Tiller Steering

[DCAPilot]

I watched Alan XCA651's videos and notice that when he turns the yoke the tiller moves to steer the aircraft. I set the input configurator so use the yoke X (aileron) axis as steering. It shows as working in the preview but does not work in the sim. The aircraft tiller does not move and the aircraft does not respond to the yoke movement. I get some small steering with the rudder. I've tried other axes and buttons but nothing moves the tiller. I can move the tiller with the mouse. Is there a switch/lever I need to throw to engage the tiller or am I missing something else.

I'm running P3Dv4 with the 4.5.13.32097 update.

Thanks.

[Nick - A2A]

Hello DCAPilot,

To use the input configurator for hardware devices, you must have controllers gloabally enabled within the host sim. Is the "enable controller(s)" checkbox ticked in the "other" section of the P3D settings menu?

Thanks,
Nick

[alan CXA651]

Hi DCAPilot.
When i made the video , i made it with FSXA as my host sim and controls go through FSUIPC paid version , and the A2A control configurator , all my yoke /rudder /throttles have been deleted from FSXA control inputs.
Also when you say limited control through tiller , do you have hydraulics normal and standby fully pressured , and control locks removed , and are you stationary when testing or moveing forward.
regards alan.

[DCAPilot]

@Nick Controllers are enabled.

@Alan I'm not familiar with FSXA - what is it? I have the free version of FSUIPC (I'm very familiar with FSUIPC and years ago had a paid version) and prefer to stick with the P3D interface. You may have a point about the hydraulics. I have done both autostart and gone through a cold and dark with the FE doing the setup. Do I have to do something to get the hydraulic pressure up? Now that you mention it I vaguely remember you doing something with the hydraulics. I'll have to check the pressure gauges. Control locks are another thing to check although the controls move in the cockpit when I move the controllers - yoke, rudders, ailerons all work in the cockpit.

I did my testing moving forward.

[alan CXA651]

DCAPilot.
The FSXA is short for FSX+Acceleration.
Hydraulics are needed to assist the controls, if hydraulics fail , or switched off , or engines not running , the controls will be locked, you get movement but it is a very limited movement once hydraulic assist is disconnected 3 levers , this needs to be done if a total hydraulic failure occurs.
Yes you are right i did a video showing total hydraulic failure , and how to get the manual limited control back , so you could safely get the aircraft back down in one piece.
Its a while since i flew the connie , but from memory , the hydraulic gauges are on the co-pilots side, hydraulic pump isol switches on the engineers panel , and normal / emergency hydraulic selector is on the islestand , usually in the normal position , i think its on pilots side , i will have to refamilurize myself with the connie , been flying mainly A2A military aircraft of late.
regards alan.

[DCAPilot]

I checked after an autostart and the hydraulic pressure is reading high, the reservoir is full. The manual mentions the pilot has to turn on the hydraulic pump motor switch in the "On Entering Flight Station" section of the manual. I haven't found taht switch yet. There are four hydraulic pump shut-off switches on the top of the Engineer's panel and they are open.

Ahh. I see. I haven't used FSX for years and forgot about that although I have it on CDs on my shelf. I'm showing normal hydraulic pressure on the copilot gauge, switches for pumps open and boosters for controls on so I'm not sure what is happening. It should all be working.

[alan CXA651]

DCAPilot.
The normal pressure should show full pressure after engine start , STBY hydraulic pressure will not come up to its pressure , till the normal / stby hydraulic lever on the isle stand is moved from normal to stby position , ONCE the stby hydraulic pressure is reading its max pressure , then turn normal / stby hydraulic lever back to normal position before you start to taxi.
The boosters should be in normal flight position by default , and with engines off and no hydraulic pressure , these boosters act as control locks , at this stage i always put boosters in the manul position , and check control movment , yoke for ail / ele should have a limited movement , as does the rudder peddles , i then put the boosters back to the normal / lock positon ready for flight.
On entering the flight station checklist for the pilot:-
ONLY thing i see is to CHECK AUTOPILOT HYDRAULIC pump motor switch-OFF , if i remember correctly , this is the three autopilot engage / disengage levers which should be OFF.
regards alan.

[Nick - A2A]

DCAPilot,

Just in case you purchased the Connie before May 2018, do you have the latest version of the installer with built in updater as shown in this topic?

Thanks,
Nick

[alan CXA651]

DCAPilot.
I forgot to ask something that might have been re engaged by P3Dv4 updates , CHECK AUTO RUDDER not ticked , in FSXA this is under realism , this might be preventing tiller from working.
regards alan.

[DCAPilot]

It is unchecked.

