Controller Setup for MSFS 2020 and X-Plane

This first step is to calibrate your controller. 

You need to go to the Windows Control Panel. To get there right mouse click on the start menu on your desktop (typically lower left), click on search, type in Control Panel in the search field, click on Control Panel.

** If you are on Windows 11 and have the most recent cumulative update installed (as of May 2023) please see notes below on how to get to where you need to be to do the calibration as Microsoft changed how to get there a bit.

Once that window opens up click on Hardware and Sound, then click on Devices and Printers. At the top under Devices find FlightSimStuff Controller, right mouse click on that and click on Game controller settings. A new box will open up, in the box double click on FlightSimStuff Controller.

Another new window will pop up where you can move the controls on the controller and see them move on screen, but you want the settings tab at top left of this window. Once on the settings tab click on Calibrate and follow the directions.  

Ignore centering the controls message, that is not necessary, click on next.  It will then have you move an Axis, move each control on the controller until you see the bar moving on screen, once you have the correct control and the bar is moving then move that control fully in and then out multiple times (or rotate the trim wheel fully from one end to the other, multiple times).  Once you do that click on next and do the next Axis, again move each control on the controller until the bar starts moving on screen, once you find it move that control in and out fully multiple times and then click next and follow this process until each control is completed.  The important steps are where you move each control fully in and out for the throttle, prop and mixture and and rotate the trim wheel all the way from one end to the other, do that a few times to be sure the entire range of motion is detected, msfs uses this calibration in game. 

Once you complete that you will be back on the test tab, you should be able to move each control in and out and see the bars move on screen in sync with you moving each control.  

If you skip Calibration you may find in MSFS 2020 that the throttle for instance will go from 6 percent to 93 percent or something like that, this procedure will resolve that.  X-Plane has its own calibration option in game.  You can still do the Control Panel calibration, but you need to calibrate in game as well.

** In a recent Windows update Devices and Printers in the control panel has changed, the way to get to where you need to be is by right mouse clicking the start menu searching for settings instead of control panel and then going to 'Bluetooth & Devices' on the left hand side of the window and then click on 'Devices' in the center of the window. Then scroll all the way to the bottom of that page and click on 'More devices and printer settings', this should bring you to where you can right click on FlightSimStuff Controller and continue on with the directions above.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Instructions

In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 click on Options, then click on Controls. In the Controls screen you will see a device along the top called FlightSimStuff Controller. Click that, on the left there is a search by name box. Search for throttle. Results will show up in the middle section. Find Throttle Axis, you may need to scroll down a little to find it. Click the box that is to the right of Throttle Axis. A screen will pop up, first click on Clear Current Input. Then click in the Start Scanning box and move the throttle on the controller in and out. It should auto fill in the control, then click on validate. That will bind your throttle.

Repeat the same steps for Mixture and Propeller, search for Mixture and then search for Propeller, you are looking for Mixture Axis (-100 - 100%) and Propeller 1 Axis.

Search for Flaps. Find Decrease Flaps in the list, click in the box to the right of that, clear current input then click start scanning and push the flaps lever up, it will fill in the control, click validate.

You will see Increase Flaps in the list. Click the box to the right, clear input, start scanning and push flaps lever down, click validate.

Then in the search by name box search for Trim. Find Elevator Trim Axis (-100 to 100%). Clear current input, click start scanning and move the trim wheel on the controller, you may need to rotate the trim wheel several turns for it to auto detect, then click validate.  In the game options please turn off 'Auto Trim' in the Assistance menu as well.

When finished click Save and Apply on the bottom and should be good to go! You may find a control is reversed (example, the throttle is backwards when pulling/pushing), if that is the case all you have to do is go to Options, Controls, click on FlightSimStuff Controller and all the controls you previously bound will be in the list in the center of the screen. There will be a reverse axis check box next to each control, check it to reverse it.

Once you complete binding all the controls go to the Assistance Options in the Options Menu, go to the Piloting section and turn off AI AUTO-TRIM.

-- After you finish binding all the controls and go to test in a plane and you find the throttle only registers about half of its travel then please try binding the throttle to Throttle 1 Axis instead of Throttle Axis.  Also make sure you do not have any other controller with throttle bound as having two controllers with throttle may not work correctly. If you were using a different controller for throttle/prop/mixture prior to this one you may need to plug it back in and go into MSFS settings/controls and unbind the controls from it, this isn't always necessary but sometimes needed. --

 

X-Plane Setup Instructions

Once in X-plane go into the Settings menu. Once in settings click on the Joystick tab. On the Device drop down box select FlightSimStuff Controller. Then click on Calibrate and follow the instructions. You need to move each throttle, mixture and prop controls fully in and out. Then rotate the trim wheel from one end to the other.  Do this several times for each control to be sure the entire range is detected.  When calibrating there may be 1 or more Axis that are not used, click ignore on the calibration screen next to those axis that are unused.

Once you are completed with calibration move the throttle in and out and you will see the bar move on the screen under one of the Axis. Once you see which Axis the throttle is select where it says none (black box with down arrow) and select Throttle from the list, it should be towards the top of the menu.

Now move the Prop control in and out and locate which Axis and then select Prop from the menu, should be towards the top of the menu.

Move the Mixture in and out on the controller to locate it in game and select Mixture from the menu, again should be up towards the top.

Click the Flaps switch down and locate which button number that is highlighted on the right hand side of the screen, once you locate the correct button number hit edit and in the search field type in flaps and then select Flaps down a notch. Then move the Flaps switch up to locate the correct number in game and click edit, search for flaps and select Flaps up a notch.

Now rotate the trim wheel to find the Axis for that and click to bring up the menu and select Elevator trim option from the menu.  Should be down a little bit from the top.

Then click done and now the controller should ready to go to!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Happy flying!

-Shawn