diff --git a/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/live.ml b/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/live.ml
index 0f1ae8539f..607bc0c29c 100644
--- a/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/live.ml
+++ b/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/live.ml
@@ -508,14 +508,15 @@ let create_ac = fun alert (geomap:G.widget) (acs_notebook:GPack.notebook) (ac_id
   begin
     match dl_settings_page with
       Some settings_tab ->
-	let flight_altitude_id, _flight_altitude_label = 
+	begin
 	  try
-	    settings_tab#assoc "flight_altitude"
+	    let flight_altitude_id, _flight_altitude_label = 
+	      settings_tab#assoc "flight_altitude" in
+	    strip#connect_shift_alt
+	      (fun x ->dl_setting_callback flight_altitude_id (ac.target_alt+.x))
 	  with Not_found ->
-	    failwith "flight_altitude not setable" in
-	strip#connect_shift_alt
-	  (fun x -> 
-	    dl_setting_callback flight_altitude_id (ac.target_alt +. x));
+	    prerr_endline "Warning: Flight_altitude not setable from GCS strip (i.e. not listed in the xml settings file)"
+	end
     | None -> ()
   end
       
diff --git a/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/strip.ml b/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/strip.ml
index e51a6bc16d..31e3e4ea47 100644
--- a/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/strip.ml
+++ b/sw/ground_segment/cockpit/strip.ml
@@ -227,9 +227,9 @@ let add config color center_ac mark =
   let b = GButton.button ~label:"Mark" ~packing:hbox#add () in
   ignore (b#connect#clicked  ~callback:mark);
 
-  let minus5 = GButton.button ~label:"-5m" ~packing:hbox#add ()
-  and plus5 = GButton.button ~label:"+5m" ~packing:hbox#add ()
-  and plus30 = GButton.button ~label:"+30m" ~packing:hbox#add () in
+  let minus5 = GButton.button ~label:"-5m" ~packing:hbox#add ~show:false ()
+  and plus5 = GButton.button ~label:"+5m" ~packing:hbox#add ~show:false ()
+  and plus30 = GButton.button ~label:"+30m" ~packing:hbox#add ~show:false () in
   ignore (b#connect#clicked  ~callback:mark);
 
   (* User buttons *)
@@ -244,7 +244,10 @@ let add config color center_ac mark =
     method connect_shift_alt callback = 
       ignore (plus5#connect#clicked (fun () -> callback 5.));
       ignore (plus30#connect#clicked (fun () -> callback 30.));
-      ignore (minus5#connect#clicked (fun () -> callback (-5.)))
+      ignore (minus5#connect#clicked (fun () -> callback (-5.)));
+      minus5#misc#show ();
+      plus5#misc#show ();
+      plus30#misc#show ();
     method hide_buttons () = hbox#misc#hide (); user_hbox#misc#hide ()
     method show_buttons () = hbox#misc#show (); user_hbox#misc#show ()
     method connect = fun (select: unit -> unit) ->