iFly 737 Max8 How to Bind Your Controls and Other Sim Setup Tips
Important No�ce: Every controller is different. Your controls may have different axes and butons
available, but the same principles apply regardless of your hardware.
I.
Prerequisites
a. This guide assumes you are using only the MSFS 2020 menus to assign func�ons. If you
use SPAD.next, Axis and Ohs, FSUIPC, Mobiflight, or any other third-party so�ware to
assign func�ons to your controllers or keyboards, you may or may not get the desired
outcomes. The iFly 737 MAX8 officially supports only the MSFS controller assignment
interface.
b. When se�ng up and tes�ng your iFly 737 MAX8 controller assignments, and while
performing any troubleshoo�ng of the iFly 737 MAX8 generally, you must have an
empty community folder, except for the iFly 737 MAX8. Your community folder should
look like this:
If your Community folder does not look like this or you are using hidden mods, especially
random “I found it on flightsim.to” programs, remove them. Remove all liveries from the
Community folder. You will only make troubleshoo�ng and controller assignments more
complicated and frustra�ng if you leave other add-ons in the Community folder.
II.
MSFS 2020 Control Op�ons (Ini�al Set Up)
When you connect a keyboard, throtle quadrant, yoke, flight s�ck, or rudders to MSFS 2020, it will
try to assign func�ons for your controller automa�cally. Do not use MSFS default assignments for
your hardware. Start with a blank profile for the controller (and to a degree, the keyboard, which we
address below). If you don’t how to make a blank controller profile, follow these steps:
•
From the Main Menu, select OPTIONS.
•
Then select CONTROL OPTIONS
Then select the controller you want to work with, such as the Bravo Throtle Quadrant. At the botom of
the screen, select OPEN PRESET MANAGER.
The click the “+” sign for a new profile.
Then, give the profile a name, such as iFly 737 MAX8. You’ll no�ce that the profile is blank. No func�ons
have been assigned yet. This is what you want. By comparison, if you change the profile to the DEFAULT
that MSFS assigns, it is filled with assignments – and many of those may cause problems with the iFly
737 MAX8 or frankly any other add-on plane. Here’s an example, MSFS 2020, by default, assigns
MIXTURE2 to the FLAPS Axis on the Honeycomb Bravo. Moving it might cause the engines to shut down
from lack of fuel flow even though you think you’re just moving the flaps. Likewise, MSFS 2020
automa�cally assigns Throtle1 to the speed brake (spoilers) axis. You get the point.
Before you start: We suggest applying a dead zone to all axes as follows. This eliminates any noise at the
top and botom of an axis, which could interfere with aircra� systems.
a. Throtle Quadrant
i. Speed Brake
If you find that the speed brake is twitchy when you move the axis, change the Reac�vity % from 100 to
a lower number, in this example, we’ve used 79%. Keep in mind, the anima�on is a bit twitchy. But it
will setle.
ii. Throtles 1 and 2 – Assign them as shown. Just to be safe, add an extremity dead
zone (the example here is 4%).
iii. Reversers
In this example, we have required that both reverser handles on the Bravo jet handles engage to move
the plane into idle reverse.
To control the reverse thrust, move the throtles forward. It will add reverse power. Keep in mind, the
anima�on will look strange, but the reverse power will increase. When ready, pull the throtles back to
idle to bring it back to idle reverse. Then release the reverser handles, and the plane will revert to
forward idle.
iv. Flaps
or if you are using a buton or the flaps up/down on the Bravo:
v. Gear
vi. TOGA
vii. Autothrotle Disconnect (note that we have assigned this func�on to a different
controller in this example, not the Bravo)
b. Yoke
i. Aileron and Elevator
Experiment with dead zones and sensi�vi�es to suit your controller.
ii. Trim
iii. AP Disconnect
iv. Camera Hat Switch (we have a camera hat switch assigned to a flight s�ck, which
has a two-axis configura�on)
c. Rudders and Brakes
Make sure you set a dead zone. Most rudders are a bit noisy or they don’t center 100% perfectly. If you
feel that your rudder pedal steering is too sensi�ve and twitchy, adjust the Sensi�vity and Reac�vity
levels to what feels comfortable for your hardware. (The same will apply for nose wheel steering by a
�ller, so apply similar se�ngs for the �ller axis.)
