AeroGator

Every given moment there are 2 containers on the way to Europe. We're working towards having permanent stock in the EU so our dealer is no longer dependent on shipments. Hopefully, it is a couple of months away. In the meantime, please talk to the dealer. He knows the cargo schedule better than we at the HQ.

We were (still are) on holidays. In a few days I will talk to the sales. PM me with your email address (from which you wrote to them), and I will ask them to revisit your request. Standalone bases are still a valid offer.

Somewhere we heard a word that the community is getting impatient about the throttle. Somewhere we heard a word that the community needs a reliable, universal, user-friendly throttle. Plus, we knew without anyone telling us that the community needs it for a sane price. Here the quest began. First thing, we were not aiming at producing a throttle somewhat better than that of other manufacturers. Because, detents. Because, mending and enhancing an outdated-at-birth system would be a waste in a situation when the market was screaming for a radically new solution (teaser; more below). TL/DR: Picture is not a 3d model but a physical photo of a devkit; Real base will be different from the picture due to secrecy; Virus took its toll; TECS is not going to be released by end of lunar year; TECS is entering production stage; TECS is a radically new device offering a bunch of new-standard-setting features; If you can't wait for TECS now, we will see you later, anyway. "Booooo, arc design!!" - have patience, and read to the end. Rails are also coming. More than a few prototypes were made, and more than a few solutions were tried and rejected. One thing however remained invariably: modularity. The user should be able to configure his own device to satisfy his very own needs. Hence, different base modules, an array of grips, interchangeable add-on modules, etc. Here goes TECS. Grips (module). Ergonomics and dimensions closely follow those of Su-35 and Su-57 real life planes, only slightly retouched by our designers to optimize game simulator experience. Not only grips are a separate module, but they also are built with modularity in mind. Let's look into it: right grip, top: interchangeable hat/ministick, same principle as in MCGU. Plus, interchangeable new optional modules: button/5-pos hat/3-pos hat. Plus, interchangeable different caps for all these modules. No mess with replacing the modules: the grip onboard microcontroller will automatically determine its configuration, and will set up accordingly. Hand feeling and ergonomics: the lip on the left grip will not let the hand slip off, while the lip on the right one doubles as a thumbrest, at the same time preventing the top row modules from getting accidentally hit. Top surface sports soft rubber pads made the same way as those of MCGU; moreover - we did the same to the rolling surface of both left and right (pressable) encoder wheels. Needless to say, both grips can be fixed in one with a reliable and sturdy lock. LEFT grip controls: encoder wheel - 1 button - 1 3-pos switch - 1 Interchangeable button module - 1 RIGHT grip controls: pressable encoder wheel - 1 button - 1 interchangeable button module - 5 Hat/ministick module - 1 Enough about grips? - nearly so. Worth mentioning though that modern combat aviation grips will be released first, but civil aviation grips and their space sim cousins are slated to follow. Moving on to the base (module). Main axis dumpers conveniently located in the front of the casing. Two additional levers working as axes or switches (similar to those in SEM). These are nice things but not a breakthrough. The proper breakthrough comes right below.... ELECTRONIC