Hello,

 

About two months ago i purchased a GoFlight Pro Yoke after watching the review 'Froggle Pete' did.  Got to say i am not really all that impressed, i am entirely ignoring the mouse control feature, it's entirely unusable.  The Yoke does feel pretty substantial and at least from the aileron axis it's smooth and weighty.

My major issue is the elevator control, it's absolutely terrible, i would say worse than the Saitek yoke i replaced it with, it's way too heavy, you get perhaps 1cm travel before the springs provide to much resistance.  In order to help i have removed the springs, it's a little better, but precise control is now much harder because it no longer has a neutral position, so trimming is impossible, elevator authority simply takes over.

 

Anyhoo, i am stuck with this, so my question; can somebody suggest replacement springs, or bungee cords that would substitute?

Are you sure?  When I flew a 737 level D sim, the yoke took quite a bit of muscle to pull back, I mostly flew with the trim switch.  I was only able to get 4 inches of travel either way from "neutral" on the yoke before it got too hard to pull.  The go flight yoke, having less travel than a real 737 yoke, has a proportionally heavy spring.  You will only get a bit of travel before it becomes very hard to pull.  I'm sure that what you are experiencing is realistic and just takes a bit of time to get used to.

 

Hope this helps!

Thanks Matthew, i can't say i have ever used a Level-D sim so unlike you i can't compare; but, the heavy spring combined with the somewhat stiff travel makes controlling lighter aircraft virtually impossible due an over-correction response from the meat behind the yoke.  It leads to significant porpoising, the A2A aircraft are dreadful for it, they don't seem to have lower control authority at slow speed.

 

So, yes, i guess i might be looking for a compromise.

I know some people have tried very heavy duty rubber bands, but I'm not sure how well they work.

You could always contact GoFlight and ask them for the spec of the springs and order a different set or they might already have some lighter springs they could send you.  Worse case take the spec and order a pair of springs that are lighter.  Hope this helps

The 737 yoke operation is different to the Saitek controllers in that Saitek don't replicate force feedback...Also the 'neutral position' varies with trim...I think the spring action is an attempt to imitate the force required on the real yoke....From your description, The GoFlight Pro sounds more realistic than the Saitek...Leave those springs in! ^_^

Lol - Yes quite probably, trouble is, i don't just fly the 737 or the 777; smaller aircraft are very hard to control, the travel is stiff and sticky.  I thank you all for your comments and perhaps it's me more than the Yoke, but i think i will look for lighter springs.  As Brett says, i think i will contact GoFlight and request the spec.

 

Thanks all.

Thats a really disappointing discovery when you have thrown so much money at a 'good quality' yoke.  Springs in a yoke have always been a bad idea (in my humble opinion) which is why I opted for the PFC yoke.

 

 

Thats a really disappointing discovery

 

Indeed.  I regret not opting to spend a little more on the PFC Yoke, i might trade up next year. 

I'm sure you'll have no problem with takers....unless they've read this.   :rolleyes:

I wouldn't give up hope.  You spent a good bit of money on your yoke and I am sure you can get the feel you are looking for either lighter springs or rig something with small bungee cords

This reads like it's doing what it's supposed to do, replicating a 737 yoke...