Yoke and Pedals

Hi,

It seems a bit strange to be flying a Cessna Skyhawk with a joystick. Can anyone recommend a good yoke and pedal set that works well with FS 2004? If it makes any difference, I'm running WinXP Home edition.

Thanks!

This is the most popular set of yoke and pedals.
Very cool, good luck.

http://www.chproducts.com/retail/

Thanks RadarMan! Exactly what I was looking for!

I have both the CH yoke and pedal set and I am very pleased. I have about 100 hours in a 172 (about 900 total) and you will need to tweek the sensitivities to get it to have the right feel. I found that with them, I run FS2004 with the realizim factor cranked all the way up (including G force option) and you will have a very credible flight experience. Let me know if you are interested in how I have the sensitivites set.

Ron

Thanks Ron. It'll be a few weeks before I can purchase the yoke and pedals. I'll be very happy to know of how you have the sensitivities set. Eventually, I'd like to learn to fly real airplanes, so I'd like my simulator experience to be as close as possible to the real thing (realizing, of course, that a simulator like this can only go so far, but I'm really enjoying the experience anyway).

In addition to the lessons included with FS 2004, can you recommend a good book or two that will give me a head start in preparation for real flight training?

Thanks again!

I would recommend the Jeppesen Private Pilot manual. You will also need the latest FAR/AIM. You can go to [http://www.jeppesen.com] or [http://www.sportys.com] to get them. The easy way to pass the FAA written test is with the Gleim books (also available at Sportys). They list all the questions and all the answers and include some instructional material. Do get the Jeppesen manual to suppliment. When you do start your flight training, try to fly at least twice a week. Once a week or less and you may never finish, twice a week and you will make real progress, and three times a week and you will be done in no time. Also, do start on your instrument rating right after you get your Private if you can. Don't wait until you scare yourself real bad (I did), or worse. Just a private and an airplane is a hobby, with an instrument rating it is real transportation.

Thanks Ronald! I'll look into the resources you mentioned. I have another question for people here who are pilots, but I think I should start a new topic for that one.

Hi Ron,

I didn't forget your generous offer...so I'm back! My CH USB yoke arrived today, and the rudder pedals are due to arrive tomorrow. I'm ready for your advice on the sensitivity settings.

Thanks!

You have a bit of work to do. The firts place to start is calibrating the controls. There is an option for that and it is very important. Next comes control assignments and settings. On my unit (WinXP) the prop control was assigned to the rudders and you will need to reassign it to the prop control, which was defaulted to the mixture control. Assign the mixture to the right most lever, prop to the center and leave the throttle alone. The settting for sensitivity are best described as a range of motion limit. If you set the throttle sensitivity to the mid point, then pushing the throttle lever full forward will only give you half power. So anything that you want to have a full range of motion over (throttle, prop, mixture) should have the sensitivity set to max and set the null zone to minimum. Next on the list is the rudder pedals. Set up a small null zone and start with the sensitivity at about 1/2. You will have an easier time taxing and I find the FS9 rudder way to powerful. I like to set the toe brakes with a bit of a null zone so that the brakes don't "drag". As for the sensitivity, set it so that the toes brakes will just hold the aircraft during a high power ground check. I would set the sensitiviteis for control surfaces (elevator and ailerons) to mid way and set a small null zone. What you don't want is to have small inputs make big changes or you will be all over the sky. Not sensitive enough and you won't be able to stop the effects of turbulance or counteract pitch changes caused by power changes with either a very forward or aft CG. I hope this helps. Enjoy.

Ron

Thanks Ron,

I've got the lever and button assignments sorted out on the yoke (and calibrated). I'm now tweaking the sensitivities. I can set these to where it's "comfortable" for me to fly the simulation, but since I don't have any real world flying expereince, I have no way to judge how close to "real" I'm making the settings. I guess I'll just have to take one of those "introductory flights" to see how that feels (any excuse will do! ).

My rudder pedals were originally due to arrive today, but it looks like it will be Monday before I see them. Oh well.

Oh...by the way...

When I first installed fs2004, the rudder sensitivity seemed difficult to control (I had trouble on take offs especially, trying to keep the planes on the runway), and someone recommended the "Linear controller" from FlightAdventures:

http://tinyurl.com/2wntm

I still have this installed. Since I still don't know what's "realistic" and what's not, I'm wondering if I should keep that "linear controller", or should I un-install it before really trying to tweak my yoke and rudder pedals. What do you think?

Thanks!

Not being familiar with the Linear controls package, I would uninstall it and just work with the setting for the pedals and yoke. I find them to be very good. I was able to get the results I wanted by just tweeking the sens and null settings. I think you will really like the pedals.

BTW, I made switch 1 on the yoke the autopilot on/off button. Works well when shooting an approach and not having to fumble around with the keyboard to disconnect at a critical time. Also, that's just about where it is on a real airplane.

And do take a familiarization flight. I was so hooked that I went all the way to a Commercial SEL and MEL instrument in less than a year. It was just too much fun.