Can anyone advise if there is a way to "unstick" the throttle wheel on my CH Flightstick Pro joystick? I can normally get it to do this by moving it back and forth quickly a few times, and then moving it from side to side. Unfortunately, this no longer seems to be working. I need the throttle to be super smooth so that I have high precision (down to one tenth of one per cent) for controllable ground handling, and subtle power adjustments on final approach. A new one costs £100, so I would prefer to get this one back to full operational capability if possible!

EDIT: I have just received a response from the CH Products technical department. They have offered to send me a new potentiometer free of charge to see if that will solve the problem. I have never opened up a joystick before, so I hope that it is relatively straightforward!

EDIT2: They are not able to send a new potentiometer to international destinations

If anyone knows where I can get a good quality second hand CH Flightstick Pro joystick for a decent price, then please let me know!

Try a shot of WD40 , works wonders on old switches and knobs and might revive a potentiometer

 

Best CJ 

I was advised not to do that by the CH Products Tech Department!

I use it on my Saitek Quadrant for the same type of problem. Not to mention if it's dead anyway...    Lot's of listings on eBay.

 LOL

 Sue

There are contact cleaner/lubricants for electronics that you can buy at most hardware stores. One can will probably last the rest of your life.

CH Products very kindly sent me two new potentiometers free of charge. However, fiddling with electronics and wires is not really part of my skillset, but I opened up the joystick anyway to have a look. Amazingly, the simple act of opening it up (and blowing on the relevant potentiometer a handful of times) has suddenly made the throttle wheel really smooth again. I am not wildly optimistic that it will stay that way, but I will see what happens

Two weeks later, and the throttle wheel is still nice and smooth. Very happy that I opened it up, and did absolutely nothing!

On 2/24/2018 at 9:13 AM, Christopher Low said:

CH Products very kindly sent me two new potentiometers free of charge. However, fiddling with electronics and wires is not really part of my skillset, but I opened up the joystick anyway to have a look. Amazingly, the simple act of opening it up (and blowing on the relevant potentiometer a handful of times) has suddenly made the throttle wheel really smooth again. I am not wildly optimistic that it will stay that way, but I will see what happens

This reminds me of my NASCAR online racing days many years ago. I felt the same as you when my 1st pot went bad. By the time my racing career ended I could change a pot during a pit stop. Really. Heck, I had the soldering iron right behind the monitor.