Airbus Series/Saitek Throttle problem

[dickwells69]

Dear Pete/fellow members,

I am having problem's with moving the throttle's in Just Flight's Airbus Series Vol.1 in FSX.

I have a Saitek Yoke (with Throttle Quadrant), Rudder Pedals, and an extra Throttle Quadrant installed.

Both the Spoiler lever and Flaps lever that are assigned through FSUIPC are working fine, but I can not figure out how to get the the throttles to register the 4 detents (Idle, CL, FLX/MCT & TOGA) that are needed to fly any of the Airbus aircraft.

Can I also point out that I have not had any problem's so far with any other add-on's since installing FSUIPC4 (other than programming switches in 747-400X, but we won't go down that road just now! :lol: ), but this is my 1st add-on that I have installed that uses this type of control.

I have been simming for a few years now, but I must confess that I have never really flown Airbus aircraft before and it may be that I am missing something totally obvious and I'm sorry if that is the case! :oops:

I eagerly await your knowledgeable reply!

Many thanks,

Dick Wells

[Pete Dowson]

I can not figure out how to get the the throttles to register the 4 detents (Idle, CL, FLX/MCT & TOGA) that are needed to fly any of the Airbus aircraft.

How are those detente's implemented in the aircraft? Are they really just values of the throttle input, or special controls, buttons or keystrokes?

You don't have any detentes on your throttle quadrant, so whatever you do with that you'd have to remember of mark the positions in any case, wouldn't you? If you merely want the throttles to send keystrokes or other controls, you don't calibrate them as axes with continuous values, but assign the appropriate controls to ranges of throttle movement on the right-hand part of the Axis assignments tab.

Don't the aircraft makers supply any helpful information to throttle quadrant users? It can't be unique to Saitek. Everyone with an analogue throttle will be asking the same questions, whether they use FSUIPC or not. So surely the makers have answers?

I have been simming for a few years now, but I must confess that I have never really flown Airbus aircraft before

I've never used an Airbus model either, and must confess I've really not much interest in a completely automated fly-by-wire (even button-pushing?0 experience, as good and European as those Airbus's may be. Maybe the throttle quadrant isn't really needed and you really only need a 4-way switch? You can program an axis to act as a multiway switch -- that is via assignment of zones as I mentioned.

Regards

Pete

[dickwells69]

Thanks for your quick reply Pete!

I have done some research via different forums, but none have explained how to actually program the detents as you have suggested, so I'll give that a go when I get some more time later in the week.

I'm also dissappointed that the manual simply states :-

Simulation of the lever movement in Flight Simulator :

As your throttle control does not have detents, this

is simulated by a sound that is played each time a

lever enters or leaves a detent. When you move your

throttle, pay attention to this sound because it

indicates when the levers have reached a detent. You

can also see the thrust mode indication on the

Engine/Warning Display (E/WD).

The autothrust system works properly if you control

the throttle through the keyboard. Nevertheless, the

use of a throttle device is highly recommended.

However, this is where my problem lies and what I find so confusing, because when my throttles are advanced from Idle (they will give me thrust up to 60-65% on the ground), the CL, FLX/MCT & TOGA detents are not entered or left and no sound is played.

As you can imagine, this was extremely frustrating and it was only after a couple of hours and a fluke of right clicking on the throttles (whilst in Virtual Cockpit)and enabling Mouse Yoke that I was able to get the the throttles to enter and leave the detents! :x

Like you, I'm not much interested in what some Pilot's refer to as "Scarebuses" either, but I picked it up cheap and thought I'd give it a go for a change from 73', 74's & 75's (although, looking back now, I think a case of temporary insanity made me buy it! :lol: )

Thanks again for your help Pete and I'll let you know how I get on with your suggestion. :)

Dick Wells

[Pete Dowson]

"As your throttle control does not have detents, this

is simulated by a sound that is played each time a

lever enters or leaves a detent."

Hmm. What a strange idea!

The autothrust system works properly if you control

the throttle through the keyboard. Nevertheless, the

use of a throttle device is highly recommended.

