Well, based on the thread I'm convinced about the hall effect sensors.

 

Probably going with the desktop yoke - for now. Mainly due to shipping cost but also because I think it'll fit in well with the GA plus 737/777 vibe I'm going for (i.e. I think I can handle flying a B737 with a desktop yoke. If I was an ATP who flew the NG it would probably bug me.)

 

One final conundrum - I've had my sights set on the PFC Saab for a year or two now due to all those lovely buttons. I note that the Beech yoke is cheaper, and would get me in under the magic $1000 mark once shipping is added. Save some money to put towards a future Saitek to PFC pedal upgrade.

 

Anyone tried the Beech PFC yoke, or have any comments about it?

 

Also: if you use a PFC yoke or similar - no hat switch, right? Do you miss it?

I checked out the Bodnar site. You'd hope that a $1000 yoke would use a good converter (but they probably don't). Anyone know how the current PFC offerings compare?

 

How hard was the hall effect retrofit on the PFC yoke?

 

And i'm not hearing any upvotes for the 737yoke here. Last i checked it was pots only.

 

The HE retrofit is quite an undertaking...requires taking the column apart to replace the 2-conductor pot wiring with a 3-conductor wire, and a lot of wire tracing and soldering to properly connect the ribbon cable from the buttons to the new interface board. I've retrofitted two of them, my 10-year-old serial yoke earlier this year and one of the USB versions for my best friend a month ago. I have a second one with a failed USB board that a cockpit-builder friend gave me...I'm going to convert it once I figure out a way to quickly swap between the Warthog HOTAS and the second yoke on my right-side flying position (I have two side-by-side positions, with the left configured for heavies with the PFC yoke/pedals and the right for fast-movers with the Warthog and a second set of PFC pedals. What I want is a 5-minute swap for two-pilot flying.

 

And there is no hat switch. I have one of the buttons programmed to put the view in pan mode, so I hold the yoke button with my left hand and work the mouse with my right. WAY easier and more precise than using a hat. In fact with the HOTAS I use the hat as a trim switch as it is used in a real jet, and have the nosewheel steering button on the front programmed the same as the yoke button, although I work the mouse with my left hand when flying with the Warthog.

 

Cheers

Ok, sounds tricky. I'll buy a yoke with hall effect already in i think.

 

Have had to wait as pfc closed for new year. Also gathering courage to tell Mrs OzWhitey that she now owns a second yoke...as well as the new 4 gig GTX 680 she doesn't know she just bought. Wish me luck!

 

(Reading avsim forums can be expensive....)

 

Thanks all for the input - will try and finalise this tomorrow so if you have any last thoughts on yokes - let me know.

G'day OzWhitey,

 

Just saw this post. I'm in Brisbane & have had my SAAB Desktop now for several years. It's the older design with springs instead of the current bungie design & I must admit that I've had a problem with the spring system. About a week after it arrived I started getting an annoying click/clunk in the roll axes which I finally fixed by removing the aileron springs & replaced them with rubber "o" rings which work very well. They do break after some months but replacing them is a quick & easy job. The resulting "feel" is so smooth it's worth the five minute job every now & then. Would have sent it back for replacement if the shipping costs at the time weren't about $400.00 each way!!

 

As for the micro stutters mentioned I can't say I've experienced any of those. Operation of the yoke is stutter free in all axis & absolutely head & shoulders above any of the CH (2 models) or Saitek (3) units Iv'e had previously. Buttons are heavy duty & work very well also.

 

Shipping to Oz was a problem for me also but fortunately at the time I purchased my daughter was in Canada for a friends wedding so I got it shipped there & she brought it home as luggage.

 

Iv'e flown Cessna's (152, 172, 177) Pipers (PA28 140, 180, 180R), Beech Sundowners & Trinidad TB20 over the years & although the PFC yoke is not really like any of them I can't see that being an issue. The feel of real controls is so different I don't think any flight sim controller is going to really replicate it that closely. Having said that I believe of all the yokes Iv'e used the PFC certainly comes closest. I found that I have had to place mine on a thin rubber mat I bought at Clark Pools because the further you pull or push these yokes the harder they become & I found that although the unit is quite heavy it would move at extreme elevator movements.

 

I use mine for all aircraft types including the PMDG B737 & find it does the job very well. I did miss the hat switch initially however as I use TrackIR I really didn't need it & don't consider it an issue.

 

Cheers,

 

Ross

G'day OzWhitey,

 

Just saw this post. I'm in Brisbane & have had my SAAB Desktop now for several years. It's the older design with springs instead of the current bungie design & I must admit that I've had a problem with the spring system. About a week after it arrived I started getting an annoying click/clunk in the roll axes which I finally fixed by removing the aileron springs & replaced them with rubber "o" rings which work very well. They do break after some months but replacing them is a quick & easy job. The resulting "feel" is so smooth it's worth the five minute job every now & then. Would have sent it back for replacement if the shipping costs at the time weren't about $400.00 each way!!

 

As for the micro stutters mentioned I can't say I've experienced any of those. Operation of the yoke is stutter free in all axis & absolutely head & shoulders above any of the CH (2 models) or Saitek (3) units Iv'e had previously. Buttons are heavy duty & work very well also.

 

Shipping to Oz was a problem for me also but fortunately at the time I purchased my daughter was in Canada for a friends wedding so I got it shipped there & she brought it home as luggage.

 

Iv'e flown Cessna's (152, 172, 177) Pipers (PA28 140, 180, 180R), Beech Sundowners & Trinidad TB20 over the years & although the PFC yoke is not really like any of them I can't see that being an issue. The feel of real controls is so different I don't think any flight sim controller is going to really replicate it that closely. Having said that I believe of all the yokes Iv'e used the PFC certainly comes closest. I found that I have had to place mine on a thin rubber mat I bought at Clark Pools because the further you pull or push these yokes the harder they become & I found that although the unit is quite heavy it would move at extreme elevator movements.

 

I use mine for all aircraft types including the PMDG B737 & find it does the job very well. I did miss the hat switch initially however as I use TrackIR I really didn't need it & don't consider it an issue.

 

Cheers,

 

Ross

 

Hey Ross,

 

Thanks for the great info.

 

I haven't purchased my yoke yet - got a bit sick after the last post and ended up in one of your Brisbane hospitals!

 

After a bit away from my flight sim, i escaped from the Mater yesterday afternoon and am now starting to think about yoke shopping again...

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

Hi Rob,

 

Sorry to hear you've not been well.

 

If you're still in Brissie, I'm on the north side & your'e more than welcome to pop in & have a look at my SAAB unit. I'm on hols till Monday.

 

Cheers,

 

Ross