Ultra Cool Gadgets

Command the skies with the king of flight simulator controls, the Flight Sim Yoke USB. This one of a kind yoke offers features that will allow you to fly with the realism you’ve come to expect from CH Products. The Flight Sim Yoke USB provides 5 axes of control including, pitch, roll, throttle lever, propeller lever, and mixture lever. It also features 20 button functions, including 2-way gear switch, 2-way flaps switch, 8-way hat switch, two 2-way rocker switches, and 4 push buttons. Pilots around the world applaud the comfortably placed prop, throttle and mixture levers. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to sitting in your own cockpit.

Technical Details

* Designed for use with flight simulator games
* 5 axis of control including, pitch, roll, throttle lever, propeller lever, and mixture lever
* 20 button functions including, 2-way gear switch, 2-way flaps switch, 8-way hat switch, two 2-way rocker switches, and 4 push buttons
* 7 foot cable: easy setup
* Compatible with Windows 98, 2000, XP, Me, iMac, or Mac (with USB port)

Customer feedback:

1. I used the CH Products Flight Sim Yoke with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 A Century of Flight. Flight Simulator immediately recognized the yoke at startup and already had all the buttons mapped. I changed them to my preferences using the setup panel in FS. On my first flight I noticed that the elevator was really jumping around. It wouldn’t stay where I put it! I really thought the yoke was broken. Then a very distant memory began to emerge from my checkered past. I recalled that I still had my old Gameport joystick plugged in…problem solved. These USB devices do not work with Gameport devices.
The yoke felt very much like the Cessna’s that I fly (C172R), albeit a bit lighter weight. The resistance was a little surprising, very stiff, which is good for cross country flying. It took a little getting used to the button locations, especially the hat switch, but after a few hours it falls right into my grasp.

2. This yoke is the only choice in this price range except for the similar and slightly cheaper LE version that comes with one throttle lever instead of three. I agree that it is a little bit overpriced and plasticky but you’d end up paying ten times more for a more realistic product.

I just bought it anticipating the release of MS Flight Simulator 2004 and I can’t wait to fly some civilian aircraft with it in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I’ve successfully flown tons of He-111 bomber missions in IL-2 Sturmovik Forgotten Battles and the yoke has worked great there and added tons of realism. It’s a bit mushy though and it’s too bad it does not have a dead-on center. I had to correct my straight flight path almost constantly.
I was glad I didn’t have to touch the software CD that came with. I just plugged it in, Windows XP recognized it immediately, and I assigned functions to the buttons and axis inside the game with no problems.

The Saitek PZ35 Pro Flight Rudder Pedals are the latest addition to the company’s line of market-leading flight simulation products. Pro Flight Rudder Pedals are solidly constructed and feature three axis pedals which maximize flight simulator realism by enabling foot control of the rudder function. Paired with a Saitek X52 Flight Stick and Throttle, the Pro Flight Rudder Pedals provide the additional sensitivity and control accuracy for an almost real flight sim experience.

The Pro Flight Rudder Pedals also include the following features:

* Self-centering pedals with adjustable damping
* Adjustable foot rests to fit all sizes, with non-slip materials
* Fully adjustable rudder control to suit the gamer’s preferences
* Tension adjustment to vary resistance to suit flying style
* Advanced SST Programming
* Toe brakes

Customer feedback:

1. I’m using MSFS 2004 and have had no problem with these pedals. The action is very similar to real airplanes. I did have some brake problems at first but once I changed settings in MSFS 2004 all was fine. My computer is against a wall so I put a wide board (piece of shelf material) on the floor against the wall and the rudders in front of that. So I can push as hard on the rudder pedals as I want.
2. I bought these off a gamer who bought them then didn’t want them. I’ve flown FS for ten years and finally got around to pedals. Learning to steer with your feet is very difficult at first and hard to get set in your head. Also the pedals seem to be overly twitchy in the game but I haven’t experimented with the sensitivities much yet. Frankly, a twist axis rudder control on a stick is infinitely easier than fooling with these things but the pedals are more realistic. So far they are totally unsuable with the Piper but seem to operate okay on the other aircraft. It’s up to you.