First off I want to say that DSC World absolutely rocks as a flight simulator and more specifically as a combat flight simulator. The flight model aerodynamics, aircraft systems modeling, and cockpit texture details are incredible. I feel as though I'm sitting in and flying the real thing.
Although I am not a military pilot, I have had considerable airborne time over the years. First as an aerospace med tech in UH-1N Hueys at Vandenberg AFB back in the mid '80s, I flew medical aerovac missions with the flight surgeons and various SAR training sorties over a 3 year span. In 1989, I voluntarily retrained out of Aerospace Medicine and into aircraft avionics and became an F-111 instrument and flight control systems specialist and moved from Vandenberg to Cannon AFB, New Mexico. As a "B-shop" F-111 flight control tech (and later after the USAF retired the F-111 and brought in the F-16s, as an F-16 avionics tech), I've had extensive training and experience in avionics and flight control systems.
While at Cannon, I began private pilot training at Clovis in a Cessna 172. I progressed through to solo several times, but never did get my private ticket.
On 2 occasions while in the AF I had the wonderful privilege to receive an "incentive flight" in both the F-111 (while deployed to Incirlik AB, Turkey for Operation Provide Comfort) and in a block-42 F-16D while TDY at Nellis AFB for Red Flag in 2001. I had brief stick time in both aircraft - was even allowed to fly the entire traffic pattern in the Falcon at Nellis, right up to final approach. And let me tell you, you have not experienced acceleration until you've had a ride in the back seat of an F-16 on a takeoff roll.
(Unless of course, you're an actual pilot in the F-16 or similar military jet fighter. For me - the enlisted guy- it was quite the rush).
Just giving you my background.
My point is, I know what real flight feels like. I know how flight controls and avionics work. And back to my opening statement - DCS is awesome and to me feels like sitting in and flying an actual military aircraft. I love this sim. Used to think X-plane was the thing. It has recently taken a backseat to DCS.
I'm running the latest Steam version, open beta. So far I've purchased the P-51, P-47 (the Thunderbolt is awesome), the Mark IX Spitfire and the F-14 Tomcat. Haven't done too much in the Tomcat so far - I really love those warbirds! All aircraft have flown flawlessly after successful mapping flight controls and avionics to my trusty ol' Saitek X-52 Pro. I've had the X52 for 3 years now and have had it apart for various reasons more times than I care to count, but it still works great. Until yesterday.
I bought and downloaded the A-10CII on sale through Steam. I am unable to map controls to the X52. I'm also using a set of Thrustmaster rudder pedals and they work fine with the A-10. The strange thing though is that the X52 does work perfectly in the A-10 but only with the HOTAS Fundamentals training module. In other training modules or Instant Action missions, axis mapping will not cooperate.
Last night, I made the brilliant decision to "clear all" in Control Options for the A-10, thinking something default might be interfering with axis mapping and that I'd just map every switch and axis manually from scratch. This proved unwise. Now I have nothing working in any A-10 module except the pitch axis on the control stick. Can't even look around, as "clear all" wiped out TrackIR too. Duh... I cannot even press Esc to get to the control options screen and have to exit the sim via alt-tab and then right-clicking close window for DCS in the task bar. My OS is Windows 10.
All other aircraft still work fine (big sigh of relief...)
This morning I removed the A-10 folders from H:\\Steamlibrary\steamapps\common\DCSWorld\Mods\aircraft. Then I logged into my Steam library and re-installed the A-10 mod hoping to at least get the Control Options function back and resume attempts to map the X52. No luck. My A-10 controls are still dead (except pitch stick axis) and I cannot even press Esc to bring up Control Options.
I'm relatively new to DCS and I'm hoping one of you experts can provide some insight.
Thank you for any help.