Need Advise on Getting a New Joystick

I've been getting along just fine in Flight Sim for the past two decades with my old reliable Sidewinder (SW) joystick. Ninety-five percent of the time I use it to guide airplanes (mostly airliners) around and apply the brakes. Otherwise, it's the keyboard or mouse giving the orders...Now, I'm operating MSFS from a newly-built computer and it all looks great. However, control of the planes is NOT great.

 

I'v spent a lot of time trying to adjust my SW to properly guide MSFA planes. and still they continue to hop back and forth in a very un-real world fashion. The SW lacks an R axis and it is difficult to get the planes ailerons to function properly. In FSX, planes responded to SW action by moving in a damped-down fashion and appearing in a real-world manner on the monitor. Now, however, no matter what I try, MSFS small planes (i.e, Cessna 152) zip around the screen and make keeping on course difficult; nothing like the smooth, methodical SW movement in earlier FS versions.

 

I don't seem able to carryover that smooth, controlled movement in MSFS, so I guess it't time to retire the old SW and buy a joystick more suitable to the new sim. But, my number one question, before purchasing a new stick is: Will I then be able to move my planes in the smooth, realistic manner I'm seeking? Will the new stick do this "out-of-the-box"? And, if not, can it be adjusted to do so?...

 

So finally, which new stick should I buy?. Please give me the benefit of your experience...

 

My thanks in advance for all suggestions and comments, and I look forward to all...

 

Lee Graves

Have you adjusted your sensitivities correctly?

 

After much experience I have been able to get an xbox game controller to fairly smoothly control a 172 as long as I am very gentle with the stick. But nowhere nearly as well as my Thrustmaster T16000M does. The Thrustmaster was a huge change for me.

I have the Thrustmaster. It was recognized and installed automatically by MSFS. It works great and is affordable.

did u have any trouble calibrating the Thrustmaster T16000M i have one ordered have no idea when it will get here, I like the idea of the right or left hand

Mine installed as smooth as silk.

I did adjust the sensitivity settings, they were straight linear at install.

 

I'm delighted with it.

thanks for the quick reply....i was little leary at first now i feel better

I run that joystick as well. I have not had any problems!

It setup automatically and functions great. I programmed a couple of button through the sim. I have the throttle also and works great. You can calibrate the joystick with the included software. Edited December 24, 2020 by Energizer23
additional info

Depends what aircraft and how much realism do you want. Back in my old FSX days I too ran a SW joystick and it was a solid unit. MSFS is something I was waiting for for years so I decided to treat myself a bit and kinda splurged. I am currently running the Logitech/Saitek Flight Yoke System sans rudder pedals. Tremendously happy. I could never see myself using another joystick unless its combat aviation..But as with everything in life YVMV.

For the little spam cans I fly on here I really like the CH products fighterstick and pro throttle with saitek rudder. While I had to program all the buttons, they were all set to my requirements and I can fly without the keyboard and only the mouse for some com and Garmin functions. You can't really fly an airplane without rudder for cross wind and slips.

Maybe I'm not getting it right but do you mean by SW and Microsoft SIdewinder 2?

 

If this is the case I have that one and it does not work in MSFS 2020, or I should say I had the same problem as you describe.

I replaced it for a Thrustmaster 16000 and that works great (for me)

Might not be top quality but price/performance is fine!