My CH Products yoke has a lot of buttons to assign to critical actions during flight, but there is still a lot that remains to be controlled using the mouse in the virtual cockpit or from the keyboard. There is quite a learning curve to knowing which key combination to press for actions using the keyboard, and I don't want to cover up the keys with labels since they are useful in ways other than for FS. Some actions are accomplished easily with the mouse in the virtual cockpit display, but what you want may not be in the current view. You can purchase a complete cockpit of switches and controls compatible with FS if you're as rich as Bill Gates, but I found that you can purchase a mini USB keyboard for $13, including shipping, to totally dedicate to FS. It can be set up next to the yoke, change key assignments (eliminate ctrl+, shift+, etc), and apply labels. Everything is now so easy. A picture is attached.It's not perfect since Microsoft didn't include provision to assign keys for some cockpit switches, and wouldn't you know that some of those switches are hidden behind the yoke in the virtual cockpit, so you have to change the view to find the switch.ArtNow flying with: Biostar TF560-A2+, Athlon 64X2-6000+, 4GB RAM, Geforce 8800GTS-320MB, 500W PSU, 250GB HD, FSX (SP1-SP2), Vista Home Premiumhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/186429.jpg

I think I'm using the same solution - ie, two keyboards. Am I right when I say that you cannot have different assignments on two keyboards? You simply have one which has labels all over it for FS use...I have a Saitek "Gaming" keyboard and it has a 11 button pad attached which gives 9 more customisable buttons. If you get hold of FSUIPC (I think you might need the full version) you'll be able to assign keys for many more functions that are not available in the main FS list...Geoff

You are right in saying that you can't have different assignments on two keyboards. Thanks for the reminder about FSUIPC. That had slipped my mind.

As I have a throttle quadrant, I don't need the throttle, prop and mix on the CH Yoke, so I reassigned them.I have the following assignments on my controllers:CH Yoke:Left handle buttons (there are five) when press send the keyboard "1", "2", "3", "4" and "5", and when shifted send "6", "7", "8", "9", and "0"This way, the left side is used for contacting air traffic control (in either default ATC or in Radar Contact as the same keys are used)Right handle buttons- red button - Shift key- right side of rocker - opens ATC, shifted activates "Mouse Look"- left side of rocker - closes window, shifted activates window (I use this to navigate around airports)- Hat Switch - up and down for elevator trim, left and right for ariolon trim, shift left and right for rudder trimFront panel buttons- assigned to the first 4 panels (shift-1 through shift 4 on the keyboard) - mainly to access GPSThrottle axis - reassigned to flaps axisProp axis - reassigned to reverse thrustMix axis - reassigned to gear up and downI also have a homemade 12 toggle switch panel (made from the card form inside a Sytec Evo controller) for master battery, generator/alternator, landing lights, strobe/beacon lights, panel lights, GPS/Nav-1, Master avionics, Master Auto-pilot, heading engage, nav-1 engage, altitude hold, approach controlOn my throttle quadrant, I have two throttles, one prop and one mix axis and four buttons - one is used for parking brake set/release. The other three are not used at the moment.My rudder pedals have rudder (obviously) and toe brakesAnd I have two Goflight units - one for the radio (com1, com2, nav 1, nav 2) and one a multi-function display, used for transponder, autopilot, QNH, DME, ADF, etc.Finally, I use the mouse to control my viewpoint - until I can get a TrackIRThe point - the CH Yoke is very useful and using the CH Manager, you can do a lot of programming of the keys to work as you want it to do.

I guess anything can become familiar eventually, but those button assignments sure sound complicated. I'm not too bright, hence the use of a dedicated keyboard with no shift+ or ctrl+. Do the CH Products throttle/prop/mixture axis reassignments require FSUIPC or are they accomplished only with the CH manager? Just using what is available under FSX, I have found that I have to assign a key to reduce throttle incremently in order to get reverse thrust.

>I guess anything can become familiar eventually, but those>button assignments sure sound complicated. I'm not too>bright, hence the use of a dedicated keyboard with no shift+>or ctrl+. Do the CH Products throttle/prop/mixture axis>reassignments require FSUIPC or are they accomplished only>with the CH manager? >>Just using what is available under FSX, I have found that I>have to assign a key to reduce throttle incremently in order>to get reverse thrust.The flaps axis is assigned in FSX - there is an option to assign flaps to an axis in there.The reverse through is via the CH Manager - I've got it to repeat the F2 command about 20 times, which is enough to cause reverse thrust to engage. In the reverse direction it simply hits F1 to kill thrust. For it to work, your engines have to be at idle (hit F1 to kill the thrust if your throttle quadrant isn't set right).The gear leaver is via CH Manager. You can assign keyboard commands that will be sent to the simulator when you move the axis. The first command is always ignored, so you need a dummy command to make this work. I used "b g b" (without quotes)to moving the axis in one direction lowers gear, and in the other raises gear (as "g" is the default gear toggle switch). The "b" resets the altimeter to the correct pressure - not a bad thing especially on landing and doesn't cause any problems. As the sim ignores the first letter, the sequence the simulator sees is "gear", then "rest altimeter". Easy to do and works well.To add commands in CH Manager, you need to deselect DirectX checkbox for the axis and then you can enter your own commands.