mapping concept question...

[wotrwokr]

hi there,
this is probably a stupid question (either as an absurd impossibility or as something already DONE and i don't understand i've already seen it in various mapping profiles)...
but as i am mapping my virpil ALPHA... a thought came across my mind.

Q: can a 5-way hat.... be programmed/used as a "MASTER control systems" button of sorts?

say, for instance... weapons systems. 
install a specific weapon system on EACH of the (4) "arrow" buttons... with the ability to "scroll" through various modes/settings of THAT specific system (by pressing on the same "arrow" button multiple times)..... and then SELECTING the desired weapons system by pressing the center button on the 5-way.

this way..... 4 systems can be controlled with (1) 5-way hat.

any ideas?.... or am i nuts?
please, be gentle, 
"wotrwokr"

[draconus]

It'd be best to talk about specific aircraft and it's systems to answer if this is possible.

Let's take that Eagle from your avatar and make an example. You can bind:

up arrow - radar toggle

down - PRF toggle

left - TWS/RWS toggle

right - wide/narrow toggle

center - mode switch modifer toggle

Now in this other mode you can bind left/right and up/down to antenna movement.

This is just an example and it's supported out of the box. Maybe some aircraft already have some menus like you say but I never seen it. Some additional programming can be achived with your HOTAS software. Also check Jester/Petrovich menus specific to Tomcat and Hind modules.