Have been flying with saigek gear for the last year and am finding that im not manually flying th ngx as much as id like. I know autoflight is realistic but id like to get a more realistic/immersive manual flight experience...So am looking at purchasing a new yoke and maybe a throttle quad in the very near future.Atm, thinking of: pfc saab yoke. I want lots of buttons on the yoke, i use these to look around the different panels (obviously not needed on a real yoke). Am thinking desktop version rather than column as its about half the price. The 737 versions seem much more expensive for no real reason.Jetmax throttle quadrant, when released in jan. alternative would be the throttletek which isnt as 'real' but is half the price.I think these are the two most important bits of hardware for me. I'm flying with a homebuild simple mip that lets me fly in the pmdg vc whilst maniplating all controls from pre-engine start to shutdown without using the keyboard/mouse - apart from cdu which im still using a mouse for.

Hi Rob, Personally, seeing that you have good taste in your hardware, I would wait for the final Jetmax. I've read a lot of great things about the saab on simpit forums and I guess it depends on your budget, but being that you're even considering these would assume your a quality seeker sort of person and believe in getting the best bang for your buck. The motorized versions are getting cheaper and cheaper also and easier to program. Again, I'd wait to see. By late January, early February, I'd say enough reviews should be out to better help you in your expensive decision.

What kind of Saitek hardware do you have? I recommend the Pro Flight Yoke & Throttle.... Best value for the money, IMO.

Diego, i'm currently using the saitek proflight gear for yoke and throttle. Good gear, a big step up from a joystick, but i'm looking to move up to the next level. I guess Ch products and saitek are the common entry-level yokes that most of us are currently using. If you go to mycockpit or similar sites, youll see people using real yokes and other way expensive gear. Im not wanting to get that carried away, but am interested in making my interactions with the ngx a bit more immersive.Dan, thx for your input. When you talk about motorized versions, im guessing you mean throttles? The main one im familiar with is the revolution one, which is a seriously expensive but of kit. There's a comment on the jetmax site that you can buy their whole setup for less than a motorised throttle quadrant.As for motorised yokes - flyengravity released a force feedback yoke a while back. Ive not been able to find any information/reviews about it, and i suspect its also way expensive. I'd love a force feedback yoke, used to use the msff2 joystick for fs. But not aware of a cost effective solution at this time.Am tempted to put the yoke on the credit card now :), but hold fire on the throttle until jetmax is out and reviewed. Not convinced that i want the full jetmax cockpit though - why fly the ngx and only use a scenery view? Would miss the vc, which is seriously close to the real thing.The other obvious bit of gear is a cdu. The cdu2 from vrinsiht is on special pre christmas, and i am tempted...but not sure how realistic is would be for the ngx, and whether it really would increase immersion compared to the mouse and onscreen cdu.

Hi Rob,I don't want to put down what I don't have (vrinsite), but if you already have a MIP, do you mean one you bought? Or one you built? I built a simpit back in the 2001 time frame. My personal preference is building the CDU's, simple and cheap "IF" you already took the initial plunge in building your MIP. Actually a great 1st project is the CDUFMC for simpit builders. I would use FlightdeckSolutions panels (well in this case, panel). For pre-built though, I think they were the ones I recommended before but not 100% at the moment (will look them up again). The obvious problem with building them, although not really a problem, but possibly seen as a negative is the fact that at least for now, one wouldn't be able to use the NGX. Maybe after an SDK is released. Just be careful, there are a lot of very expensive pre-built cdu's out there that won't work without an additional expense of a custom driver, and others have lousy screens. I may not be a pb anymore, but I do keep up with it in my free time. I'll have to find my old notes (spreehsheet), but if you're interested I can even email it to you, or PM, whichever.Good luck with your choice. Would like to see what you have so far (if I haven't, if I have, sorry I just don't remember :( )

Dan, thx for he offer of cdu instructions. I suspect that would be a little bit beyond my current technical skills, but maybe in the future.My setup is very basic from an engineering point of view - its really just off th shelf hardware like goflight. I haven't tried to make it look at all like a 737 mip.My setup is really only interesting in terms of design concept - work out what controls are routinely usedin flight and make them available via switches etc to the pilot. Ive also built my basic setup to be flown from the VC, butmwith the goal of not using mouse or keyboard.Two thngs tha i use all the time are yoke and throttle quadrant (throttle, speedbrake, flaps, fuel cuttoff switches, parking brake, thrust reversers). Hence my interest in ensuring these devices are as close to reality as possible.I suspect a lot of home cockpits are not particularly functional for actually flying.I didn't buy the cdu2 in the end - sales over now, but it was 20% off which is what got me thinking. Imcan actually live with mouse use for cdu setup, but would like a button control solution for once actually in flight. I did have buttons set up via mouse macros for looking at the commoly used pages in flight, but not working so well post sp1.So anyway, for hardware i think:Hold off on cdu until post sdk, and then see if its worth spending the big bucks on flyengravity. Jetmax are also bringing out a cdu.Buy a pfc saab desktop yoke.Wait and see what that new jetmax throttle quad seems like once its released.I thinkmthey're the three big bits of hardware that would beat increase the verisimilitude of my ngx setup.

