To the designers and my fellow flight sim pilots.
Let's try writing for help one more time.
I am blind and I access my pc via program called a screen reader since I have to see with my ears since my eyes don't work.
For helping out the team, here's contact, down load and information about the two screen readers to make the Prepar 3 D web site and programs accessible, not only to the sighted, but for we the blind who has to use a screen reader as well.
The reason why this is taking me a while to write back is because finding the subject and compose fields are also a little tricky and could use some work for we screen reader users as well.
The first screen reader is called JAWS for Windows.
A 40 minute demo can be down loaded at:
www.freedomscientific.com
Their toll-free number here in the states is at:
800-444-4443.
The latest version of JAWS for windows is version 2020.
For additional 40 minute demo windows in the demo mode, you'll constantly have to reboot the pc that you're stress testing jaws on.
I would recommend that you set a timer for around 30 minutes.
This would give you plenty of time to save your work and then reboot the pc and then bring JAWS back online once your pc is finished rebooting.
The second program is free, but I don't like it.
I'm currently learning how to use the second program since it's suppose to work with the flight simulators and add on programs better than jaws.
If you'd like to down load and install this free screen reader program, the name of the program is called NVDA which is short for Non-Visual Desktop Access, and can be down loaded from:
www.nvaccess.org
Also, two more items to comment on here to help out the designers is the following:
1. the Biv Pilots have a web page where you can find advice on how blind pilots fly thanks to the pc and you might want to subscribe and ask the experts for help to make p3d more accessible.
The address is at:
www.bvipilots.com
Also, you might want to do a you tube search for watching tutorials of flights written by fellow bvi pilots by searching for bvipilots both with and without a space to see how blind pilots fly.
Also, one program we once were able to enjoy until the designer took down the web page was a program called Its Your Plane.
If you go out to you tube, you still can find the audio files from the Its Your Plane owner.
But we sadly don't have access to this program any longer.
But I offer it here so that you might see how we too can enjoy flying both for ga flights and for building our virtual careers as well.
Now that you have the ground work on how we interact with our pc, and to hopefully make the P3D web page and program a little more accessible, here's my problems with the Prepar 3 d program.
The good news is that I was able to down load and install the program.
The bad news is that when I go to click on the desktop icon, nothing happens.
I can't even plug in my information to register the program.
Since I can't launch the program via the desktop I also don't see the vehicles, which a fellow BVI Pilot friend told me that is what I should be seeing so I may then select the aircraft I want to fly with.
Then to file a flight plan so that I may fly the flight plan with the selected chosen aircraft.
Can you please help this frustrated BVI Pilot out?!
I upgraded from FSX-SE to P3D while I wait to see what Microsoft will be doing to the new up coming fs 2020 project.
The two exciting features of the FS 2020 project that BVI Pilots are watching out for are:
1. The program is suppose to have what Microsoft is calling layered sounds.
This is suppose to bring the sounds as close to the real world as possible.
I currently have been purchasing my audio programs from a company call Skysong Soundworks.
the address to go listen to the samples before buying is at:
www.skysongsoundworks.com
2. The second feature for the sounds that Microsoft is experimenting with is called directional sounds.
We're hoping that this will give us more access to the areas that need the AI co-pilot/AI first officer assistant programs and also not to have to rely on the screen reader as much as well.
The add on programs that I'm using so that the sim is
1. blind friendly
2. Also as close to the real world as possible is as follows:
Main program to help BVI Pilots out is
Ideal Flight Professional which can be picked up from flight 1,
For a co-pilot assistant program, we're using the now free version of fsx pilot.
Also, what's suppose to be able to help out BVI Pilots is the add on program.
FS Tram.
For special programs, we're using a tour guide of a program that's called talking tour guide I believe.
If you go out to:
www.github.com
You can find it there.
Its a cool program that weill in real time inform the virtual passengers and we the real pilots what we're about to fly over from both sides of the aircraft and what we're about to fly over from both sides of the aircraft.
It makes a boring flight educational from a geological view point and interesting as well.
The weather program we're using is
Active Sky weather add on.
I've been told that they don't yet have a up date to support P3D.
I hope that someone can correct me on this and I would like to know if my current version which is the latest copy will support p3d v 5?
I'm also using a small com bridge of a program called FSUIPC ver 6.
I haven't yet paid for the program, so I'm still using it in the demo mode until I can get P3D V 5 to work before putting out additional funds.
The designers of FSUIPC, is from the company I believe its sim market.
Also, they have a program called make runways to keep your runways up to date.
We're also using a program called FS real time.
Because with FSX the date and time was never up to date nor accurate.
For AI aircraft flying around us, we're also using the program global traffic, or is it traffic global.
I believe that is all of the programs that we're using so that we too may enjoy to fly like the sighted are all ready doing via their eyes.
We offer as much info to the designers of P3D v 5 so that they will be able to assist us to learn and use their programs.
If you don't have a family member or friend with a disability, or went to school or work with someone who has a disability, it will be up to we volunteer guinea pigs to show you how to adapt your programs so that we too maybe able to enjoy them as well.
I also would like to take this opportunity to ask the following.
When you design you tube and or audio tutorials, just having musing playing in the background and showing graphics or having a audio video of engine sounds won't help us.
If you could walk us through your tutorials by audio narration then we too may learn something new like your sighted customers are doing with their eyes, since they can see the ir monitors with their normal eyes.
I live on a fixed income, so like almost anyone, I don't like to waste money when I can help it.
I would love to work with you so that I too may be able to use the p3d program.
But I don't want to extend past the deadline of a refund if we can't get p3d to work for we who have to fly via our ears since our eyes don't work.
I live in the East Coast Time Zone and if a designer could go to my records and grab my contact info via e=mail and or phone number, I'd appreciate the help.
I hope via this letter that the designers of the p3d program will learn something new and be able to not only help myself out but others wanting to use the p3d program and be customers of p3d as well.
Very Thankfully Yours.
The Blind Pilot.
P.S.
Could you help me to find a USB flight deck?
Here's what I'm looking for.
1. A USB flight yoke/joy stick that will support force feedback and have in the neighborhood of say twenty buttons on the flight yoke.
The reason why I say twenty buttons is this.
I have access to a hand to ear military flight simulator called Three-D Velocity or TDV for short.
It is the only hand to ear product that has force feedback support written into the product.
But since jumping to the world of the 64 bit processor world, we never ever could find a USB package that would support the force feedback for USB controllers that support force feedback and also work in the world of the 64 bit processor world as well.
The best way to describe this program is to combine the two movies top guns and iron eagles together, then you'd have this flight sim.
If the designers of P3D would like to down load TDV and it might give them ideals on adapting p3d for BVI Pilots,without as many add on programs, you can grab TDV from:
www.github.com
Set up your free subscription and then search for the program three-D Velocity.
We not only would like to use the flight yoke/joy stick that will hopefully support force feedback and have roughly twenty buttons it with TDV, FSX-SE, the new up coming FS 2020 program, P3D and last but not least the X-plane program and also with as many hand to ear games that support USB plug and play external equipment as possible.
I'm also looking for a matching USB throttle as well and a set up USB petals as well.
Can you help me out with this project?
any advice and or leads on to find such a device will be deeply appreciated.
We're just trying to find a way to enjoy our favorite flight sims and games and to also be able to untie ourselves from the over worked keyboard.
Very Thankfully Yours,
A new P3D customer
The Blind Pilot.
