Yoke choices

[carlito777 712]

All the Saitek yokes have those terrible detents which makes it almost impossible to perform a smooth landing. I enhanced mine using the following guide:

 

http://www.avsim.com/topic/351529-finally-a-fix-for-the-saitek-pro-flight-yoke-pitch-axis/

 

Now it is very nice (apart from the fact that it is still plastic). Before doing the mod, I was thinking about getting the Yoko the Yoke. So if you can afford it then buy the Yoko. If not, the Saitek with the mod.

[fppilot 4,368]

 

Before you convince yourself that you need to modify the yoke to get realism I recommend you read this message, found in an earlier topic here on Avism on page 3 of this topic. I have quoted it also.

 

http://www.avsim.com/topic/351529-finally-a-fix-for-the-saitek-pro-flight-yoke-pitch-axis/page-3

 

 

Hi Guys,

 

I am a line pilot for a jet chart company, ATP and I was a CFI in days gone buy.  I fly the Simuflite (KDAL) or Flight Safety simulators a bunch. 

 

Now I have an X52 as well as a relatively new Saitek Pro Flight Yoke.  I find the detent not annoying at all.  I have never flown an aircraft where you would pull back on the controls and have them merely stay there.  IN FACT they will spring back to center just like the Yoke or X52 does.  It is the Aerodynamics (Positive Dynamic Stability) that brings us back to SnL over time.  Unless you are in a fighter and then it's Negative Dynamic Stability controlled by onboard computers then.

 

Sol to have totall accurate feedback would be costly.  To me Saitek has done a good job since (as all of us simmers know) there is a huge plethera of models out there for us to fly.

 

What you guys might want to do is go into FSUIPC registered versions and calibrate the yoke so that you don't move the yoke so much to turn, climb, etc  How you do that is to move the yoke back maybe 1/4 travel or whatever your needs are and press the max button or min button etc wash rinse repeat.

 

Another item may be of interest, is that many of the jets out there are hydraulically operated.  They have a system onboard called an Arthur Q (google it) and that gives us "feel" ha ha so to speak in the cockpit.  So to expect feedback from a controller here in FSX is a little odd.  To expect NO feel is simply gaming then at its best I'd go fly Xbox at that point.  Real World.  The feedback you feel from a Piper Navajo is a world of difference away from say a Cessna Caravan.  Both of which I have over 1,000 PIC.  Not trying to toot the horn here but simply giving you some real world input.

 

On a last note,

 

I was just speaking with the techs out at Simuflight Dallas while I was there for training in April.  The programming involved to give us the full motion experience takes (servers) to get it even close to being right.  And I still laugh when I train at the 1/4 to 1/2 second delay for the motion to catch up with my control inputs.  

 

I sorta like my cheap springs in my new Saitek Wonder box!  

 

I would bet that everyone wants the controls to "feel" like they feel while on the ramp.  My thoughts are Saitek designed this yoke to give the BEST of all realms as it cannot be all things to all models to all people and all their wants wishes and desires.  My two cents.

 

Have a great day.

 

[andreadebiase 5]

Not sure if it is realistic (never sat on a real 737 or Cessna)  but if it is  self centering we are talking about this is fine with me, a clicking detent is another story.

Just to be on the safe side, we are talking about this right?

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058FAEAS/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

[fppilot 4,368]

Yes. The Pro Flight Cessna version of the yoke.  And per self centering, some sim pilots do not like it but to others it is not a big deal.  As you read in the long quote the self centering in and of itself is not a physical action characteristic of a real world yoke, but is somewhat similar to what happens in real life from in flight natural forces acting on control surfaces.

 

I watched about four videos showing various mods to Saitek yokes.  I was stunned that after the effort (and risk) that three of the four methods still appeared to self center.  

[carlito777 712]

Yes. The Pro Flight Cessna version of the yoke. And per self centering, some sim pilots do not like it but to others it is not a big deal. As you read in the long quote the self centering in and of itself is not a physical action characteristic of a real world yoke, but is somewhat similar to what happens in real life from in flight natural forces acting on control surfaces.

 

I watched about four videos showing various mods to Saitek yokes. I was stunned that after the effort (and risk) that three of the four methods still appeared to self center.

 

There is a difference between the annoying detents of the cheap yokes and self-centering. Of course, the yoke still self-centers after the mod, but the detents are gone (like the more expensive ones which don't have any detents). Have you actually ever flown a real plane or a Level-D sim? Or at least ever touched one of the high quality yokes? Or are you just one of those experts around here who claim to know everything by citing opinions they found somewhere on the net?

