Sim newbie question (s) please!

I have the CH Products yoke and pedals. I only paid $25 for them at a yard sale. Yes, it was like winning the lotto. I thought perhaps they wouldn't work, but I plugged them in and they work. You don't need their software at all. In fact, FS assigned most of the assignments automatically. The one thing I needed to do however is set a button for reveres thrust. So I land, idle down and hit the reverse thrust in about 2 seconds. Then you can throttle up after 80 knots or so and the reverse thrust will go away.

I have seen lots of people needing help for Saitek here. Not sure if that's due to Saitek being popular or what. Hardly ever CH Products help posts.

I've owned my yoke and pedals for about 5 years now and so far so good. And God only know how long the previous owner used them. I fly about an hour a day.

As to using a TV as a monitor, I forgot what I read about that, but I think it was about lag or something. It's not meant to game with but rather surfing the Internet and at that the text will be so God awfully small you wouldn't stand it.

Just get a nice large LED. I have a curved myself. But that can pose issues if you're into CAD. I guess it' because drawing straight lines on a curved monitor is a PITA. And this may apply to aircraft design.

I agree with the above. I've had my CH Products yoke & pedals for many years , & have often compared them with the Saitek versions at our VA club, with the CH equipment coming up ahead.

However, I'm using it on FSX & FS2004 with FSUIPC.

I cannot give any feedback on XPlane unfortunately.

Hi Folks,

I’ve used CH HOTAS since the game port days - suggest you DO NOT load the CH Control Manager software or drivers as they were never made Win10 compliant - and causes issues such as BSOD for many... The controllers will work just fine without it... If you run an older OS this is not applicable...

Regards,

Scott

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Like you, I'm am brand new to flight simulation, but I still have opinions. :D

The biggest complaint that I've seen about the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke System is the deadzone in the roll axis. I haven't had a problem with that. I mean, I guess the deadzone is there, but it's so small I don't even notice it. I did perform the rubberband modification for the pitch axis, which was very easy, and that has worked out very well. That can be found on YouTube here:

I've heard complaints about the tiny levers on the CH Yoke whereas the Saitek has a separate Throttle Quantrant. However, I've never used the CH Yoke so I can't say from experience if that's a real problem or not.

I have a 45" HDTV that I use for gaming (I didn't buy it for gaming, we had it in storage). I haven't experienced and problems using it with FSX or X-Plane 11. It's a huge difference between using it and my regular 27" computer monitor. The gages are so much easier to read, plus, well... isn't bigger better?

Anyway, those are my experiences. Good luck!!

Can't say I've had any issues with the throttle, etc on the CH Products yoke. The only complaint I have is that they are sandwiched together and sometimes I accidentally hit the mixer or something.

Also, the last lever I have to keep slightly high while flying my F-22 otherwise the engines will kill. I can't remember what that lever is assigned to but I think it kills the fuel to the engine. Just a minor thing to consider. It's not the yoke's fault.

Well you are right in thinking the equiptment is what makes it more imersive. But listen to what a wise man 'il88pp' said. You MIGHT not like it after 6 weeks (6 months?). Why? Because it takes a LOT of your time, and it's HARD WORK to set things up, plus you will run into a lot of disappointments and 'computer problems' (it happens to us ALL). No girlfriend (and if married soon no wife?), no time for anything else (if you do it right). You won't get enough sleep, or eat, or bathe (hehe), because of 'Flt Simming'. You might still be in school, or work, so your 'Sim' time could be 8 pm to 11 pm. Then 7 pm to 1 am yet get up at 7 am? Then 4 pm to 3 am? Reality sucks! And sometimes you will fire up the sim and you will just SIT there stareing at your monitor (been there..done that!). You will question your sanity ('why in the heck am I doing this anyway?'). Welcome to the BIG LEAGUES. Me? I HATE this 'game'. But once you get 'into it' there is nothing like it....Real or Simulated. But it's not for everybody. You will learn something new EVERY DAY (still true for me and I have been at it 15 years!). It takes a 'special' person to prevail. Have a nice day.

Chuck B

Napamule

Any products you buy now may or may not suit your needs as that requirement becomes more focussed.

No point spending money when you might abandon simming in a week or two, so buy cheap. You can use the intervening period to read-up and do your own research.

Can't say I've had any issues with the throttle, etc on the CH Products yoke. The only complaint I have is that they are sandwiched together and sometimes I accidentally hit the mixer or something.

 

Also, the last lever I have to keep slightly high while flying my F-22 otherwise the engines will kill. I can't remember what that lever is assigned to but I think it kills the fuel to the engine. Just a minor thing to consider. It's not the yoke's fault.

Flying an F-22 with a yoke???

That's like flying a Cessna 172 with a joystick!

I am still using Saitek pedals and yoke I purchased 10 years ago. I did break down today though and ordered a pair of MFG Crosswinds pedals and am excited for them to arrive.

https://mfg.simundza.com/products

Flying an F-22 with a yoke???

That's like flying a Cessna 172 with a joystick!

