diff --git a/xpcPlugin/DataManager.cpp b/xpcPlugin/DataManager.cpp
index 45a4919..23a07b5 100644
--- a/xpcPlugin/DataManager.cpp
+++ b/xpcPlugin/DataManager.cpp
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ namespace XPC
 		Log::FormatLine(LOG_INFO, "DMAN", "Setting gear (value:%f, immediate:%i) for aircraft %i",
 			gear, immediate, aircraft);
 
-		if ((gear < -8.5 && gear > -9.5) || (gear < -997.9 && gear > -999.1))
+		if ((gear < -8.5 && gear > -9.5) || IsDefault(gear))
 		{
 			return;
 		}
@@ -666,15 +666,15 @@ namespace XPC
 			return;
 		}
 
-		if (pos[0] < -997.9 && pos[0] > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(pos[0]))
 		{
 			pos[0] = (float)GetDouble(DREF_Latitude, aircraft);
 		}
-		if (pos[1] < -997.9 && pos[1] > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(pos[1]))
 		{
 			pos[1] = (float)GetDouble(DREF_Longitude, aircraft);
 		}
-		if (pos[2] < -997.9 && pos[2] > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(pos[2]))
 		{
 			pos[2] = (float)GetDouble(DREF_Elevation, aircraft);
 		}
@@ -702,15 +702,15 @@ namespace XPC
 			return;
 		}
 
-		if (orient[0] < -997.9 && orient[0] > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(orient[0]))
 		{
 			orient[0] = GetFloat(DREF_Pitch, aircraft);
 		}
-		if (orient[1] < -997.9 && orient[1] > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(orient[1]))
 		{
 			orient[1] = GetFloat(DREF_Roll, aircraft);
 		}
-		if (orient[2] < -997.9 && orient[2] > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(orient[2]))
 		{
 			orient[2] = GetFloat(DREF_HeadingTrue, aircraft);
 		}
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ namespace XPC
 			Log::WriteLine(LOG_ERROR, "DMAN", "ERROR: Flap value must be a number (NaN received)");
 			return;
 		}
-		if (value < -997.9 && value > -999.1)
+		if (IsDefault(value))
 		{
 			return;
 		}
@@ -763,4 +763,14 @@ namespace XPC
 		Set(DREF_FlapSetting, value);
 		Set(DREF_FlapActual, value);
 	}
+
+	float DataManager::GetDefaultValue()
+	{
+		return -998.0F;
+	}
+
+	bool DataManager::IsDefault(float value)
+	{
+		return value < -997.9 && value > -999.1;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/xpcPlugin/DataManager.h b/xpcPlugin/DataManager.h
index e5e5a50..cc38619 100644
--- a/xpcPlugin/DataManager.h
+++ b/xpcPlugin/DataManager.h
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ namespace XPC
 	/// \version 1.1
 	/// \since 1.0.0
 	/// \date Intial Version: 2015-04-13
-	/// \date Last Updated: 2015-05-11
+	/// \date Last Updated: 2015-05-14
 	class DataManager
 	{
 	public:
@@ -409,6 +409,15 @@ namespace XPC
 		///
 		/// \param value The flaps settings. Should be between 0.0 (no flaps) and 1.0 (full flaps).
 		static void SetFlaps(float value);
+
+		/// Gets a default value that indicates that a dataref should not be changed.
+		static float GetDefaultValue();
+
+		/// Checks whether the given value should be treated as a default value.
+		///
+		/// \param value The value to check.
+		/// \returns     true if value is a default value; otherwise false.
+		static bool IsDefault(float value);
 	};
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/xpcPlugin/MessageHandlers.cpp b/xpcPlugin/MessageHandlers.cpp
index 1688505..4f7c3d3 100644
--- a/xpcPlugin/MessageHandlers.cpp
+++ b/xpcPlugin/MessageHandlers.cpp
@@ -195,26 +195,26 @@ namespace XPC
 		{
 			aircraftNumber = buffer[26];
 		}
-		float spdbrk = -998;
+		float spdbrk = DataManager::GetDefaultValue();
 		if (size >= 31)
 		{
 			spdbrk = *((float*)(buffer + 27));
 		}
 
