diff --git a/src/Autopilot/analogcomponent.cxx b/src/Autopilot/analogcomponent.cxx
index 2102f4c31..c0e1f1df0 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/analogcomponent.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/analogcomponent.cxx
@@ -53,16 +53,6 @@ bool AnalogComponent::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                                  const std::string& cfg_name,
                                  SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "AnalogComponent::configure(" << cfg_name << ")"
-  );
-
-  if( Component::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root) )
-    return true;
-
   if( cfg_name == "feedback-if-disabled" )
   {
     _feedback_if_disabled = cfg_node.getBoolValue();
@@ -126,11 +116,5 @@ bool AnalogComponent::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
     return true;
   }
 
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "AnalogComponent::configure(" << cfg_name << ") [unhandled]"
-  );
-  return false;
+  return Component::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root);
 }
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/component.cxx b/src/Autopilot/component.cxx
index 21054a82f..429e9a414 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/component.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/component.cxx
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ bool Component::configure( SGPropertyNode& prop_root,
     SGPropertyNode_ptr child = cfg.getChild(i);
     std::string cname(child->getName());
 
-    if( !configure(*child, cname, prop_root) )
+    if(    !configure(*child, cname, prop_root)
+        && cname != "params" ) // 'params' is usually used to specify parameters
+                               // in PropertList files.
       SG_LOG
       (
         SG_AUTOPILOT,
@@ -66,24 +68,20 @@ bool Component::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                            const std::string& cfg_name,
                            SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "Component::configure(" << cfg_name << ")"
-  );
-
-  if ( cfg_name == "name" ) {
+  if ( cfg_name == "name" )
+  {
     _name = cfg_node.getStringValue();
     return true;
   } 
 
-  if ( cfg_name == "debug" ) {
+  if ( cfg_name == "debug" )
+  {
     _debug = cfg_node.getBoolValue();
     return true;
   }
 
-  if ( cfg_name == "enable" ) {
+  if ( cfg_name == "enable" )
+  {
     SGPropertyNode_ptr prop;
 
     if( (prop = cfg_node.getChild("condition")) != NULL ) {
@@ -108,17 +106,12 @@ bool Component::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
     }
 
     return true;
-  } // enable
+  }
 
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "Component::configure(" << cfg_name << ") [unhandled]"
-  );
   return false;
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool Component::isPropertyEnabled()
 {
     if( _condition )
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/component.hxx b/src/Autopilot/component.hxx
index 63f77c06f..1a92f58b3 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/component.hxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/component.hxx
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ public:
      * @param prop_root Property root for all relative paths
      * @param cfg       Property node containing the configuration
      */
-    bool configure( SGPropertyNode& prop_root,
-                    SGPropertyNode& cfg );
+    virtual bool configure( SGPropertyNode& prop_root,
+                            SGPropertyNode& cfg );
 
     /**
      * @brief getter for the name property
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/digitalcomponent.cxx b/src/Autopilot/digitalcomponent.cxx
index 1957e0977..d26736df4 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/digitalcomponent.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/digitalcomponent.cxx
@@ -60,9 +60,6 @@ bool DigitalComponent::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                                   const std::string& cfg_name,
                                   SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  if( Component::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root) )
-    return true;
-
   if (cfg_name == "input") {
     SGPropertyNode_ptr nameNode = cfg_node.getNode("name");
     string name;
@@ -108,5 +105,5 @@ bool DigitalComponent::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
     return true;
   }
   
-  return false;
+  return Component::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root);
 }
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.cxx b/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.cxx
index 70214ba21..e44ce4cf2 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.cxx
@@ -26,37 +26,31 @@
 //
 
 #include "digitalfilter.hxx"
-#include "functor.hxx"
 #include <deque>
 
-using std::map;
-using std::string;
-using std::endl;
-using std::cout;
-
-namespace FGXMLAutopilot {
+namespace FGXMLAutopilot
+{
 
 /**
  *
  *
  */
-class DigitalFilterImplementation : public SGReferenced {
-protected:
-  virtual bool configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
-                          const std::string& cfg_name,
-                          SGPropertyNode& prop_root ) = 0;
-public:
-  virtual ~DigitalFilterImplementation() {}
-  DigitalFilterImplementation();
-  virtual void   initialize( double initvalue ) {}
-  virtual double compute( double dt, double input ) = 0;
-  bool configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg,
-                  SGPropertyNode& prop_root );
+class DigitalFilterImplementation:
+  public SGReferenced
+{
+  public:
+    virtual ~DigitalFilterImplementation() {}
+    DigitalFilterImplementation();
+    virtual void   initialize( double initvalue ) {}
+    virtual double compute( double dt, double input ) = 0;
+    virtual bool configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
+                            const std::string& cfg_name,
+                            SGPropertyNode& prop_root ) = 0;
 
-  void setDigitalFilter( DigitalFilter * digitalFilter ) { _digitalFilter = digitalFilter; }
+    void setDigitalFilter( DigitalFilter * digitalFilter ) { _digitalFilter = digitalFilter; }
 
