Question on high-end yokes

[ahaka 0]

Hello,I am one of those who are looking for the most perfect yoke for flight simulator.I am mainly flying airliners like the Level-D 767, and then also some GA aircraft, and I know that I can never get a 100% feel of the real deal, but at least I would like to get a way better feel than with CH and Saitek yokes.I have been thinking of the Cirrus Mooney Yoke (around $550) as one option, but I cant find information whether the movement is high scale (ie. it moves 90 degrees left and right with a total of 180 degrees and how big is the elevator axis travel and resolution).Does anyone own any of these high-end yokes and what can you tell about them? Is it worth the money or is the realism not really that much greater than in CH or Saitek yokes?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

If money is no object and you have the space the PFC jetliner yoke is probably the best available but at an eye-atering price.http://www.flypfc.com/jetliner_yoke_boeing_737.htmlIf you were looking at the Mooney desk yoke on the same site I can't answer your questions but an email to PFC will get you your answers.I have personally used the PFC jet yoke on a friend's setup and it is excellent. Just as you would expect.I have to be content with my CH yoke which, for the price, is excellent.

[ahaka 0]

Hello Ray,Thank you for the reply!I'm wondering, how does the jet yoke elevator axis work? Is it only the yoke that moves when you push/pull it or is it actually the whole column that moves just like in real jets?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

Hi Antti,The whole column moves. At a rough guess about 30cm forwards and the same backwards from the central position. You will need space in front of the column when it's pushed forwards.It's used in professional cockpits so is as close as you can get to the real thing.

[ahaka 0]

Hi Ray,30cm? Wow, that IS impressive!Sorry, one more question though, does it move back forth in a "straight line (the column is always pointing up)" or is it "hinged" from the bottom (so that the column actually rotates or "rocks" around an axis like in the real plane? The images dont really give an exact idea of the movement. I hope you can understand what I mean from my English.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

Hi Antti,The column only moves forwards and backwards. It's hinged in the base. When you pull or push it and release pressure it returns to a central neutral position.For left/right movement just the yoke head moves. That allows you to make turns as you climb or descend. Sorry if that's obvious. :-)The column doesn't rotate left/right. For rudder control you would have rudder pedals.Your English is excellent. Hope my reply clears everyrhing up. :-)

[THibben 16]

Antti,I have had the PFC Jetliner yoke for 1 1/2 years now and it is the most smooth running and real feeling yoke you can buy as far as I am concerned. It is all metal construction and looks as close to the real thing as you can get for the money. I also have the PFC Jet Console and PFC rudder pedals. I have had these for several years.PFC has great support and are an excellent company.Tom

[ahaka 0]

Hi Ray and Tom!Thanks for the replies!To make sure you understand what I mean I made this little illustration. Think of it as a side view of the yoke. Which movement is the one that the yoke has for its pitch axis? :) I wonder if their Saab style yoke also has the same movement? Theres quite a big price difference between those two.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/191846.jpg

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

Hi Antti,I can confirm that number 2 is how the Jetliner yoke works. I'm not sure about the Saab yoke so if you don't get an answer to that here PFC will clarify things.Cheers,

[Guest sunbear]

The Saab yoke is identical to the PFC 737NG yoke at 2/3's the price. The Cirrus Yoke that attaches to the desktop doesn't compare to either the column yoke 737NG or the column yoke Saab types offered by PFC.I can tell you also that a company called Engravity Inc. is in the process of developing a yoke that has imitation-like hydraulic feel to the inputs and will hopefully be developed sometime in the very near future as it was announced last year in Sept. They are still in-process with this yoke.Outside of the proposed Engravity design, the PFC column yoke would be the one to go after not the Cirrus-style though. I tried that one and there was entirely way too much play in the pitch direction. You could move it over an inch in both directions with your 'pinkie' finger. That won't happen on the real deal.I have flown many hours in the real NG simulator and the Yoke is by far the critical piece of hardware that the sim industry should be striving to master. The CH yoke is of little comparison to the real deal. I've said this many times on the forums before and will say it again: We spend a lot of money on high-end computer systems along with all the add-on software for scenery etc. but when it comes to the real deal like yoke & rudders, we buy the plastic spring-loaded empty shells that are as unrealistic as it gets.....absolutely no comparison at all. You might as well put it on autopilot for the entire flight and do an autoland to end it.For now, I'd definitely recommend the column Saab or the Boeing style column yoke by PFC. I believe they are still offering a special on both the Saab column yoke and rudder pedals at a pretty good price on their website.Hope this helps.Regards,]jack

[Guest sunbear]

Slight correction to my above message..The name of the company who is in process of developing a high-end yoke is: FlyEngravity and their website is Flyengravity.comSorry for the error..:(Regards,jack

[ahaka 0]

Hello Jack,Yes I found out about the Engravity yoke too, but it seemed as if there are no news about it on when or if it will be ready.I can believe that the cirrus style yoke is not the way to go. The column one seems promising, though not a lot of opinions about that one.I tried to call PFC just now but the contact person was not available so I left her a message.Have you actually got your hands on the column yoke from PFC?

[Guest sunbear]

The only one I have tried from PFC is the Cirrus yoke and I was totally dismayed by the lack of feel. I am still waiting for Steh from Flyengravity to introduce the 737NG yoke. They have redesigned it a second time and I'm assuming that it's a pretty difficult assignment from an engineering standpoint to replicate the actual hydraulic control forces that are encountered with it. I'm just setting aside a bunch of money each month and waiting patiently for word of it's introduction. I wish more people who have the PFC column yoke would chime in here with their assesment of either the Saab column yoke or the new Boeing 737NG column yoke. Regards,jack

[ahaka 0]

Jack,Have you also considered the fact that even the new Boeings like 777 and 787 are equipped with fly by wire, so this means that you dont feel the forces through the yoke?Of course, these aircraft are not available for FS yet as quality add ons, but considering it as a long term investement, maybe its not so terrible if you dont get force feedback cause it will save half the money. If you fly 737NG though, I guess the force does matter.I ordered the jetliner column yoke today. I will consider contributing a review of it to avsim.com if they like, or at least post my comments here. I hope I will get it for weekend but it may be that I have to wait until monday. Cant wait to try it. Im a bit confused though because the store where I bought it had two images of the yoke looking a bit different. I asked about it and they said their model is the same as is shown on the PFC website.Here is the image that was shown in the store (the column is all black and the base housing looks a bit smaller.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/191871.jpgIf anyone who knows more about the yokes can confirm if there are two different versions of the yoke or if its just a photo edit or something?

[FLEX1978 373]

Guys this is where I buy all my hardware from and it doesn't get much better then this place. http://www.aviationmegastore.com/?shopid=L...d=288&art=65485Rob