Brother_Leb

@Terminator357 Thanks for the review. Super helpful. I recently bought an F18 Orion 2 HOTAS from WW. I'm working on getting everything set up still and have limited time this month, so I'm mostly looking at it occasionally and salivating instead of using it. I did have a question for you. We have different stick handles but the same Orion stick base. I agree with you about the heaviness, this stuff doesn't mess around. One thing I noticed however was a certain...I don't know how else to put it..."sproing" that occurs when returning to center when my hand is not on the stick. It sort of bobbles back and forth at center. When my hand is on the stick, finding center isn't a problem, but there is very little centering force compared to my previous gear (TM 160000). Have you noticed difficulty finding center when flying? Are the micro-adjustments problematic (introducing PIO, etc.) or is the lack of centering force easier to keep your maneuvering smooth?

Yes, that seems about right, give or take depending on your region. I suspect that the payment email time might decrease now that they are getting through backorders. My shipping time was surprisingly quick (to NA). Only 8 days, and would have been 7 except FedEx had a delay. I got a local delay notification for Chengdu, so not Japan, but similar. I also got one here in the states. Only delayed delivery by less than 48 hours from estimated delivery date though. Hope it's the same for you.

Final update from me (OP updated as well). All packages received! Yay!

My pocket book is not nearly that deep

This is sooooo true. I worked hard to learn AAR and got to where I was passable at it before switching to other things (there's only so long I want to stare at the back of a KC-135). Recently, I've been learning Blue Angels maneuvers with a buddy which is super difficult but also lots of fun. After practicing close formation flying all the time, AAR is a breeze. Not bragging. You too can AAR no problem: learn to fly form! No crazy barrel rolls necessary, just learn to stick close to your flight lead and it will help your AAR a ton. Also, it's way more fun than listening to that dickweed say "Return precontact" over and over and over. As for the rest of this thread, I think some of the discussion is pretty ridiculous, but it's been a fun read. I can honestly say I see both sides. I used to feel the same as the OP. DCS was too up it's own --- with the "realism." Then I caught the bug and now I'm purchasing a replica HOTAS because the "realism" is what I want. It's not for everyone, but I'm glad DCS is the way it is. Thanks ED. I really, really enjoy your simulator/game.

I don't think you will have to wait too long. It seems like they are still filling orders in batches. So maybe you'll get yours filled by the end of the month? Let us know. FWIW, for me this has also become an interesting way to track global supply chain efficiency in the current geopolitical situation

True, but the first response in this thread ordered about a week before you did and had their order shipped 4/13, so you shouldn't have to wait too long.

Another update. Shipping confirmation and tracking number received. I'll post a final update when the full order is received (it's shipping in 4 different packages apparently, according to the WW email). Hopefully that will give folks an idea of timing for a full pre-order cycle.

Yeah, from what I can tell this is NOT FFB. Still, it's a nice feature to provide a bit of haptic feedback. So, yes kudos to WW even if it's not full FFB. Incidentally, after watching lots of videos about Apache trim (esp. RedKite's), I think a stick with good FFB could be a competitive advantage that manufacturers might want to look into. Based on some quick searching, it doesn't look like there are any on the market anymore.

Fair. I'll let you know when mine arrives and I'll try to provide pics for reference. I was in the preorder queue as well, but just got order confirmation today and paid. No shipment info yet, but should be soon. They are getting through through those preorders so hopefully soon for you.

(Updated OP) preorder went through and I paid, got confirmation from WW. Waiting for shipping notice. Will update.

My Orion 2 hasn't shipped yet, so I can't confirm this, but from the photos I've seen, I think this is still present on the Orion 2. The angle it's off by might be slightly shallower than on Orion 1, but from what I can tell they have not canted the grips outboard as on the real hornet throttle per the OP's concern. The new Orion 2 design does seem to create a problem for 01G8R's aftermarket part though, I think. The way the new finger lift kit is designed to wrap around the throttle arms would mean that his (really awesome) custom machined plates won't work with the new design. I think the finger lift kit is removable, so if you took it off, you could probably still use the custom plates, but I don't think they will work together from what I can tell based on the pics on WW's website. I'm not worried myself (I'm upgrading from a TM T16000 throttle, which has no angle at all so this issue doesn't bother me personally), but I know it's a big problem for some of the folks here.

