I've only managed a couple of "proper" flights since I got the Saitek X52 a few months ago. I spent a fair bit of time programing up various buttons only to find that it was much easier to use the keyboard for most of them
Anyone, of the few custom programed controls I kept, the thumb wheel for elevator trim seemed most sensible and seemed to work well. When I was flying the 1-11 a few nights back I found it a bugger to trim, and the AP would not hold the aircraft in level flight. I thought it was maybe just me as I hadn't flown it in a while, but when the trident did the same thing I started to wonder. It seems that the AP doesn't like it when the elevator trim is assigned to an axis. When the AP is selected altering the pitch has no affect, nor does alt hold as the axis input from the X52 seems to override it. Removing the trim axis and defining buttons on the control seems to sort everything out.
Don't Saitek make a 'Cessna' trim wheel? If so would this not act as an axis?
Just asking, as I'm puzzled how this would work without experiencing the problems you've had. I might have a go at setting the mixture control on my CH yoke to 'Elevator Trim' to see if I have the same problem as yourself.
Regards
Kevin
Stratospheric traces, of our transitory flight.
Trails of condensation, held in narrow paths of white...
I think the problem with using the thumb wheel on the X-52 is that it's far too coarse to use as a trim wheel, normally you'd have a few rotations for the full range whereas on the X-52 thumb wheels it's less than 180 degrees. Basically barely twitching the X-52 is worth a few degrees of trim, it also doesn't seem to handle the mid range stop that well as it's very hard to do any accurate trimming there.
Using the buttons you get a finer degree of control as they trigger the key event for a small trim movement, with an increase in rate if you hold it down for a bit.
Hi Skip, must agree with that. I had used the sensitivity adjustment to get it usable, but the odd thing was that it overrode the AP in both the 1-11 and Trident which I thought was a bit odd. I use the larger of the two thumbwheels as a steering tiller on the ground which works well, but the reality is there are so many buttons you'll never use half of them. The slider is used for speedbrakes, which again, works pretty well.
On my X52 I have assigned the 4-way switch on the front of the throttle to trim commands (using the keystrokes for trim rather than assigning an axis). Up/down is elevator trim, L/R is rudder trim. I find this gives much better response and if you hold the switch in a position it will go from slow to fast.
One more point to note, at least on my system, is that I have to make sure 'NumLock' is turned OFF on the keyboard otherwise the trim buttons try to change the views rather than changing the trim.
that's not a bad idea at all. I discovered the num lock thing too, thought i was going mad. Never had to do that with the old Microsoft Sidewinder though
Not totally sure why it would be over riding the AP, although as the AP works on the trim it may just be that it can't react fast enough to counter your inputs. Of course that would only explain it if it affected all aircraft, unless the AP/trim settings of those two are especially sensitive.
These days I use the second hat switch on the stick for trim (i.e. the one that doesn't change views) mainly because the aircraft I've flown with electric trim have had it on the stick rather than the throttle. The throttle slider for the airbrake is a must for me as it gives much more control if your using it to control speed on an approach.
Know what you mean about having so many buttons you don't use half of them, I keep getting caught out when I accidentally hit one and something unexpected happens!
TSR2 wrote:I've only managed a couple of "proper" flights since I got the Saitek X52 a few months ago. I spent a fair bit of time programing up various buttons only to find that it was much easier to use the keyboard for most of them
Anyone, of the few custom programed controls I kept, the thumb wheel for elevator trim seemed most sensible and seemed to work well. When I was flying the 1-11 a few nights back I found it a bugger to trim, and the AP would not hold the aircraft in level flight. I thought it was maybe just me as I hadn't flown it in a while, but when the trident did the same thing I started to wonder. It seems that the AP doesn't like it when the elevator trim is assigned to an axis. When the AP is selected altering the pitch has no affect, nor does alt hold as the axis input from the X52 seems to override it. Removing the trim axis and defining buttons on the control seems to sort everything out.
Hope this helps some folk.
Ben, if you have the registered copy of FSUIPC, you can arrange things so that the little mouse wheel on the front of the X-52 throttle lever becomes your trim wheel. Its right under your index finger and you can trim very precisely. I found it invaluable on aircraft like DG's Autocrat and Rapide, where you have no autopilot.
funny that crossed my mind when Larry mentioned using the HAT on the throttle for trim. I do have full version of FSUIPC but i get very confused about what needs defining where. As i understand it with FSUIPC some bits get defined in FSUIPC, but other things get defined in the FSX controller settings. And then there is LINDA. I just one one set of definitions (to start with anyway) that I can use on all aircraft. While the little 'mouse' on the X52 is a great idea, i find its orientation is wrong, in the right and left are where up and down should be. Also, if i use FSUIPC do i still need to use the Siatek profile software?
funny that crossed my mind when Larry mentioned using the HAT on the throttle for trim. I do have full version of FSUIPC but i get very confused about what needs defining where. As i understand it with FSUIPC some bits get defined in FSUIPC, but other things get defined in the FSX controller settings. And then there is LINDA. I just one one set of definitions (to start with anyway) that I can use on all aircraft. While the little 'mouse' on the X52 is a great idea, i find its orientation is wrong, in the right and left are where up and down should be. Also, if i use FSUIPC do i still need to use the Siatek profile software?
Ben, not sure what you mean by quote: " While the little 'mouse' on the X52 is a great idea, i find its orientation is wrong, in the right and left are where up and down should be."
I'm not talking about the little mouse stick under your thumb - I mean the mouse wheel thats located under your left hand's index-finger tip as you rest it on the X-52 throttle. Turn the throttle round and have a look - its was ages before I even realized it was there. To use it for trim, you need to have the Saitek software enabled, select mousewheel for trim in FSUIPC, and thats it. The only downside is that the mousewheel on your throttle AND on your mouse will now only implement trim changes. If you want to change radio frequencies, you now have to point to the radio and click the left or right mouse buttons to increase or decrease values.