[alan CXA651]

DCAPilot.
I have fired up FSXA selected the connie , cold and dark,caree mode off.
In this state , if i bring up A2A connie control input configerator , i can see the yoke moveing the % from 50 center position to either 100% to 0% , but the steering wheel in VC due to no hydraul pressure will not move.
also yoke / rudder peddles will not move due boost levers on and no hyd pressure , boost levers selected off , steering does not move , but yoke and peddles have limited movement , boost levers turn on.
Once engines are running , and while warming up , fwd brake hyd gauge is reading , but rear emerg brake hyd gauge is zero pressure , on either side of isle standyou will see a brake lever in normal postion , turn either one to emerg till rear brake hyd gauge gets to max pressure , then return lever to norm position.
Test controls have full movement for ail/ele/rud , and steering tiller should also turn.
Remember the connie as limited steering on the ground , no sharp turns , and taxi slowly , or nose wheel will skip/slde .
regards alan.

[DCAPilot]

DCAPilot.
I have fired up FSXA selected the connie , cold and dark,caree mode off.
In this state , if i bring up A2A connie control input configerator , i can see the yoke moveing the % from 50 center position to either 100% to 0% , but the steering wheel in VC due to no hydraul pressure will not move.
also yoke / rudder peddles will not move due boost levers on and no hyd pressure , boost levers selected off , steering does not move , but yoke and peddles have limited movement , boost levers turn on.
Once engines are running , and while warming up , fwd brake hyd gauge is reading , but rear emerg brake hyd gauge is zero pressure , on either side of isle standyou will see a brake lever in normal postion , turn either one to emerg till rear brake hyd gauge gets to max pressure , then return lever to norm position.
Test controls have full movement for ail/ele/rud , and steering tiller should also turn.
Remember the connie as limited steering on the ground , no sharp turns , and taxi slowly , or nose wheel will skip/slde .
regards alan.

Excellent. I think you may have hit on the issue as the emergency pressure showed zero. I'll try this. I haven't moved the brake lever at all.

No sharp turns - got it <G>!

Thanks for taking the time to fire up the Connie and test it.

[DCAPilot]

The axis works in configurator. I switched to emergency brake and let the emergency pressure come up to match the main hydraulic pressure. The wheel still does not turn. I'm not sure what is happening here.

[Nick - A2A]

Hi DCAPilot,

Please can you let me know the answer to the question I asked above, as this may help us get to the bottom of things.

Just in case you purchased the Connie before May 2018, do you have the latest version of the installer with built in updater as shown in this topic?

Also, have you tried assigning any of the other axes available in the input configurator? For example, if you assign whatever axis you wish to use for the tiller to "throttles left" instead, this should show us whether the issue lies with the configurator/hardware assignment (if it doesn't work), or elsewhere (if it does).

Thanks,
Nick

[DCAPilot]

Hi DCAPilot,

Please can you let me know the answer to the question I asked above, as this may help us get to the bottom of things.

Just in case you purchased the Connie before May 2018, do you have the latest version of the installer with built in updater as shown in this topic?

Also, have you tried assigning any of the other axes available in the input configurator? For example, if you assign whatever axis you wish to use for the tiller to "throttles left" instead, this should show us whether the issue lies with the configurator/hardware assignment (if it doesn't work), or elsewhere (if it does).

Thanks,
Nick

I purchased it about a month ago and have the current updater. I ran it from the start menu and says I'm up to date.

Controllers are enabled.

I found the issue. I am using Direct Input instead of Raw in P3D. This is because I use Joystick Gremlin to create mappings and macros that allow me to do things like pick single, twin, four engine modes and Joystick Gremlin maps the axis as needed so if I have a twin only two of my quadrant levers are used for throttle, two for mixture and prop. For Four Engine I select that mapping via a button push. In X-Plane I have profiles setup for the different engine types and I tie the profiles to each aircraft in X-Plane and it automatically selects the right profile when I switch aircraft and I push my yoke button and Joystick Gremlin changes the outputs so all are happy. I used to do the same thing in Bob Church's CH Mapper program.

In P3D and X-Plane I use the vJoy devices as controllers. I set Joystick Gremlin to four engine, it sets up the levers and axes it outputs accordingly and I then create the profile in P3D to map the axes and buttons for say a four engine aircraft and export it. When I use the Connie I import the profile.

This works great in X-Plane but in P3D I had to set the input from raw to Direct Input mode or it doesn't see any of the vJoy controllers. I assume this is because vJoy acts a directinput. However, the input configurator must assume it's raw input and even though it sees my axis assignment and assigns it the cockpit does not pick it up and show the wheel (or the left throttle) moving. If I switch to Raw Input for P3D which I did as a test the input configurator mappings are picked up just fine. I assume the configurator assumes raw input and doesn't handle DirectInput.

Unfortunately I use Joystick Gremlin and vJoy for a lot of my sims and other programs so I have to stick with it. For P3D I'll have to do a workaround since it can't see my inputs unless I'm in DI mode. It appears the rudder steers the Connie some and since I can't make sharp turns that may be enough. There is also supposed to be an Axis Steer in P3Dv4 so I'll see if I can get it to work.

I appreciate your and Alan's help. I wish I had thought of this sooner!

I don't know if the input configurator can do mappings for DI or not.

How does the configurator set the values in P3D? Does it do something in the sim itself or in the A2A aircraft files?