There are a few reviews that talk about the rumble feature. Apparently it's like a "rumble pack." I'd probably turn it off myself (don't use rumble on controllers either), but I ordered an F18 stick, so I won't be able to say. Depends on your tastes, I guess.

Couldn't hurt to try. I certainly wouldn't cancel your preorder, but you might try filing a support ticket or emailing customer service. I'm too much of a hornet guy to switch, but I think the Orion Max is probably the best overall deal (and maybe best HOTAS combo barring the really expensive stuff from Virpil, etc.?).

Yeah, same. I think you are probably right. I'd guess the latter. Probably supply-side/materials related stuff for the hornet grips given their message in late March about the price increase.

Good to know. I would bet that shipping processes are different product by product. I should say I preordered the F18 Hotas (throttle and stick). Good to know that orders are getting filled reasonably quickly. Makes me excited!

TLDR: The preorder process is a queue and there are lots of folks in line ahead of you, but WW is catching up quickly on all the back orders (see some of the replies below). Average time from preorder to payment is about 4 weeks (as of 5-15-2022). Shipping varies after that, but the tracking info usually comes within a day of payment processing. All in all, now that I've got my gear, I can certainly say it's worth the wait! ----- Original Post ------ Just thought I'd weigh in on timing for the Orion 2 for those who have preordered as a FYI FWIW. I want to be clear I do not represent WW in any way, I'm just a regular customer like you. Also, this is neither a complaint nor a review, just information for other folks interested in pre-ordering the new Orion 2 Hotas. I'm overall happy with what WinWing is doing and don't want this to come across as grumpy. I assure you it's not. Just informational. I tried to order an Orion 1 Hotas twice, but couldn't get a purchase to go through because the WinWing site crashed every time they restocked and by the time it was back up they were all sold out. March 11, 2022: I was delighted when they introduced the pre-order system because that meant I could actually order an Orion. I preordered mine on March 11, 2022 at roughly 4:30 pm CET. I immediately received their standard email about waiting for the pre-order to be filled and watched my inbox for the payment request. Once received, I would be able to pay for the product and they would begin shipping. All posts indicated that shipping is usually pretty quick (~2 weeks), but each component ships separately, which is not ideal. March 11-April 3: Waiting...checking email religiously. Crickets. Usually they restock every two weeks, but no email for almost a month. April 4, 2022: WW posts their first "We have something new" teaser. I go, "huh." April 5-9, 2022: As more posts and more info come out, I realize they are updating the Orion, which explains the lack of email. I also worry about whether my order for an old Orion will be filled, or whether I could potentially upgrade it and what the price differential would be. April 10, 2022: Official WW announcement (cool video!). Also the message on their website clarifies my fate: As a previous preorder customer, I'm getting a free upgrade to the Orion 2! Thanks Winwing!! (Still no email though, I saw all this because I was continuously checking their website to make sure I wasn't missing anything and that my pre-order was still pending). April 14, 2022 (time of OP): Still no email and tbh I'm not holding my breath. With everything going on around the world, I don't expect this to come quickly. I'm hoping by the end of May, but it may be longer. I DO wonder though if the original shipping cost that was quoted to me with the preorder will change. If so, I'd like to know because WW requires payment of preorders within 48 hours of receiving their "order filled" email. If the shipping cost does change (probably goes up), I'll need to transfer more money to my Paypal account (the only payment platform WW accepts currently), which takes a few business days. April 18, 2022: Pre-order filled email and payment request received. I paid (using Paypal, shipping cost was the same as quoted when the order was created). Email includes full message about pre-order upgrade. No shipment info yet, I'll update again when it ships and when all parts are received. April 20, 2022: Shipping confirmation from WW. FedEx tracking # received, estimated delivery date 4/25 (but I'll be surprised if it's that quick). Shipping to US. April 26, 2022 All packages received. Shipped to US. 8 days after payment completed (would have been 7, but FedEx was...well, FedEx). Not bad! Happy customer so far. Time from preorder to receipt was 46 days. Feel free to post preorder and shipping times in this thread to compare notes. There's lots of helpful WW tips from fellow customers here too.