Settings
Open the xPilot settings window by clicking the button in the client.
Push to Talk
Push to Talk (PTT) is configured in X-Plane, not in the xPilot client. For setup instructions, see Push to Talk.
Network
Use the Network tab to enter your VATSIM credentials before connecting.
The VATSIM ID, VATSIM Password, and Your Name fields should match your VATSIM account details.
The Home Airport field is optional. If you fill it in, it will be shown next to your name while connected.
Notifications
Use the Notifications tab to choose which events should trigger an alert.
You can enable notifications for:
- New private messages
- Radio messages
- Direct radio messages
- Network broadcasts
- SELCAL notifications
- Unexpected disconnects from the network
The Notification Audio Device setting lets you choose which output device xPilot should use for notification sounds. If you leave it unchanged, xPilot will use your system default output device.
Audio
Use the Audio tab to choose your input and output devices and adjust radio audio behavior.
The Audio API dropdown selects the audio backend used by xPilot. In most cases, the default option is the right choice.
The Microphone Device is the input used for voice communication on VATSIM. After changing microphones, adjust Mic Gain so the indicator stays in the green range while speaking normally.
The Headset Device and Speaker Device are the output devices used for radio audio. You can send COM1 and COM2 audio to different devices if you want to separate them.
If Split output audio channels is enabled, COM1 audio is routed to the left channel and COM2 audio is routed to the right channel.
The COM1 and COM2 sliders control the receive volume for each radio within xPilot.
Changes made to radio volumes in the aircraft are not reflected in the xPilot sliders, and changes made in xPilot are not reflected back into the aircraft.
If Enable HF squelch is turned on, the constant static noise normally heard on HF frequencies is removed.
If Disable realistic radio effects is enabled, incoming voice audio will sound cleaner but less like a real aircraft radio—more like a typical VoIP call (similar to Discord). Not recommended.
Fonts
Use the Fonts tab to control the font family and text size for the Messages Area and Nearby ATC panel.
Miscellaneous
Use the Miscellaneous tab for a few general client behaviors.
If Automatically set transponder to Mode C on takeoff is enabled, xPilot will switch your transponder to Mode C after takeoff.
If Keep xPilot window visible is enabled, the xPilot client stays on top of other windows.
The Update Channel setting controls whether xPilot checks for Stable releases or Beta releases. Stable is recommended for most users.