OK, so you've been waiting for the joystick/yoke manufacturers to come up with an affordable force feedback yoke and can wait no longer. Please read on.

Here's what I used:

• 1 x Saitek force feedback steering wheel and pedals. Non-USB.
• 2 x 100k linear potentiometers (sliders to you!)
• A set of drawer runners.
• A piece of aluminum (plywood would also suffice).

Here's how I did it:

On my computer desk I have a sliding drawer which I use to attach my steering wheel to. I attached the drawer runners to make it slide more smoothly (don’t want to get into panic mode when landing!). To the bottom of the drawer I attached a piece of aluminum shaped thus:

Then I cut a slot in the side of my desk to enable the wide part of the ally to poke through. The small tooth will operate the slider.

I then took apart the Saitek pedals and replaced the existing two rotary potentiometers with the sliders and screwed these sliders to the side of the desk below the slot, in such a way that one of the sliders engaged the tooth in the aluminum.

I then calibrated my wheel so that the pedals (now yoke action) both operated on the same y-axis. This way you only need to operate one of the sliders.

I finally assigned the y-axis to elevators in FS2002 and clamped my wheel back onto the drawer and presto!

You may wish to enhance it further by adding a self centering mechanism using springs/rubber bands attached to the sliding drawer but I find it quite acceptable without.

I don't see any reason that this would not work using any make wheel/pedals as I am sure most non-USB pedals would operate in a similar fashion.

I am no expert at electronics but found this a very simple way of converting my old wheel to a yoke. All I need now is a set of rudder pedals and I will be happy.

I would be happy to answer any questions regarding the above but take no responsibility if you mess yours up!

Keith Hackett
Keith.Hackett@btinternet.com