Rudder pedals again

[Hans_Petter 1]

I just installed CH Products Pro pedals with my CH Products analog stick. It all works as intended in FS 2002.I did my homework and found this when searching the forum:Here are my joystick settings from flt3.cfg:; joystick setupjoy_device 2toe_brakes_device 1 1 2throttle_device 2 3mixture_device 2 7prop_pitch_device 2 8rudder_device 2 6 ----------From the CH site:; joystick setupjoy_device 2throttle_device 2 3rudder_device 1 3toe_brakes_device 1 1 2Save the changes and launch Flight Unlimited 3. You should notice that your 3 axis USB game controller now operates the ailerons, elevator, and throttle and the USB rudder pedals now control the rudder, left toe brake, and right toe brake. If you notice that the rudder pedals control the yoke functions and vice versa you can switch the first number (in this case 1 and 2) leaving the second and third numbers as is. (for example, the first command can be switched from joy_device 2 to joy_device 1, the second command changed from throttle_device 2 3 to throttle_device 1 3, etc). Well I tried the:; joystick setupjoy_device 2toe_brakes_device 1 1 2throttle_device 2 3mixture_device 2 7prop_pitch_device 2 8rudder_device 2 6 Somehow this mixes up the throttle, mixture and prop pitch and I may have to swap some of the numbers. As I start the engine it sputters and dies, due to the mixture being full lean. Further, the usual keyboard commands for pitch and mixture don't work. The throttle wheel does work so I assume that the pedals have taken on the mix and prop pitch assignments.I read a warning that analog stick + USB pedals might not work but I'd like to do some more testing. I may get a USB stick when my analog one is worn out.best regards,Hans Petter

[Guest juvat2]

Hi Hans,Getting some fancy controllers there. If I remember right, Hennie is one the the master controller craftsmen for FU3. Maybe he'll come in for a landing with some advice.If you get JAS, you might end up with problems as I've seen at the JAS forums that fellas with multible devices are having a difficult time.Goodluck, Jim B.

[Hans_Petter 1]

I got it working!; joystick setupjoy_device 2throttle_device 2 3rudder_device 1 3toe_brakes_device 1 1 2The above gives me operational rudder pedals, complete with toe brakes. It's time for some crosswind landings!However, something in my joykeys.cfg clashed with the rudder pedal commands. FU3 crashed (actually, froze) with strange-looking instruments until I got rid of the joykeys.cfg.I had:joy_1 toggle_parking_brakesjoy_2 reverse_thrustjoy_3 flaps_upjoy_4 flaps_down ; reassign keys for miracle up and down to allow other use of page up and page down keys- miracle_down= miracle_up; use page up and page dn keys next to key pad for flaps up and down, easier to findpageup flaps_uppagedown flaps_down; uses del key next to keypad to landing gear -- also easier to find than G keydel toggle_landing_gear; use one key to ©ycle radio frequencies rather than Alt-Fc Auto_Tune_Radio; assigns arrow keys to rudder controls for easier location - up and down both center rudderleft left_rudderright right_rudderup center_rudderdown center_rudder; t key shows green line for taxi path at unfamiliar airport -- same as Alt F12t Show_Taxi_Path---------------Evidenly, I won't ever need the arrow keys for rudder again and those might very well conflict with the pedals. I'll try to put the following back:joy_2 reverse_thrustjoy_3 flaps_upjoy_4 flaps_down -- since these are the ones I miss. In any event, analog CH stick + USB pedals will work in FU3!Fancy controllers? Yes, but this is how planes are being flown. You taxi using pedals and toe brakes to steer it on the ground. FU3 has always been "hard to taxi" due to the fact that it's simulating this correctly -- the yoke / stick won't do a thing until the ailerons see 40+ kias. While auto-coordination (coordinated rudder) works fine in normal flight it isn't right for crosswind landings. After you've "crabbed" against the wind you'll need to kick rudder to "uncrab" the moment you touch down, actually yaw the plane to align it with the runway at the last moment. Otherwise, your only option is to bank into the wind and drop a wing -- risking a wing touch and a landing on the upwind gear only. More fancy uses of rudder would include "crossing" rudder and aileron control (bank right -- rudder left) to lose altitude really fast if you come in too high. But then, the basic uses of pedals are steering on the ground and "crosswind management" during take-offs and landings. Yes, without pedals you'll be severely "crosswindly challenged" :-) best regards,Hans Petter

