Hi, I also have a Saitek gamepad and until the last update it was working perfectly.
However, since the update MSFS will not launch if the gamepad is connected. It’ll get to the USA pictures… Mount Rushmore etc… the music stutters for a second… & then back to desktop. This happens everytime.
If I unplug the gamepad… MSFS launches and will run as normal. If I then plug in the gamepad… it CTD’s within a second or two.
The gamepad is fine within Windows. I can calibrate it and there are no problems. It’s just MSFS that doesn’t like it since the update.
Edit: I’ve tried several things over the last week or two… from trying different usb sockets… calibrating… even reinstalling MSFS.
After posting this… I plugged an old joystick in. This is an old game port joystick, along with a gameport-usb adapter. Very strange but this was detected no problem & sort of worked, but not brilliantly. I unplugged it and thought I’d have another go with the Saitek gamepad, connecting it while in (world map) screen of MSFS.
No CTD this time! It said a new device had been detected & it’s even still got my drone camera settings!
I’ve no idea why, but it’s working again 
Regards
Steve