Best mid-range Joystick for MI-8!

[segax]

Hello,

I have couple of questions for my second joystick for HIP! First, right now i have cheapest possible joystick Thrustmaster USB. It was good, but in same time it was hard for flying helicopter (i had to press buttons to move collective).

I looked at X52, TM 16000M, MS Sidewinder, or you know something that i dont know. (probably yes, because i dont know a lot about a joystick)

Which one do you suggest me buying and why?

Thanks!

[Fanki 17]

Actually iam very happy with my logitech 3d pro. I removed the spring and use instead rubber bands to center the stick.

Flying like this for more than a half year and still very happy. A big disadvantage is that you cant really use it for modern jets. But i mean modern ones, Mig21 is for example no problem.

 

 

[jym]

VKB Gladiator II is a great mid-range desktop joystick. They're out of production but the replacement (Gladiator NXT) looks to be a worthy successor.

[Hiob]

For Helicopter flying you want to have a Joystick with low centering forces. I won't recomend the T.16000 e.g. (I had this one).

You can work around a "normal" joystick with the trimmer in the Mi-8 - but nevertheless you want to be able to make very gentle and fine adjustments -

therefore a joystick where you permanently fight the centering forces is a bad choice.

 

I would - if possible - opt for a joystick with adjustable springs - or with low centering forces.

This one for example has a quite soft centering - but is not adjustable whatsoever:

https://www.amazon.de/Titanwolf-stufenloser-Schubregler-Knöpfe-23-Funktionen/dp/B085CK7HC2/ref=sr_1_6?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=joystick&qid=1624365803&sr=8-6

 

Everything I can really recommend though, has a quite steep price tag.

 

Edit1: Force Feedback Joysticks have some additional use in helicopters but those are hard to get today.

Edit2: You probably want rudder pedals for helicopter flying - even cheap ones are way better than a twist axis on a joystick or the use of keyboard.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Hiob

[ebabil]

If you fly only helis, I strongly suggest microsoft force feedback 2. I have TMWH, CH fighter stick also but I always use my FFB2 when I play with my helis

[Oceandar]

Yeah I agree with Ebabil. For heli go for FFB. Try searching on ebay for MSFFB2 USB version. I dont think it'd cost you much. The downside is lack of buttons.

Good luck.

[segax]

Thank you all for your suggestions! Ill see what will i do.

[jym]

Having used a couple of MS Sidewinder FFB2 sticks (and still owning one in fully-working condition), I'd be wary of investing money in a force feedback stick:

• They're old. FFB2 will be about 20 years old, and that's about the same for all the other types you'll find.
• Or they're new commercial simulator items, and you'll have to be ready to sell a child or two to pay for one.
• Used sticks can be pricey (and you're usually at the mercy of eBay if you want one) because you're fighting over a limited and dwindling supply.
• Sidewinder FFB2 are rattly, have few buttons, and a pretty poor grip layout.
• With the FFB2 at least, my experience with Win10 is that getting stick forces is a sometime treat.
• Even when it does work, DCS doesn't seem to do much more than force trim with it.

YMMV, and I've no doubt that other users will have wildly different experiences with FFB sticks. Mine suggest that a good sprung stick with replaceable springs would be a better choice.

[segax]

4 minutes ago, jym said:

Having used a couple of MS Sidewinder FFB2 sticks (and still owning one in fully-working condition), I'd be wary of investing money in a force feedback stick:

• They're old. FFB2 will be about 20 years old, and that's about the same for all the other types you'll find.
• Or they're new commercial simulator items, and you'll have to be ready to sell a child or two to pay for one.
• Used sticks can be pricey (and you're usually at the mercy of eBay if you want one) because you're fighting over a limited and dwindling supply.
• Sidewinder FFB2 are rattly, have few buttons, and a pretty poor grip layout.
• With the FFB2 at least, my experience with Win10 is that getting stick forces is a sometime treat.
• Even when it does work, DCS doesn't seem to do much more than force trim with it.

YMMV, and I've no doubt that other users will have wildly different experiences with FFB sticks. Mine suggest that a good sprung stick with replaceable springs would be a better choice.

Oh, thanks for the answer. Right now im probably aiming for something high end. I decided to buy something good like Thrustmaster Warthog, that will stay with me at least a decade.. I thought about buying mid-range, but after reading a lot of things about mid-range equipement it doesnt look too good.. 

Edited June 24, 2021 by segax

[jym]

I'm having a great time with a VKB Gunfighter III with a 20cm extension. Can recommend it highly - especially on a centre chair mount.

[segax]

24 minutes ago, jym said:

I'm having a great time with a VKB Gunfighter III with a 20cm extension. Can recommend it highly - especially on a centre chair mount.

Ohh, waiting long time for buying some new equipement.. That one seems like really really good. I should start working again in couple of days and ill try to earn some money.. I have some but thats not enough for full "simulator" (with pedals and collective)..