 
-		if (pitch < -999.5 || pitch > -997.5)
+		if (!DataManager::IsDefault(pitch))
 		{
 			DataManager::Set(DREF_YokePitch, pitch, aircraftNumber);
 		}
-		if (roll < -999.5 || roll > -997.5)
+		if (!DataManager::IsDefault(roll))
 		{
 			DataManager::Set(DREF_YokeRoll, roll, aircraftNumber);
 		}
-		if (yaw < -999.5 || yaw > -997.5)
+		if (!DataManager::IsDefault(yaw))
 		{
 			DataManager::Set(DREF_YokeHeading, yaw, aircraftNumber);
 		}
-		if (throttle < -999.5 || throttle > -997.5)
+		if (!DataManager::IsDefault(throttle))
 		{
 
 			float throttleArray[8];
@@ -233,11 +233,11 @@ namespace XPC
 		{
 			DataManager::SetGear(gear, false, aircraftNumber);
 		}
-		if (flaps < -999.5 || flaps > -997.5)
+		if (!DataManager::IsDefault(flaps))
 		{
 			DataManager::Set(DREF_FlapSetting, flaps, aircraftNumber);
 		}
-		if (spdbrk < -999.5 || spdbrk > -997.5)
+		if (!DataManager::IsDefault(spdbrk))
 		{
 			DataManager::Set(DREF_SpeedBrakeSet, spdbrk, aircraftNumber);
 		}
@@ -274,8 +274,8 @@ namespace XPC
 
 		// Update log
 
-		float savedAlpha = -998;
-		float savedHPath = -998;
+		float savedAlpha = DataManager::GetDefaultValue();
+		float savedHPath = DataManager::GetDefaultValue();
 		for (int i = 0; i < numCols; ++i)
 		{
 			unsigned char dataRef = (unsigned char)values[i][0];
@@ -291,8 +291,8 @@ namespace XPC
 			case 3: // Velocity
 			{
 				float theta = DataManager::GetFloat(DREF_Pitch);
-				float alpha = savedAlpha != -998 ? savedAlpha : DataManager::GetFloat(DREF_AngleOfAttack);
-				float hpath = savedHPath != -998 ? savedHPath : DataManager::GetFloat(DREF_HPath);
+				float alpha = DataManager::IsDefault(savedAlpha) ? savedAlpha : DataManager::GetFloat(DREF_AngleOfAttack);
+				float hpath = DataManager::IsDefault(savedHPath) ? savedHPath : DataManager::GetFloat(DREF_HPath);
 				if (alpha != alpha || hpath != hpath)
 				{
 					Log::WriteLine(LOG_ERROR, "DATA", "ERROR: Value must be a number (NaN received)");
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ namespace XPC
 				for (int j = 0; j < 3; ++j)
 				{
 					float v = values[i][ind[j]];
-					if (v != -998)
+					if (!DataManager::IsDefault(v))
 					{
 						DataManager::Set(DREF_LocalVX, v*cos((theta - alpha)*deg2rad)*sin(hpath*deg2rad));
 						DataManager::Set(DREF_LocalVY, v*sin((theta - alpha)*deg2rad));
@@ -328,11 +328,11 @@ namespace XPC
 					Log::WriteLine(LOG_ERROR, "DATA", "ERROR: Value must be a number (NaN received)");
 					break;
 				}
-				if (values[i][1] != -998)
+				if (!DataManager::IsDefault(values[i][1]))
 				{
 					savedAlpha = values[i][1];
 				}
-				if (values[i][3] != -998)
+				if (DataManager::IsDefault(values[i][3]))
 				{
 					savedHPath = values[i][3];
 				}