Sounds like a good plan Rob. Hope to see some pictures when you get all your new toys!

I'm also holding my breath on the JetMax. If you guys find any reviews, please let me know! :-) And to use the throttle at jetmax shall it have the SDK for the NGX or not? :-) Thx on advance. :-) Jakob

Edited January 12, 201214 yr by JakobF

Was about to buy the pfc yoke a couple of days ago...then found out that shipping on the column yoke was $1503!I knew shipping would be kind of expensive, but that's a bit over the top. Have spoken to them and they have found a way that's a fair bit cheaper.Am still trying to decide between the 737yoke from ACE and the Saab PFC desktop yoke. I think it will be the latter because I'm not entirely sure how a column yoke would go with a desktop setup. But the ace 737yoke is extremely good looking.I haven't heard anything more about Jetmax throttle, but have been checking their site.Also got the VRi MCP since I last posted (i think). My first bit of VRi gear, much better than I was expecting.Any input about the above gear greatly appreciated.

I use the PFC Cirrus II + pedals along with the Aerosoft Australia EFIS, MCP, EICAS. Just ordered their NG Throttle Quadrant. VERY HAPPY with their quality and overall experience!Peter is brilliant with the PFC driver- everything I need is mapped to actual switches....incl. EZCA views.Now to find a permanent CDU solution......prob go FDS.....if it will work with 737, 747, 777......

I checked the aerosoft site and didn't see any eveidence of hardware. I mainly knew about their 737 mcp, but thought it was discontinued. Where did you get a their throttle quad from and what can you tell us about it? The jetax looks nice butmImdn't think any have been sold yet (?). Interestingly, the main thing i saw on th aerosoft aus site was their new software for, jetmax.I actually want a throttle that doesn't require software like aerosoft or pm - just something that works with fsuipc. How does the aerosoft work?Glad to hear the pfc software is good, but does it need software ie is it fsuipc compatile? Also, which cirrus yoke are you using. I'm % sure i'm going with the saab as it has plenty of buttons and looks close enough to a 737 yoke (might stick a checklist on it to make it look right).How good is the cirrus compared to ch or saitek? Worth the $800+ for the upgrade?

Rob-The Aerosoft stuff has been out of production for ages..........still works brilliantly though! The NG TQ is on the PFC site- (http://flypfc.com/?/products/throttle-quadrants/two-engine-jet-enhanced-speed-brake-throttle-reversers-throttle-flap-with-g/) and it screws onto my console (http://flypfc.com/?/products/consoles/cirrus-ii-flight-console/).It all works BRILLIANTLY with FSUIPC controlling the button pushes (only). The Flight Control Axis' I leave alone. The yoke is the Beach- would have preferred the Saab (more buttons) but as I only fly the 737 & 747 regularly- I've mapped the start switches (L & R) to the views, and the cowl flap switch (Up & Down) to the Forward Overhead and Pedestal. It all works!The PFC stuff is MILES ahead of anything else I've ever simmed with- for me anyhow. I'm sure there will be lots of opinions- but for this simmer- I've found FS Nirvana ;) Well worth the $$ IMHO.

Thanks for the info Carl. I thought Aerosoft had stopped making MCPs a while back. I read your post as Aerosoft throttle rather than PFC - so I googled it, probably hoping for an Australian made throttle after the $1503 postage quote for the yoke!I definitely have read up on the PFC throttle. It sounds great, from the pictures though I thought the Throttletek looked a bit better, and the alleged Jetmax yoke looks way more lik the real NG one.Like you, I map my yoke switches mainly to EZCA cameras (apart from one button for ATC). Hence the Saab yoke looking good. Good to hear that the PFC gear works fine with FSUIPC. Think you've convinced me to buy the yoke.The PFC Cirrus jet pedals look pretty good too - I'm guessing they're the ones you're using. Probably keep saving for those though (stick with Saitek for now) and concentrate on the yoke and throttle. Unless you tell me that the pedals are WAY better than Saitek grade ones...No users of the ACE 737yoke out there?

Unless you tell me that the pedals are WAY better than Saitek grade ones...

Mate- I had the CH and these are MILES apart........... sorry ;)AS far as Throttletek............price is pretty close............just wanted to keep it all the same..........plus there's a handy spot (already) to plug it in :)

Was about to buy the pfc yoke a couple of days ago...then found out that shipping on the column yoke was $1503!

 

I knew shipping would be kind of expensive, but that's a bit over the top. Have spoken to them and they have found a way that's a fair bit cheaper.

 

 

Hi Rob, have they quoted you a more affordable shipping price? I checked out the beech yoke on their system and it came out to nearly $600 ; thats just as expensive as the yoke itself! Shipping to california is only $20 ; go figure.

 

Are you with the flying doctors or do you just fly privately?