detents. A landslide change of the rules of the game. We are turning the old page over. Now: programmable detents. YOU will set detents position as well as their type (warning tactile click or hard limit, one- or two-way detent). Electronic detents are now being patented. For this reason we cannot show the final design of the base here (but it exists already). Actual base will have a lot more controls than shown in the picture of the devkit, and we will sure flash it shortly before the device goes onto the shops' shelves.There is also one more thing up our sleeve that we are not going to elaborate here - but rest assured it will considerably expand the functionality and ergonomics of the base. Advantages: Mechanical detents bite out quite some working range of the main axis. One detent for idle, another for afterburn - oops, 10-15% of the range gone (due to dead zone in the neighborhood of the detent). Electronic detents will spare much of this waste. Subtle movement around the detent point are hard to manage in mech detent system. Electronic detents cancel this problem altogether: they have practically zero width, and deactivate momentarily. Mechanical detents have to be strong. In the heat of the combat it is so easy to smash the grips into the limit. Electronic detent will detect overload, and will deactivate automatically. Electronic detents' force can be adjusted. The last, the sweetest: electronic detent settings are stored in the TECS controller. You switch the aircraft, or move on to a different game - just flip a switch on the base to choose different detent settings, easy as this. Forget screwing with mechanicals, and readjusting dead zones, leave them to history. Moreover, we're going to provide the APIs to game designers, so that the games would automatically set necessary detents. Not bad, we believe. OK, versions? Prices? 1 - ARC STANDARD. Grips like in the picture, but with considerably more controls on the base, with "classic" mechanical detents. However, as electronic detents are now entering the market, we feel unfair to ask anything more than 200 bucks for such construction. Hence, RRP = 200 USD. - WHY ARC???? We were waiting for RAILS!!! THAT'S WHAT YOU PROMISED!!! - ARC is what is used in real aviation. We held extensive consultations with active pilots and engineers working for real aviation corporations. Even conservative Russian aircraft makers such as MIG and Sukhoi turned to arc throttles. However, if we promised, we deliver. Read to the end. 2 - ARC PREMIUM. Electronic detents and a couple of outstandingly sweet extras. RRP US$ 350-400. 3 - RAIL. Only offered as PREMIUM. All the same as ARC PREMIUM, except linear movt. This version will be released the last due to extra complex detent solution for such layout. RRP US$ 400-450. - CAN I plug additional modules that I already have into TECS? - Ja, ja. Naturlich. GNX external modules, as well as external panels VKB will produce specifically for TECS will be supported by the device. Just plug them into front panel jacks. See the picture, it is something like TECS+FSM modern combat DIY modification based on the fantasy of our engineer. - STOP. ENOUGH TALKING. SHUT UP ALREADY. TAKE MY.... - STOP it, too. 2020 wasn't the best of all years. No one needs explanation, or does anyone? VKB had our share of losses, some irreparable. We're keeping our bereavement private; please spare us from prodding. For more than a year some of our key engineers cannot come to China, and not everything can be done online. China cancelled many previously issued working visas. Still, we are pushing ahead. TECS is coming. Next announcement will be about the official launch of the so long awaited throttle. When time comes.

