I currently have a used pro flight yoke. Which seems to work great other than only working when plugged into the PC direct and not through a powered USB hub.

 

I have the option to get a new Cessna yoke. Is it worth making the switch? I heard the Cessna is a better yoke and has the plastic gears inside.

 

I intend to set it up with SPAD drivers.

I don' know, but if you're interested in selling your existing Yoke after you make the switch, please send me a PM.

I have the option to get a new Cessna yoke. Is it worth making the switch?

 

Yes, it is a better yoke. It is more solidly-built (has a metal frame inside the handle) and has a redesigned aileron mechanism that mitigates the basic yoke's pitch stickiness. It also lacks the firmware dead zone evident in the basic yoke. The gearing is a reduction gear for the roll axis, which allows the handle to move further for the same aileron displacement. In theory this means you have more precise control over the ailerons. In practice you really need FSUIPC (or, I think, the Saitek SSD software) to benefit from this because it doesn't work well with FSX's input scaling. Here is a detailed comparison of the two yokes if you want the detail. The SPAD driver is for Saitek panels BTW, not the yoke.

Great info thanks. I went ahead and picked up a Cessna yoke and will sell my Pro Flight.

I just removed my Saitek Cessna yoke, as I was constantly fighting with its detents. Removing one spring made it nicer to use, but I just didn't feel happy with it any more. The biggest problem in terms of yoke is that there is almost nothing else on the market other than the CH equipment (which looks too toy-like for my taste) that is even vaguely in the same price range.

 

The yoke remains connected as I still need the prop and mix levers of the throttle unit, but I now run with a Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS with MFG Crosswind pedals. The Saitek trim wheels are great pieces of kit - I have two, one as rudder trim and the other as elevator trim, through FSUIPC...

 

But I really want a throttle quadrant from virtual-fly and probably a yoke from PFC, but not for a year or two...

 

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Agreed. There is certainly a lack of options. I also been on the hunt for a second throttle quadrant for a while, but they are like hens teeth. 

So after a couple of weeks of use I returned the yoke for a refund. It did not feel all that smooth and I just could not get it properly calibrated. Every time the neutral spot on the axis would be different; after turning the yoke the neutral position would always be different. Very inconsistent. 

 

I guess the holy grail for me is Yoko the Yoke, but that is a lot of $$$. For now I am back to the trusty $40 joystick.

I currently have a used pro flight yoke. Which seems to work great other than only working when plugged into the PC direct and not through a powered USB hub.

 

 

You may be able to fix that issue through making changes to the way the yoke is treated by Windows Advanced Power Management.  There are some apps that patch the Windows Registry, and there is a setting to change in Windows Device Manager.  I suffered the same issue for about three years with my Pro Cessna yoke.  The fixes solved the issue.  You might still have the same issue with a new yoke.  Check the previous threads here on this joystick and controllers forum.  Some of the previous topics may reference Windows 10, but read them and follow what you read.  Here is a link to one such thread.

 

http://www.avsim.com/topic/484674-saitek-yoke-keeps-disconnecting/page-2

Yes, it is a better yoke. It is more solidly-built (has a metal frame inside the handle) and has a redesigned aileron mechanism that mitigates the basic yoke's pitch stickiness.

 

I agree the Cessna yoke is better made but there must be some variability in the manufacturing as I found mine very sticky in pitch if you had any roll applied, just like the Pro model. It may have improved with use but life's too short and I just couldn't put up with it so sent it back. I replaced it with a good-quality joystick.

I agree the Cessna yoke is better made but there must be some variability in the manufacturing as I found mine very sticky in pitch if you had any roll applied, just like the Pro model

 

Yes, I'm there are quality control issues. But also the design change only improves the pitch stickiness, it doesn't eliminate it.

Interesting thread, as I was just thinking about replacing my Pro Flight yoke with the Cessna yoke.

 

I've been quite happy with my Saitek Pro Flight Yoke, and it's still working reliably. The thing that annoys me the most is the aileron axis. The movement is restricted, but the creaking and squeaking is a worse problem. When I'm flying approaches, it sounds like an old door hinge. If I rotate it rapidly, it's silent and smooth, but fine adjustments are inaccurate, "grainy" and noisy. I've tried to fix it, but the culprit seems to be some plastic part grinding against another plastic part, so no amount of grease or lubricant can fix it.

 

The pitch axis has never given me problems (I'm used to the slight center detent), so if the Cessna yoke has a different mechanism for the roll axis spring, it might be worth it for me. If it's a similar mechanism, then it'll probably start squeaking too after a year or so. I wasn't able to find any pictures of the insides of the Cessna yoke to compare, guess no one has taken theirs apart?

 

The Yoko or another high-end yoke would be ideal of course, but I can't spend nearly €1000 on a yoke.

I ended up getting a T-16000M joystick for a mere $45. Night and day. I find it way easier to control and nailed my first landing using it and without ILS too - probably the best landing of my life. With the Saitek yoke and panels everything was just way too convoluted and hard to control. Now I can just concentrate on flying and I now can buy lots more add-ons with the money which I saved!  :smile:

I wasn't able to find any pictures of the insides of the Cessna yoke to compare, guess no one has taken theirs apart?

 

Then I guess you didn't watch the video I linked above. This includes a detailed description of the differing aileron mechanisms, with pictures.

 

Then I guess you didn't watch the video I linked above. This includes a detailed description of the differing aileron mechanisms, with pictures.

 

 

Well, it never showed the internals of the yoke. I know exactly which plastic spring arm is causing the creaking in my Pro Flight yoke, so if the Cessna yoke has the same thing it will eventually develop the same problem. Without taking it apart to verify the construction, there's no way of knowing.

 

Obviously even the Pro Flight was very smooth in the beginning, but years of use, mixed with many months of not using it caused these problems. So just because the Cessna yoke was smooth at the time of this review doesn't mean it will be smooth after 4 years.

Well, it never showed the internals of the yoke

 

Er, yes it did. Between 30:39 and 35:00 there is a detailed discussion of the difference between the aileron spring mechanisms, with annotated photographs and diagrams.