Flight Simulator Joystick Controls – The Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Your Joystick for an Immersive Flight Adventure:

Using a joystick, yoke, or other controller with Flight Simulator will make it feel the most realistic. With the buttons and controls, you may fly more precisely while also changing viewpoints, adjusting the throttle, extending or retracting the landing gear and flaps, and using other aircraft functions.

Joysticks, yokes, gaming pads, and other controllers that are supported by Microsoft Windows and the DirectInput device standard can all be used with Flight Simulator. Use the primary control that works best for you and modify it to meet your needs. To find out which buttons go where on your controller’s many configurations, consult the manual.

Make sure your joystick or other controller is connected to your computer before taking to the air.

Activated in the Windows Control Panel.

Calibrated properly (see Calibrating Your Joystick).

Ensure that your device drivers are up to date as well. Download and install them from the manufacturer’s website if you’re unsure.

Extreme Control:

Yokes, rudder pedals, throttle quadrants, and radio stacks are all excellent ways to further enhance the realism of your Flight Simulator experience. Expanding Your Hobby has further information.

Joystick Commands:

You may have buttons for frequently used controls and cockpit views depending on your joystick, but you will still need to utilize the mouse or keyboard for other tasks.

1. (Trigger) release brakes

2. Cycle views

3. Elevator trim down

4. Elevator trim up

5. Extend flaps

6. Retract flaps

7. Drop objects

8. Landing gear up/down

9. (Hat switch) Look around

10. Throttle control

Here’s a list of the default joystick commands:

Action Command

Apply/release brakes Button 1 (trigger)

Cycle views (Cockpit, Tower, Track, Spot) Button 2

Elevator trim down Button 3

Elevator trim up Button 4

Extend flaps Button 5

Retract flaps Button 6

Drop objects Button 7

Landing gear up/down Button 8

Bank left (ailerons) Move stick left

Bank right (ailerons) Move stick right

Pitch down (elevator) Move stick forward

Pitch up (elevator) Move stick backward

Yaw left (rudder) Twist stick left

Yaw right (rudder) Twist stick right

Look ahead/right Move hat switch up/right

Look right Move hat switch right

Look back/right Move hat switch down/right

Look back Move hat switch down

Look back/left Move hat switch down/left

Look left Move hat switch left

Look ahead/left Move hat switch up/left

Look up Move hat switch up

Customizing Joystick Assignments:

You can alter the joystick’s control assignments to fit your preferred flying style.

Joystick button commands can be modified.

Click Controls under Settings on the Options menu.

On the Buttons/Keys tab, click.

Depending on the mode you wish to change commands for, either choose Normal or Slew Mode.

Select the category of events you want to set from the Event category list.

For instance, choose Autopilot commands to alter the autopilot’s commands. Your choice impacts what is displayed in the Assignment list below, which shows events and the key and joystick commands that go with them.

Choose the event you want to assign to a different joystick button from the Assignment list.

To select a different joystick button assignment for the specified event, click Change Assignment.

It will display the Select Assignment dialog box.

Select the event you wish to use the joystick for by pressing the appropriate button. Click the Clear button if the button is already in use and you don’t wish to change it.

Select OK.

Utilizing the previous steps 3 through 8, make any other alterations you desire.

Select OK.

To change joystick axes:

Click Controls under Settings on the Options menu.

On the Joystick Axes tab, click.

Depending on the mode you wish to change commands for, either choose Normal or Slew Mode.

Choose the event you want to assign to a different joystick axis from the Assignment list.

To select a different joystick axis for the specified event, click Change Assignment.

It will display the Select Assignment dialog box.

The joystick axis you want to use for the chosen event should be moved. Click the Clear button if the axis is already in use and you don’t want to change it.

Select OK.

Utilizing the previous steps 3 through 8, make any other alterations you desire.

Select OK.

Resetting and Deleting Assignments:

Click the Delete Assignment button on the Buttons/Keys or Joystick Axes tab to remove a control assignment from the command you’ve selected.

Click the Reset Defaults button to undo any modifications you’ve made to your controller assignments and restore Flight Simulator to its default configuration.

Calibrating Your Joystick:

If your joystick seems to be behaving erratically, you may need to calibrate it.

You can calibrate your joystick in the Windows Game Controllers dialog box

To calibrate your joystick

Make sure your joystick is plugged in and installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

On the Options menu, point to Settings, and then choose Controls.

Click the Calibrate tab.

Click Calibrate.

On the Settings tab follow the instructions onscreen.

Adjusting Joystick Sensitivity:

The default joystick sensitivity in Flight Simulator is in the center of the range, and the response time is typical. These sensitivity levels are programmable. Experiment to discover the setting that suits you the best.

The joystick’s “sensitivity” describes how sensitive it is along a specific axis. For instance, with high sensitivity, even the smallest joystick movement in Flight Simulator will have a significant impact on the controls of the aircraft.

The term “Null Zone” describes the amount of “dead space” in a certain joystick axis center point. For instance, in Flight Simulator, a big null zone will allow you to move the joystick before it affects the controls of the aircraft.

To adjust the sensitivity of your joystick:

Ensure that your joystick is installed and connected in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Click Controls under Settings on the Options menu.

On the Calibrate tab, click.

Select the Simple option, then drag the Sensitivities-all axes and Null zones-all axes sliders to the desired settings to change the sensitivity for all axes at once.

-or-

Click the Advanced option, then select each axis and move the Sensitivity and Null zone sliders to the desired levels for each axis’ sensitivity.

Select OK.

Note:

Click the Reset Defaults button to return all sensitivity settings to their factory settings.

Adjusting Joystick Forces:

You can enable or disable any or all force-feedback parameters while using a force-feedback joystick.

Regulatory surfaces: You’ll experience forces on the control surfaces when you move the elevator, ailerons, and rudder.

Stick shaker: In a jet, the controller will tremble if you exceed the top speed.

Crashing: The controller will let you know if you’ve crashed.

You will feel the bumps through the controller as you travel across the ramp, taxiway, and runway.

Retractable landing gear: You may feel the retracting of the landing gear through the controller.

If you have a force-feedback joystick, you can adjust the forces in the Controls Forces dialog box

To adjust joystick forces:

On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Controls.

Click the Forces tab.

Select or clear the desired force feedback options.

Click OK.

Note

To disable all force feedback options, clear the Enable force feedback checkbox on the Forces tab.

Conclusion:

I hope you’ve found this post useful and could find all the commands you were looking for flight simulator. Please note that please note that the commands mentioned above is for the standard type of joystick that you see in the picture and it may be different for every type of stick/controller. For other types, just assign the buttons on your controller as you prefer them from within the sim controller setup page.

Thank you for reading this article and see you soon in the next post