Thrustmaster HOTAS X

[tunnelrat]

So, recently, my 3D Precision Pro from yesteryear has started acting up in bad ways... getting all twitchy like a crack addled spider monkey...   

I don't have the money to drop on what I really want, so I am trying to get hold of something that will be decent and last a year or two until I can get a real set up with pedals, etc.

I am looking at the HOTAS X, because it appears to do everything I need it to and it's $50.  Anyone else have any experience with any of these sticks/throttles?

I am a terrible fighter pilot, but I do a lot of buff and ground attack runs (which is really fun with my possessed twitchy Precision these days).  I do want to get better at flying fighters, so I certainly don't want to be hindered by a turd flight stick, but on the other hand I am not good enough to notice shortcomings that some of you aces out there might...

Any advice would be appreciated!!

[Rob52240]

No real complaints on mine yet.  I've had it for about 5 years and it's been used for the past 2 years.  Absolutely no problems until recently.  Once in a while I need to recalibrate it because the yaw axis will rarely but occasionally push itself down very slowly.  The problem is sporadic and has not caused me any real trouble in the game.

[Bizman]

Been using one for about three years without major complaints, flying a few hours most every Friday and Saturday. At a moment I felt that the stick had symptoms of kinda splitting apart, but it hasn't got worse. I don't use the twisty, though, and I have learned to be quite gentle with the stick which may have saved it.

Last weekend I laid my hands on a Thrustmaster T.16000 and fell in love. Combined with a separate throttle and pedals it was the best stick I have ever tested. If you're a twisty guy and don't mind a full size left hand controller, it's the best bang for the buck. I'm planning on buying one and use it with the throttle of my HOTAS X (actually the old model, TopGun(TM) Afterburner II). For logistic reasons I may have to stuff the innards of the stick into the base of the throttle and it sounds tedious so the changing project may take some time...

[Reschke]

Sounds like an ambitious project there Bizman. I have killed two T.16000's in trying to turn them into another controller that is recognized in TARGET so I can get the home made rudders and another box ready to combine. The problem lies in the fact that the rudder action doesn't want to transition over like I want it to. If you can come up with a better way to make a set of rudders with the stick and still use the buttons in a box then I am all in to kill a third T.16000.

[titanic3]

So, recently, my 3D Precision Pro from yesteryear has started acting up in bad ways... getting all twitchy like a crack addled spider monkey...   

I don't have the money to drop on what I really want, so I am trying to get hold of something that will be decent and last a year or two until I can get a real set up with pedals, etc.

I am looking at the HOTAS X, because it appears to do everything I need it to and it's $50.  Anyone else have any experience with any of these sticks/throttles?

I am a terrible fighter pilot, but I do a lot of buff and ground attack runs (which is really fun with my possessed twitchy Precision these days).  I do want to get better at flying fighters, so I certainly don't want to be hindered by a turd flight stick, but on the other hand I am not good enough to notice shortcomings that some of you aces out there might...

Any advice would be appreciated!!

I have one, used for only 2-3 hours. It's all fine, all buttons are within reach. I just don't use it because my fingers and hands are too big for it. Plenty of buttons, twisty stick, hat switch, throttle has another 5 or 6 buttons on it. The stick itself is pretty short, so when I hold on to it, the bottom of my hand is uncomfortably squeezed if I want to keep my finger on the hat switch. I can sell you mine for $35. Just pay shipping and handling, brand new, used 2-3 hours, everything works. I just don't have the original box.

[titanic3]

I already got a taker. PM received.

[Bizman]

Sounds like an ambitious project there Bizman. I have killed two T.16000's in trying to turn them into another controller that is recognized in TARGET so I can get the home made rudders and another box ready to combine. The problem lies in the fact that the rudder action doesn't want to transition over like I want it to. If you can come up with a better way to make a set of rudders with the stick and still use the buttons in a box then I am all in to kill a third T.16000.

I guess I didn't express my idea clearly enough: I meant I'd use the T.16000 as is with the throttle of the HOTAS X and Saitek pedals. That would mean three separate USB controllers with an extra stick of the HOTAS. To reduce both packaging and desk space I'd like to change the HOTAS into a throttle only controller by stuffing the board of the stick part into the throttle base. In case that were too tedious I'd just put the stick's board into a small box containing the circuitry to connect the throttle to USB.

[Reschke]

I see where you are going with that now Bizman. I hope it works out for you; keep us posted via pictures on the work as I am interested as well for my own hopeful project.