Wow Guys just got new saitek multi panel and what a difference thanks to all who gave me the heads up on this - Hawker follows auto throttle - heading - VS - altitude - perfectly - way cool anyone who just wants to fly this without problems this is the ticket I should have got one of these a long time ago - one thing - indicated altitude was not showing up on PFD correctly - but if you hover over the know its correct - have not tried fms yet but would assume that will be pretty nice to - one happy camper - I also installed saitek driver from Their website for the multi panel - once on the runway you launch "flightsim 2004 fsuipc" shortcut on desktop I created

 

Also the buttons for the mode you are in light up when active very nice - especially when your not sure you still have AP activated - great stuff

 

Cheapest I could find - I bought the one from ebay - did not come with original box but no big deal - took 4 days to get it free shipping

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Saitek-Pro-Flight-Multi-Panel-LED-Display-PZ70-for-PC-Simulation-by-Mad-Catz-/251935940599?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa88d5ff7

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B002DUCF8A/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

 

 

one thing - indicated altitude was not showing up on PFD correctly - but if you hover over the know its correct

 

Hi Richard, that's right.  The Saitek reads standard FSX/P3D values, but for reasons unknown, Carenado have used a custom gauge for altitude selection and display on the PC-12, S550 and Hawker.     ...however as you've found out, everything will still work ok.

 

I like to use keyboard assignments for all of my AP controls but of course, because Carenado have used this custom gauge for altitude selection and display, the default commands for ALT+ and ALT- do not work.    But with the S550 I added a default (King Air) FSX gauge as a pop up for ALT selection and it works just fine with the autopilot.........   but obviously the Carenado's ALT selector in the VC reads '0000' for alt at all times.    Everything still works though.

Hi Richard, that's right.  The Saitek reads standard FSX/P3D values, but for reasons unknown, Carenado have used a custom gauge for altitude selection and display on the PC-12, S550 and Hawker.     ...however as you've found out, everything will still work ok.

 

Hi Craig - great info thanks for sharing I like this unit lots of fun and wait wait for it - IT WORKS - nice - have any ideas on how to get the ALT on PFD to read correctly ? - thank you

Hi Craig - great info thanks for sharing I like this unit lots of fun and wait wait for it - IT WORKS - nice - have any ideas on how to get the ALT on PFD to read correctly ? - thank you

 

It sounds like a nice bit o'kit! ...... I don't think you'll be able to get the alt to show on the PFD because that is probably read from the (custom) Carenado Alt gauge (rather than the P3D/FSX value, that your hardware will be working with.

 

If you wanted some sort of verification that the aircraft is working to the same altitude that you've set on your saitek hardware, you could add the default Kingair altitude selection gauge to the Hawker as a pop up.    That gauge will then display the same altitude as your hardware.

 

Your pop up, to be added to the panel.cfg, would look  like this :-

 

WindowXX=ALT SELECTOR

 

[WindowXX]

Background_color=0,0,0 

size_mm=309,240

window_size_ratio=1.000  

position=0

visible=0

ident=70

window_size= 0.500, 0.500

window_pos= 0.000, 0.000

 

gauge00=KingAir!Altimeter_Selector,  10,10,123

 

 

...... happy flying - always great getting some new hardware!

This is the code for the PFD display:

  <Element id="Altitude top info Text">
        <FloatPosition>470.000,56.000</FloatPosition>
        <GaugeText id="GaugeText">
          <Bold>false</Bold>
          <FontFace>Microsoft JhengHei</FontFace>
          <FontColor>cyan</FontColor>
          <FontHeight>28</FontHeight>
          <GaugeString>FL%((L:CUSTOM_AP_ALT_VAR_SET_ENGLISH, feet) 100 / int)%!03d!</GaugeString>
          <HorizontalAlign>LEFT</HorizontalAlign>
          <Size>200,32</Size>
          <Transparent>true</Transparent>
        </GaugeText>
  </Element>

Surely, someone can change the L: variable to the one the Saitek panel recognizes..

 

It sounds like a nice bit o'kit! ...... I don't think you'll be able to get the alt to show on the PFD because that is probably read from the (custom) Carenado Alt gauge (rather than the P3D/FSX value, that your hardware will be working with.

 

 

Great thank you Craig - appreciate it - take care

 

Craig would this pop up automatically or would I have to initiate it ?

If you would like the L variable to track the FSX variable... ie the Saitek panel is in charge,

the following code will accomplish that.  Note that the Carenado autopilot ALT knob will not work correctly in that instance..

(A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE LOCK VAR, feet)  (L:CUSTOM_AP_ALT_VAR_SET_ENGLISH, feet) != if{

(A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE LOCK VAR, feet)  (>L:CUSTOM_AP_ALT_VAR_SET_ENGLISH, feet) }

 

If you would like the L variable to track the FSX variable... ie the Saitek panel is in charge,

the following code will accomplish that.  Note that the Carenado autopilot ALT knob will not work correctly in that instance..

 

Hi Bert where am I changing this - thanks much

Hi Bert where am I changing this - thanks much

 

Simplest is separate little "Helper" gauge..

 

I'll send you something to test,  via email.

Simplest is separate little "Helper" gauge..

 

I'll send you something to test,  via email.

 

Magic Man you are Bert

Magic Man you are Bert

 

and he has been that for quite a while as far as I'm concerned

 

Thanks,

Dirk.

and he has been that for quite a while as far as I'm concerned

 

I didn't know how talented He is - fixed my problem even without having actual hardware - amazing

Yes Bert's a diamond!   Bert's solution is far better than mine (and more aesthetic in the sim) so go for it! 

Hi Bert,

 

sorry for my English, I have the same problem with the multipanel, but I did not understand where I have to make the changes that you describe.

 

can you explain please?

 

thank you

Hi Bert,

 

sorry for my English, I have the same problem with the multipanel, but I did not understand where I have to make the changes that you describe.

 

can you explain please?

 

thank you

 

Send me a PM with your email address and I will send you something to test..