[Ozpeg]

has anyone had experience with the Saitek X52 Pro Flight Control System joystick system ?

I am looking to upgrade my current joystick (Logitech Extreme) - I don;t want to buy it and find it doesn't work.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[AndyGoldstein]

Should work just great. I use an X-52 on a Mac; the X-52 and X-52 Pro are electrically identical, far as I can tell. The Pro just uses more expensive materials and fancier construction. Only downside on the Mac is that the X-52 has more buttons than X-Plane can deal with, so the primary hat switch and one axis of the mini-joystick on the throttle don't work. Not sure whether the same problem exists on Windows.

- Andy

[Ozpeg]

Thanks Andy.

Can't wait to try it, now I know it works.

[Vance]

I use the Saitek system and find that it works well with X-Plane on my Windows machine. Most X-Plane commands/functions are assigned through the Saitek software as described in the table below. I used the X-Plane joystick setup for my rudder pedals and joystick axes, fuel mixture and propeller rpm, left and right toe brakes, timer start/stop and timer reset, and the throttle control.

In the table, the trigger on the joystick is actually linked to a macro that advances to the next checklist item once the checklist has been opened; using the pinkie switch with the trigger will open/close the checklist window. Naturally, the Goodway flight plan must be available for the hat switch to show the Goodway data. Everything else in the table should give you some idea how the Saitek system can work with X-Plane.

I've had the X52 Pro about seven months without any hardware problems. The hardware quality is good in my opinion.

-Vance


………………..………NORMAL MODE……........…..PINKIE SWITCH MODE

TRIGGER……………Next checklist item…………..Open/close checklist window

BUTTON A……….…Adjust OBS 1 up…………….Adjust OBS 1 down
BUTTON B………….Adjust OBS 2 up………….…Adjust OBS 2 down
BUTTON C………….Flight director active….……Flight director inactive
BUTTON D………….Heading increase…………….Heading decrease

LAUNCH…….….…….Speed brake down…….….Speed brake up

HAT 1 UP…………….Pitch trim down…….………..Shift cockpit up
HAT 1 DOWN…..….Pitch trim up………..…………Shift cockpit down
HAT 1 LEFT…….…..Aileron trim left………….……Rudder trim left
HAT 1 RIGHT...…...Aileron trim right……..……..Rudder trim right

HAT 2 UP………..……Forward view………………..GPS - select APT, VOR, NDB, WPT
HAT 2 DOWN…..……Chase view…………………..GPS - select alphanumeric character
HAT 2 LEFT…….….…Pan view left…………………GPS - select column to change/adjust
HAT 2 RIGHT…….….Pan view right……….……..Show Goodway flight plan


HAT 3 UP……………Com 1 - three digits up……….ADF 1 - 1st digit adjust
HAT 3 DOWN….….Com 1 - three digits down…..ADF 1 - 2nd digit adjust
HAT 3 LEFT…………Com 1 - two digits up…………ADF 1 - 3rd digit adjust
HAT 3 RIGHT…..….Com 1 - two digits down…….Show rear view

MOUSE UP……….…Nav 1 - three digits up…….…..Nav 2 - three digits up
MOUSE DOWN…….Nav 1 - three digits down…….Nav 2 - three digits down
MOUSE LEFT…….…Nav 1 - two digits up………..…Nav 2 - two digits up
MOUSE RIGHT......Nav 1 - two digits down….……Nav 2 - two digits down

MOUSE BUTTON….Timer Start/Stop……..…………Brakes on/off

MOUSE WHEEL…….Zoom view in/out…………...….

SLIDER…………..……Panel brightness up/down…….

TOGGLE 1…………..Battery on/off…………………...Starter #1
TOGGLE 2…………..Avionics on/off ………………....Starter #3
TOGGLE 3…………..All fuel pumps on/off………....Starter #2
TOGGLE 4…………..All generators on/off………....Starter #4
TOGGLE 5…………..Flaps up 1 notch………………..All engines FADEC on/off
TOGGLE 6…………..Flaps down 1 notch…………...Landing gear up/down

ROTARY 1………….Fuel mixture………………....…..
ROTARY 2………….Prop RPM……………….........….

[Ozpeg]

Thanks guys - the information helps greatly.

I'm running a windows pc - don't know the first thing about macs or linux.

I'm glad to know it will work.

[AndyGoldstein]

You should be all set. All the cool stuff Vance describes comes with the Saitek driver software, which is available on Windows only. Mac and Linux just see the raw buttons and axes.

I agree with Vance on the hardware quality. I've found the X-52 to be very smooth and reliable.

- Andy

[FranknFly]

I bought the X52 Pro a while ago but I am having trouble installing it correctly. The MFD doesn't display the commands as it should, the LEDs on the Throttle don't work and changing colors and intensity of the LEDs is not possible either. I've contacted Saitek about this, but apart from manually deinstalling the drivers and reinstalling the software (which didn't help) they had no solution. I've connected the stick via a USB-hub, so I thought that might be the problem, but hooking it up directly to the computer didn't help either. Has anybody experienced similar problems? Any suggestions for a possible solution welcome!

Apart from that great joystick, though!

[Vance]

Franknfly,

Since you have already contacted Saitek, I assume that you downloaded their latest drivers and software instead of reinstalling what came on the disk. Also, if you have any other controllers and their drivers active, see what happens when you disable them (only Saitek controllers in use). Good luck!

-Vance

[FranknFly]

Yep, I have the latest drivers installed. I also have a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro in use. Where can I disable this controller?

Thanks.

[AndyGoldstein]

Uh, at the USB connector. Grip it firmly between thumb and forefinger and pull.

There may be a way to disable a joystick with the Windows Game Controllers control panel, but I'd trust the former method more.

- Andy