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Throttletek F-18 throttle


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Good to know re. detents.

I'm lucky enough to have access to a disposed throttle (and stick) so intend on supplying parts...but the budget spent so far is already a bit ridiculous so hopefully it turns out spectacular. Like I said, this unit has a lot of potential.

 

AU

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Wouldn’t be too concerned, that’s how it is in the real thing too...just wrapped in nylon.

 

Here are some pretty solid views used as referenced when modeling the Throttletek...

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Excellent photos! Thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

DCS

 

I am also communicating with Roberto and am seriously considering purchasing this throttle along with all the recommendations that Roberto is making (including Otto switches and Hall sensor).

 

I only fly in DCS and currently just the Hornet. How well does it work in DCS?

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  • 1 month later...

WHERE CAN I BUY THEM THINGS I NEED FOR THE F18 SIMPIT? I SEEM TO EITHER SUK AT FNDING THEM OR THERE NT OUT THERE? CAN U PLS HELP ME FIND F18 ITEMS, SUCH AS STICK THROTTLE, PANELS, SWITHES. I HAVE THE MFD AND THATS ALL. ALSO WHERE CAN I FIND THE PROPER SCREENS FOR IT. IM NEED 3 30 TO 50 INCH, OR OR THOSE JUST ANY REGULAR MONITORS? TY

ICEMAN2647

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It makes no sense to buy plane specific controls. Especially if you are using VR. Buy the best quality you can afford with the most buttons on it. Right now the best stuff out there is Virpil. I have the new throttle and the T50 stick and its really nice stuff. Perfect centering and 1 calibration for 4 months.

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  • 1 month later...
It makes no sense to buy plane specific controls. Especially if you are using VR.

 

Let me fix your statement:

"It makes no sense to me to buy plane specific controls. Especially when I am using VR."

 

Because I have been flying for years with plane specific controls, and want even more now that I have VR. Your opinion is correct for you and probably many other people, but there are quite a few people that really want an accurate cockpit for one particular aircraft and don't mind if it creates problems for flying other aircraft.

 

If I am going to have controls with lots of buttons, how does it hurt to have those controls match one particular aircraft? The most popular controls of DCS forum posters is by far the Warthog -- controls for an A-10C. Having a custom F/A-18 throttle with accurate dimensions, range of motion and controls may be expensive, but it is as just as compatible with multiple aircraft types as any other throttle available and provides an exceptional experience for those who happen to enjoy flying the F/A-18 or other aircraft with similar hardware.

 

I actually want interchangeable front and side panels that allow me to reasonably replicate the switches/knobs of my favorite aircraft. If I fly VR, they don't even need to look pretty or have functional displays/indications, just dimensions/locations that match the VR cockpit.

 

The throttle is one of the few controls that cannot be easily replicated and swapped out, at least using commercial off the shelf hardware, whereas the stick grips are generally similar across many generations and can be readily swapped out for ones that are if needed.

 

If I had the money to spare, I would have already ordered one of these F/A-18 throttles. They would work very well for most US twin engined fighters and adequately for just about anything else. If I commit to making a dedicated left console for the Hornet, I will probably find a way to put aside extra money for this throttle if a more cost effective solution hasn't appeared by that time.

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It's not a problem I've encountered. However a pattern of problems seems to be forming. Not good, especially considering the price tag.

 

Can you expand on the pattern of problems forming? Or PM me if need be? I am still waffling between trying to make a pit that can be readily altered to model several aircraft or continuing my original F-4E cockpit or starting over with a dedicated F/A-18C pit. If I decide to build the F/A-18C pit, this throttle remains the best option if it works correctly. But I am not going to spend $1,000 on something that looks great, but doesn't work correctly. I would be better off modding a Warthog throttle, and if I went that route, I could come up with a way to make the grips interchangeable to model different aircraft... but that would cost time and money I don't want to spend if someone has already made a great product.


Edited by streakeagle

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so is the AB detent problem (push trough and not pull up) resolved?

has anyone received a unit recently?

Any feedback ?

 

 

 

It’s a push through now (no finger lifts needed, as it should be).

 

Not much of a detent at all, you can push right through it without realizing if you’re not paying attention, but it’s there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

VR Cockpit (link):

Custom Throttletek F/A-18C Throttle w/ Hall Sensors + Otto switches | Slaw Device RX Viper Pedals w/ Damper | VPC T-50 Base + 15cm Black Sahaj Extension + TM Hornet or Warthog Grip | Super Warthog Wheel Stand Pro | Steelcase Leap V2 + JetSeat SE

 

VR Rig:

Pimax 5K+ | ASUS ROG Strix 1080Ti | Intel i7-9700K | Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Master | Corsair H115i RGB Platinum | 32GB Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB 3200 | Dell U3415W Curved 3440x1440

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  • 3 months later...
It makes no sense to buy plane specific controls. Especially if you are using VR. Buy the best quality you can afford with the most buttons on it. Right now the best stuff out there is Virpil. I have the new throttle and the T50 stick and its really nice stuff. Perfect centering and 1 calibration for 4 months.

 

if you say so, I am using a Thrustmaster TWCS for 50$ and very happy.

