Joystick for Helicopters?

[♠️Sanity Logic♠]

What's the best Joystick for flying the helicopters? I'm really new to buying into these, so trying to find one is a little overwhelming. At that, who's the best brand to go with? I'm kinda looking for one under the $100 USD range, preferably. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

[ZeroReady]

Thrustmaster TM16000 is decent for your price range. I had one and the paired throttle for years before I upgraded to a TM Warthog. The gimbal is pretty good, especially if you disassemble and apply some good grease.

[Event Horizon]

X52 has the best twist rudder if you don't use pedals. Helicopters use a lot of rudder.

[♠️Sanity Logic♠]

Originally posted by ZeroReady:

Thrustmaster TM16000 is decent for your price range. I had one and the paired throttle for years before I upgraded to a TM Warthog. The gimbal is pretty good, especially if you disassemble and apply some good grease.

I looked into some thrustmaster sets that they have, and they do look nice, and they seem to fit the price range.

Originally posted by Event Horizon:

X52 has the best twist rudder if you don't use pedals. Helicopters use a lot of rudder.

Yeah, I figured I'd need rudder control on a separate level. I'm guessing I'll have to move something like that into the budget.

Thanks you guys, I appreciate the help.

[Insônia]

For heli? The best?
The best is force feedback with large range mid mount long stick.

Something like Brunner's ffb cyclic (non universal ffb)
Or with magnic brake

The trim center physically move and sync with ingame position. Prevent heli yeet back from resting trim/disengage autopilot or hover.

Non of this match your budget tho, way beyond.

[♠️Sanity Logic♠]

Originally posted by Insônia:

For heli? The best?
The best is force feedback with large range mid mount long stick.

Something like Brunner's ffb cyclic (non universal ffb)
Or with magnic brake

The trim center physically move and sync with ingame position. Prevent heli yeet back from resting trim/disengage autopilot or hover.

Non of this match your budget tho, way beyond.

That's a big 'OOF' on my end, but I suppose it would be best to wait. I never even considered force feedback, which would make the best sense. Thanks for the insight there.

[dan]

From what I remember of a discussion long ago, some guy got a lot out of his logitech 3d pro by removing the spring and using one of those flight sim prop plane throttles installed sideways beside his chair for use as collective. Note: removing joystick spring will make the stick friction/reactionless but will also mean that it won't center by itself if you let go. There is also increased risk of wear especially for logitech 3d since it uses potentiometers instead of contactless sensors I believe.

[Monostripe-Zebra]

I like the cheap "black Widow", because it has sufficiently pedal range for the slider on the trottle.

[dan]

If you wanted to spend say hypothetically a $1000 then check out winwings f18 hotas. MagzTV put up an unboxing and he said it felt really good for choppers.

[CommandDork]

I've been on the T16000M with rudder pedals for about a year now. Nothing wrong with it for helo training. In fact, I find myself relying more on stick twist than the pedals proper - my three cents.

[uty]

Originally posted by dan:

From what I remember of a discussion long ago, some guy got a lot out of his logitech 3d pro by removing the spring and using one of those flight sim prop plane throttles installed sideways beside his chair for use as collective. Note: removing joystick spring will make the stick friction/reactionless but will also mean that it won't center by itself if you let go. There is also increased risk of wear especially for logitech 3d since it uses potentiometers instead of contactless sensors I believe.

In addition to your suggestion, I want to add the vkb gladiator mkii joystick is in a similar price range($89-120) as the Logitech 3d stick, but has a much softer twist axis(and an upgrade in sensor quality). I own both sticks, and when I got the Logitech I was actually surprised how stiff the spring was.

Last night I used my vkb and a Logitech throttle quadrant ($59) to fly the Huey around. It worked fairly well and was more comfortable than using the vkb’s built in throttle lever(though that’s also fine.

[dan]

Logitech 3d was in the $30-40 range last I checked.

[sandrastarling]

I have Saitek X53 + the Pro Flight Rudder pedals. Works nice but there is a serious flaw in the spring design in the brake pedals. Unless they have upgraded this part of the control system it will eventually snap off of it's connecting piece and you end up with floppy pedals and no spring tension.

You can look up an long an detailed fix for this on youtube to see what I mean. My repair restored the springs but the brake now no longer registers as a control. Bummer.

[sandrastarling]

What would any of you recommend for a rudder control replacement?

[Gracey Face]

The thrustmaster t1600m HOTAS is just over your price range (ie Walmart sells it for $129), but the throttle is pretty indispensible.

T1600M HOTAS throttle is particularily good because it has a rocker axis on the front of it that at least for me is FAR nicer to use as a rudder/antitorque than a joystick twist. It also has an extra bonus in that it has a dial axis on the throttle that can work as your throttle in a heli while the throttle itself works as your collective.


Main problem though is that the T1600M's joystick element isn't that great. Doesn't have many buttons/functions on it, and 12 of them are on the base so semi unreachable, and the throttle on the joystick (not the actual throttle's throttle) is loose and fragile.

[Maki Nishikino]

I have all helicopters and just use the Thurstmaster HOTAS X with them, same with the rest of my modules which I have well over 10 of. Is it the best? No, but it works and can be bought pretty cheap.