WinWing Orion 2 is a Disaster

[muehlema]

VRP and Virpil don't look appealing to me as the don't look authentic fighter jet ... Got and X52, X55 and X56 hotas hanging around because they look so ugly. I was looking at adding the new Orion2 with F15EXii grip to my hangar and replace my warthog. Orion2 looks appealing to me as I could add the F16 throttle as an option.

I am really unsure if I should pull the trigger or not. Reading through all the comments and other sources outside this forum, and not having a supplier in Switzerland I summarize like this

• Sometimes windows not recognizing the throttle
• Problems handling idle detent and buttons
• Support near to unavailable, bad
• Quirky throttle moment and making noises

On the positive side

• Metal build
• Flexibility for me as airplane/helo pilot as it has F16 throttle and Helo collective as an option
• Forcefeedback on F15EXii grip
• More button and axis than Thrustmaster A10 throttle

Did I forget something?

I'ld appreciate any other feedback

 

[some1]

1 hour ago, muehlema said:

I am really unsure if I should pull the trigger or not. Reading through all the comments and other sources outside this forum, and not having a supplier in Switzerland I summarize like this

• Sometimes windows not recognizing the throttle
• Problems handling idle detent and buttons
• Support near to unavailable, bad
• Quirky throttle moment and making noises

I can only speak from my experience with my throttle, but I don't have such issues. Well, throttle(s), as I have F-15EX and I had the first Orion with Hornet grips previously.

- no issues with Windows not recognizing the hardware

- idle detent can work exactly like in Thrustmaster Warthog. No problems with buttons other than some games like IL-2 not recognizing those above 32 or 64. Not DCS though, here all work, and it's easier to map them than with Warthog because every switch position reports a separate button.

- no quirks or noises in throttle movement. You need to adjust the tension from time to time. The old Orion I was a bit less smooth than my Warthog, but Orion II feels better. I'd say if Warthog is 9/10, then Orion I was 8/10 and Orion II is 10/10.

Who knows, maybe I just got lucky twice.

Yeah, ordering something from China directly you kinda have to assume that you're on your own if something breaks. The distance, language barrier and high shipping costs make it really hard to get support. They now have a distributor in EU, but I don't know how it works for Switzerland.

 

[muehlema]

1 hour ago, some1 said:

They now have a distributor in EU, but I don't know how it works for Switzerland.

Switzerland is no EU, they don't ship from EU stock

 

[some1]

Yeah, I know you're not in EU, that why I don't know how the shipping works in your case

 

[ignition22]

On 12/12/2023 at 8:22 PM, muehlema said:

I am really unsure if I should pull the trigger or not.

I have winwing f16 throttle and an older stick base, will soon be buying the f16 ICP and F16ex stick. For me, I wouldn't buy anything else because it is based on real aircraft and not generic and I have a f16 focused sim pit. 

I have never had any problems. I have problems with my reverb g2, my old TM warthog, my windows install and getting DCS running good sometimes but never had issues with my winwing stuff. The closest thing is that firmware wants me to remove all my usb devices all the time which is not going to happen so i just don't bother to firmware update.

[muehlema]

Actually they added some additional button on the F16 throttle that are not their in the F-16C Block 40 and above. Not even in the Viper V Block 70.

I talked to them. They don't sell to Switzerland, but will consider my request to ship to Switzerland too. Would have to buy something off ebay in that case.

[Phantom711]

@muehlema

Well...the above post didn`t claim, that it was a 1:1 replica, but that it was "based on" the F-16 stick/throttle. 

Have you tried ordering on their international store page? I mean...they did ship to the EU before they had a "virtual" EU store so I don`t see why they would not ship to Switzerland. They might just not ship it from the EU store.

[muehlema]

6 minutes ago, Phantom711 said:

@muehlema

Have you tried ordering on their international store page? I mean...they did ship to the EU before they had a "virtual" EU store so I don`t see why they would not ship to Switzerland. They might just not ship it from the EU store.

Then answer I received from sales what they don't ship at all due to company policy