-protected:
-  DigitalFilter * _digitalFilter;
+  protected:
+    DigitalFilter * _digitalFilter;
 };
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -194,31 +188,14 @@ public:
 
 using namespace FGXMLAutopilot;
 
-/* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-/* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 DigitalFilterImplementation::DigitalFilterImplementation() :
   _digitalFilter(NULL)
 {
+
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool DigitalFilterImplementation::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg,
-                                             SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
-{
-  for (int i = 0; i < cfg.nChildren(); ++i )
-  {
-    SGPropertyNode_ptr child = cfg.getChild(i);
-
-    if( configure(*child, child->getNameString(), prop_root) )
-      continue;
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}
-
-/* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-/* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
 double GainFilterImplementation::compute(  double dt, double input )
 {
   return _gainInput.get_value() * input;
@@ -412,6 +389,7 @@ bool RateLimitFilterImplementation::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                                                const std::string& cfg_name,
                                                SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
+  std::cout << "RateLimitFilterImplementation " << cfg_name << std::endl;
   if (cfg_name == "max-rate-of-change" ) {
     _rateOfChangeMax.push_back( new InputValue(prop_root, cfg_node, 1) );
     return true;
@@ -476,7 +454,7 @@ bool ExponentialFilterImplementation::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
   }
 
   if (cfg_name == "type" ) {
-    string type(cfg_node.getStringValue());
+    std::string type(cfg_node.getStringValue());
     _isSecondOrder = type == "double-exponential";
   }
 
@@ -642,67 +620,96 @@ DigitalFilter::~DigitalFilter()
 {
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+template<class DigitalFilterType>
+DigitalFilterImplementation* digitalFilterFactory()
+{
+  return new DigitalFilterType();
+}
 
-static map<string,FunctorBase<DigitalFilterImplementation> *> componentForge;
+typedef std::map<std::string, DigitalFilterImplementation*(*)()>
+DigitalFilterMap;
+static DigitalFilterMap componentForge;
+
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool DigitalFilter::configure( SGPropertyNode& prop_root,
+                               SGPropertyNode& cfg )
+{
+  if( componentForge.empty() )
+  {
+    componentForge["gain"               ] = digitalFilterFactory<GainFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["exponential"        ] = digitalFilterFactory<ExponentialFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["double-exponential" ] = digitalFilterFactory<ExponentialFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["moving-average"     ] = digitalFilterFactory<MovingAverageFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["noise-spike"        ] = digitalFilterFactory<NoiseSpikeFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["rate-limit"         ] = digitalFilterFactory<RateLimitFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["reciprocal"         ] = digitalFilterFactory<ReciprocalFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["derivative"         ] = digitalFilterFactory<DerivativeFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["high-pass"          ] = digitalFilterFactory<HighPassFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["lead-lag"           ] = digitalFilterFactory<LeadLagFilterImplementation>;
+    componentForge["integrator"         ] = digitalFilterFactory<IntegratorFilterImplementation>;
+  }
+
+  const std::string type = cfg.getStringValue("type");
+  DigitalFilterMap::iterator component_factory = componentForge.find(type);
+  if( component_factory == componentForge.end() )
+  {
+    SG_LOG(SG_AUTOPILOT, SG_WARN, "unhandled filter type '" << type << "'");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  _implementation = (*component_factory->second)();
+  _implementation->setDigitalFilter( this );
+
+  for( int i = 0; i < cfg.nChildren(); ++i )
+  {
+    SGPropertyNode_ptr child = cfg.getChild(i);
+    std::string cname(child->getName());
+
+    if(    !_implementation->configure(*child, cname, prop_root)
+        && !configure(*child, cname, prop_root)
+        && cname != "type"
+        && cname != "params" ) // 'params' is usually used to specify parameters
+                               // in PropertList files.
+      SG_LOG
+      (
+        SG_AUTOPILOT,
+        SG_WARN,
+        "DigitalFilter: unknown config node: " << cname
+      );
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool DigitalFilter::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                                const std::string& cfg_name,
                                SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  if( componentForge.empty() ) {
-    componentForge["gain"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<GainFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["exponential"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<ExponentialFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["double-exponential"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<ExponentialFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["moving-average"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<MovingAverageFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["noise-spike"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<NoiseSpikeFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["rate-limit"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<RateLimitFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["reciprocal"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<ReciprocalFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["derivative"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<DerivativeFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["high-pass"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<HighPassFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["lead-lag"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<LeadLagFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-    componentForge["integrator"] = new CreateAndConfigureFunctor<IntegratorFilterImplementation,DigitalFilterImplementation>();
-  }
-
-  SG_LOG(SG_AUTOPILOT, SG_BULK, "DigitalFilter::configure(" << cfg_name << ")");
-
-  if( AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root) )
-    return true;
-
-  if (cfg_name == "type" ) {
-    string type( cfg_node.getStringValue() );
-    if( componentForge.count(type) == 0 ) {
-      SG_LOG( SG_AUTOPILOT, SG_BULK, "unhandled filter type <" << type << ">" << endl );
-      return true;
-    }
-    _implementation = (*componentForge[type])(*cfg_node.getParent(), prop_root);
-    _implementation->setDigitalFilter( this );
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  if( cfg_name == "initialize-to" ) {
-    string s( cfg_node.getStringValue() );
-    if( s == "input" ) {
+  if( cfg_name == "initialize-to" )
+  {
+    std::string s( cfg_node.getStringValue() );
+    if( s == "input" )
       _initializeTo = INITIALIZE_INPUT;
-    } else if( s == "output" ) {
+    else if( s == "output" )
       _initializeTo = INITIALIZE_OUTPUT;
-    } else if( s == "none" ) {
+    else if( s == "none" )
       _initializeTo = INITIALIZE_NONE;
-    } else {
-      SG_LOG( SG_AUTOPILOT, SG_WARN, "unhandled initialize-to value '" << s << "' ignored" );
-    }
+    else
+      SG_LOG
+      (
+        SG_AUTOPILOT,
+        SG_WARN, "DigitalFilter: initialize-to (" << s << ") ignored"
+      );
+
     return true;
   }
 
