Getting a third-party tool or tweaknig .cfg files is something you do only when FSX works normally. It should not be necessary in order to maintain control of the aircraft. Yes, the default aircraft are a little "touchy", but not unflyable at all. I'm assuming you're talking about the elevator, even though you said "rudder" in the text. 1. First you need to determine whether it's a problem with the yoke itself or if the problem exists in FSX. So plug in your yoke and right-click on it under Devices and Printers in Windows, then choose Game controller settings and then double-click on "Saitek Pro Flight Yoke". The cross in the white box should be centered when you're not touching the yoke. If you pull back on the yoke, it should move smoothly downwards, no jitters or sudden jumps. If you push forward, it should move forward smoothly. If it doesn't, there's your problem. 2. If the cross moved normally, you can start FSX. Start by double-checking the calibration by clicking the Calibrate button under Controls from the FSX main menu. If that looks normal, check the settings in FSX. Switch to Advanced Controls. Sensitivity should be halfway, Null Zone according to personal preference (usually 0% or just a few notches). 3. Under the "Control Axes" tab, make sure Elevator is assigned to the Y Axis of the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke, and the Inverted box is cleared. Switch to the pedals and make sure you haven't also assigned something there to the Elevator by accident. 4. If you have been "fighting the autopilot", for example trying to descend by pushing the yoke forward with the autopilot still engaged and set to hold the altitude, the autopilot will set the trim to an extreme nose-up position. If you then always start from this flight, that configuration will remain.

I insist: Get rid of all control assignments in FSX, don't ever use FSX to calibrate axis and only use FSUIPC to assign all hardware and calibrate all axis. By only using FSUIPC you have:

1. Only one location to debug your hardware assignments and calibrations and also
2. Tthe benefit of avoiding duplicate assignments (often the cause of misbehhaving hardware), and
3. A single file to backup all your hardware assignments and calibrations.

I also would advise against editing aircraft cfg files when the same result can be obtainied in FSUIPC. Cheers, - jahman.

would one have to buy a registered version of fsuipc to be able to set assignments? all i see is the about and logging tabs, no option to change assignments

Yes.

would one have to buy a registered version of fsuipc to be able to set assignments? all i see is the about and logging tabs, no option to change assignments

If your problem occurs with and without the controllers connected, why would FSUIPC be of any help?

some aircraft such as the default CRJ, when getting up to speed on the runway, i dont even have to pull back on the yoke or stick to get the plane off the ground, then the nose keeps going up to the point of stalling out, once i get out of the stall, the nose keeps wanting to point upwards and stall again. if i want to climb at a normal rate without autopilot, i have to find the right angle, then push the yoke/stick forward almost half way to maintain that normal climb. to avoid this, i have to constantly set the elevator trim so that i can maintain the angle i want to fly at, but when i move the elevator axis, this seems to reset the trim and i have to do it again

Before messing about with controls and extra software it is a good idea to know if the behaviour you are experiencing is actually abnormal. The best way to do this is to quantify your statements with some numbers. For example, I tried the default CRJ (74,420lbs weight), floored the throttles and the aircraft takes of by itself at 250kts (no flaps). "Climbs" to an eventual nose up attitude of 55 deg and at 6300ft the aircraft stalls with the airspeed at 75kts. Recovery from the stall and at 200kts (still with the throttles maxed out here) the aircraft will restart it's "climb".

If your problem occurs with and without the controllers connected, why would FSUIPC be of any help?

Because generally speaking it is a good idea to centralise all your hardware assignments in FSUIPC to avoid potential conflicting assignments and because FSUIPC lets you configure your keys, buttons, switch and axis assignments per aircraft, as well as calibrate your axis sensitivities per aircraft, that's why. Plus as I already said you get to save all your hardware asignments in one single file that's real easy to backup. Alsoc it's a one-way trip: Nobody who goes "The FSUIPC way" ever ditches FSUIPC to return to primitive hardware assignments offered in FSX. Cheers, - jahman.

The last time my elevators over-reacted, I gave them a slap across the face and told them to calm down before they became hysterical and risked hyperventilating. It seems to have worked, well, that and using FSUIPC, which as others have recommended, is a simple solution that works. Al

Because generally speaking it is a good idea to centralise all your hardware assignments in FSUIPC to avoid potential conflicting assignments and because FSUIPC lets you configure your keys, buttons, switch and axis assignments per aircraft, as well as calibrate your axis sensitivities per aircraft, that's why. Plus as I already said you get to save all your hardware asignments in one single file that's real easy to backup. Alsoc it's a one-way trip: Nobody who goes "The FSUIPC way" ever ditches FSUIPC to return to primitive hardware assignments offered in FSX. Cheers, - jahman.

Sorry, but whilst FSUIPC may help the OP, Seluryar has stated that he needs to constantly hold the trim button down with and without the controller connected, therefore, calibrating his controller isn't going to help is it?

The last time my elevators over-reacted, I gave them a slap across the face and told them to calm down before they became hysterical and risked hyperventilating. It seems to have worked, well, that and using FSUIPC, which as others have recommended, is a simple solution that works. Al

ROTFL!

Sorry, but whilst FSUIPC may help the OP, Seluryar has stated that he needs to constantly hold the trim button down with and without the controller connected, therefore, calibrating his controller isn't going to help is it?

Well, it might, especially if having to gold the trim button is a symptom of something else. Switching to FSUIPC is the starting-point to cleaning.up the FSX hardware assignments and calibrations. Cheers, - jahman.