Saitek PRO Flight Switch Panel (PZ55)

by Mad Catz Inc

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 23.7 x 13.2 x 11.7 inches ; 1.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001EYU1WS
• Item model number: PZ55
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #8 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Game Hardware > PC Game Hardware > Controllers > Gamepads
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 14, 2004

Product Description

Manufacturer Description

Upgrade your flight simulation experience for Microsoft Flight Simulator X with the Saitek Pro Flight Switch Panel. Whether attached to the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke System, free standing on a desk or mounted into your own cockpit setup, the Pro Flight Switch Panel is an ideal way to expand the number of controls for your flight simulation setup. Control your landing gear, engine power, landing lights and 11 other important aircraft functions from one compact unit.

Features include:

• Realistic landing gear control with LEDs indicating actual gear status from Microsoft FSX
• Start your aircraft engines and access other cockpit functions with ease
• Conveniently attaches to the base of the Pro Flight Yoke System (sold separately)
• Connectivity: USB 1.1/2.0
• Works with: Windows XP, XP64 and Vista (all versions)

Product Description

Upgrade your flight simulation experience for Microsoft Flight Simulator X with the Saitek Pro Flight Switch Panel. Whether attached to the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke System, free standing on a desk or mounted into your own cockpit setup, the Saitek Pro Flight Switch Panel is an ideal way to expand the number of controls for your flight simulation setup. Control your landing gear, engine power, landing lights and 11 other important aircraft functions from one compact unit.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Getting there is half the fun, January 19, 2009

By 

CST "Psybearian" (Colorado, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Saitek PRO Flight Switch Panel (PZ55) (Personal Computers)

This is a interesting little piece of plastic. And I recommend and enjoy it with some unfortunate reservations. Be aware of a few little things that make you go, "Huh, what were they thinking?"

It ships with a hex tool to unscrew the screws on the companion pro flight throttle for mounting. Problem is, it's the wrong size....way too small...so you will need a #3 hex tool handy if you want to mount to the companion yoke. Also, the instructions suggest using the 2 inner screw mount points. I suggest you use 2 mount points wider apart, other wise the panel will sway from side to side.

The mounting bracket is quite flimsy. So much so that when you flip switches the panel console moves, front to back. Disappointingly poor engineering design especially when you see they have plans to hang more stuff off this in time to come.

The mag switch is mixed up (L/R should be R/L)

You can't assign or change functions to switches on this unit as you can with the yoke or throttle.

The Saitek website doesn't tell you what driver version is the latest much less what issues it addresses.

OK, that's the annoying stupid stuff.

The good stuff:

There is a new driver available on the Saitek web site!

The inoperative cowl flap switch has been fixed with driver rev 6.5.8.4 (But it's either open or closed, nothing incremental.)

The inoperative deice switch has been fixed with driver rev 6.5.8.4 (Still, if it's not implemented in FSX, why designate a switch for it?)

The incorrect landing gear light sequence has been fixed with driver rev 6.5.8.4 (Green is down, Red is in transit, Amber is gone)

Everything else is really nice and I do enjoy not having to look for all these switches on keyboards or screens. Simply plug it into the back of the companion yoke and run a quick program which installs as an FSX (simconnect?) plugin and thats it.

My test flights were on a system running Vista 64 with an FSX default C172, a default Mooney Bravo and everything worked except the cowl flaps and as noted above. Also worked with an add on Eaglesoft Cirrus SR22. So, pretty successful for out of the box. And it looks cool.

But for silly oversights, Saitek could have had a brilliant unit here instead of just a good one. They need to pay attention to detail. Makes you wonder who is in charge of things there...and why?

So, it's 4 out of 5 now with the new driver.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice addition to Flight simulator X, January 16, 2009

By 

R. L. Frank - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Saitek PRO Flight Switch Panel (PZ55) (Personal Computers)

I've now had a good amount of time to put the Saitek Pro Flight Switch Panel. I use it in conjunction with my CH Products yoke, pedals and throttle quadrant Clearly, Saitek saw this as an addon for its yoke, sine you can screw this item into the to off the yoke. While that may save desk space, I don't recall having ever seen an aircraft with these controls in that position.

I mounted mine on my desktop to the right of my yoke and to the left of my throttle quadrant. That seems to be a convenient location for ease of use. I used the supplied Velcro strips. I agree with the other reviewer that this is not the best way to mount the product on the desk as it does, indeed allow the unit to wobble. The wobble can be minimized by placing your fingers on the top of the unit and working the panel's switches with your thumb. There are numerous other ways the average person could mount this product more securely. A little ingenuity is all it takes.

For the default aircraft or the less complex addon aircraft, the switches on this panel will take you from cold and dark to ready to taxi. For the more complex aircraft from PMDG or Level D, it will still require using some additional mouse clicks to do the job.

Starting anywhere from one to four engines is simple with this unit...perhaps overly simple, but remember, this product is under a hundred bucks.

The master "bat", "alt" and master avionics switches are only useful if you like to start up in a cold and dark cockpit. The cowl flaps switch is useful only for propeller driven aircraft. The lighting switches are good for almost any aircraft, as are the pitot heat, de-ice switches and landing gear lever.

All in all, I am quite satisfied with this product. In addition to adding to the realism of the simulation,it has allowed me to re program several switches on my yoke and throttle quadrant for other purposes.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not five, is that it would have been so simple for Saitek to provide removable clamps for desktop mounting.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great addition, February 22, 2009

By 

Biskit (Lawrenceville, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saitek PRO Flight Switch Panel (PZ55) (Personal Computers)

This is a very nice addition to my simulator.

My computer has Windows Vista 64 bit. I use yoke, pedals and Quadrant from CH Products. I have FS "X".

I plugged it in, installed the software from the CD. All switches worked except the "cowl open/close". I followed the advice from another reviewer and downloaded the driver from Seitek (site very easy to navigate), intalled it and everything works great. It is a great addition to my simulator and as someone else said it frees quadrant switches for other things.

I have a wodden desk and I used bolts and nuts to secure it to the desk (the holes are already provided from Seitek), all it takes is $2 of hardware from HomeDepot.

Note: Amazon will not give you free shipping on this item.

"Volo Sim Ergo Sum"