Saitek Panels autopilot with MSFS

[blanston12]

I pulled out my old Saitek panels (now owned by Logitech) including the Pro Flight Multi Panel (FMP) and have been having problems using the autopilot in aircraft that are equipped with a FMC with LNAV and VNAV controls, mostly big airliners. Without them attached I will start by putting in the flight plan in the MSFS flight setup, letting it program the FMC. Then once I am in the air with gear and flaps up will activate the AP followed by LNAV and VNAV and the aircraft proceeds on its way, most of the time. But with the FMP attached the autopilot seams to go nuts and won't function. The FMP seams to work much better on aircraft with simpler non FMC type autopilots, which is really useful with the MSFS retrofit DC-3 as in the sim there is no way to set the heading.

Has anyone else experienced this?

If so has anyone tried running with SpadNext and does it act any different?

Has anyone tried the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant and does it have the same problem?

[TSR2]

Hi Joe, not something I use tbh. A lot of people seem really rate spad next though.

[Nigel H-J]

Hi Joe, I have the Honeycomb throttle and yoke, there is a driver for the Honeycombe Throttles for MS2020 which is basically so that the auto-pilot lights and gear warning lights function. I don't appear to have any problems with it though programming is a bit time consuming but not difficult.

If you are considering the Honeycomb Throttles here is the link to download the software, this does not set up the throttles but does for the lights, I have found on one occasion that the lights stopped working so just installed the software again.

Scroll down to the very top one.

https://flyhoneycomb.com/pages/drivers

If you do decide to buy it then make a second default setting named Auto-Pilot and save it then when it comes to mapping out throttles and switches etc for each and every aircraft then by using the Auto-Pilot saved setting you do not have to repeat the auto-pilot setups, just the throttles etc.

Video for setting AP on Bravo Throttles, I found this to be hugely helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrHYNtjWHo8

Regards
Nigel.