FFB-Bridge connects to X-Plane through UDP RREF datarefs. No X-Plane plugin is required: the bridge subscribes to flight state, builds the force model locally, and drives the Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback 2 over USB.
X-Plane stays untouched. FFB-Bridge stores starter and custom profiles locally, then applies the selected tuning on the next control-loop tick.
X-Plane plus Linux is a clean match because the sim, bridge, evdev joystick access, and UDP telemetry can all live on the same host.
Linux setupIf X-Plane appears briefly and then drops, a firewall may be blocking UDP. Whitelist the bridge process and confirm outbound UDP access.
TroubleshootingSave lighter or heavier profiles for the aircraft you fly most. Every slider applies live on the next control-loop tick.
Tuning guideNo. FFB-Bridge subscribes to X-Plane UDP RREF datarefs from outside the simulator, then drives the SideWinder FFB2 over USB.
Yes. The X-Plane path targets X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 using the same UDP dataref connection.
Check firewall rules first. UDP must be allowed between the bridge and X-Plane, even when both processes are on the same machine.
Yes. Save a profile per aircraft in FFB-Bridge; tuning stays local to the bridge and does not modify the X-Plane install.
Keep the bridge outside the sim, tune it per aircraft, and send a support bundle if a dataref or firewall issue blocks the path.