CH Yoke - opinion poll -

[Guest]

CH seem to have something of a monopoly with their Yoke and I begin to wonder if that's a bad thing in terms of complacency in quality control.I admit I have had bad luck and perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to whinge. My first displayed uncommanded control deflections (both in flight and in Windows calibration utility) and the replacement won't permit full control deflection (like when you do your 'full and free' checks) without the internal tension springs catching something, making 'boing' noises and refusing full travel.What's been your experience - good and bad?I am sure glad CH deliver this product - we'd be the worse without it - but if there is a definate ground swell of quality complaints, I'm all for letting them know. Maybe I've just had a coiuple of Friday afternoon jobs - but I'd be glad to hear your experiences good and bad.These things are no small price, and this community deserves quality.Thanks all.PH

[Guest Richard_H]

Overall, I am happy with it, but:1. Seems a bit pricey for the relatively low production quality. There should be enough owners of it now for the price to come down, or the quality to go up.2. I'm sure the USB version started to cause lockups on my machine.This said, I won't go back to a joystick.

[Dark Moment 0]

Some calibration issues initially, and the CH Control Manager instructions (?) suck, but apart from that it's real value for the price. I think you may be either unlucky or too demanding. Real Boeings are a lot more money.Mark "Dark Moment" Beaumonthttp://www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitak.htmlhttp://www.swiremariners.com/reds.htmlhttp://www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitakv3.jpg

[Guest]

Had mine for almost 2 years and still going strong. I have had absoutely no trouble. It has been perfectly calibrated everytime I plug it in and takes no input from me. I could not imagine a better product for home computer Flight simulation.http://ftp.avsim.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboa...25b2aaaa7ec.jpg

[Guest drobson]

I've had mine for about 4 years, and just recently ordered the USB version. Should be arriving on Tuesday. BTW, I ordered it from Flight Sim Central on Thursday, shipped the same day. I've had three e-mails from them with a progress report, etc. Fourty bucks less than from CH directly, and twenty bucks less than the price shown at the Avsim store.A great product, IMO, for the money, and GREAT service from Flight Sim Central.Darrell

http://home.attbi.com/~dkrobson1/warplane_squadron_md_wht.gif

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[Guest Toni Rauch]

Mine is the Flight Sim Yoke LE (single lever - USB version) and overall, I'm delighted with it.However a while back it started getting a bit noisy particularly at it's limits but I sprayed the central 'core' with WD40 and it got much better. (Any silicon or Teflon based lubricant will work.)Still get the odd spring 'boing' sound occasionally, but it's proved to be very reliable.Toni.:-)

[Guest gasebah]

Well, I have said my opinion on this thing on many occasions.I do not like this thing very much. The feel is really cheap. The ailerons are o.k., but to get a smooth action for the elevators you will need a mountain of grease, and even then it is not exactly smooth. The instructions for the drivers and their website is one of the worst stuff I have ever seen. The pedals are really good value for money though. Nothing wrong with them. Even more surprising that the Yoke is such a bunch of plastics.Having said all that it is still the best there is except for some stuff that is simply too expensive to be taken into consideration of a sane mind ( I will get one of those sooooon :-). But: At least it works. USB installation is not even necessary. And if you made friends with their Control Manager it is very versatile.(THX AGAIN FOR ALL THE HELP DARK!!!!)Alex

[Guest Ferer five]

Phil,I gave my opinion of CH Products a couple of days ago in a related thread but since I got a chance here it is: I have had CH Products' yoke and pedals (USB since last year) for many years over several product iterations and I find them of inferior manufacturing quality. The design is geared at cheap production at the expense of any other consideration such as "feeling real" or looking real. It is an overpriced toy, marketed by a company that has offered no significant improvments in design or concept for many years except for the USB interface.Unfortunately they are the only game in town, hopefully not for long.I do not have any "technical" problems with it,(running XP, USB), the thing runs but I have a big issue with the design and the poor manufacturing quality in relation to the price. It amazes me how picky and demanding (and educated) the flight sim user community is about computing performance while putting up with a deficient product like these yokes from CH. The search for reality in a flight simulator seems to know no boundaries when it comes to frame rates or motion fluidity, or models, thanks to a computing arsenal NASA would have envied a few years ago. When it comes to the yoke though, cheap plastic, a few springs and sticking moving parts seem to do the job. In flight simulation, the yoke and rudder are our one and only tool for interactivity. If that is deficient as it is with the CH yoke we might as well just watch TV.Charles

[Guest]

[http://www.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cc5d15671f44040.jpg] I have the FS Yoke USB LE and overall, I'm fairly happy with it.The things I do like...It's a yoke.It cost less than $200 CDN.Enough buttons and switches on it.It runs no problem on my machine. Just move it to all the stops before taking off and it's fine. I wish the same could be said for my USB Pro Pedals.The things I don't like...The shaft is plastic.It sticks - Any moron could have figured to put a teflon bushing in there to reduce the friction, instead of the user having to blast in a lubricant.The yoke to shaft connection could have benn beefed up some. I tend to fly some phases of flight with one hand on the yoke and the other on the throttle. The thing flexes a little to much for my comfort.However, you get what you pay for. The yoke on the DASH-8-Q400 cost $60,000 (at least thats what the fella installing them told me and I wouldn't doubt it). Like everything in aircraft, it's expensive.CH says that they're going to make a transport category jet style throttle. I wonder how well they'll pull that off? CF-AOA

[Guest]

Guys,I love my CH Yoke, but I have to agree with the quality aspect. I feel that it doesn't 'feel' as it should. It's hard to explain but anyone that's ever moved a real flight yoke would probably know what I mean. Regards,Adam Nardone.

[someone 0]

I've been satisfied with every CH product I've owned. My first joystick was a CH Flightstick, which I still have and still works. I got a CH Virtual Pilot Pro back in the FS5 days. I have been using it up until a few months ago when I got the CH Flightsim Yoke USB. I also own a CH F-16 Combat Stick, and Pro Throttle.

[Guest]

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[Guest gasebah]

Fred,did you get the new sound file, or did you delete it?Alex

[Guest cornclose]

My sentiments exactly, overpriced and low quality compared to what I am used to...Chris Ehttp://website.lineone.net/~flightsimukAvoid AGP texturing = Better Performance ;)

[Noel 4,484]

I like it but mainly for the button layout and how well it clamps onto my desktop. Unfortunately controlling elevators with it is almost impossible, so I control this with one of the rocker swithes by adjust trim incrementally with the rocker switch. I can't see how grease could help--it seems to me it is just overly responsive in the elevator department. I put my old joystick on once and was amazed how easy it was to control elevators.Noel