need a flightstick for small hands...plz read inside

[crawlerz]

...not entirely sure if I can explain exactly what my deal is, but I will do my best.

 

I have been living with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis from early childhood and while taking meds most of my life and having some complications... to make a long story short, I stopped growing pretty early in life, and have slightly limited movement in my fingers. that is to say I'm not completely useless, I've played flight sims till I drove my wireless POS saitek into the ground. I lived playing IL2 and DCS BS. for even DCS BS, the rediculously limited amount of buttons:joystick: on my joystick was nearly OK. for the Warthog it's nowhere near what is needed. not to mention it's insanely jittery and not precise. so.... here's the $64000 question. I'd like to find a joystick (I can never say this without giggling like a schoolgirl) that can fit my small-er handsize and yet be professional enough that it can have enough hat switches/buttons on it for me to sort of enjoy my flying. flying is after all the best thing ever IMO. :pilotfly: it takes me out of my pain and makes me forget I'm sick.

 

also - I have no problem with a separate throttle as long as it isn't gigantic.

 

I also have remained friends with my ex-physics high school teacher who used to fly F-100s in Vietnam, so I'm hoping to rope him into buying the Warthog and having some fun with me (wait that came out wrong). "flying with me" is better.

 

so thanks to anyone having any suggestions.

[Rusty_M]

I haven't seen it in person, but maybe the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X?

[cichlidfan]

What 'POS' Saitek were you using?;)

 

I ask to get an idea of what size stick you have worked with or might be comfortable with.

 

Btw, you probably came to the right place to ask. If it can be used as a flight controller for the Warthog, someone here is already using it.

[SESova]

Maby to thry Saitek cyborg EVO.It has an interesting part for hand space limitation on the butom of the stick.It is removable and customizable for left and right hand people,and customizable up and down.

Edited May 23, 2012 by =SE=Sova

[SESova]

Also,for every button you can add modifier.For example,stick button 1,fire weapon.Stick button 1+left Alt Some other command.You can add few keys as modifiers,so one button on the stick you can use for few commands.

[PeterP]

The Saitek cyborg EVO seems for me also one of the best choice...

 

 

But look also at the

Saitek Cyborg X Fly 5

This stick can also very customised and has two throttle sliders.

 

 

But I got another idea - as you will have problems with missing buttons- or far apart to reach to mimick the throttle functionality of the A-10:

 

How about getting two sticks - and removing the center-spring from one of them - also adding a friction to the gimbals (something that is very easy to do on these models) - so it will hold the place without spring-force- and using this one as a throttle-input. (I think two of them are not very expensive - compared to any other HOTAS system)

So you have also a wide variety of buttons at you throttle-hand in very easy to reach positions.

 

BTW- this set-up will also serve you as a wonderful collective in BlackShark

 

I saw people use the stick as I described - I will search for some images.

There is a method without opening the stick at all IIRC :You will to have to destroy the Spring with a nipper, and than you can add friction to the gimbal-ball ,that is without spring easy to reach, by sticking thick tape or the fussy side of sticky Velcro on it.

 

@ mods - can this moved to the Input-output section , as this thread isn't chit-chat at all in my opinion.

Edited May 23, 2012 by PeterP

[Double_D]

Also the Saitek SST220 Digital Stick/Throttle...which I am temporarily using till I can upgrade to the Thrustmaster Warthog....:thumbup:

[SESova]

My friend had this stick,saitek cyborg x.He had problem with thrust stick.Differential thrust has broke very fast.Check some other users experince with this.My friend also said to me that this stick is pretty hard.Need more force to using the stick.Spring on the button seems to be maded from different material or something like that than the other sticks.It gives more resistance,so need more force to use the stick.

 

This is what my freind told me.I dont have experience with this joystick.Might be he is wrong.

Find it at store,and thy it you self.

[crawlerz]

I was using the Saitek Cyborg wireless. it has very little buttons and only one HAT switch. I realize I can assign as many shift buttons as I want, but I've already assigned 4 or 5 and it's getting a little cumbersome.

 

a few years ago I tried several Logitech joysticks and found that they began jittering within a month! useless. never buy a Logitech joystick again. mouse, gamepad, wheel, sure. joystick - no.

[Daze]

The X52 is small enough. The stick itself isn't thick and you can adjust the hand rest for smaller hands. I've had a 10 year old use my X52 pro without any problems...

[crawlerz]

the problem I have is with my thumbs and their limited movement. so to move the HAT switches I usually help with my left hand.... that might be why the X52 is a tad too much. I'll have a look tho

 

p.s. anyone have experience with this http://www.chproducts.com/Fighterstick-v13-d-722.html ?

Edited May 23, 2012 by crawlerz

[cichlidfan]

The X52 is small enough. The stick itself isn't thick and you can adjust the hand rest for smaller hands. I've had a 10 year old use my X52 pro without any problems...

 

I was thinking the same thing. X-52 Pro might be one of your better choices. It has some adjustment for hand size and enough buttons to manage the Hawg reasonably well. It has a twist for rudder control if you do not have pedals.

 

You have not mentioned budget, or location since that can affect pricing? A new X-52 pro is around $150.

[crawlerz]

You have not mentioned budget, or location since that can affect pricing? A new X-52 pro is around $150.

 

I'm in eastern USA. ideally I wouldn't want to spend over $100...

[cichlidfan]

I'm in eastern USA. ideally I wouldn't want to spend over $100...

 

I have an X-52 pro that I am not using. If you think it might work for you let me know and we can work something out.

 

FYI, I have never used a non Pro X-52 but my understanding is the components are better in the Pro version.

[Paganus]

While I normally do not hesitate to recommend CH sticks, they are not designed for small hands.

[Yurgon]

p.s. anyone have experience with this http://www.chproducts.com/Fighterstick-v13-d-722.html ?

 

Not personally, but it does look like an F-16 stick replica. I assume that makes it the same size as the Thrustmaster Cougar and Warthog (and F-16 FLCS) sticks, which means it's definitely big.

[cichlidfan]

Regarding the CH Fighterstick, you might want to glance at this,

 

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,294819.0.html