I have had a number of sticks some of which they dont make any more.
I had the CH products fighter stick. First as the gameport version for 8 years and then as the USB version for ten years. Only issue was the hat switch getting worn out. The new version however seem to have become junk right out of the box. When I got tired of fixing the hat switch I looked into some other stick.
The next stick I bought was the
Saitek X55 Rhino (throttle and stick combo). This one lasted just over a year
Again, hat switch issues. I really liked this stick. It was smooth and the tension of the spring on the stick is adjustable so it was easy to get comfortable. Lots of buttons and switches.
The next stick and the one I am still using is the
Thrustmaster T.16000M. Very smooth control, but not enough buttons for me. My brother in law has the older version of this stick (the one with the green light instead of the yellow) and has had it for years playing AH so I think the longevity of the stick should be pretty good.
I still use my old CH pedals going on 15 years now and have only had one pot go bad in all that time. Switched back to my CH throttle to use with the T.16000M as the button layout gives me better options with the T.16000M having so few buttons.
The issue I have with switchs is the post of the hat switch that actually hits the buttons wears out, gets a flat spot after being used so many times. My plan is to make an aluminum post and epoxy it into the hat and see how long that lasts. While I do miss the old CH stick the X55 has much better control, but only a little better than the T.16000M. So until I get the new post installed Im ok with the T.16000M...... but only for now
