Cav, I have my profile setup with the slider as zoom. I setup 5 bands, evenly spaced, and used the advanced command mapping to set the top band (80-100%) to be a ] button press of .10 seconds length, and the bottom band (0-20%) to be a [ button press of .10 seconds in length also. I had some issues initially using 3 bands and the simple key mapping, so I wound up with 5 bands and the advanced command, instead of just spacing 3 bands appropriately.
FWIW, I downloaded the more recent (compared to the drivers on this PC or the disc that came with the stick) Saitek drivers for the stick off their website, and that had a pretty dramatic effect on both the stick's function, and which things could be mapped through AH. After realizing AH didn't like the slider much, I set RPM, throttle, the stick axes, and the tilde key through the game interface, and everything else is mapped via the Saitek software. Once I'd played around with it a bit, I had no issues with it. I've got several macro's, 2 modes (fighters and bombers), and can do just about everything but type without using the keyboard (assuming I'm sober enough to remember which command is which button).
If you want, PM your email and I'll send you my profile.
Edit: set your top and bottom bands to low percentages, and get in the habit of backing the slider out just a bit after adjusting the zoom.