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Lack of demand? Too expensive to produce?

 

I ultimately have committed to building my own F-4 throttle. I got the panels that surround throttle (left, right, and center with brushes) and both levers in decent condition. I just need to manufacture a frame that allows the ranges of motions described in the pilot's manual which includes finger lift off detents and having to move the levers outboard to advance to afterburner. I replaced the bad PCB in my old Warthog throttle, so I now have a spare throttle I can gut/adapt into an F-4 throttle.

 

The price of the F-4 parts combined with a Warthog throttle and the new PCB already approaches the price of the Hornet throttle. So, if it had been a polished, reliable product not in danger of being discontinued, I probably would have been better off buy the Hornet throttle. But given that it has already been discontinued, my throttle's core will be a well established Warthog throttle that can easily be repaired/replaced and custom components that I will make from readily available materials/components.

 

The rest of Throttletek's line is civil aircraft quadrants... cool and great for the much larger FSX/P3D/Xplane crowd but of no use to me. I was sitting on the fence on whether to buy one or not for quite some time... now the fence has collapsed. At least I didn't lose any money like I did on the VEAO Hawk and P-40F :P

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Lack of demand? Too expensive to produce?

 

I ultimately have committed to building my own F-4 throttle. I got the panels that surround throttle (left, right, and center with brushes) and both levers in decent condition. I just need to manufacture a frame that allows the ranges of motions described in the pilot's manual which includes finger lift off detents and having to move the levers outboard to advance to afterburner. I replaced the bad PCB in my old Warthog throttle, so I now have a spare throttle I can gut/adapt into an F-4 throttle.

 

The price of the F-4 parts combined with a Warthog throttle and the new PCB already approaches the price of the Hornet throttle. So, if it had been a polished, reliable product not in danger of being discontinued, I probably would have been better off buy the Hornet throttle. But given that it has already been discontinued, my throttle's core will be a well established Warthog throttle that can easily be repaired/replaced and custom components that I will make from readily available materials/components.

 

The rest of Throttletek's line is civil aircraft quadrants... cool and great for the much larger FSX/P3D/Xplane crowd but of no use to me. I was sitting on the fence on whether to buy one or not for quite some time... now the fence has collapsed. At least I didn't lose any money like I did on the VEAO Hawk and P-40F :P

 

I am sorry I missed your earlier question about problems. I can't remember what I had in mind at the time.

 

However there's one problem in particular I've noticed since, and I'm not sure if it's always been there or it's a developing issue: The throttle moves the position sensor via a gear arrangement, and there's some slop in the right throttle gear assembly. The result is the right throttle always lags behind the left a little. The only place I really notice is on the gauges rather than any controllability issues - I fly fine with it as is - but for the price this isn't something I should have to put up with.

 

F-18 throttle discontinued ? Damnit

 

That may have been for the best. While I'm by no means sitting here ruing the day I bought the throttle, having lived with it for a year or so, I couldn't recommend it now either.

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Right throttle lag may be a DCS issue . I have the same indication using a single throttle .

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No I've taken the side off, I can actually see the problem.

 

I got mine with Hall Effect Sensors and my Left throttle lags behind. While it did disappoint me initially, having looked into and did the quickest of searches it turns out the real throttles are 100% perfect either so I just caulk it up to "realism"... lol

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http://www.csg-2.net/

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Lack of demand? Too expensive to produce?

 

Likely both. They were probably banking on a huge influx of orders when the F/A-18 launched, but due to the high price of throttle and lack of marketing, they probably only got a few orders at most. The reports of low quality compared to the price tag also likely killed interest for the few people who were on the fence (like me).

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I have spent some money on controls. The $500 I paid to get the VKB MCG Pro is the most expensive individual device I have ever bought. I have spent about $950 between two complete Warthog HOTAS setups and a couple of replacement PCBs. $1,000 was a pretty steep price. But that price would be justified for a near perfect replica that functions extremely well in games, reliable, and easily repairable. But it seemed it was at a prototype stage with some design bugs and reliability issues. Now that it is discontinued, how do you maintain it?

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With extreme difficulty. It looks like I'll have to totally dismantle the throttle if I ever want to fix the slop in the right throttle.

 

I suspect if Thrustmaster ever get their act together, I might eventually have to get their F18 throttle to replace this one. They might produce plastic tat, but at least it generally works.

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Is it just me that thinks there is a market above the WH? I'm not talking stupid expense like the 5 digit stuff sold by a couple of vendors for use in pilot training, I'm talking perhaps the 1000ish range. I'd go there, seems like I'm not the only one.

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Is it just me that thinks there is a market above the WH? I'm not talking stupid expense like the 5 digit stuff sold by a couple of vendors for use in pilot training, I'm talking perhaps the 1000ish range. I'd go there, seems like I'm not the only one.

 

Isn't that where VKB and VPC are aiming?

System: 9700, 64GB DDR4, 2070S, NVME2, Rift S, Jetseat, Thrustmaster F18 grip, VPC T50 stick base and throttle, CH Throttle, MFG crosswinds, custom button box, Logitech G502 and Marble mouse.

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