[Dragon1-1]

5 hours ago, segax said:

I decided to buy something good like Thrustmaster Warthog, that will stay with me at least a decade.. 

 

Mind you, I heard some stories about Warthog's durability. As in, they sometimes break, and that's expensive to fix. I think VKB and Virpil are better about this, though they haven't been on the market for long.

 

If you want durable, try CH. I've been using mine since I was a teenager, including for some very "twitchy" arcade games. And I bought it used.  Mine seems to have a modded spring, but it's a great, if somewhat dated stick.

[segax]

45 minutes ago, Dragon1-1 said:

Mind you, I heard some stories about Warthog's durability. As in, they sometimes break, and that's expensive to fix. I think VKB and Virpil are better about this, though they haven't been on the market for long.

 

If you want durable, try CH. I've been using mine since I was a teenager, including for some very "twitchy" arcade games. And I bought it used.  Mine seems to have a modded spring, but it's a great, if somewhat dated stick.

Right now i want something durable and good.. 

[Hiob]

18 hours ago, segax said:

like Thrustmaster Warthog,

 

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Do yourself a favor and opt for a VKB or Virpil - you can still use the TM Grips if you want, but you have a MUCH, MUCH better Joystick.

Yes they are expensive, but worth every penny!

 

Edit: Personally I operate a VKB-Gunfighter base with a TM Grip and can't find a single flaw (except for the TM-Grip beeing stupidly heavy). I chose the VKB over Virpil for the adjustable friction dampers.

But I operate a Virpil Throttle and Buttonbox, and their build quality is exceptional too!

Edited June 25, 2021 by Hiob

[segax]

2 hours ago, Hiob said:

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Do yourself a favor and opt for a VKB or Virpil - you can still use the TM Grips if you want, but you have a MUCH, MUCH better Joystick.

Yes they are expensive, but worth every penny!

 

Edit: Personally I operate a VKB-Gunfighter base with a TM Grip and can't find a single flaw (except for the TM-Grip beeing stupidly heavy). I chose the VKB over Virpil for the adjustable friction dampers.

But I operate a Virpil Throttle and Buttonbox, and their build quality is exceptional too!

 

Yeah, ill probably go with VKB Gunfighter III with extension.

[Hiob]

You won't regret (except for the price)!

On last advice. If you plan on using a TM grip with that and an extension (educate yourself on the homepage on needed adapters and such), you'll need the strongest springs and still will have a rather "soft" centering. Personally I like it that way, but it is a thing to consider.

If you're going to use a VKB grip - you don't have such problems (they're lighter but still of very good quality).

[segax]

21 minutes ago, Hiob said:

You won't regret (except for the price)!

On last advice. If you plan on using a TM grip with that and an extension (educate yourself on the homepage on needed adapters and such), you'll need the strongest springs and still will have a rather "soft" centering. Personally I like it that way, but it is a thing to consider.

If you're going to use a VKB grip - you don't have such problems (they're lighter but still of very good quality).

Ok, thank you a lot for your suggestions. 

[segax]

Hello, now i have enough money for MFG Crosswind V3 pedals, and K-51 collecitve. Should i buy it now and after 3,4,5 months i should have enough money for VKB stick. Do i need to wait to buy everything together or i should buy one by one. Right now i have cheapest joystick on planet. Thrustmaster USB joystick and i should replace him with VKB one.

Edited July 2, 2021 by segax

[Hiob]

Regarding the collective.

Have you made sure/ do you have a plan on how to mount it to your chair?

Consider that a collective is nice to have (very cool indeed) but not necessary.

You can control the collective with any decent throttle without problems.

 

Though, I'm an enthusiast and definetly spend too much on hardware, I've skipped the collective for now and am perfectly fine with my virpil throttle.

 

Edit: On topic, no there is no benefit in waiting to buy it all together. When you made up your mind about which you want to have, you can buy and use one by another.

Edited July 2, 2021 by Hiob

[segax]

1 hour ago, Hiob said:

Regarding the collective.

Have you made sure/ do you have a plan on how to mount it to your chair?

Consider that a collective is nice to have (very cool indeed) but not necessary.

You can control the collective with any decent throttle without problems.

 

Though, I'm an enthusiast and definetly spend too much on hardware, I've skipped the collective for now and am perfectly fine with my virpil throttle.

 

Edit: On topic, no there is no benefit in waiting to buy it all together. When you made up your mind about which you want to have, you can buy and use one by another.

 

I used both collective and throttle to control helicopters.. For me collective is another level.. I know that there are a lot of super great thorttle for sim, but collective is in the real helicopter for a reason. Thank you for the answer ! And i dont think i have to mount it on chair, it can stay next to the chair, i have some other ideas, but ill wait for collective to arrive.

Edited July 2, 2021 by segax