Support Frequently Asked Questions
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When launching Microsoft Flight Simulator with your Yawman Arrow plugged in, you will be instantly greeted in the Control Options menu with default profiles. You should feel free to tailor them to your individual preferences.
Please note: The default profile programmed inside of MSFS contains erroneous assignments and will be updated for the upcoming Sim Update 15 in early 2024. We have created a streamlined step-by-step guide to bring the default profile up to full and correct functionality. Microsoft is also addressing an issue that currently prevents the typical A, B, X, Y interactions for cockpit switch and button controls found on an Xbox controller from working with the Arrow.
A complete textual guide to the MSFS default profiles is available here, illustrating all the various functions designed into the Yawman Arrow. The Yawman Team spent 18 months perfecting the default profiles for the Arrow inside Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The three default profiles are split into different levels of functionality. The primary profile is a starter profile that will get you flying with the essential controls for your aircraft. A graphical guide to all its features can be found here.
The two advanced profiles include 185 different assignments putting an incredible amount of functionality at your disposal. Both advanced profiles are effectively identical and differ with your preferred method of trim control – wheel or hat switch. A graphical guide to the advanced profile features can be found here.
When launching X-Plane 12 with the Yawman Arrow plugged in, the sim will automatically recognize the device and assign our default profile to the controller. Feel free to make any assignment changes. X-Plane by default only supports single-press capabilities at this time, though plugins like FlyWithLua can be used to create multi-press profiles. A tutorial for building your own profiles can be found here.
Under the default MSFS Yawman Arrow profile the multifunction wheel is responsible for trim functions. To quickly adapt the default profile for aircraft with thumb switch trim control, we have provided this easy profile of differences (sheet 3) to give you trim control using the hat switch. Hat switch trim control is the typical interaction on aircraft such as Boeing 7-series jetliners and the Cirrus Vision Jet.
The Yawman Arrow is designed to be plug-and-play ready with no additional external software or configuration. However, the Arrow is also designed with powerful built-in tools to tailor the controls to your preferred sensitivity and application. The multifunction wheel is not an axis. Rolling the wheel produces clicks that continue to register in the direction of travel until you stop or reverse movement.
You can adjust the speed at which the wheel registers individual clicks by changing the default value. The multifunction wheel is programmed with a default value of 140 that has been found to work well across Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane 11 & 12 and Infinite Flight. A lower value will move things slower, higher values, faster. The recommended range is from 1 to 500.
The wheel sensitivity value is adjusted directly through firmware keystrokes on the Arrow. Details of the specific instructions for changing the value can be found here. The desired value is translated into a 12-digit string that is easy to input. These changes can be completed while your preferred sim is running and the Arrow is plugged in. This makes experimenting with different settings that work best for your flying experience instantly accessible without restarting the sim.
For autotrim aircraft, like those in the modern Airbus lineup, create a duplicated profile based on the default profile and simply remove the trim assignments from the wheel (Button 12 & 13) in both directions. The default profile selects Airspeed Hold activation (1L and Right Bumper), for autothrust activation, we recommend changing this to Autothrottle Arm to reflect Airbus system functions.
During our evaluations, we found the center D-pad button ideally suited to the push-to-talk role in external ATC networks like Vatsim and IVAO. By default, the center D-Pad button is assigned to Cockpit/External View Mode, switching from inside and outside of the aircraft. We recommend moving this view switching assignment to a combination of Up & Down D-Pad buttons (Button 14 & 16) together.