Thanks for business Sir! And happy New Year to all our pilots!

Thanks for business folks! We appreciate your support. Grips will be mailed out some time next week as soon as the xmas craze ebbs down a bit. Cheers! All the best of luck and fun to your families!

Материал. Алюминиевый сплав. Крепкий. Не силумин, не цинковая обманка. По прочности близкий к алюминиевым сплавам 6061 серии - автопром, авиация, судостроение, слова - символы выносливости и силы. Лёгкий. Вес ручки важен. Тяжелая ручка создает дополнительную нагрузку на центровочный механизм джойстика. Наличие удлинителя при тяжёлой ручке добавляет проблем и ухудшает прогнозы её долголетия. Ручка должна быть красивой, сильной и легкой. Как атлет. Кто-нибудь видел гимнастов, под которыми ломаются брусья и трещат брёвна? Информация к размышлению: • Пластиковая MCG (premium) - 330 г • Warthog - 900 г • Hornet - 840 г (металл только в ручке, а голова изделия - пластик) • MCG Ultimate - менее 600 г (MCG Ultimate крупнее Кабана... если бы мы сделали её из силумина, она бы весила более 1.5 кг - недопустимый вес). Следующий кадр: Защитное покрытие - два. Первый слой: гальваника. Такое же покрытие на корпусе и механике Gunfighter. Гальваника покрывает всю ручку, внутри и снаружи: в человеке всё должно быть прекрасно, а уж в ручке от ВКБ - тем более. Второй слой: порошковая окраска (снаружи). Немного шероховатая, чтобы приятно и уверенно лежала в руке. Чтобы сделать ощущения от ручки в ладони ещё более приятными, мы применили сварной бутерброд из резины и пластика: мягкая резиновая накладка летом уменьшает потливость руки, а зимой защищает руку от стылости металла, пока не прогрелись двигатели. Пластиковая основа накладки крепится винтами к корпусу ручки. Накладка занимает большую часть площади соприкосновения с рукой. Крупный план: Кнопки. Все кнопки длинноходные, бесшумные, с тактильным щелчком. Усилие срабатывания 5N. Ценители строгих военных цветовых решений могут заменить колпачки кнопок на чёрные (идут в комплекте). Для замены разбирать ручку не надо. Кнопка под безымянный палец. Обратная связь с пилотами показала противоречивые мнения о ней. Кому-то нажимать её было сложно, иным - излишне легко. Мы переработали кнопку. Увеличили ход и сделали на кнопке тактильную впадину для защиты от случайного нажатия. Те, кому было сложно нажимать эту кнопку, тоже заметят разницу: в комплекте ручки - резиновый колпачок, который можно приклеить к кнопке и увеличить её высоту. Перефокусировка: Металлический корпус. Применение металла придало конструкции дополнительную жёсткость. Стало возможным увеличить усилия на откидной гашетке и рычаге колёсного тормоза. Усилие на рычаге тормоза достигает 1,4 кг в нажатом положении. Двухступенчатая гашетка: полностью переработанная конструкция. Бесшумная, но тактильная, с чётко различимыми ступеньками срабатывания. Модульные хатки/министики. Позиции РЕЖИМ КБО и УПРАВ СТРОБ стали модульными. Не разбирая ручку, можно установить на выбор модуль 5-кнопочной хатки или модуль министика - в любой комбинации. Главный контроллер ручки автоматически определит установленный модуль. Вы таки будете смеяться: модуль хатки сделан... модульным. Теперь каждую кнопку, удавленную в пылу воздушной драки, можно заменить отдельно: они находятся каждая на своей плате. Для вашего удобства мы поменяли форму хаток для позиций РК и МАНЕВР. Они стали больше, у них появились более выраженные зацепы. Нажатие стало более уверенным, чётким и удобным. Хатка и министик получили два варианта крышек - оба входят в комплект ручки. Выбирайте, что вам удобно! У ручки появились глаза! Два программируемых RGB-индикатора разной формы (чтобы лучше идентифицировать, какой из них горит, если горит только один). Например, его можно использовать для индикации режима работы микростика (аналоговый или цифровой). Или отображать состояние шифтов. Цвет и способ индикации (постоянное горение, частое или медленное мигание) определять вам. Ручка будет поставляться в двух модификациях - с твистом и без. Маркировка органов управления будет выполнена на выбор: оригинальные русские надписи или надписи на английском. Габариты и расположение контролов на ручке не поменялись. Это константа, ведь MCG - копийная ручка реальных истребителей. Поэтому внешне MCG Premium и MCG Ultimate выглядят практически одинаково. Однако внутренняя компоновка новой ручки серьёзно переработана. Многим известна нелюбовь инженеров ВКБ к пучкам проводов внутри ручек. В Ultimate внутри находятся лишь 3 небольших кабеля. Это увеличивает надежность и упрощает сборку и разборку ручки пользователем. А премиумная ручка - помните? - должна быть прекрасна не только снаружи, но и внутри. Барабанная дробь за кадром: Цена? 250 долларов за версию без твиста и 275 - за версию с твистом. Все необходимые модули входят в комплектацию ручки, ничего дополнительно докупать не надо. Наличие. Мы произвели ограниченную партию ручек. Начиная с 24 декабря её могут приобрести только владельцы баз Gunfighter. Для этого надо будет в форме заказа в примечаниях указать серийный номер своего Gunfighter (находится на основании джойстика). Один номер - одна ручка. Ручки доступны для всех моделей GF (revA и revB). После китайского нового года ручка будет доступна к заказу как в виде отдельного продукта, так и в комплекте с базой Gunfighter. На данный момент наши производственные мощности позволяют выпускать тысячу ручек в месяц, поэтому мы не думаем, что возникнет дефицит. Но если это случится, мы с большим удовольствием нарастим производство. Ну и по традиции. Оставьте комментарий под роликом на ютубе, и 4 января мы проведем розыгрыш. Победитель получит джойстик: MCG Ultimate на базе Gunfighter. Ссылка на ролик: https://youtu.be/T023hS_gS5s

