| HOTAS Guide by Dr. Harold K. Schmulenson |
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The arms race of the late, unlamented Cold War has met its match in the computer industry. The proliferation of CPU speeds, memory, and hard drive capacity has spurred simulation developers to push the limits of the hardware to power the newest and most complex flight simulations ever imagined. It is far from over. The flight sim of next year will have hardware requirements that will choke the fastest system offered today. When Chuck Yeager's Air Combat was considered the greatest combat simulation devised, the 386 computer ruled the land. Could Jane's F-15 even consider running on a 386/16 with 2 megs? Not a chance.
Flight sim controllers have followed the same path as their CPU brethren. Who would fly Janes F-15 with a 2-axis, 2-button stick? Very few indeed. Today, the flight simmer demands a fully programmable joystick and throttle combination, along with rudder pedals, that are fully programmable to allow hands off keyboard capability: HOTAS- hands on throttle and stick. The subject of these controllers has been well covered on the COMBATSIM.COM(r) website. My intention is to give you an idea of the basic, well-proven systems out there that can fit your needs. What should you look for? We'll consider the capability as well as the performance offered to both veteran and newcomer to the flight sim arena. What will be covered? Alphabetically, we will consider the following:
Disclaimer: these are not the only controllers out there, others exist and may be well suited for your needs.
CH is a very well respected name in flight simulation. Their Pro Throttle and F-16 Combatstick combination is a fine offering. This duo will set you back $89.95 for the Pro Throttle , $69.95 for the Combatstick, or $89.95 for the Fighterstick. Both are very well made, solid performers that offer 4 buttons on the throttle with four 4 way HATs. The F-16 stick has 6 buttons and two 4 way HATs . Together they offer fantastic reliability. Personally I have yet to break a CH product. Never a spring failure on my " ancient " Flightstick Pro, nor my newer models. CH now offers Speedkeys software which greatly simplifies key programming in Windows 95. This is a well thought out graphical interface that makes using the stick/throttle that much easier. The drawbacks of this combination are in two areas. First, the stick springing is not very firm. This is a very personal preference, and I have always found CH springs to be significantly looser in feel than other manufacturers products. Second, there is no arc to the throttle, unlike the rest of the market offerings. Furthermore, there are no detentes for idle or afterburner positioning. This detracts from a good looking and excellent functioning setup.
The F-16 Combatstick (or its fully self-programmable sibling, the Fighterstick) are great looking and solid performers. This makes up for the deficiencies of the throttle. They also include a built-in throttle slider wheel which other sticks rarely offer for stand alone capabilities. Nice touch. Overall this is a good system for both novice and expert with unmatched reliability. If you are tough on your gear, this is the setup for you.
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Saitek burst on the scene last year in a big way. The X36 offered a beautiful combination of both stick and throttle with a built in rudder control unlike anything else on the market. This is what proved to be the major issue with the Saitek. You either love it or hate it. There are no shades of gray here just black and white. There are a few reasons for this, mostly stemming from the programming, which either works or does not work for your computer. Other reasons stem from the unique styling of the stick. It looks like a great flight stick with a huge handguard that belongs on your favorite Cutlass (no, not the F7U either). On the handguard you also find a pinkie slider switch which is quite unique. Add to this an upper pickle button with a nicely labeled protector you have to flip over to allow for firing. Very different yet functional and very nice looking. The throttle is also unique. A very nice curved throttle arc awaits you with even a built in mouse function. All the necessary detents are here. Where your fingers grip is a nice rudder bar to allow you even more complete function. Consider the two rotary knobs a 4 way switch and two other buttons and you have a great package. A mode switch for programming 3 different command sets is available on the throttle. With all the buttons, switches and modes you can program up to 84 different commands here. Very nice indeed. The pair is sold for $149.00 though it has been seen for less. This is an excellent value for what you get.
Suncom has really caught the wave of Windows 95 flight simming by producing the easiest programming of any controller available on the market. This holds for their F-15 Talon and Strike Fighter Series throttle. I may be partial to these entries as I do use them quite often. First off, they are MASSIVE! The Talon is supposed to be a 3/4 scale replica of the real F-15 stick. Either way it is a very large, authentic looking stick. The latest addition to SUNCOMs line was shown at E3: the SFS Flight Controller. This stick is programmable only when slaved to the SFS throttle.
The throttle is no slouch either in the size and authenticity department. It boasts a split throttle configuration which can be separated to control two engines. To date, this program feature has been unused by sim designers (watch for the first uses this fall!) Never fear, the throttle may be split to use as a fore and aft rudder, though its not a particularly useful feature. There is a large throw to the unit with solid idle and afterburner detentes. The street price of around $89.95 for the SFS throttle is very reasonable. The Talon stick varies in price from $29.95 to $49.95 but is programmable even without the throttle. The programming is simple enough. Press a button for programming mode in a game, then press and hold the button on the stick or throttle you wish to program. Press and release the keyboard button you wish to emulate and release the throttle/stick button. Exit programming mode and you're done. Simple. Of course, up to now you have been limited to a set of slots ( 4 ) to program. Suncom is working on software to allow saving and download of file sets to retrofit to the SFS/Talon so this minor drawback will be eliminated. Suncom expects the software to be completed sometime in July. Whichever way you choose, the Talon has two 4 way HATS and four fire buttons which are all programmable while the throttle has two 4 way switches , four fire buttons and 2 mode switches. In short, the Suncom dynamic duo is hardware that the beginner or hardcore flight simmer can both agree on. Rugged looks coupled with programming ease are the hallmarks of these controllers.
Go to Part II
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