Need unusual throttle calibration

[maestrogn]

I use the Saitek ThQ with FS9 and a registered version of FSUIPC. The aircraft I model is the EMB 135 from FeelThere.

Since this aircraft has no autothrottle, one must constantly make fine adjustments between N1 50% and 74% while on A/P to maintain proper speed. Right now, the throttle axis is linear and the area that controls that N1 range is fairly small. As a result, it is very difficult to make the fine throttle adjustments necessary.

Is there a way to widen (lengthen) the area on the throttle axis for that range (50-74%) so much more refined adjustments are possible (e.g. 0-------55% 55-------60 60----------------70 70-100%-------)?

If this is possible, explicit instructions on how to accomplish it would very much be appreciated .

Thanks!

Happy New Year!

maestrogn

[Pete Dowson]

Is there a way to widen (lengthen) the area on the throttle axis for that range (50-74%) so much more refined adjustments are possible (e.g. 0-------55% 55-------60 60----------------70 70-100%-------)?

There are two ways which come immediately to mind.

The first is by using the range assignments in the FSUIPC axis assignments, on the right-hand side. However, I'm not sure this wil really do the job, as you need each of those ranges to send a variable -- something based on the parameter (the axis input value). That's rather difficult to arrange.

The other way is to use a Lua plug-in. You assign the throttle axis to a Lua plug-in you need to create first, and it receives the input axis value as "ipcPARAM". It can then do what it likes with it and re-transmit it as the parameter ot the appropriate FS throttle control.

If this is possible, explicit instructions on how to accomplish it would very much be appreciated .

I'm afraid I really don't have time to do this for you, and I am really bad at tutoring. But take a look at the Lua documentation and ask questions. I'll answer them as best I can.

Regards

Pete

[maestrogn]

Pete: Thanks for the reply. I looked into Lua and will bow out of that one. I did use FSUIPC to program the Saitek ThQ X axis to those various spaced zones and it seems to give me an increase in the finite control in the desired N1 range.

However, now, I've lost the reverse thrust capability. I tried programming it in both FS and FSUIPC (but not simultaneously) as a button (F2) assigned to that area at the bottom of the saitek throttle range.

The symptom is weird .. When the lever is moved down past the detent position (to activate the F2 hold), the N1 gauge shows REV but the engine stays at idle. At the same time, the little triangular cursor that indicates the setting the turbines will move to just dances up and down between idle and about 50%. But, the engine thrust stays at idle.

Do you or anyone else have any ideas concerning what I'm doing wrong?

maestrogn

[Pete Dowson]

The symptom is weird .. When the lever is moved down past the detent position (to activate the F2 hold), the N1 gauge shows REV but the engine stays at idle. At the same time, the little triangular cursor that indicates the setting the turbines will move to just dances up and down between idle and about 50%. But, the engine thrust stays at idle.

It sounds like the throttle lever is repeatedly sending a different (non-negative) value to the PC. The throttle values will override the F2 (which after all is only the "throttle decrement" control -- subtracting a value from whatever the throttle is set to). If the lower part of the throttle axis has not got a small "dead" or "null" zone it could be still sending changes. There's nothing else I know of that could do this.

FS does not have a separate control for reverse. It is literally just a negative value for the throttle setting. The "throttle incr" (F3) and "throttle decr" (F2) controls are capable of moving the throttle all through its possible range including reverse -- as, of course, are FSUIPC's separate engine throttle axes if you don't set NRZ ("no reverse zone").

Pete

[maestrogn]

Well, let's call it the placebo effect.

I decided to vary the numbers to obtain a wider 60% range, but, before I did, I marked a piece of tape showing the point of travel on the axis where each 10% increase in throttle was achieved. After significantly changing the numbers, the points of travel didn't change for given percentages. Not only that, I noticed that the area between 60 and 70% is very narrow compared to the other percentages -- no matter what I try. Could I have just been getting a better resolution in the 60% range because the axis data was going through FSUIPC?

If you are interested, here are the settings that I put in the axis assignments.

1 Idle -16384 -16384 2 10% -15733 -15563 3 20% -14563 -13523 4 30% -13523 -12353 5 40% -12353 -11312 6 50% -11312 -8300 7 60% -8300 6300 8 70% 6300 10000 9 80% 10000 12928 10 100% 12928 16383

So, apparently, that attempt failed. Anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks,

Garyth