Rudder Pedal Recommendations

[mslim 12]

I'm thinking that the next big investment in my flight sim will be a set of rudder pedals. The Bronco seems to need them. It's almost impossible to do slips to landing in the Decathlon properly w/o them. I'm basically a VFR (I Follow Roads) type aviator. I can't spring for the really big bucks models like the beauties from Precision Flight. I guess that leaves Saitek and CH.

 

The CH's look kind of cheezy in the pictures but the price is right. The Saitek Pro Flights are about the same money but they look like the devices for measuring your feet. They don't look like any rudder pedals I've ever used. The Saitek Combats look much better even though the construction looks really similar to the Pro. I like the idea of being able to adjust the inclination of the pedal. I guess none of the sub $200 (USD) pedals are going to have Hall sensors.

 

Any help or comments from stick and rudder flyers would be appreciated .

 

Slim

[flyerboy 114]

I have the saitek ones. They are quite good.

[1st fltsimguy 466]

yup Saitek...love um!

[Krister 51]

I've had a couple of ch products usb pedals and now the Saitek. I would choose the latter any day.

[Guest]

Saitek Combat Rudder pedals: the combat ones because you can keep your feet on the ground which a lot of people find a lot more comfortable.

[GHarrall 494]

The Saitek Cessna pedals are great too.

[raymar 969]

You can read about the Saitek pedals in recent Avsim reviews. I have both the Cessna Pedals and the Combat Pedals, either works just fine with FSX for me. The Cessna pedals are in the closet and I also have a set of CH pedals in the attic.

 

BTW what are Hall sensors? I may need to check mine for proper operation. :P

 

Ray

[Old_As_Dirt 160]

Hall effect sensors use magnetic lines to detect speed. They are used in turbines, etc. There are some uses other than that, I suppose, but probably would be overkill for something simple like rudder pedals.

[raymar 969]

I'm not sure if you are pulling my leg or not. But, just to be clear, if the right pedal detects some 'Hall effects' would you use your left foot to stomp on it? B)

 

Well, I pretty sure that even thought I never heard of such a thing, none of the Saitek rudder pedals are going to have them.

 

And what would be a possible reason for having 'Hall sensors' built into flight simulator rudder pedals in the first place?

Just curious.

 

Ray

[ZachLW 37]

Hall effect sensors use magnetic lines to detect speed. They are used in turbines, etc. There are some uses other than that, I suppose, but probably would be overkill for something simple like rudder pedals.

 

Hall effect sensors are becoming very popular in quality controller hardware. Even the Saitek X52 Pro uses this tech for the pitch and roll axis.

 

Ray. Think of a Hall effect sensor as a high quality potentiometer. Better durability, better accuracy, longer life.

[Taipan 30]

Simpeds have hall sensors, depending on which one they are a little over $250 but in euros from Germany.

 

I have the F16 pedals. The toe brakes are a very simple pressure pad which is usually all or nothing. But the pedals movement is good.

 

The circuit board on mine only has 256 values resolution and a small deadzone unfortunately.

 

If you have a Leo Bodnar circuit board you can connect them to that with some soldering and get more accuracy, 16,000 values and remove the Deadzone.

 

http://www.dhs-electronic.de/index2.php?id=200&lng=en

[raymar 969]

Hall effect sensors are becoming very popular in quality controller hardware. Even the Saitek X52 Pro uses this tech for the pitch and roll axis.

 

Ray. Think of a Hall effect sensor as a high quality potentiometer. Better durability, better accuracy, longer life.

 

OK, I'm with you now, And to think I also have the X52 Pro and didn't know that. Thanks Zach, now back to the OP - there are not really a lot of choice in pedals and probably not any bad choices. I have 3 of the most common in flight sims and I suggest the order of preference is 1. Saitek Combat Pedals, 2. Saitek Cessna Pedals and 3. CH Pedals. Saitek also has their namesake Rudder Pedals which are the least expensive of their offerings. There may be some semi-professional editons that can be found as resales that may better the whole group.

 

I do know that just about any model rudder pedals is far superior to 'twist the stick' or 'autorudder', so the model you choose may not be that important, just as long as you choose one.

 

I googled it and came up with a good set, but they seem to be set up as dual pedals and a little pricey but they do have hall effect specs.

 

 

 

Ray

[mslim 12]

Thanks for all the recs! Saitek Combat pedals it will be! Any deals out there? Is MadCatz OK??

[fppilot 4,335]

The Saitek Cessna pedals are great too.

 

Fully agree! I had CH Pro Pedals for years and always fought problems with the toe brakes always "on". I was able to remedy that problem by propping up the heel ends when calibrating with a couple of cd cases to force the calibration, but I don't constantly leave my rudder pedals connected so I had to repeat each time I connected them. What a hassle. I migrated to the Saitek Pro Flight Cessna pedals and have been totally satisfied. They come with some snap-in wedges that allow you to keep your feet grounded if you wish (like the comment above on the Saitek Combat pedals). I also like the tension adjustment. Nice touch!

[raymar 969]

Thanks for all the recs! Saitek Combat pedals it will be! Any deals out there? Is MadCatz OK??

 

Mad Catz is the parent company of Saitek.

 

Ray