X65F to Hotas Warthog for NGX - Conversion

[Capt Pugwash 6]

Guys I need to get my head around what I am about to do...I have the Saitek X65F force sencing joystick & dual throttle, I have percevered with it since release of the NGX but although the dual throttle is great I just cannot get on with the "non moving" joystick, it has really been a nightmare (I guess it is like marmite-you either love it or hate it) and I hate not having movement on my joystick for take off and flare etc.So...after extensive negotiation with "Santa's little helper"...aka "The Wife" it looks like I can spend some more dosh on a Hotas Warthog and I guess e bay my X65F (mad I know, expensive mistake!)Before I rush out and grab the Hotas Warthog I wondered if anybody has been using it for the NGX and has a profile setup for it? This would for sure save a lot of time setting it up and some of you guys must have already gone through the pain barrier finding the best config for the NGX/Warthog...Any help greatly appreciated...

[ohsirus 241]

Why not get a yoke?

[xxJohnxx 21]

Hi Shaun,I have the Hotas Warthog and I like it very much. The metall has a very good felling and the stick is very robust. It makes fun to fly and it is very accurate. However I don't use it to fly the NGX or any other airliner (maybe in the future when PMDG releases an Airbus with an sidestick :(), because you didn't get the right feeling.With my Warthog I fly only the DCS A10 and somtimes DCS Black Shark 2, however, if I want to fly with a PMDG aircraft I put the Warthog out of the way and place my Saitek Pro Flight Yoke System on my desk. It is of course not as accurate as the Warthog, it feels chaeper (okay, it costed only 80€ which is chaeper ) but it fits more to the NGX, MD 11 or whatever than the Warthog. The Warthog has so many buttons and switches, however they are nearly useless in the NGX. It feels wrong to switch buttons which are on the overhead pannel on the real plane with your thumb on the throttle. The Saitek Yoke has less than the half of the buttons tas the Warthog has but it makes as much fun.So it is up to you. Both products do what they should do, and it all depends on your needs.Jonathan

[Andydigital 93]

Why not get a yoke?

Because a yoke is useless if want to use it with helicopters or other games. I just bought a HOTAS WH, they are very good but be warned the stick is heavy duty and so is the centring force, especially in the area immediately around centre. I am already looking into making or buying an extension for the stick and floor mounting the HOTAS base to reduce the force needed when flying helicopters.

[paco-che 11]

I own the HW because I also fly the awesome DCS A-10C.I used to fly the LEVELD B767-300 with the CH Flight Sim Yoke. But I gave a try to fly the NGX with the HW... and it's even better, so for you easier if you fly with the X56F.Note that the HW is a very precise and reliable joy, so flying the NGX with it is just a pleasure.For the profile I use FSUIPC for button actions and axis, no problem at all.If you can afford it, go for the HW, you'll feel the diference just in the moment you take the joy out of the box and feel it.Hope it helps

[Capt Pugwash 6]

Why not get a yoke?

Had a yoke but it takes up too much desk space, I much prefer a Joystick and Dual throttle setup,I have toyed with the idea of keeping the X65F throttle and just getting a seperate decent moveable joystick (maybe with force feedback/rumble), but then I have 2 joysticks on my desk, (unless I can split the X65F throttle from the joystick somehow), I need to check that out...Maybe selling the X65F and getting the Hotas Warthog is the best solution in the long run...a shame really because the throttle is great, it even has detents for taxi etc and is a solid metal construction...just the joystick is my issue, I really can't fly well with it...even on small vfr aircraft it just feels so unnatural...

[MarkJHarris 128]

Horses for courses guys. For the NGX a yolk is essential for feel and realism. Mind you, I fly the NG with finger and thumb for the most part..."400", "command A, MCPSpeed" , "N1, set speed", Flaps 1, Flaps up, "N1, VNAV Speed".

 

Then I use the thumb and forefinger to mostly pick my nose and drink coffee for the following hour until it presents me with a chance of a nice landing at the end of the magenta line....

 

The WH is on my list for DCS and maybe the Cougar MFDs too, it's all about feel now as I can't see anything in front of me... OR DK2 truly is awesome!

I forgot, the thumb and forefinger can select MCP modes and modify the pink line on the FMC too. I don't use Oculus yet with FSX, or any airliner as even TrackIR is s pain. NGX is flown 90% with the mouse, maybe that's more important!

As to the above, I 've asked Thrustmaster about an extension to the joystick, MaxFlightStick use the Warthog as the basis for their Max Fighter stick. It's a Warthog with an extension and dampers mounted to give it a fluid feel. £600 is a bit rich for me though! All you need is a rod with machines ends and some plugs and wiring. I might make a few if someone doesn't beat me to it!

[MarkJHarris 128]

Sorry. did I kill the thread...