Button to switch axis assignment

[AKC130FltEng]

I can't seem to find any documentation to support this feature so just in case I'm missing something I figured I'd ask.  Is there anyway possible to have a key/button press that will switch an axis assignment?  What I have is a the Saitek Throttle System.  What I would want to do is once I reach idle hit a button and switch the assignment to a reverse thrust.  This would imitate pulling the thrust reverse levers up as in the aircraft the levers are locked in place when reverse is pulled so there is no need for the thrust lever at that particular time.

I've tried assigning a different axis on a joystick and did not like the result.  I currently just have a button press holding F2 and when released presses F1.  But that's not realistic either as the engines are spooled up, dropping out of reverse that fast will have a negative impact on braking performance.  When we land a aircraft and rip it in reverse we gradually come out of reverse.  In fact we go to Reverse Idle til about 60kts then we go to Idle thrust.

Is this a possible function to setup or am I just hoping for to much?

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, AKC130FltEng said:

I can't seem to find any documentation to support this feature so just in case I'm missing something I figured I'd ask.  Is there anyway possible to have a key/button press that will switch an axis assignment?  What I have is a the Saitek Throttle System.  What I would want to do is once I reach idle hit a button and switch the assignment to a reverse thrust.

It can only be done using a plug-in, and one has already been written. I think it is featured in the User Contributions subforum.

Mostly the Saitek throttle suits the more usual way of engaging reverse -- assigning "throttle n decr" to be button which is actuated when you pull a lever right back. I'm sure that is what it is for. Just program it to repeat whilst held, the program the release to the "throttle n cut" control so that you get idle again when released -- unless of course you want to keep reverse on without holding back pressure until you move the lever forward a little.

1 hour ago, AKC130FltEng said:

I've tried assigning a different axis on a joystick and did not like the result.  I currently just have a button press holding F2 and when released presses F1.  But that's not realistic either as the engines are spooled up, dropping out of reverse that fast will have a negative impact on braking performance

Ah, I see my first answer was wasted. Sorry.

Well, I think there's also a different solution there to deal with that separately too. I'm not sure if that's here or elsewhere, i just remember seeing it somewhere.

1 hour ago, AKC130FltEng said:

When we land a aircraft and rip it in reverse we gradually come out of reverse.

In actual fact the reverse reflectors on aircraft only have two or three positions. I think what you are thinking of is the slower effect because it's a physical movement. But equally they are not returned with full reverse thrust applied.

Pete

 

[AKC130FltEng]

Thanks for the fast reply Pete!  I honestly didn't even know about the User Contribution section.  Guess I wasn't paying much attention.  But if this is what you are referring to this is exactly what I'm wanting to do.

Will look into it.

As regarding to my statement about how we fly an actual aircraft I'm not referring to the door position.  I'm referring to Engine Spool (N1/EPR).  Reverse is most effective at higher speeds.  So after landing we get into reverse and around 80kts we feed the reverse levers up to the Reverse Idle position.  This is just past the lever interlock.  Once the N1/EPR come to idle we stow the reverse levers.  Right now if you use the Throttle Cut/F1 command and you were rocking max reverse the sim acts just like the aircraft would.  The reverser stows and the engine is still Spooled up from reverse thus providing forward thrust until the engine settles in at Idle.  So what I wanted to be able todo was reduce the amount of reverse thrust before I go back to idle.

I hope that makes sense.  Its so much easier to demonstrate than to explain.

 

Brian