Hi,

Is anyone getting the ECAM alert "F/CTL L SIDESTICK FAULT - CALIBRATE NULLZONES even if not using any controllers ?   I'm just using keyboard and I get this whenever I use the Fenix A320.  I've tried adjusting the null-zones as per the Fenix support page however it doesn't make any difference.  I've requested help from Fenix technical support however they haven't been of any assistance either.

Would appreciate any assistance.

Thanks

 

 

Had this on my last flight, but I use an old CH yoke that is dying and giving wild and sporatic inputs. All I did was calibrate my yoke and the ECAM Memo went away promptly afterwards.

Since you use a keyboard and no peripherals (that's really impressive by the way) you might try changing null zone up and then down again in the FMGS config page.

Only thing I could think of. Let us know if you find another solution while playing around.

Thanks for the prompt reply WestAir.  I've already tried changing the null zone to higher and lower values to no effect. I also connected an old Saitek game-pad, calibrated in Windows 10 and MSFS yet still get this error. Very strange and unfortunately Fenix technical support aren't being very helpful at all which is quite disappointing

I had that once. I unplugged both of my sticks and then plugged them back in again. Fixed. It hasn't come back.

My guess is very few people are flying the Fenix with a keyboard, so I doubt if you are going to get an answer to your question here. Might try posting it on Discord. 

Sorry - but this doesn’t make sense.

Why buy a complex add-on aircraft and then use a keyboard to control it?

While maybe there is some kind of bug present here, like someone also suggested, there’s probably a tiny % of people using a keyboard for this aircraft. The bug or issue will likely be at the bottom of any priority list for the Fenix devs.

Because that's what I choose to do and I travel a lot so it's just easier. Anyway, the question wasn't why I'm using a keyboard so as much as I appreciate responses lets please keep it on the question I asked and not the fact I choose to use a keyboard.which by the way works fine for me.

 

Thanks

5 minutes ago, Echoes said:

Anyway, the question wasn't why I'm using a keyboard so as much as I appreciate responses lets please keep it on the question I asked and not the fact I choose to use a keyboard.which by the way works fine for me.

Well, if using the keyboard is the culprit here and the FENIX bus was not intented to be used with a keyboard only, then it is basically irrelevant if you like the discussion about it or not, it is still THE thing to be addressed...

I use a Thrustmaster 1600M sidestick controller, and I get the identical problem. I have tried all the suggested fixes but eventually the problem returns. No problem occurs with the FSLabs A320on P3Dv5 though - it's just on the Fenix A320..

Same happens with a Virpil WarBRD Base and the Alpha Stick.

Sometimes - but only sometimes - i move the Joystick full range during FCTL tests before takeoff, and then the message disappears.

On 9/26/2022 at 6:13 AM, Echoes said:

I appreciate responses lets please keep it on the question I asked

Hi, @Echoes , I will try to explain to you the reason for the fault message when the Fenix A320 does not detect a flight control peripheral.

In fact, there is a real failure in the A320 that will indicate if this condition exists and will be displayed in the ECAM as, F/CTL L(R) SIDESTICK FAULT   , depending on the unit that fails. This alert triggers when transducers, on pitch or roll axis, are failed on one sidestick.

Now, speaking of the Fenix A320, it occupies ProSimA320 which is a Professional Simulator Suite that has been developed, in particular, for its complexity of systems . This is mostly used for Home Cockpits and Virtual Training devices.

 

Edited March 14, 20242 yr by polosim

On 3/15/2024 at 1:54 AM, Paladin2005 said:

Sometimes - but only sometimes - i move the Joystick full range during FCTL tests before takeoff, and then the message disappears.

Interesting! How does one do the FCTL tests? I imagine doing that operation with the keyboard would also work <?>.

Answered my own qustion <!!>:
https://kb.fenixsim.com/sidestick-fault

Edited March 28, 20242 yr by Adamski_NZ

On 3/14/2024 at 8:27 AM, roadrabbit149 said:

I use a Thrustmaster 1600M sidestick controller, and I get the identical problem. I have tried all the suggested fixes but eventually the problem returns. No problem occurs with the FSLabs A320on P3Dv5 though - it's just on the Fenix A320..

I've had the same problem for a long time, but I have not seen it for the last 2 weeks.

I'm not saying that this is a fix, and it may be a complete coincidence, but the problem has not shown up on another Fenix flight after I installed the "2023_TFHT_2 + Firmware [System Requirement: Windows® 10 / 11]PC" package from Thrustmaster's T.16000M support page. I didn't even know this driver existed as I simply plugged in this stick and started using it last summer. The only change that I notice is that the Windows Control panel now opens up a customized Thrustmaster control panel instead of a generic joystick control panel.

I have had this ECAM alert about the sidestick fault in the Fenix repeatedly of late. Initially, I thought the problem was related to using a decades old MS Sidewinder flight stick, assuming that the old stick was no longer providing accurate control inputs. So, I just purchased a Thrustmaster Airbus flight stick to replace the old Sidewinder and guess what? The same sidestick fault message appeared with the new stick. Putting the stick thru the motions on the MCDU calibration page did not help for long, nor did trying adjustments to the null zones. But the Fenix knowledge base article about this fault included a note that some have found the problem can occur on multiple devices if a button on a device was used to control the autopilot.

Sure enough, after deleting button assignments on my flight stick and throttle quadrant that disengaged the AP, the error no longer occurred. And when I reassigned a controller button to the AP, the side stick fault message promptly returned. 
I have no idea why a simple button assignment that I use to disengage the AP when a few hundred feet above the runway would cause this fault message, but it’s clearly the culprit. Wish there was a fix for this, as it is awkward to have to disengage the AP during landing with a mouse click on the flight deck’s AP button!

Anyone else experiencing this bit of nonsense?

Rich

I started using msfs2024  a while ago and just got this error message. Side stick fault. It turned out I had to recalibrate my joystick a few times to correct this error. Seems that my calibration got stuck out of center and was causing the fault error.