diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
index d114a2e5ce..cf7ba757e2 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ extern struct system_load_s system_load;
 
 #define POSITION_TIMEOUT 1000000 /**< consider the local or global position estimate invalid after 1s */
 #define RC_TIMEOUT 100000
+#define RC_TIMEOUT_HIL 500000
 #define DIFFPRESS_TIMEOUT 2000000
 
 #define PRINT_INTERVAL	5000000
@@ -1108,8 +1109,16 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			}
 		}
 
+
+		/*
+		 * XXX workaround:
+		 * Prevent RC loss in HIL when sensors.cpp is only publishing sp_man at a low rate (e.g. 30Hz)
+		 * which can trigger RC loss if the computer/simulator lags.
+		 */
+		uint64_t rc_timeout = status.hil_state == HIL_STATE_ON ? RC_TIMEOUT_HIL : RC_TIMEOUT;
+
 		/* start RC input check */
-		if (!status.rc_input_blocked && sp_man.timestamp != 0 && hrt_absolute_time() < sp_man.timestamp + RC_TIMEOUT) {
+		if (!status.rc_input_blocked && sp_man.timestamp != 0 && hrt_absolute_time() < sp_man.timestamp + rc_timeout) {
 			/* handle the case where RC signal was regained */
 			if (!status.rc_signal_found_once) {
 				status.rc_signal_found_once = true;
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp
index 96852bb0ea..4ca3840d47 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 #include <uORB/topics/battery_status.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/navigation_capabilities.h>
 #include <drivers/drv_rc_input.h>
+#include <drivers/drv_pwm_output.h>
 
 #include "mavlink_messages.h"
 
@@ -788,47 +789,79 @@ protected:
 			uint32_t mavlink_custom_mode;
 			get_mavlink_mode_state(status, pos_sp_triplet, &mavlink_state, &mavlink_base_mode, &mavlink_custom_mode);
 
-			/* set number of valid outputs depending on vehicle type */
-			unsigned n;
+			if (mavlink_system.type == MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR ||
+				mavlink_system.type == MAV_TYPE_HEXAROTOR ||
+				mavlink_system.type == MAV_TYPE_OCTOROTOR) {
+				/* set number of valid outputs depending on vehicle type */
+				unsigned n;
 
-			switch (mavlink_system.type) {
-			case MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR:
-				n = 4;
-				break;
+				switch (mavlink_system.type) {
+				case MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR:
+					n = 4;
+					break;
 
-			case MAV_TYPE_HEXAROTOR:
-				n = 6;
-				break;
+				case MAV_TYPE_HEXAROTOR:
+					n = 6;
+					break;
 
-			default:
-				n = 8;
-				break;
-			}
+				default:
+					n = 8;
+					break;
+				}
 
-			/* scale / assign outputs depending on system type */
-			float out[8];
+				/* scale / assign outputs depending on system type */
+				float out[8];
 
-			for (unsigned i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
-				if (i < n) {
-					if (mavlink_base_mode & MAV_MODE_FLAG_SAFETY_ARMED) {
-						/* scale fake PWM out 900..2100 us to -1..1*/
-						out[i] = (act->output[i] - 1500.0f) / 600.0f;
+				for (unsigned i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
+					if (i < n) {
+						if (mavlink_base_mode & MAV_MODE_FLAG_SAFETY_ARMED) {
+							/* scale fake PWM out 900..2100 us to 0..1 for normal multirotors */
+							out[i] = (act->output[i] - PWM_LOWEST_MIN) / (PWM_HIGHEST_MAX - PWM_LOWEST_MIN);
+
+						} else {
+							/* send 0 when disarmed */
+							out[i] = 0.0f;
+						}
 
 					} else {
-						/* send 0 when disarmed */
-						out[i] = 0.0f;
+						out[i] = -1.0f;
+					}
+				}
+
+				mavlink_msg_hil_controls_send(_channel,
+							      hrt_absolute_time(),
+							      out[0], out[1], out[2], out[3], out[4], out[5], out[6], out[7],
+							      mavlink_base_mode,
+							      0);
+			} else {
+
+				/* fixed wing: scale all channels except throttle -1 .. 1
+				 * because we know that we set the mixers up this way
+				 */
+
+				float out[8];
+
+				const float pwm_center = (PWM_HIGHEST_MAX + PWM_LOWEST_MIN) / 2;
+
+				for (unsigned i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
+					if (i != 3) {
+						/* scale fake PWM out 900..2100 us to -1..+1 for normal channels */
+						out[i] = (act->output[i] - pwm_center) / ((PWM_HIGHEST_MAX - PWM_LOWEST_MIN) / 2);
+
+					} else {
+
+						/* scale fake PWM out 900..2100 us to 0..1 for throttle */
+						out[i] = (act->output[i] - PWM_LOWEST_MIN) / (PWM_HIGHEST_MAX - PWM_LOWEST_MIN);
 					}
 
-				} else {
-					out[i] = -1.0f;
 				}
-			}
 
-			mavlink_msg_hil_controls_send(_channel,
-						      hrt_absolute_time(),
-						      out[0], out[1], out[2], out[3], out[4], out[5], out[6], out[7],
-						      mavlink_base_mode,
-						      0);
+				mavlink_msg_hil_controls_send(_channel,
+							      hrt_absolute_time(),
+							      out[0], out[1], out[2], out[3], out[4], out[5], out[6], out[7],
+							      mavlink_base_mode,
+							      0);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 };