diff --git a/Tools/autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh b/Tools/autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh
index 625551427a..0ff56be345 100755
--- a/Tools/autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh
+++ b/Tools/autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh
@@ -3,23 +3,18 @@
 # Try to run a command in an appropriate type of terminal window
 # depending on whats available
 # Sigh: theres no common way of handling command line args :-(
-function run_in_terminal_window()
-{
-    name="$1"
-    shift
-    echo "Starting $name : $*"
-    # default to xterm as it has the most consistent options and can start minimised
-    if [ -x /usr/bin/xterm ]; then
-	 /usr/bin/xterm -iconic -n "$name" -name "$name" -T "$name" -hold -e $* &
-    elif [ -x /usr/bin/konsole ]; then
-	 /usr/bin/konsole --hold -e $*
-    elif [ -x /usr/bin/gnome-terminal ]; then
-	 /usr/bin/gnome-terminal -e "$*"
-    else
-        echo "ERROR: Please install xterm"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-}
-
-run_in_terminal_window $*
+name="$1"
+shift
+echo "Starting $name : $*"
+# default to xterm as it has the most consistent options and can start minimised
+if [ -x /usr/bin/xterm ]; then
+  /usr/bin/xterm -iconic -n "$name" -name "$name" -T "$name" -hold -e $* &
+elif [ -x /usr/bin/konsole ]; then
+  /usr/bin/konsole --hold -e $*
+elif [ -x /usr/bin/gnome-terminal ]; then
+  /usr/bin/gnome-terminal -e "$*"
+else
+  echo "ERROR: Please install xterm"
+  exit 1
+fi
 exit 0
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/sim_arduplane.sh b/Tools/autotest/sim_arduplane.sh
index 0594b4c52a..04deb50df7 100755
--- a/Tools/autotest/sim_arduplane.sh
+++ b/Tools/autotest/sim_arduplane.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ USE_GDB=0
 CLEAN_BUILD=0
 
 # parse options. Thanks to http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/howto/getopts_tutorial
-while getopts ":I:" opt; do
+while getopts ":I:VGc" opt; do
   case $opt in
     I)
       INSTANCE=$OPTARG
@@ -64,8 +64,10 @@ make sitl -j4 || {
 cmd="/tmp/ArduPlane.build/ArduPlane.elf -I$INSTANCE"
 
 if [ $USE_VALGRIND == 1 ]; then
-    $autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh "ardupilot (valgrind)" valgrind -q $cmd || exit 1
+    echo "Using valgrind"
+    $autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh "ardupilot (valgrind)" valgrind $cmd || exit 1
 elif [ $USE_GDB == 1 ]; then
+    echo "Using gdb"
     tfile=$(mktemp)
     echo r > $tfile
     $autotest/run_in_terminal_window.sh "ardupilot (gdb)" gdb -x $tfile --args $cmd || exit 1