Boeing 737 Yoke UnBoxing

[Angelo Cosma 61]

As promised here is my unboxing and quick review on the Agronn Boeing 737 Column USB Yoke. First quick couple of flights have been amazing! Love the feel, the full 180 degree roll of the control wheel makes banking so much easier. 

 

There is no springs in this yoke, it feels almost hydraulically which is what I wanted for a very very long time. The Pitch fore and aft get heavier the further you go. Doing a flight controls check is pure bliss now watching the indexes move so smoothly on the EICAS. The Hall effect sensors do great and calibration was virtually not needed as everything is accurate. 

 

The buttons on the yoke really take it to the next level. The Mic trigger on the back is two position just like the real yoke. R/T and I/T for radio and inter-phone. There is a very heavy tactile click that happens when you press the button either way. The AP Disconnect is my favorite button and the heaviest on the yoke. It take 4.6 pounds of press force and there is such a satisfying CLICK when you press it, I just keep on grinning. The dual rocker trim switches feel very nice, and they funtion like the real aircraft. You cannot press just one side, as the real world operation (One releases the trim brake, and one actuates the trim motor) this is reflected in the sim. 

 

The entire Yoke is metal, the column and screws are painted the real Boeing grey. The clipboard has the 3 steps for tilt, and the yellow checklist reminder slides up and down with a nice detent in each stop. 

 

The overall quality is amazing, I am extremely happy with this purchase. I would definitely recommend it and would make the purchase again. This totally changes the way I fly, the roll is buttery smooth and the full 90 degree left, 90 degree right, for a total of 180 travel really makes banking a whole new experience. The sheer weight in the pitch axis makes climbing/descending while turning in manual flight a breeze and is pure joy. I hand fly all the way to 10,000 feet or more. I simply want to hand fly the thing any chance I get. 

 

On to the pictures, I will try to post them in order of how I set it up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last photo was a celebratory glass of Wine on a Vatsim flight, just a quick in awe flight from KSAN to KLAX flying over my old home and stomping grounds of KSNA. 

 

Let me know what you think and I would be happy to answer any questions! I think a set of their rudders are next. :-D

 

 

 

[HighBypass 2,339]

Don't think I could ever justify such a controller myself, but it's certainly interesting following your posts! One question for now. Regarding the pitch forces increasing the further fore and aft you go - does the yoke try and tip the base up, or is it made specifically heavy so that it cannot do that?

[Angelo Cosma 61]

I have it screwed into a piece of wood which the rudders, yoke, and my chair sit on. I have it wrapped in black sub-woofer carpet, but that is a rectangular simple piece of plywood.

 

Yes it is a rather high cost controller, but it will last for years. I saved for over a year to get this little by little. Also to me, flight controls are as important if not more so than the computers we build to enjoy the sim. Never fly a Level D motion sim, or you'll end up like me in doing something like this hahaha :-)

[Guest]

I just looked at the pictures. I'd kill for one of them!

[Greggy_D 935]

Looks great, Angelo!

[HighBypass 2,339]

Thanks Angelo!

[Rossco 23]

Looks cool Mark.

 

I agree that good quality controllers definitely make a difference to your simming experience.

[shea3412sc 1]

I see you previously had the PFC column yoke.  How much difference are the two yokes?  I currently have the saab pfc desktop yoke but have been looking at this yoke for over a year now.

Different*

[Angelo Cosma 61]

I see you previously had the PFC column yoke.  How much difference are the two yokes?  I currently have the saab pfc desktop yoke but have been looking at this yoke for over a year now.

Different*

 

 

Hello Shea, going from any desktop yoke, to a Column will be a huge change and addition to realism even from the PFC Desktop. 

 

I really enjoyed my PFC Saab Column. It was and is a very good yoke. I decided to go with the 737 yoke after thinking about all the differences and what matters to me having come from many controls in the past.

 

I was happy to know the 737 yoke, was designed and built to Boeing Specifications. The size, dimensions, travel ranges, and resting position of the yoke matched what the real Boeing 737NG Yoke was. The buttons, they are the actual replica buttons with same tactile / weight response buttons. 

 

The Mic / Interphone triggers take something like 2.8 pounds of pressure to activate. The AP Disconnect takes a whopping 4.6 pounds! This feel and tactile response is amazing along with hearing a very audible satisfying click. You know you pressed the button.

 

The 3-Step clipboard checklist with reminder indicator was something I always wanted and is replicated perfectly. 

 

But now onto what really sold me and ensured that I was going to be happy with this.

 

The yoke roll is a full 180 degrees as the PFC is only 90. This means I have full 90 degree left, 90 degree right vs the 45 - 45 on the PFC. This makes rolling the aircraft feel much more fluid and real (and heavy) and gives truer feeling to the aircraft. The yoke input were multiplied on the PFC obviously since a full 45 degree roll on the yoke equaled and full 90 in the real aircraft. 

 

Second, the 737 Yoke when neutral in pitch rests about 7 degrees forward of straight up and down to make it comfortable for the pilots to lean forward and interact with the aircraft. The PFC this was not so, and also meant you ran out of rearward pull sooner as you hit the stop.

 

Third, and this probably the selling point along with the real buttons. The 737 yoke I have now, does not use any Springs at all for tensioning. While PFC did do a good job, the feeling is remarkably different on this new yoke.

 

That being said, there is no spring noise. The control force is firm but smooth, where the spring gets harder and more, well springy when you get near full excursion. The pitch force and feel on this new yoke is incredible. I am not sure how the emulated but after a certain point in its travel there is a subtle but noticeable different feel and weight as you pull back. Sort of like a gas shock. If you get too slow or are out of trim and need ALOT of pitch fore or aft you really feel the yoke getting heavy in pitch travel. I have never felt something like this before except in real aircraft.

 

I really can't say enough good things about it. So the buttons, control movements in range and in force. Size, scale, and accuracy to an actual 737 column, this yoke differs pretty significantly from the PFC Saab. I will say the PFC Column is a GREAT yoke, and it is, this new one is night and day.

 

Angelo  

[Jack C 8]

I just saw the price of this 737 yoke as i JUST ordered the PFC SAAB desktop yoke. All I can say is OUCH!!! 2500-3000 CDN! I like yokes but not for that much. Especially when I get my fair share of the real thing at work

[Angelo Cosma 61]

Yeah is USD it was significantly less than that. With inflation since I bought my PFC they cost about the same.  

[shea3412sc 1]

Angelo thanks for the great response.  I really appreciate it.   You honestly might have sold me on the yoke.  How long did it take for delivery once ordered?

 

Shea

[Angelo Cosma 61]

Angelo thanks for the great response.  I really appreciate it.   You honestly might have sold me on the yoke.  How long did it take for delivery once ordered?

 

Shea

 

DHL, it was lightning fast! From practically EDDF to KSEA it took about 5 business days to get to my door. Would have been 4 had their not been a small paperwork error in Customs. 

[ErichB 3,638]

Wow, superb piece of kit there Angelo.  Enjoy

[Shylock_35 43]

Angelo how’s is this yoke holding up three years later? Ordered mine last Wednesday and can’t wait to get it.