Don pls check your PM (sorry for offtopic)

No funny stuff like those alloys whose names we don't speak out. A decent aluminum blend whose composition we prefer to keep private. Durable yet lightweight. The weight is highly important. Many think the heavier the better - and there can hardly be a mistake more ridiculous than this. (indeed, why don't they make airplane parts from crude cast iron?) A heavy grip loads centering mechanism of the base, and in case it sits on an extension tube things get even worse. A good grip is lightweight (but sinewy), durable, and beautiful. Athletic, in a word. Anyone saw an athlete making bars and beams crack? FYI: • Plastic MCG (premium) - 330 g • Warthog - 900 g • Hornet - 840 g (plastic head on metal stem) • MCG Ultimate - under 600 g (MCG Ultimate is larger than the Hog... if it was made from silumin, it would weigh over 1.5 kg - no go). Then, coating. Coatings, to be precise, as there are multiple. The first coating is electroplated, same as you can see on Gunfighter bases and mechs. It covers the entire grip, in and out (as we know that a good grip must be beautiful not just on the outside)! The second coating on the outer side is powder spray that is slightly rough to the touch. Just so to make it sit in your palm like it is part of it. To make it feel even better, there are soft rubber pads on plastic bases: these two are cast together so there is no way rubber starts peeling off with some use. No way. Rubber caresses the hand while plastic base is what gets screwed to the metal. Result: in summer the hand doesn't sweat too heavily, in winter it prevents you from an unpleasant sensation of cold metal when you just start your engines. Then, buttons. All silent. All long travel, all with tactile click. Clicks optimized at 5N applied force. And if you prefer muted mil-style colors, black button caps (included) are user-replaceable without a need to open the casing. Ring finger button had mixed feedback; some found it tricky to press. Others wanted the opposite: to make it stiffer. We re-designed it, extending the travel and making it concave to prevent accidental pressing. In case you need it, there are rubber caps (included) that can be glued to the top of the button increasing its height. Then, controls load. As a side effect of making a full metal hull came increased structural rigidity. Which made heavier load possible on the flap trigger and brake lever (the latter takes up to 1.4 kg to fully depress). Then, double step trigger. Re-designed. Silent but tactile. With well sensible steps. Now, hats and ministicks. Modular hats and ministicks. Master mode and Gate cont controls became modular. You don't need to open the casing to replace the 5-button hat with a ministick, or vice versa, in any combination. The grip's main controller will automatically detect the change. Besides, the hat module now becomes... modular. Every button is now sitting on its own board, and can be easily replaced: we know how in the heat of a dogfight you like hard pressing the controls. DC and Manvr/PC hats grew in size and got more pronounced borders. Pressing them became easier and more natural. Have we mentioned the hat and the ministick now have two user replaceable caps? The eyes of the grip are two programmable LEDs shaped differently (for better identifying which one is lit, if only one is). You may use them for showing the ministick mode (ana/digi). Or, indicate shifts. Or just give you friendly winks. The grip is supplied with or without twist mechanism. There is also a choice between Russian and English prints. As the MCG is a copy control device its dimensions and controls' placement would not change. Hence, MCG and MCG Ultimate look nearly identical. However we worked a lot on the Ultimate's internals. Many know how much we dislike the cable jungle that grow inside some grips. To counter this, and to make assembling as well as opening the grip easy, we only let 3 cables inside the metal hull. After all, a premium grade grip has no right to look worse on the inside than on the outside. True beauty is all over and everywhere. Then what.... Oh price. 250 USD for no-twist grip, and 275 for a twisted beauty. All modules are included, you don't have to buy any extras. Availability. We produced a limited number of grips. Starting 24 Dec only Gunfighter owners will be able to purchase the Ultimates. To order, you will need to quote the number of your Gunfighter base in the NOTES field. One number - one grip. Both A and B revisions are supported. After Chinese New Year the grip will be sold separately, as well as in a set with the base. Our production capacity can now top at about 1000 Ultimates a month, so shortages are very unlikely (but if the market demands more, we will be able to swiftly increase the output). And finally, Why Buy if You Can Win? Leave a comment under the Youtube clip (link below), and on 4 Jan we will have a prize draw. The winner takes it all: a Gunfighter and a MCG Ultimate. Don't miss the chance! Win Her, and Rule the Universe!

