PFC Throttle Qaudrant and Wilco A380 V2

[phil mitchell]

Hi Pete and others.

Anyone tried to use a Fly PFC Throttle Quadrant with Wilco products?

Particularly their FSX A380 V2 11

No matter which throttle quadrant ( including use Confg) I choose from PFC menu in FSX, I cannot get the Throttle levels to operate this Afct.

What is strange is the Spolier and Rev thrust levers do work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Phil

[Pete Dowson]

No matter which throttle quadrant ( including use Confg) I choose from PFC menu in FSX, I cannot get the Throttle levels to operate this Afct.

What is strange is the Spolier and Rev thrust levers do work.

Any suggestions?

Yes. Airbuses are different. They don't have direct throttle control, but "fly-by-wire". The throttle merely sets different thrust modes. I suspect that, in order to implement this properly, Wilco have intercepted the regualr FS throttle controls and re-interpreting them accordingly.

The PFC driver doesn't send the standard throttle controls, but operates the FS throttles directly, so bypassing Wilco's intercept.

The only way around this is to assign the throttles in FSUIPC instead. In the quadrant section of the PFC driver disable the throttle (make a user configuration with your other levers, but no throttles enabled), then go into FSUIPC's axis assignments, move the throttles and assign them to the regular FS controls -- Axis Throttle1 Set - Axis Throttle 4 set. Then the Airbus should see them.

Regards

Pete

[phil mitchell]

Yes. Airbuses are different. They don't have direct throttle control, but "fly-by-wire". The throttle merely sets different thrust modes. I suspect that, in order to implement this properly, Wilco have intercepted the regualr FS throttle controls and re-interpreting them accordingly.

The PFC driver doesn't send the standard throttle controls, but operates the FS throttles directly, so bypassing Wilco's intercept.

The only way around this is to assign the throttles in FSUIPC instead. In the quadrant section of the PFC driver disable the throttle (make a user configuration with your other levers, but no throttles enabled), then go into FSUIPC's axis assignments, move the throttles and assign them to the regular FS controls -- Axis Throttle1 Set - Axis Throttle 4 set. Then the Airbus should see them.

Regards

Pete

Thanks Pete, I tried as suggested above, read your manual on how to do it. But even by clicking on ignore Axis, the only level I can assign for Z is 2nd throttle lever.

And that still does nothing in FSX with Afct.

I've attached a picture of what I have tried.

Is there something else I am missing.?

Cheers

Phil

[phil mitchell]

Thanks Pete, I tried as suggested above, read your manual on how to do it. But even by clicking on ignore Axis, the only level I can assign for Z is 2nd throttle lever.

And that still does nothing in FSX with Afct.

I've attached a picture of what I have tried.

Is there something else I am missing.?

Cheers

Phil

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks Pete, I tried as suggested above

The "ThrottlleNSet" controls are probably being ignored by the add-on Airbus. Try assigning to the Axis ThrottleN set controls, as I suggested!

But even by clicking on ignore Axis, the only level I can assign for Z is 2nd throttle lever.

Sorry, what is this part about? You seem to have changed the subject. And I don't understand why you are using "ignore axis" nor what "level" means in this context.

Pete

[phil mitchell]

The "ThrottlleNSet" controls are probably being ignored by the add-on Airbus. Try assigning to the Axis ThrottleN set controls, as I suggested!

Sorry, what is this part about? You seem to have changed the subject. And I don't understand why you are using "ignore axis" nor what "level" means in this context.

Pete

Hi I try that.

Now what I mean by lever, throttle lever, i.e, levers on throttle quadrant of PFC unit.

When I was moving them during trying to assign them in FSUIPC, only the 2nd one was changing number values.

Also Wilco got back, this is what they said.

"The problem comes from FSUIPC. PFC use FSUIPC to control the throttle. We use standard FS control to do that. If you can control your PFC hardware via the standard FS control, the problem will be solved."

I cannot comemnt about that statement, as of course you deisgned the FSUIPC module.

I have other Airbus afct installed, this is first one I have had a problem with.

Thanks

Phil

[Pete Dowson]

Now what I mean by lever, throttle lever, i.e, levers on throttle quadrant of PFC unit.

When I was moving them during trying to assign them in FSUIPC, only the 2nd one was changing number values.

Hmm. That's odd. They are all assigned specific axis offsets for FSUIPC to read. Let me check and get back to you.

Also Wilco got back, this is what they said.

"The problem comes from FSUIPC. PFC use FSUIPC to control the throttle. We use standard FS control to do that. If you can control your PFC hardware via the standard FS control, the problem will be solved."

I cannot comemnt about that statement, as of course you deisgned the FSUIPC module.

They are confirming exactly what I said, that you need to assign to the standard FS controls, the "Axis Throttle N Set" controls. That's all they mean.

[LATER]

Okay, I checked what happens with the PFC throttle quadrant in the FSUIPC4 axis assignments.

It all seems to be working. Left-to-right the levers give axes X Y Z R U and V. Move one, assign it, Press RESCAN, move the next, assign it and so on.

No need to use "Ignore" buttons unless the axes are jittery -- when not calibrating leave them parked at one extreme position or the other.

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Now what I mean by lever, throttle lever, i.e, levers on throttle quadrant of PFC unit.

When I was moving them during trying to assign them in FSUIPC, only the 2nd one was changing number values.

Okay, I checked what happens with the PFC throttle quadrant in the FSUIPC4 axis assignments.

