HOTAS Tip that helped me big time

Hi

I discovered something today that has helped in flying the P-51D big time. For context I fly the sim on maximum realism with rudder assist turned off in the miscellaneous options section for the P-51.

For years in various simulators I've mapped trim to a hat switch so that I can use it just like in modern aircraft. However, it's always been annoying that unlike a real aircraft you can't feel the pressure being relieved from the stick. However, today, because the P-51 has trim dials that you turn, I thought why not map my elevator and rudder trim to the two axis rotaries on my stick. I did it as a fancy, not expecting anything, but I was in for a surprise! By putting the elevator and rudder trim on an axis each flying the P-51 straight and level while changing power settings rather dramatically became effortless. That "feel" that's been missing was suddenly just there. It's as easy as flying with rudder assist turned on. Lining up for landing with the power at minimums to hold 120mph, easy. No more wobbling. Also, now that I have analogue control of the rudder trim I find I have almost no need for the aileron trim any more barring weapons release. Probably more correct to say I was using aileron trim in the past incorrectly!

Before this I had trouble transitioning from full mil 61/30 to max continuous 45/27 without the plane bobbing about like a frightened pony, understandable given that the X-65F is a centred stick, but annoying when part of your hobby is trying to fly the plane just right. Now, no longer a problem. A little change that made a HUGE difference.

To those of you who have been doing this all along simply ignore me. But to those who've been doing rudder and elevator trim on hat switches and buttons, please do yourself a favour and try it on an axis for the P-51. I suspect you'll be pleasantly surprised.

There is one tiny caveat of course, before take-off (or even more importantly when jumping into the cockpit mid-flight) you must remember to centre your trim axis on your controller. Otherwise she may just throw you right off!

Hope this is useful to someone. Happy flying!

Thanks for the tip. This is definitely something I'll do if I ever have the axes on my controllers.

Hi

i am rather new here and have a question regarding the trim option

I have a G940 throttle,rudder and joystick

on the joystick I have also trim wheels 3x

how can I assign these to the game?

I know how it works with buttons but the wheels dont react in the assigment

any help would be nice.

Hi

i am rather new here and have a question regarding the trim option

I have a G940 throttle,rudder and joystick

on the joystick I have also trim wheels 3x

how can I assign these to the game?

I know how it works with buttons but the wheels dont react in the assigment

any help would be nice.

Hi doebro!

You can only assign the trim wheels, if the airplane has wheels for trimming. It works for the P-51 and I´ve seen, that the Su-25T also has the option.

You find it under the "Axis assign" tab.

The A-10 uses "digital trimming", so you have to assign buttons for it.

Maybe some of the FC3 planes have trim wheels as well, didn´t check that.

Hi

i am rather new here and have a question regarding the trim option

I have a G940 throttle,rudder and joystick

on the joystick I have also trim wheels 3x

how can I assign these to the game?

I know how it works with buttons but the wheels dont react in the assigment

any help would be nice.

Those G940 trim wheels works well with Mustang, you must bind them in Axis Commands.

that works great!

thank you all

I thought why not map my elevator and rudder trim to the two axis rotaries on my stick.

I've read this several times now and cannot understand what you're saying here. What do you mean by "axis rotaries?"

Right now I have the trim on the P51 set to the trim hat on the Warthog. If I hold it, it turns the trim wheel. I use LCtrl+LWD and LCtrl+RWD to trim the rudder.

Thanks!

-Charles

Thanks for sharing this to the community. I was using rotaries all the way back in IL2. I did love the feel of rotaries for trim. With the Hotas Hawg using rotaries are not an option.

atsmith6, (or anyone using an X65F)

Can you describe how you set the rotaries to control pitch and rudder trim on the X65F?

I'd like to set Roll to Rotary 1 and if poss pitch to Scroll wheel . Or would pitch need to be Rotary 2?

I just cant seem to get the game to recognise any of the above axis.

Just as a point. At the moment I don't have rudder pedals. Could this be preventing me? (I bloody hate the twist grip rudder)

Thanks Novac.