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "DigitalFilter::configure(" << cfg_name << ") [unhandled]"
-  );
-  return false; // not handled by us, let the base class try
+  return AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root);
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void DigitalFilter::update( bool firstTime, double dt)
 {
   if( _implementation == NULL ) return;
@@ -732,7 +739,7 @@ void DigitalFilter::update( bool firstTime, double dt)
   set_output_value( output );
 
   if(_debug) {
-    cout << "input:" << input
-         << "\toutput:" << output << endl;
+    std::cout << "input:" << input
+              << "\toutput:" << output << std::endl;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.hxx b/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.hxx
index 244279a5a..956faaba2 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.hxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/digitalfilter.hxx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace FGXMLAutopilot {
  */
 class DigitalFilter : public AnalogComponent
 {
-private:
+  private:
     SGSharedPtr<class DigitalFilterImplementation> _implementation;
 
     enum InitializeTo {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ private:
       INITIALIZE_NONE
     };
 
-protected:
+  protected:
     virtual bool configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                             const std::string& cfg_name,
                             SGPropertyNode& prop_root );
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ public:
     DigitalFilter();
     ~DigitalFilter();
 
+    virtual bool configure( SGPropertyNode& prop_root,
+                            SGPropertyNode& cfg );
+
 };
 
 } // namespace FGXMLAutopilot
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/pidcontroller.cxx b/src/Autopilot/pidcontroller.cxx
index 19f16dbd7..4f71fd574 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/pidcontroller.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/pidcontroller.cxx
@@ -198,11 +198,6 @@ bool PIDController::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                                const std::string& cfg_name,
                                SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  SG_LOG(SG_AUTOPILOT, SG_BULK, "PIDController::configure(" << cfg_name << ")");
-
-  if( AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root) )
-    return true;
-
   if( cfg_name == "config" ) {
     Component::configure(prop_root, cfg_node);
     return true;
@@ -241,14 +236,7 @@ bool PIDController::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
   if (cfg_name == "gamma") {
     gamma = cfg_node.getDoubleValue();
     return true;
-  } 
+  }
 
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "PIDController::configure(" << cfg_name << ") [unhandled]"
-  );
-  return false;
+  return AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root);
 }
-
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/pisimplecontroller.cxx b/src/Autopilot/pisimplecontroller.cxx
index 6a9a4328d..7113f1530 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/pisimplecontroller.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/pisimplecontroller.cxx
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ bool PISimpleController::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                                     const std::string& cfg_name,
                                     SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  if( AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root) )
-    return true;
-
   if( cfg_name == "config" ) {
     Component::configure(prop_root, cfg_node);
     return true;
@@ -55,7 +52,7 @@ bool PISimpleController::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
     return true;
   }
 
-  return false;
+  return AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root);
 }
 
 void PISimpleController::update( bool firstTime, double dt )
diff --git a/src/Autopilot/predictor.cxx b/src/Autopilot/predictor.cxx
index b7051e0c1..2ff45c941 100644
--- a/src/Autopilot/predictor.cxx
+++ b/src/Autopilot/predictor.cxx
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@ bool Predictor::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
                            const std::string& cfg_name,
                            SGPropertyNode& prop_root )
 {
-  SG_LOG( SG_AUTOPILOT, SG_BULK, "Predictor::configure(" << cfg_name << ")");
-
-  if( AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root) )
-    return true;
-
   if( cfg_name == "config" ) {
     Component::configure(prop_root, cfg_node);
     return true;
@@ -58,13 +53,7 @@ bool Predictor::configure( SGPropertyNode& cfg_node,
     return true;
   }
 
-  SG_LOG
-  (
-    SG_AUTOPILOT,
-    SG_BULK,
-    "Predictor::configure(" << cfg_name << ") [unhandled]"
-  );
-  return false;
+  return AnalogComponent::configure(cfg_node, cfg_name, prop_root);
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------