It all seems to be working. Left-to-right the levers give axes X Y Z R U and V. Move one, assign it, Press RESCAN, move the next, assign it and so on. Same method for all hardware axes.

No need to use "Ignore" buttons unless the axes are jittery -- when not calibrating leave them parked at one extreme position or the other.

Regards

Pete

[phil mitchell]

Hi Pete, thanks for reply and suggestions.

I do what you suggest and some throttle levers numbers values range is very low compared to others, also I notice while doing this, my Avonics stack lights start flashing on ADF, Coms etc.

Also on some axis, the section in FSUIPC below where send to FS etc, throttle set 1 to 4 comes up, yet on some axis it doesn't not when I move a throttle lever.

Is this meant to do that?

All of this seems very senstive.

I don't know if it wil help or not but I have attached a log file.

Cheers

Phil

FSUIPC4 Log.zip

[Pete Dowson]

I do what you suggest and some throttle levers numbers values range is very low compared to others

Give me some numbers, and show me the [Axes] section of your FSUIPC4 INI file, please.

also I notice while doing this, my Avonics stack lights start flashing on ADF, Coms etc.

What lights? What make of avionics stack is it? Really there can be no possible relationship between assigning axes in FSUIPC and your avionics, unless you've been assigning axes to send assorted avionics-related controls! If not, you most certainly have something else going on there with your hardware.

Also on some axis, the section in FSUIPC below where send to FS etc, throttle set 1 to 4 comes up, yet on some axis it doesn't not when I move a throttle lever.

Nothing whatsoever will "come up" in the assignments sections unless you have made an assignment! You must have made assignments already and forgotten! The picture you showed earlier showed that you assigned all 4 "Throttle N Set" controls to the Z axis. Didn't you delete those (uncheck the radio buttons left of each)?

Is this meant to do that?

It is meant to do what it does -- to show you existing assignments, and to let you change them or make new ones.

It sounds as if you have got yourself thoroughly confused, maybe plunging into things without thinking. If you don't know what you've done and don't want to undo it correctly, just delete the FSUIPC INI file and everything in FSUIPC will revert to defaults, with no assignments at all.

All of this seems very senstive.

It does just what you tell it to! It is only "sensitive" to your requests, nothing else.

I don't know if it wil help or not but I have attached a log file.

A log file is only useful if it logs anything relevant, which this one doesn't. Better if you pasted in your INI file so I can see what sort of mess you have got it in, and advise accordingly, though from what you say I suspect it would be simplest and quickest for you to simply delete it and start again. Delete it BEFORE running FSX, not whilst it is running.

Regards

Pete

[phil mitchell]

Give me some numbers, and show me the [Axes] section of your FSUIPC4 INI file, please.

What lights? What make of avionics stack is it? Really there can be no possible relationship between assigning axes in FSUIPC and your avionics, unless you've been assigning axes to send assorted avionics-related controls! If not, you most certainly have something else going on there with your hardware.

Nothing whatsoever will "come up" in the assignments sections unless you have made an assignment! You must have made assignments already and forgotten! The picture you showed earlier showed that you assigned all 4 "Throttle N Set" controls to the Z axis. Didn't you delete those (uncheck the radio buttons left of each)?

It is meant to do what it does -- to show you existing assignments, and to let you change them or make new ones.

It sounds as if you have got yourself thoroughly confused, maybe plunging into things without thinking. If you don't know what you've done and don't want to undo it correctly, just delete the FSUIPC INI file and everything in FSUIPC will revert to defaults, with no assignments at all.

It does just what you tell it to! It is only "sensitive" to your requests, nothing else. ( yes this sounds very likley)

A log file is only useful if it logs anything relevant, which this one doesn't. Better if you pasted in your INI file so I can see what sort of mess you have got it in, and advise accordingly, though from what you say I suspect it would be simplest and quickest for you to simply delete it and start again. Delete it BEFORE running FSX, not whilst it is running.

Regards

Pete

Hi Pete, yes starting from scratch is a very good suggestion. I did delete any axis assignments I had tried before I tried your recent suggestions, but I will delete in INI file and start from scratch.

Avionics Stack is the PFC one., I'll let you know what happens, thanks for your patience. Cheers Phil

Update.

Obvioulsy by the fact throttle levers are now operating Afct, It appears I was trying to do this in wrong area of FSUIPC.

I was reading your user guide doc, and I tried this.

I went to Joystick Calibration page 3and set throttles 1 to 4 for using with PFC, now when I altered my user cong quad in PFC for this AFCT to set each throttle and went okay, throttles now move and operate as required. I had to do the same with spolier and rev.

Thanks again Pete.

Phil

[phil mitchell]

Hi Pete, yes starting from scratch is a very good suggestion. I did delete any axis assignments I had tried before I tried your recent suggestions, but I will delete in INI file and start from scratch.

Avionics Stack is the PFC one., I'll let you know what happens, thanks for your patience. Cheers Phil

Update.

Obvioulsy by the fact throttle levers are now operating Afct, It appears I was trying to do this in wrong area of FSUIPC.

I was reading your user guide doc, and I tried this.

I went to Joystick Calibration page 3and set throttles 1 to 4 for using with PFC, now when I altered my user cong quad in PFC for this AFCT to set each throttle and went okay, throttles now move and operate as required. I had to do the same with spolier and rev.

Thanks again Pete.

Phil