If you have toe brakes, set the le� and right toe brake axis:
Or if you want to apply the brakes evenly using a single axis.
d. Parking Brake
The iFly 737 MAX8 supports two methods to set the parking brake:
1. An On or Off switch, or an axis that provides an On or Off func�on, or a key combina�on, are all
supported.
2. A spring-loaded switch/buton which acts as an On/Off toggle.
For No.1, the MSFS control is “SET PARKING BRAKE.”
For No. 2, the MSFS control is “TOGGLE PARKING BRAKES.”
Next, check for proper opera�on of the parking brake.
Set MSFS 2020 to run in Developer Mode (General Op�ons) and reload the sim. Once you have the iFly
737 MAX8 loaded, click Debug\Aircra�\Wheels.
If the brake axis is properly assigned and calibrated, and no brakes are applied, you should see the
following:
Next, apply the brakes, toe brakes or parking brake, and you should see the following:
NOTE: The “Brake Effect” % might vary a bit.
If what you see when first opening Debug\Aircra�\Wheels is like screenshot #2 rather than screenshot
#1, and you are not applying the brakes, toe brakes or parking brake, then the brake axis is reversed.
Uncheck that in MSFS Controls, save and test again.
The LEFT and RIGHT Brake Input yellow bars should smoothly move from le� to right (0 ~ 100%) as the
brakes or toe brakes are applied. If they do not, check the hardware brake assignments and calibra�on.
The parking brake will move the colored bars fully right when engaged.
The parking brake setup for the iFly 737 MAX8 is the same for either Simple or Realis�c parking brake set
Modes.
If “Simple” is set in the EFB, just apply or release the parking brake.
If “Realis�c” is set in the EFB, there are a couple of things to remember:
1. This func�on only works with hardware toe brakes or a brake axis.
2. Both toe brakes must be fully depressed and held before engaging the parking brake.
3. If you are using assignment method No. 1 above, to release the parking brake, the hardware
switch, axis, etc. must first be set to OFF, and then the hardware toe brakes must be depressed.
That’s because, when engaged, the hardware “SET” func�on con�nuously sends an “ON”
command to MSFS, which blocks the hardware toe brake command.
4. If using assignment method No. 2 above, simply press and release the toe brakes, and the
parking brake will disengage.
*Note that if you are using a hardware lever, to release the parking brake you will need to
manually move the lever to the Off / Released posi�on before depressing the hardware toe
brakes.
We suggest the following extremity dead zones for toe brakes:
e. Nose Wheel Steering
If you have an extra twist axis and would like to have a separate control assignment for nose wheel
steering, configure it here.
See the rudder se�ngs above as they also apply to nose wheel steering.
f. Keyboard
Before you start adjus�ng the keyboard, consider making a copy of the default keyboard profile and
assigning it and iFly-related name. This way your default is undisturbed. The keyboard is the toughest
part because MSFS makes sooooo many assignments by default. It is cri�cal that you unassign almost
everything on the keyboard in the following (unless you are 100% certain you use it with the iFly (not
another plane)) and that the assignment is not conflic�ng with the iFly 737 MAX8 opera�on). Pay
par�cular aten�on unbinding assignments in these categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Instruments and Systems
Flight Control Surfaces
Brakes
Autopilot
Power Management
Landing Gear
Other Sim Se�ngs
Turn off Assists and set TURBULANCE to LOW:
III.
Check the Aircra� Systems Assistance Op�ons
Turn off Failure and Damage except “ICING EFFECT” (the iFly MAX8 has a well-designed, working an�-ice
system).
IV.
iFly EFB Se�ngs
On page 2 of the Autopilot se�ngs, under System Page  Sim Menu  Panel Style  Autopilot make
sure you inhibit yoke and throtle inputs while AP and AT are on.
See the MRO FAQ for details on how this works.
V.
iFly Op�onal Keyboard Assignments
The iFly 737 MAX8 has an op�on to assign plane-specific func�ons to your keyboard if you want. To do
this, open the iFly Plugin and click on “Key Assignment”
There are 100s of func�ons you can assign to your keyboard if you like.