Sorry pilots, all information you want will follow in the announcement I only disclosed as much as the company decided I could. Buttons, surface, etc., - we will tell you everything and more. Talking metal vs plastic - yes it's been our position, too - but people have that thing for metal, so metal it is. Like I said, the material of the hull is just the visible/tangible part. More is inside, and those invisible changes are tectonic. @streakeagle - of course it does look nearly identical. It is a copy grip. Whatever changes should not, and will not, affect its similarity to the original! @dburne - the button is coming Don!

All those interested in VKB bases standalone are welcome to write to sales (at) vkb-sim dot pro with your details (at least location; they may ask you more Qs like what VKB grips you currently possess but I can't tell you for sure as I'm not with the sales team). We do sell bases as promised. We just don't put them openly on shelves for some certain reasons. :joystick:

Nah I wouldn't worry. As I said, for the user the difference is merely psychological. But yes of course, we will gratefully take a few bucks from you :))

So, what's that about cams in your Gunfighters being different? Some people're wondering, I only got my GF a few months back, and when I bought the second for my left hand now I saw the cams were different. How to tell older from newer? What cams are better? Now, here is the story (and before the story, here is the picture). The FIRST generation cams were CNC'ed from steel. Used in models: Mamba, Gladiator Pro, GF1, GF2. Good: hard, lasts forever. Bad: may corrode in humid climate, as well as during long sea shipment. Solution: this contradiction was dealt with by chromium powder plating. While working on GF3, we thought what could be done to perfect the working surface smoothness in mass production. Inevitable tiny scratches called for hand polishing which in mass production is something we wanted to avoid by all means. Also, polishing would effectively damage the chromium plating, which in turn called for using of protective lubrication. This is how hardened aluminum cams came, marking the SECOND generation of cams. Good: hard enough. Good: doesn't rust. Good: transparent electroplating offered further protection. Bad: sometimes we still had to hand polish the cams. Solution: eliminating CNC as such. This brought to life the THIRD generation of cams. That would be cast rather than cut. What's new (i.e., Good): special proprietary steel alloy. Good: greatly improved resistance to corrosion. Good: nearly zero need in hand polishing. Good: chromium plating has no protective function and is merely used for visual pleasure. Bad: remains to be found... if any. In a word, we made the cams nearly perfect. Cams are the heart of the gimbal, and this heart by VKB is strong, durable, reliable (and not easy to upset). Important: for the end users there is no detectable tactile difference at all. All difference is in technology and streamlining the production. Plus, of course, adding to longevity of the cams (but even the 1st gen cams in fact are made to last forever under normal usage conditions). By the way... T-rudders are now sporting 3rd gen cams as well!

Nope all I am saying is please keep talking to the sales team (of which I am not a part) - they might miss something out, or have a momentary overload, or stalled due to language problem, or whatever - but they are there to help, and they normally do. I will talk to them, but as a hint, make your messages to them _obviously_ sticking out. Like, begin the subj line with clear "AUS" word in caps. They will immediately know what it's about and at least won't let it sink.

