Tip for Saitek throttle quadrant in 737

[dbpetrol]

Just wanted to share how I setup my Saitek throttle quadrant in the IXEG 737 (anyone else using it like me?).

I use lever 1 for throttle 1, lever 2 for reverse thrust, lever 3 for throttle 2.

It makes the throttle feel "larger" in my hand than using lever 1 and 2 for throttle

 

[Rodeo]

Cool setup, though with my small hands I'd personally use 1&2 for thrust levers and 3 for the reversers

[dbpetrol]

With my large hands my indexfinger and ringfinger is a perfect fit over lever 1 and 3

[Tom Knudsen]

I use (from left) 

Lever 1 - Engine 1 throttle

Lever 2 - Engine 2 throttle

Lever 3 - Speed Brake

Then there is a extra botton when you move the levers all the way down on all three levers

The first two I use for revers trust, makes it all work pretty cool since both throttles are down anyway on landing.

 

[dbpetrol]

The "bottom buttons" I use for left and right brake

[dbpetrol]

T1 - Flaps up

T2 - Flaps down

T3 - Speedbrakes up

T4 - Speedbrakes down

T5 - Gear up

T6 - Gear down

[EDDTlex]

My third lever is set for reverse thrust...I don't use the reverse mode on the throttle to yank up the reverses all the way, its not that common in the real world (I think), so you can smoothly put in as much reverse thrust as you want.

T1 is set for TOGA (very handy for missed approches with FD ON and AT in ARM mode), T6 is AT disco...I don't use the other buttons, due to the danger of hitting the false one.

[dbpetrol]

I'm very happy with my setup. It's pretty cheap, accurate and portable  :  

- Saitek throttle qudrant setup for my right hand (see post above)

- Thrustmaster T-16000M Flight stick setup for my left hand.

- Razer Naga mouse (right hand) It has a full numeric keypad on the side for easy change of views.

I'm righthanded but I've learned to fly with my left hand. This way I can fly the airplane AND manipulate buttons in 3D-cockpit/change views/zoom with my mouse at the same time.

The T-16000M is VERY precise because it has hall effect sensors instead of potentiometers (nullzone can be set to 0% without problem). I can really recomend this joystick (it's pretty cheap to  )

[nigelmcelwee]

I like the setup. You should go to Cockpitsimparts and buy through 737 throttle handles. I own them and they add a nice touch of realism. I also use the center lever for a Thrust reverser but I bui3ld a basic wooden extension with a wooden dowel and 2 rubber end caps that feel like thrust reversers to pull back on once I've retarded my throttles. I made it pivot a little bit so it feels like you're actually pulling back on the thrust reversers as the axis is moving backwards

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[dbpetrol]

8 hours ago, nigelmcelwee said:

I like the setup. You should go to Cockpitsimparts and buy through 737 throttle handles. I own them and they add a nice touch of realism. I also use the center lever for a Thrust reverser but I bui3ld a basic wooden extension with a wooden dowel and 2 rubber end caps that feel like thrust reversers to pull back on once I've retarded my throttles. I made it pivot a little bit so it feels like you're actually pulling back on the thrust reversers as the axis is moving backwards

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Wow! Those handles look amazing. Just ordered! Thank you!

[cloudfreak1]

...take 2 and a little bit handwork

[K4bel123]

Is there anyone who knows where I can buy a Saitek throttle quadrant? I can´t find them anymore and I accidentally broke mine

[Fabio Pittol]

I use mine like Tom Knudsen, but I really liked your idea @dbpetrol. It just won't work well for me because I have the 3 different knobs. How did you manage to get the 3 black rounded ones?

[TheFriedchicken]

6 hours ago, K4bel123 said:

Is there anyone who knows where I can buy a Saitek throttle quadrant? I can´t find them anymore and I accidentally broke mine

@K4bel123

There is a world wide shortage, i have been waiting for my second one since October. Saitek says stocks will be replenished between late May to 30th June. 

Edited May 5, 2016 by TheFriedchicken

[lanmancz]

Nice setups lads! But how do you please deal with the fact that the axes are not very accurate on the saitek quadrant ? I stopped using separate axes for my throttles because when I have the saitek levers in the same place they output different values into the sim, now I just use one axis for both throttles for this reason. Or are just the ones I own rubbish ?