So what are the keyboard short-cuts for each "detente"?

... a fluke of right clicking on the throttles (whilst in Virtual Cockpit)and enabling Mouse Yoke that I was able to get the the throttles to enter and leave the detents!

Right-clicking on the screen image of the throttles, you mean? Does that cause any FS controls to be sent at all (find out by enabling FSUIPC "event" logging first, then doing the right-clicking). If so then maybe you can program those as part of the zone selection for the throttle axis assignments.

Additionally, if there are no keyboard short-cuts for each selection, you could instead read the axis values (in FSUIPC's assignments tab) which correspond to the centre of each of the detente sections, and then, in the axis assignments in FSUIPC, program 4 zones which send "AXIS THROTTLEn SET" controls with the parameter set to that central value. Having done that you can de-assign the left-hand axis assignments and just rely on each zone sending the right value.

Regards

Pete

[dickwells69]

Success at last! :D

I went in to Axis Assignment in FSUIPC, moved the Axis that I wanted for Throttle1, clicked on Send direct to FSUIPC Calibration (on the left hand side), ticked the top one of the 4 check boxes below that and selected Throttle1 from the drop down menu! I then repeated the process for Throttle2.

It was as simple as that! :x

However, I do find it strange that I've never had to that for any Boeing or other Airbus Aircraft from varying add-on company's (Including Just Flight!!!!).

In case you're interested, it now does a smooth & normal throttle control from the Idle latch at 0% to around the 75% (marked on my Saitek Throttle Quadrant). It then latches in to CLB, then FLX/MCT around the midway point 75-100%, before latching in to TOGA at 100%. I already had reverse thrust programmed in to button's on my quadrant (I use a slot below the axis, that you can drop the axis handle in to for a slightly better feel of realism) and they were working fine already.

Thankfully the latching noises can now also be heard too, which makes it easier than panning round the cockpit to see where you're at!!! :lol:

I hope this post helps other users who may have encountered similar problems with this add-on!

Thanks again for your help and advice on this problem Pete and I also want to say a big thank you for the work you put in to FSUIPC, which is a massive benefit to all of us in the Flightsim community.

It is much appreciated and you really are a legend amongst simmer's! :D

Best wishes and keep up the good work!

Dick Wells

[Pete Dowson]

I went in to Axis Assignment in FSUIPC, moved the Axis that I wanted for Throttle1, clicked on Send direct to FSUIPC Calibration (on the left hand side), ticked the top one of the 4 check boxes below that and selected Throttle1 from the drop down menu! I then repeated the process for Throttle2.

It was as simple as that! :x

Well that's just one way of assigning them, but a commonly used one because it's rather more efficient than the others.

However, I do find it strange that I've never had to that for any Boeing or other Airbus Aircraft from varying add-on company's (Including Just Flight!!!!).

I'm glad you solved it, but I'm a bit curious. What method of assignment have you used before?

Regards

Pete

[dickwells69]

Hi Pete,

To be honest with you, I've just assigned them through FS and then used the FSUIPC Joystick Calibration section for Throttle, Flaps & Spoiler's and the FSUIPC Button's & Switches section for programming my button's.

Maybe I've just been lucky with the add-on's I have, that I've not encountered this problem before and I'm sure as I start to use FSUIPC more (since my recent purchase of it) to enhance my simulation experience further, there'll be a couple more question's at a later date!

Sorry in advance for that Pete! :lol:

Thanks again Pete! :D

Dick Wells

[Pete Dowson]

To be honest with you, I've just assigned them through FS and then used the FSUIPC Joystick Calibration section ...

That's normal, should work. That's just like using FS only, but with FSUIPC tarting up the values to fit better.

Maybe I've just been lucky with the add-on's I have, that I've not encountered this problem before

Sounds like there's something rather peculiar going on with the particular Airbus throttles. No idea what it could be, though. Still, as long as it now works. And at least in FSUIPC you can have different assignment methods for different aircraft.

Regards

Pete