What Flight Simulator Yokes Are And Why You Should Get One
Posted: Monday, January 24, 2011
by Simon Timley
http://www.flyingairplanegames.com
Flight sim yokes are gaming accessories used to control the attitude and settings of your plane inside flight simulation games. You hold these devices with both hands, and the axes of motion and built-in buttons can be used to control plane functions such as aileron or elevator movement, throttle, mix and pop. You pull back on the yoke, the plane climbs, and you push on the yoke, and the plane descends.
Major features:
- Steering columns that are crafted to allow smooth, precise motion of the parameters on the plane (elevator and ailerons)
- Programmable buttons, which let you modify plane settings such as flap, trim, and thrust
- Easy connectivity to your computer with USB and integration into just about every popular flight simulation game
One consideration that you'll need to make with your flight sim yoke is where you are going to mount it. It's frequently tricky to find room for this on your desk, and the easiest solution is to simply push your keyboard back or to the side, or ideally place it in a slide-out tray underneath your desk. Once you find a good place, you can use the clamp included with the flight yoke to attach it to the lip of your desk. Some hobbyist gamers also create custom mounting panels that affix to their workstation in order to give them extra space.
Popular Brands:
The two popular brands out there for yokes are Saitek and CH Products. These companies both sell flight yokes that provide realistic motion control inside your flight sim, with smooth mechanical motion for precise steering and navigation, and are made out of quality, long-lasting materials.
Cost:
To buy a new flight yoke will cost you around $150 for the more popular models available. If you are looking for a bargain, consider researching prices on auction sites, such as eBay, for used models. I've seen used yokes there for between $50 and $100 that will provide almost as good as new functionality.
Yokes Versus Joysticks:
To enhance your gaming simulation experience, you might also want to consider joysticks as an alternate control method to using the mouse and keyboard. This is mostly a matter of personal preference, but consider the type of plane that you intend to fly. Ordinarily, gamers playing games that involve dog fighting will tend to gravitate towards using joysticks (which are the controls used in actual fighter jets), whereas people interested in cruising around in a Cessna inside the flight simulator will ordinarily prefer a flight yoke, which is the controller used in commercial and private transport planes.
Are They Worth Buying?
Flight simulator yokes are certainly a good-sized investment, but given how much time you spend inside your flight sim game, you'll soon realize that the added realism will justify the initial cost. There's just something about having both hands wrapped around a controller that adds to the realism.
So which are the best yokes out there? Check out my full article for my recommended flight simulator yokes. Simon Timley is a flight enthusiast, PC gamer, and contributing author at Flying Airplane Games.com
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