[dbpetrol]

4 hours ago, Fabio Pittol said:

I use mine like Tom Knudsen, but I really liked your idea @dbpetrol. It just won't work well for me because I have the 3 different knobs. How did you manage to get the 3 black rounded ones?

Mine was delivered with three black knobs, one blue and one red.

[Jojo38000]

1 hour ago, lanmancz said:

Nice setups lads! But how do you please deal with the fact that the axes are not very accurate on the saitek quadrant ? I stopped using separate axes for my throttles because when I have the saitek levers in the same place they output different values into the sim, now I just use one axis for both throttles for this reason. Or are just the ones I own rubbish ?

 

Same here. At first it really bothered me, but then I did'nt really pay attention to it anymore. 

I'm sure there is a way to do a mean of each axis when the throttles are "close enough" to each other. FlyWithLua has some pretty interesting possibilities.

I also use an axis for the flaps, and this script is very helpfull in order to make sure you select only possible values (no more flaps 14.6). Unfortunately it doesn't work with the IXEG 737, but you just need to find the custom datarefs used by ixeg for their flaps, and slightly modify the script in order to get it to work. I'll give it a try this weekend.

[dbpetrol]

16 hours ago, Jojo38000 said:

I also use an axis for the flaps, and this script is very helpfull in order to make sure you select only possible values (no more flaps 14.6). Unfortunately it doesn't work with the IXEG 737, but you just need to find the custom datarefs used by ixeg for their flaps, and slightly modify the script in order to get it to work. I'll give it a try this weekend.

After ordering the new handles I played around with settings in X-plane. You don´t need a script if you use Saiteks software and drivers and setup lever 3 with "bands" to output keyboard presses. In X-plane I setup custom keycommands for each flapsetting. No more "14,6" flaps

Just make sure to install the drivers from Saitek or else it won´t output keypresses. (I use CTRL+Shift+ "numbers" for each flapsetting. Also, I use "advanced command" in Saiteks software to make sure the lever doesn´t hold the keys for more than a second or less.)

Some white electricaltape and a permanent marker to mark the settings on the throttle quadrant.

Modded the base to sit a little lower

Edited May 6, 2016 by dbpetrol

[Jojo38000]

Didn't know about that, thanks.

LRDN just updated his script to add compatibilty with the 737.

The pro of his script over the manual method you are using is that it detects how many flaps positions there are, so if you change aircraft you don't have to reassign all of this stuff in the saitek/xplane menus. 

But thanks for sharing your method, I'll keep it in mind if I ever have some trouble in the future.

[dbpetrol]

Great! I will try the updated script. It's probably the best way to go

[Jojo38000]

I just tried it, works very nice indeed. 

In case you are using x-assign, I highly recommend to delete your .axes file in the IXEG 737 root folder. I just had a conflict between those two plugins, and X-Plane kept telling me it ran out of memory (while it clearly hadn't). 

Deleting this config file solves the problem. Just redo your assignments and resave it, and you should be good to go.

Just leaving it here in case someone else encounters the same problem.

[dbpetrol]

Yes, tried it just now. Much easier than setting up profiles in saitek editor. You also get the 2 flap setting (although you never use it  )

After a short testflight to EDDH I now recommend using speedbrake/throttle/flaps. Feels great! I don´t miss the dual throttles at all, never used them much anyway

 

[Jojo38000]

So after some experimenting I think I found the perfect setup for those of you who have two throttle levers, see below : 

 

The knobs are all saitek (they came with the second lever). I just cut in half the big knob myself, as you can tell from the excellent craftsmanship. In order to get the flap lever to work, I use, as discussed above, this excellent script. The spoiler lever works "out of the box" (first time I see that in xplane). 
 

The big knobs are for engine 1 and 2, and the small ones for the reversers. In order to still get full power when pushed all the way forward (or all the way back for the reversers), I just recalibrated the axis in X-Plane. Works very very nicely.

 

Jonathan

[nigelmcelwee]

That setup works great. I want to try it out but I need a second saitek quadarant and until they start manufacturing again it's no joy unless you want to buy one on ebay for 500 dollars!

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[Bonbod]

For those, who also use this script from LRND here are some samples to mod the throttle quadrant...

Anyone uses one of the quadrant lever to control the gear?

I am able to use the lever, and the gear goes up and down, when i go to the outrside view, but the gearleaver inside the plane simulation did not move.

Greetings

Dirk

 

flaps.rar

Edited May 15, 2016 by Bonbod