I need the Mudspike hivemind to figure out an upgrade!

Option is also to buy only TM 16k stick and TM TWCS throtle.

Mentioned throtle has ’ toggle rudder ’ on the front side. So that can be maybe more convenient for the ruder action than twist.

Pedals can be purchased later.

twcs-2b

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I got my (used) X-52 on eBay for something like 40 USD
works great for helicopter sims. If you grab the throttle more towards the right side where it bends forward, it is a bit more of a collective feel. The centering on the stick is fall light so you can easily hold the stick in the needed position for forward helo flight on those model that don’t have the cyclic trim function
whatever it is called.

Do 
 people fam with hammers? I mean it’s been a long time since I had my hands in the backyard soil but I can’t remember a hammer being part of the toolset.

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I dont have personal exp with X52 ( pro ) but needles to say that TM 16k stick has imo quite stif single centering spring.
It is realy noticeable around the center.

Some very good advice in here, thank you all for thinking along!

Other posible option is to remove pedals from the equition and go for beter stick.

Recomended combination could be TM TWCS throtle with VKB GLADIATOR MK.II stick.

This stick features - MaRS sensors on all three axis ( yes, including even twist ) and separate centering springs for X,Y axis.

Unfortunately, I think for both helicopters and the Turkey, pedals are pretty much mandatory. A twist stick just doesn’t have the precision for those applications, not to mention it can get hard on the wrist.

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Agreed - trying to keep the wrist tension required for helos would be an invitation for carpal tunnel syndrome. I wanted to fly the Ka-50 with my X-55 but never really got properly into it until I got pedals.

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All valid points guys. Thats why I sugested TM TWCS throtle.

TM TWCS - it has that lever / padle / control / aditional axis on front side which is spring centered and can be perfectly used for ruder action, so twist actualy not needed at all.

Anyway. I turned canadian browsing mode on and what a surprises ! :slight_smile:

So what can be done with 200 cbucks ?

Will post some additional tips soonish


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target : 200 cbucks
state : new gear

FULL SETUP ( stick + throtle + pedals )
TM T.FLIGHT HOTAS X + TM TFRP PEDALS = 75 + 117

PARTIAL SETUP ( throtle + pedals → lets asume that the existing stick is still OK )
FLASHFIRE THROTTLE + TM TFRP PEDALS = 80 + 117

HOTAS SETUP ( stick + throtle → lets asume that pedals can wait )
TM 16K FCS STICK + FLASHFIRE THROTTLE = 85 + 80

FLASHFIRE COBRA V5 HOTAS = 190

TM 16K FCS STICK + TM TWCS THROTTLE = 85 + 110

target : 200 cbucks
state : used gear

so many options which you can find on kijiji, amazon, ebay, 
 :slight_smile:

So one of the already mentioned pieces :
SAITEK X52 HOTAS = 80

And few interesting pieces :
CH FIGHTERSTICK = 50 !

TM ELITE PEDALS = 123 !!


and many more I guess :slight_smile:

Note :
TFRP pedals are on sale till 28-JAN on BestBuy for that price

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I think the Ka-50 is a special case because it’s coaxial with no tail rotor. You need rudder to turn, but not all the time.
In fact, I remember my first helo games like Gunship you never needed one. I got DI’s Apache and Longbow and it would’ve been helpful but it still wasn’t necessary.

Then came Hind. For the first time, I found it impossible to do much of anything with keyboard control for rudder. Every collective change induced yaw you had to counter. It relied heavily on unguided weapons and it was a BEAR.

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Those are some really good combo’s, although I hadn’t heard of Flashfire before, reminds me a lot of Saitek gear. Would you say it’s on par?

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Flashfire is definitely not Saitek.

Pls check my last post in this other thread, there I posted some details about this gear

In short, all the Flashfire joysticks were originaly designed by VKB and are produced under licence.

Quality is the question probably. I gues they are not that long on the market so I havent seen any review yet.

@fearlessfrog, they are seling it atm in CA. What would you say about some early review for MS ? Youtube if you would like :wink:

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He doesn’t know it yet, but @Troll is our Hardware Editor - but yes, generally all ideas for reviews and articles are most welcome here! :slight_smile: If you want to youtube it (or be a DJ and free-style twitch it!) we’ll be looking for massive -=|PATREON HERE|=- graphic to obscure the first 10 minutes please. :wink:

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I’m currently flying on a Cobra M5, which is the joystick half of the flashfire. I like it, it’s plastic, but it’s sturdy and feels good. The buttons are good and tracking is solid. Also customer service was great with the parent company over in Russia. I emailed them about the rudder sensor going out, and in less then a week I had a 3 pack of them free of charged sitting on my table.

I wasn’t aware they were producing a HOTAS setup, I might actually pick that up. After so many years of flying with a twist grip, honestly using rudder pedals feels weird. Having a HOTAS with a twist grip would be something to try, and see how I like it. You’d be a little light hat switches for the A-10C, but I think it’d be workable with using the keyboard for some of the lesser used hat switches (looking at you CMS).

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If you are assigning editors–who I assume get free samples of the stuff they are reviewing–I volunteer to be the Mudspike Beer Editor. :sunglasses:

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No free hardware I’m afraid, plus any software keys for previews etc are temporary, so you don’t even get to keep that. In fact, there are no upsides. :slight_smile:


was what I was looking at doing
but if no free Beer
never mind. :grin:

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There is free beer, but you must spit it out after it enters your mouth, no ingesting!

Basically beer-flavored mouthwash.

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hmmmm :thinking: 
Beer Flavored Mouthwash 
 :thinking: 
 note to self: call Procter & Gamble.