PFC Throttle Quadrant in P3DV3.4

[gregmorin 199]

I am thinking of upgrading my CH Throttle quadrant to the PFC Throttle Console and attachments. I have a PFC CIRRUS SAAB yoke will hall sensors that is perfect. Any recommendations or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Greg

[macwino 14]

Greg, I also have the PFC Cirrus Saab yoke so I know where you're coming from. You won't be disappointed with the PFC TQ Console, which I also have along with the 3- and 6-lever TQs, the Turboprop TQ, and the Advanced Jet 2-engine TQ.

 

I've commented extensively on these TQs in post #23 in the following thread in the Avsim Hardware forum.

 

http://www.avsim.com/topic/484434-anyone-using-pfc-usb-turboprop-tq-with-q400-or-turbo-duke-v2/page-2?hl=+macwino

 

I couldn't be happier with this purchase.

 

Robert

[Rossco 23]

Hi Greg,

 

I also splashed out & purchased the same sets as Robert did in September last year.

 

Unfortunately I have had some issues with the Twin Turbo prop & the Advanced Jet units.

 

PFC have replaced the Twin Turbo & it is now perfect. Superbly smooth for all levers & an absolute joy to use. Previously the levers were too stiff & one of the condition levers was so stiff I needed two hands to move it. They have since sent me a replacement unit with reworked spacers between the levers & fixed that issue.

 

The jet unit is still a problem & we are trying to get that sorted. I believe they are working on it which is movement of the right hand throttle lever causes the corresponding reverser lever to gradually keep moving aft. If you don't have the lever programmed to accommodate this then your right hand reverser keeps coming on after a while if you forget to keep pushing it back to the stops. Easily compensated for in FSUIPC but annoying non the less.

 

Must say though these units are so smooth they really are a joy to use & gone are the jittery throttles in the VC. They now stay rock steady. Another little thing I like is if the weather is a little cool or the air conditioner is on in the computer room (forecast 39C here in Brisbane, Australia today) then the throttle handles of the twin turbo & twin jet being metal have a cool touch to them when first used. Something that surprised me the first time this happened following changing from my previous Saiteks which are all plastic. Just gives these units a feel of quality.

 

The controller unit is solid & the same height as the SAAB desk yoke I have & has reasonable weight to it however with the issue I was having with the twin turbo throttle I removed the rubber feet & velcroed it to my desk. Doubt I'd need this now since the arrival of the updated unit.

 

Gear lever is great, same as the real world ones I have used where you have to pull the lever back & over a small gate to operate. No inadvertent gear movement with this system.

 

Also the rudder trim comes in handy with aircraft such as the Aerosoft Twin Otter & Carenado TBM850 where you have take off rudder trim indicators.

 

So despite the issues I still am very pleased with this product. I was happy with the Saiteks which served me for many years & lasted longer than most from what Iv'e read on the forums however the pots finally began spiking too much & replacements were not available. The PFC's are expensive but in my opinion are worth it. I expect they will be like the yoke which I have had now for about seven years & in the same period previously I'd been through a couple of Saiteks.

[gregmorin 199]

Thanks Robert and Ross,

 

I think I will get the TQ with the twin turbo prop attachment. I hope i can avoid the issue you had Ross. I have had CH TQ since it was first released, many years of faithful service.

 

-15*C with a foot of snow here in Maine today. We are expecting 12"-24" tomorrow night.

 

Greg

[Rossco 23]

Hi Greg,

 

Wouldn't know what -15C was like. Have been skiing here in Australia but I don't think we get to anywhere near those minuses.

 

Re the turbo throttles, I doubt you will have any issues. I believe they have redesigned the spacers so they fit better. My replacement is great as I mentioned & it took a while for them to send it as I believe they were re sizing the spacers for a better fit for future production. All levers are now very easy to get through the gates.

 

If you don't already have it I suggest you get a registered copy of FSUIPC to calibrate them with. Then you can set up the gate positions to match with your hardware.

 

Have found it really easy to taxi turbo props now as I can slip the throttles back into Beta range to slow them down. Much more realistic.

 

Sure you will not be disappointed when you get it.

 

From memory the single prop one came with the controller unit & the twin normal prop at a discounted price. All as a package. Turbo & Jet throttles were extra without discount.

[GolfMikeBravo 7]

I also quite like the vernier controls (Cessna style TPM), although they're a bit on the expensive side.  It's nice to have very accurate vernier adjustment on the mixture control.  I also use FSUIPC to calibrate, and find it works very well.

 

Cheers,

 

Gerald

[Bob Scott 7,714]

Just be aware that, AFAIK, the throttle quad still uses linear slide pots, rather than Hall Effect sensors, so with use over time they will start to spike and otherwise exhibit signs of wear.  If you can manage a soldering iron, replacing them is doable, but it does take some work.

 

After several pot replacements over ~10 years, I finally retrofitted my TQ with Hall sensors (along with my Jetline column yoke), which was a pretty major undertaking, but well worth it.

 

Hopefully, one of these days the PFC quadrants will incorporate Hall Sensors as the yokes do.

 

Regards

[BlueStar 323]

 

 

I finally retrofitted my TQ with Hall sensors

 

Bob,

 

What sensors did you use and where did you purchase them.  I'm not having any trouble, but you never know. :smile: 

 

blaustern

[Bob Scott 7,714]

There are no direct drop-in replacements that I could find for the TQ.  On the yoke, I used 180 deg Honeywell rotary HE transducers...I think I got them from Mouser.  The shafts are a bit shorter than the original pot, but turning the gear sprocket around so that the flange is on the inside worked.

 

On the TQ, I fabricated a set of brass piers that hold a set of opposing rare earth magnets on a pair of bridges that traverse across each end of the pots, with a brass arm on each pot actuator that moves an Allegro A1321 HE sensor IC between the magnets.  It's not perfectly linear, so a custom driver that does the polynomial transform to convert the measured voltages back into a linear range of transducer positions was also necessary.  It works very, very well.

 

The yoke (along with rudders/brakes) and the six-lever TQ each use a 12-bit A-D (BU0836X) USB interface from Leo Bodnar.

 

Cheers

[BlueStar 323]

 

 

It works very, very well.

 

Very impressive Bob.  I may not have enough talent to do what you did.  A lot of engineering for sure. :smile: 

 

blaustern

[ErichB 3,638]

am thinking of upgrading my CH Throttle quadrant to the PFC Throttle Console and attachments.

Greg, without any doubt, do it.

 

My PFC throttle unit and yoke unit is the best single investment i have made in my simming experience during the past 20 years - not including the PC itself.

 

Really high quality stuff. Expensive but really worth it.