[Guest juvat2]

Hi Hans,One day I'll get me some nice pedals that also allow for toe breaking. So far my ole trusty ms sw 3d pro is still hanging in there. Though awkward to get used to at first, the "twisty-stickology" rudder control method is ok. War flight sim wise, its got me through some dog fghts that got ugly. Co-ordinated rudders I don't like. Especially in the WW1 sim Flying Corps. Hard to induce spins and stuff for aerobatics and just plain fooling around.I use a Thrustmaster Formula T2 with pedals for my racing sims and it gets uncomfortable after a while using the pedals and keeping this desk chair from pushing out from under me(yea-I get carried away, I instinctfully lean on turns and all that silliness. Get into these sims to much I guess), but wouldn't drive without it. You get any discomfort or out of positioning when using your pedals?As for assigning functions to the joystick buttons, I don't do any of that. Just mainly use what's assigned as default. Hatswitch for looking around, has a throttle, trigger for use in zoar. I use the keyboard for most everything else."More fancy uses of rudder would include "crossing" rudder and aileron control (bank right -- rudder left) to lose altitude really fast if you come in too high."Hmmm... I use that in my combat sims. "Skidding", poor ole AI bad guy on my tail thinks I'm making a turn, instead I do the skid by applying l or R rudder and opposite ailerons. Gets him confused almost every time. It induces the skid, which bleeds off air speed, he goes whipping by and trying to "turn" with me, oops to late, I'm on his tail now, apply some throttle, nudge the rudder to line up the cross hairs and bang-he's through. "Course, if he's got a wing man, I'm busted, unless my wingman is doing his job. Never ever thought to use that in FU3. Think I'll go fire it up and see how well it operates in it. Thanks for the tip.Take Care,Jim B.

[Guest]

Hans:I have the CH ProPedals (not USB), and toe-brakes donot work. Will it be possible to get a USB connector adapter so that your device configurations make it work??. Do the pedals have to be USB?.Thanks,Polov

[Hans_Petter 1]

I have no idea what USB does but maybe someone else on this forum knows?I was surprised when I found that toe brakes worked. In fact they seem to work smoother in FU3 than in FS2002. In the latter sim it feels more like an on - off switch while in FU3 the brakes apply gradually, depending on "toe pressure". I chose USB since my game port was being used by my CH analog stick. How do you fit a stick / yoke with pedals if you've got the game port only?And, have you tried the flight3.cfg lines that I found to work? Needless to say, I assume that your pedals do have toe brakes.As an aside, I got my flight stick buttons configured. The offending part of my previous joykeys.cfg was the one configuring arrow keys for rudder. Evidently, FU3 won't accept both at the same time.best regards,Hans Petter

[Guest]

Hi Hans, About your question:"How do you fit a stick / yoke with pedals if you've got the game port only?"The PC game port has totally four channels available for connecting controls. Most analog joysticks use only three: Elevator, Ailerons, Throttle. By means of an male/female insert plug, you can connect rudder pedals to the gameport's unused channel as well. FU3 accepts this setup w/o problems. If you need more detailed info please have a look at http://ftp.avsim.com/library/esearch.php?&....zip&CatID=RootYou can also find the same info online in the "How To... build diy cockpit controls" section of flightsim .com. (no need to log-in but fast connection recommended)Joystick connections are explained in the "basic electrical information" sectionRgdsRoland