Longest owned flight sim hardware?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

What is the flight sim hardware you have owned the longest that is still used today?

For me it's CH Pro Pedals purchased in May 2002 along with the Yoke and Pro Throttle. All USB I no longer own the yoke and the Pro Throttle just gathers dust but the pedals have been remarkably durable over 18 years and counting. They've never needed any maintenance whatsoever.

The other kit is GoFlight units. All purchased in October 2002 and still used today. Expensive but they have proved extremely durable.

On the same credit card bill as the pedals was a GeForce Ti4600 graphics card. This had a massive 128Mb of memory and cost an eye-watering 350-400 GBP. That price doesn't seem much different to what we pay for today's top cards but the big difference is that 400GBP was spent on something that lasted a couple of years whereas the purchase of the pedals and GoFlight kit has paid for itself many times over.

[Luke 782]

4 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

For me it's CH Pro Pedals purchased in May 2002 along with the Yoke and Pro Throttle. All USB I no longer own the yoke and the Pro Throttle just gathers dust but the pedals have been remarkably durable over 18 years and counting. They've never needed any maintenance whatsoever.

I just retired a CH Yoke I got back in 2003 or so - a plastic part that handled roll detection broke and it was time for a new one. I was joking to my now university-aged daughter that I would finally get back the quarter she stuck through a slot when she was a toddler! (It turned out to be a dime. Inflation gets everything.)

Still have a pair of pedals of a similar vintage. They're starting to go and require some creative calibration.

Cheers!

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

CH do make some good hardware that seems to last despite the modest prices. Very good value for money. Perhaps my pedals only have a few years left then.

[johncott 177]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

What is the flight sim hardware you have owned the longest that is still used today?

I also have the CH Products pedals and yoke and use them just about everyday. Got them together, I do not know when I got them, but my son was still home and he moved out on his own 13 years ago. Purchased the CH throttle Quadrant last year, hopefully has the same quality and durability. I also play around with FS design including scenery, repaints and panels and still us a Texas Instruments TI-66 calculator that I bought in 1984 to do the math when needed. I also purchased my computer speakers while my son was still living at home.

Cheers,

John C.

[vp49p3 216]

Gaming computer I built in 2008 that my wife now uses.  Nothing like watercooled shopping on the internet 😉

[SoJourned 65]

Microsoft sidewinder precision 2 joystick, new in 2000, still running strong. Brought out of retirement twice after these new fangled sticks failed after a few years.

[Bill Alderson 24]

My CH Products Flightstick Pro, Pro throttle and rudder pedals.  I've had these things so long, I don't even remember when I purchased them .  Still use them every day; except the Pro throttle; I have the Saitek throttles now. 

[scianoir 610]

CH Pro products certainly seem to have an admirable degree of longevity! I have had their yoke/throttle since 2003 and added the pedals about a year later. They have outlived 3 PCs, a Buttkicker Gamer and a Track IR Pro. I am thinking of replacing the Buttkicker which certainly added an additional dimension to immersion but not too sure about the Track IR as I found that using it could occasionally cause me to feel slightly unpleasant motion sickness.

Bill
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 3 P

[stans 702]

My CH Products Fighterstick, Throttle Quadrant, Pro-Pedals, and Track IR 3 Pro are probably closing in on 14 years of service.  The rotation of the left side throttle lever on the Throttle Quadrant is now loose when near the minimum throttle detent.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

Has no-one except me got the GoFlight modules? They make such a difference when tuning radios and VORs and NDBs. I'd hate to revert to using the mouse and clicking on those tiny displays in a VC.

 

[Chocorua 112]

Plenty of GoFlight modules here, I've had for 15-20 years Ray. The buttons are actually faded and yellowed there so old, but they work flawlessly. 

Nice to see an email the other day from them regarding re-opening July 8th I think.

Greg G 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

@Chocorua, agreed they make quality kit that just lasts forever. I acquired a MCP Pro and EFIS units that required a firmware update. That could only be done in the US so I had to package it up and send it over.

GoFlight returned it and paid the return postage. But crazy the user can't do it themselves. Good to hear they're reopening. They could do with higher visibility in the FS world.

[scianoir 610]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

 I'd hate to revert to using the mouse and clicking on those tiny displays in a VC.

I have been using an app called Remote Flight Server on my iPad for years for that same reason. It basically turns the iPad screen into an avionics stack with NAV/COM radios, ADF, transponder and autopilot units and I have found it very useful particularly as those VC displays seem to have got smaller as I have got older! It really is a poor man's GoFlight module as, for a fraction of the price, it does what the relevant GoFlight modules do but I didn't mention it in my post as it is not, of course, hardware. I do however appreciate the attraction of having a real stack with real buttons, knobs and wheels at your fingertips!

Bill

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

@scianoir, Bill, obviously the iPad didn’t exist back in 2003 so it wasn’t an option for me. You don’t say what the lag is like but given it’s essentially free bar the cost of the app it’s certainly worthy of consideration for those iPad owners.

I would still treat myself though as the modules last years and with different configurations they are very adaptable especially when starting engines and controlling lights.

[n4gix 4,947]

I bought CH Pro Yoke and Pro Pedals about sixteen years ago. While the Pro Pedals are still working as if they were new, I have been through three CH Pro Yokes over those years.