I will look into this. Just some bad stars alignment... no other explanation. But I'll take care. Pls ASAP PM me with your email address. No more information, as I can't directly interfere, just your email so I know what to get looked for. Aussies please excuse us. We know Aliexpress sucks kangaroo balls but at the moment little we can do. Please talk directly to sales (they normally work fine). We're working on dealership since some time ago, and if not the virus you'd have your very own dealer already. So please write to the sales directly.

What's the problem guys? Pls write to sales @ vkb - sim . pro - and the adapter will jump right into your hands. :joystick:

Gday! I looked into the matter. The problem is (better to say, the problems are) that Aliexpress sees all Australia as one delivery zone, while in actual fact there are many remote areas. Mail operators impose surcharge on shipments to those locations. We had a signal from Aliexpress when the mail carrier asked for $20 premium, and our staff tried to contact you several times asking to pay the above sum. Their requests were probably not received for some reason, or trashed as potential spam. Then, by Aliexpress rules, if the goods are not mailed out, they automatically cancel the order, and issue refund. It _is_ a shame, and we hate it no less than you do, but the intermediate banks don't care whether you received the goods, or not, and whatever else, they just keep their service fees regardless. So basically, I am sorry for what happened, but it was a mishap. Now. Aussies, if you want to buy our goods, please don't do it through Aliexpress. EU dealer serves Japan as well as he serves the EU, and there is no reason he wouldn't serve your area until we finally open a dealership in your country. Alternatively, contact our sales team by email. They help. It works. They already know you would be contacting them.

Neat is the word I was going to use! @Tundra

Hats might be moving unlike in CH devices because CH hats don't allow pressing while these ones do. Shortening the hats' travel may sound a good idea, but practice shows when you push the hat to the side you would pretty often depress the central button unwillingly.

From early spring till end of September Airlift service was up and running. All models and versions not in the dealer's stock were flown to the EU on weekly basis (sometimes more often). One week was missed out, when the dealer was on vacation. Airlift stopped end of September due to holidays, going to be resumed next week. Right now as I am writing it the dealer is busy clearing 2 containers to re-stock his shop. Next shipment to the EU will be bringing Gladiators NXT. Sales in the EU have never been as easy and as fast, and are getting easier and faster with every shipment.

I see no direct or indirect logical connection between availability and after-sales. The EU dealer is there regardless whether the goods are available or not, and he is in the EU and is subject to the EU legislation. Talking about problems in actually getting a VKB device onto your desk, I think it'd be better if you wrote to the sales (at) vkb-sim (dot) pro. Seriously, it is kinda hard to imagine how someone willing to purchase a VKB product for 5 months haven't been able to do so, as we kept selling and shipping to Europe throughout all this time. But maybe there was some unique configuration, or some other special request... anyway, the guys at sales team will sure be able to address this issue.

Sir your build is really breathtaking (I'm serious) - but please be aware that the mechanism of the gimbal, no matter how strong, may fail when facing this load. You know some basic mechanics (looking at your creation I understand how offensive this word "basic" may be ;) ) so I don't have to explain how much a long lever loads the mechanism. I believe to properly handle this load every bolt and screw need to be at least double the diameter, and the same should go about pretty much every part of the gimbal. So yes I sincerely admire your creativity - but really, you're doing it at your own risk! :joystick:

It's not that you "should". It's that you can! :) Talking about comparison, I'm probably a wrong man to ask - pls wait to see what the other guys say. (I can't believe I'm so modest, but look, it's a fact!)

You're not asking too much but you're asking it from a wrong model. GNX is a plastic gimbal based model, period. Extensions, angled extensions, all that belong to a different domain (of all metal gimbals, etc).

Shhhh :) Don't mention The Name we Never Say. :D