[fppilot 4,368]

There is a difference between the annoying detents of the cheap yokes and self-centering. Of course, the yoke still self-centers after the mod, but the detents are gone (like the more expensive ones which don't have any detents). Have you actually ever flown a real plane or a Level-D sim? Or at least ever touched one of the high quality yokes? Or are you just one of those experts around here who claim to know everything by citing opinions they found somewhere on the net?

 

No, I have not touched one of the $800 to $2,,500 high quality yokes. The increment of difference vs the increment in value provides me an opportunity to spend my flight sim budget on items that provide higher increments of difference for me, like high quality scenery. Yes my yoke self centers and in a somewhat pronounced manner. But I can still easily control with it and the difference is not to me worth hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars.  I do not project that as an opinion everyone else should have. Perhaps that is the difference here.

 

I have actually flown and held multi and instrument ratings.  And yes, it has been now 32 years since I last took full control of an  aircraft, though I ride right seat occasionally with a friend in his C310.  

 

Perhaps if you have a video or still photos of one of these yokes opened up you can reveal the detents you are referring to. I viewed four yesterday and did not see detents.  Only a sliding shaft and springs.  As I stated in an earlier post, I asked not to be drawn into a discussion of semantics.

 

Detents:

https://www.google.com/search?q=detent&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=955&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiyjeSY1_rOAhVHdR4KHczvByMQsAQIQg#imgrc=GV6UnhB6bZzxJM%3A

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Have you actually ever flown a real plane or a Level-D sim? Or at least ever touched one of the high quality yokes? Or are you just one of those experts around here who claim to know everything by citing opinions they found somewhere on the net?

 

Kinda uncalled for...

[bbuckley 133]

Kinda uncalled for...

+1 very uncalled for.

[busdriver 258]

I'm always amazed at how nasty a turn so many of these posts take, over what at the end of the day is a hobby and simulation. I swear, ISIS isn't as fanatical as some of you guys...

 

As to carlito777 - curious what your credentials are? I think your tone was a bit rude.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

I'm always amazed at how nasty a turn so many of these posts take, over what at the end of the day is a hobby and simulation. I swear, ISIS isn't as fanatical as some of you guys...

 

As to carlito777 - curious what your credentials are? I think your tone was a bit rude.

 

Instead of revisiting and potentially fanning the flames, let's throw the requisite water and dirt on the ashes and move on.

 

Full names in the forum, please.

[carlito777 712]

 

 

Kinda uncalled for...

 

Uh. Now I'm scared. Mr. Super-expert.

 

But yeah. Let's just move on...

[BlueStar 323]

Over the last 40 plus years I've flown full motion sims from the early Link to the latest CAE B739 (electric).  None of the yokes/throttles felt exactly like the actual aircraft, but the latest are very close.  I've tried just about all the yokes and throttles produced by the various vendors for our hobby.  Some are nicer than others, but there is no direct correlation between cost and feel. My recommendation is find one that fits your budget and has the features you can afford.  None of them are going to feel like the latest CAE or the actual aircraft.  :smile:

 

blaustern

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Uh. Now I'm scared. Mr. Super-expert.

 

Scared? Why? I just said it was uncalled for.

 

...that is, unless your last post was to take a shot at me, instead.

[fppilot 4,368]

 

 

My recommendation is find one that fits your budget and has the features you can afford.  None of them are going to feel like the latest CAE or the actual aircraft.

 

+1

Logistics also come into play. Not everyone, myself included, have the space or environment for a dedicated flight sim computer/cockpit. So controls need to be in place to fly, and elsewhere the remainder of the time.  Personally I would love to have a higher end set of controls and a dedicated multi monitor system. But in my case it is not a factor of budget but one of logistics.

[carlito777 712]

Scared? Why? I just said it was uncalled for.

 

Still don't get what I said which was "uncalled for". My comment was in regards to a comment which (against the opinion of a ton of other people including myself) claimed that the detents of the cheap Saitek yokes are no problem at all. The only thing I said was that

 

a. The detents are completely annoying

b. High quality (and obviously much more expensive) yokes just as real planes don't have any detents

 

That's it. My only intention was to make it clear to the OP that he shouldn't trust someone stating "The detents are no problem" who most likely has neither touched a high quality yoke nor a real plane. And if you ever did one of the former then you know what I mean by stating that the detents of those cheap plastic yokes are just completely annoying.

 

But now I'm definitely moving on...