It's just how I roll. I don't care for flight sticks. And there wouldn't be any room for one anyway. I have my yoke bolted to the middle of my desk.

Flying an F-22 with a yoke???

That's like flying a Cessna 172 with a joystick!

Yes. And the only problem with that is?

I have yoke, throttle, rudder AND Joystick but regularly mix'n'match for simming.

After all, I do it in my real life flying: My Katana has a stick, as does the Robin. The other GA have yokes. If the real world cannot decide why should a simmer have to?

Hi Folks,

 

I’ve used CH HOTAS since the game port days - suggest you DO NOT load the CH Control Manager software or drivers as they were never made Win10 compliant - and causes issues such as BSOD for many... The controllers will work just fine without it... If you run an older OS this is not applicable...

 

 

Regards,

Scott

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Scott, thanks. This is odd because the CH description on the yoke and other devices state they are Windows 10 capable. I think I will call the folks at Marv Golden (where I was going to buy) and ask about this.

Many thanks guys for all the great advice above. Keep it coming! I did play around with a crude sim many years ago but it was far from realistic. I had a busy career and many other hobbies and just did not have time for it. I have been a private pilot for 46 years. Now that I’m retired I am looking for more to do with my home time increasing. Here is what I plan to start with....

Dell 8930 desktop....a top of the line gaming computer....Windows 10

ACER 32” gaming monitor with 165 refresh rate

CH bundle with Exclipse yoke and rudder pedals and X Plane 11 software

I will likely add other peripheral items later (switch box, radio, AP module).

Anything else?

Scott, thanks. This is odd because the CH description on the yoke and other devices state they are Windows 10 capable. I think I will call the folks at Marv Golden (where I was going to buy) and ask about this.

Hi Will,

Always a good idea to do your due diligence...

I believe Bob Church wrote the CH Control Manager software and he had a site called the CH Hangar for many years... He was very active and extremely helpful to the user community... He left CH sometime between Win7 and Win10 - so we haven’t seen an update since Win7 for the CH software - they haven’t bothered to find a replacement guy for it... I personally had the BSOD crashes when I tried to get the software to work and the issues have been discussed/reported on many sites - just hit your search engine... The CH Control Manager software was pretty darn sophisticated and powerful - we’ve lost many great features since moving to Win10 - I sorely miss it... That said - the CH hardware works just fine with the default Win10 drivers giving you the same capabilities you would get with any other similar joystick device... I’m still using my full CH HOTAS suite today with Win10 - I just set it up with FSUIPC now - you could use the default P3D setup as well...

Best of luck...

Regards,

Scott

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just own opinion, and we all know what they're worth: Airplanes are flown with a stick, cars are driven with a steering wheel. And never the twain shall meet!

Just my opinion, though. Probably formed because I learned to fly at age 14, well before I learned to drive. In gliders, which all had sticks. So, in my little pea-brain, sticks are for planes, not steering wheels!

But my main take on it all is to have fun, however you do it. Stick or wheel, enjoy it, or what's the point??

Pat☺

Just own opinion, and we all know what they're worth: Airplanes are flown with a stick, cars are driven with a steering wheel. And never the twain shall meet!

 

Just my opinion, though. Probably formed because I learned to fly at age 14, well before I learned to drive. In gliders, which all had sticks. So, in my little pea-brain, sticks are for planes, not steering wheels!

 

But my main take on it all is to have fun, however you do it. Stick or wheel, enjoy it, or what's the point??

Pat☺

So what does that make a SR20/22? it might look like a stick, but it actually functions like a yoke...

And there are exceptions: P-38 Lightning - a fighter with a Yoke; Dornier 335 a bi-pronged stick with control akin to a yoke; Bristol Beaufighter and Blenheim; P-61 Black Widow; etc.

Boeings have yokes & Airbus's have sticks.

Anyhow, it's all about the immersion factor..

We have an Avro Shackleton simulator with a yoke, & an AerMacchi MB326 sim with a stick.

WE also had a (real) pilot come to our club to practice approaches to Gatwick, as she was offered a job there. Obviously she practiced landing a Boeing with a yoke, made it very immersive for her.

We also do our Virtual PPL course using a yoke & pedals with the RealAir C172. Far different than using a joystick with a twist rudder.

Well I spent most of yesterday morning downloading X Plane and calibrating my equipment. Spent several hours later flying. My initial observations:

++ CH Rudder pedals way too sensitive. Tried adjusting but didn’t realize much, if any, difference

++ CH Yoke (Eclipse version) is is very capable...once you calibrate and dial it in

++ Wish X Plane had more general aircraft options (not one single engine complex aircraft)

++ Scenary is quite detailed and impressive

++ Dell 8930 and Acer Predator 32” monitor are great

++ Likely will add a couple other peripheral modules (switch box and radio)

Looking forward to continuing to learn the ins and outs! Thanks again for all the great advice!

The game is probably the reason as to why the rudder is sensitive. I don't have that issue in FSX. If X-plane allows you to adjust the rudder's null zone that may help.

Unfortunately not. Only capable of adjusting sensitivity but that actually does nothing. Very bummed.