an official forecast for every point along your route. Missing observations or forecasts remain unavailable.

Download a diagnostic ZIP

Load a live flight, then open Settings → DIAGNOSTIC ZIP and confirm. If no download appears, click DOWNLOAD DIAGNOSTIC ZIP in the result window and check your browser download location. Optionally run API HEALTH beforehand to include its latest completed check. Review the ZIP before sharing: it includes callsign, route and public ATC identifiers, but excludes credentials and private messages.

Adjust receipt footer feed

In Settings → Output, set Footer feed lines from 0 to 10 for ESC/POS output. The default is 0. TEST PRINT uses the current value so you can check the paper feed before saving.

Connect the vPilot bridge

FlightWatch requires the following DLL for vPilot communications:

Install it in:

1. Close vPilot.
2. Copy FlightWatch.VPilotBridge.dll into the Plugins folder of your vPilot installation.
3. Restart vPilot.
4. Open FlightWatch.
5. Check SYSTEM CHECK → VPILOT.

At the end of installation, leave “Open FlightWatch first-install information” checked. The instructions are also available at C:\Program Files\FlightWatch\vPilotBridge\INSTALL_VPILOT_BRIDGE_GR_EN.txt. Use the bridge supplied with your release.