I'm using a Saitek Pro Flight auto pilot panel, in P3D 1.4 and I'm having trouble setting up the ALT HLD.

When I activate the ALT HLD function on the panel, it sets an altitude of 0ft, like the autopilots from the native aircrafts would do, where you first have to set a desired altitude before you engage the ALT HLD.

The Nav-O-Matic 400 from the C337 cant pre-program a desired altitude and has to set the current altitude at the moment you press the ALT HLD button, as people will know.

 

How do I setup my Saitek auto pilot panel, via SPAD and FSUIPC, so that the ALT HLD will work as it works in the C337?

There are two separate FSX commands for this:

 

AP_ALT_HOLD_ON

 

and

 

AP_PANEL_ALTITUDE_ON

 

the latter one assumes a pre-set altitude selection, the first one holds the current altitude

I think that would be the same for P3D, but I figured it out, it's not in FSUIPC, but in SPAD!

It seems to me that SPAD in the default setting, connects directly to pre-programmed functions within FSUIPC, which is the ALT HLD as it is used in the native aircrafts, where you have to set an altitude.

I'm pretty new to using SPAD, so I hadn't seen yet how far you can go with editing separate profiles.

What I've done is create a new profile for the C337, where I changed the command it sends from FSUIPC Offset Change, to FSUIPC Virtual Button and with the virtual button I was able to setup any function in the FSUIPC list to the ALT HLD button on my panel. And indeed, now the ALT HLD directs to the AP_ALT_HOLD, it doesn't do anything more than switch the virtual button on and off, triggering the ALT HLD function from the C337.

 

Quite simple, actually, you just have to know the edit functions are there.

 

Thanks anyways, Bert.