By Leonard "Viking1" Hjalmarson

Following on the heels of their Millennium joystick, Thrustmaster's latest addition to their collection fills a large gap in the market; a complete HOTAS system aimed at the mid range for price and low range for complexity.

Thrustmaster has taken an interesting tack, bundling three pieces of hardware together for the beginner flight fan or the fan on a budget. The Flight System includes the Attack Throttle, Topgun joystick and the Elite Rudder Pedals and is bundled with Sierra's Pro Pilot.

Entry Level: Attack Throttle

The name of the game is "user-friendly," a new addition to the Thrustmaster vocabulary! Installation is a snap, because for the first time ever there is no need for connection to the keyboard port. The Attack Throttle plugs directly to the gameport, and the Topgun and pedals join to the base of the Attack Throttle. The software likewise is simple and intuitive.

When I first heard about Thrustmasters Attack Throttle my biggest surprise was that they hadn't built it years ago! The market has needed a casual simmers throttle for some time now; something quick and easy to set up but that still meets the need for separate physical devices in an entry level HOTAS (These terms losing you? See our Glossary).

The AT has four buttons and a three-way dogfight switch. The four buttons are within easy reach, partly because the device is small in comparison to other stand-alones out there. In spite of the reduced size the slice of the throttle is an arc, just like the larger and heavier TQS and Suncom SFS units. Even better, the AT is complete with detentes so you know when you are at full power and passing into afterburner.

What did surprise me is that the AT is digital. Theoretically, using a digital device to host the joystick and rudders means increased response from the other units (though you could also make the switch to a digital game port).

Like the TQS/F22 setup, the throttle acts as Master and any unit you attach is slaved; commands are stored in the throttle itself. As a result, the Topgun joystick is programmable when linked up to the AT, giving you four hat positions and four other buttons to configure to your liking.

In use I found the throttle quite adequate. I think the experience of users will vary a great deal depending on their familiarity with other gear. Compared to the TQS and F22 Pro setup, or compared to the SUNCOM SFS and Talon, this gear feels quite light. But when a friend of mine dropped by and I let him fly F15 on my back up system with the Flight Control System, he was totally impressed!

As with the TQS the AT sports a good range of command options. My typical approach is to nest different avionics functions under different dogfight switch positions, so that moving the switch UP might give me NAV, ATC and REFUEL controls, MID might be A2G and COMMS, and DOWN might be WINGMAN control and TARGETTING. Everyone has their own way of organizing, and the beauty of programmable equipment is that you can find your own way!

When this gear was initially released it was shipping with only semi-functional software, resulting in more than a few problems in use. However, the software was finished some time ago and I downloaded v. 2.2 (4.1 meg) and didn't have any trouble with the AT or any other part of the Flight System.

Elite Rudder Pedals

The Elite rudder pedals had me confused for a minute or two. I kept wondering why the pedals wouldn't depress like my CH pedals! Finally I noticed that they move on an arc that centers between the two. When you push on one pedal, the other one moves in the opposite direction. In other words, when you left foot moves forward, your right foot is forced backwards. This approach mirrors real aircraft controls and once you are used to it you will realize that it improves your SA somewhat.

Compared to the CH pedals I've used for the past two years, these are lighter in construction and have a wider spread; MUCH wider. My CH pedals are separated by 1.5 inches of air space; the Elite pedals are spread about nine inches, a more sensible spread for a normal human being.

The geometry of the two sets is also very different. The CH pedals use some metal, where the Elite pedals are heavy plastic. By actual weight, however, the Elite pedals pass the CH pedals by about 50% due to the larger physical mass. And don't worry about them sliding around your floor - there are serrations on the underside that anchor them quite firmly. After a couple of hours in F15 and ADF, I wasn't sure I wanted to go back to my CH unit!

Topgun Joystick

The Top Gun is identical to the older FCS and also feels exactly the same. The response of the stick is solid and predictable. Its also heavier than other sticks in its size and price range and has a large footprint, so you will feel that you have a real joystick in hand. The extra desk space as compared to a smaller stick is necessary since the spring action in this stick is also better (ie. tighter) than many.

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The four-way hat is similarly reliable and the three buttons have a nice snapping tactile feedback, much like those on its bigger brother the FLCS. The handle itself has a rubberized and knurled texture that seems to glean two different responses: you will either love it, or hate it! Personally, I find it quite nice, lending a sense of assurance when you get in those sticky situations that require rapid manouvering.

Since the FCS is broadly supported in a variety of action games and simulations, you won't have any trouble getting it recognized on installation. And if you have purchased this package even that won't matter: you can program it any way you like via the Attack Throttle and Thrustmapper software. The Topgun is a great place to start in the HOTAS arena, and even better when paired with the Attack Throttle.

Software, Hands On and Summary

In the past I've always recommended Thrustmaster gear with a disclaimer: be prepared to spend some time learning the programming! Two things have recently moderated my advice: the first is James Hallows recent release of his wonderful Fox2 Text-based programming software; the second is the release of this new HOTAS package.

In short, this gear is not as tough or as flexible as the top end Thrustmaster gear. But what it does it does very well: it allows an average user to experience a complete programmable HOTAS setup at an affordable price. PLUS.. .the intimidation factor has been removed.

The AT is easy to program with the included Thrustmapper software. If you have ever seen the CS Commander interface, you already have an idea of what to expect.

The design is quite intuitive. When you pull up the interface the buttons and hats you press are highlighted on screen and you can then assign a keypress. If you want to you can also use "Action Editor" to create custom templates by assigning a name to an action so that you can later make quick modifications, or share your configuration with a friend who might want to customize it.

To test my theory that the intimidation factor has been finally put to rest with this new entry, I asked my friend to report on his experience. Note: Dan has NEVER programmed anything in his life and is a newbie to computers after only six months with his first machine....

I was surprised at first at how nice it felt to have a stick in each hand. I have a Microsoft Sidewinder at home and after four weeks with it I still have not tried to modify the settings that are supplied with the games I play.

When Len explained to me that you can program this setup to do whatever you want, I was a bit worried. I spent a half hour looking at the stuff and looking at the software, then started to experiment. It was easy! I had my own choices programmed into the sticks in about half an hour. Then I went back into Flying Corps to fly.

After this Len connected the SUNCOM gear gack to the AMD 233 and I played with that a bit. These sticks program while you are actually in the sim, which is also easy to do. They felt quite different and there are way more buttons on the Suncom throttle, which worried me a bit! I think I would be quick to buy the Thrustmaster gear. Its true that it didn't feel quite as solid as the SUNCOM stuff but it felt good enough to me!

In actual use I tried the Flight Control System in Longbow 2, Janes F15 and Flying Corps Gold. For some reason programming doesn't launch correctly with F22:ADF so we couldn't try that one. Dan, the guinea pig tester, flew both F22 and Flying Corps Gold with the Flight System but was only able to use the normal throttle functions and FCS mode.

But this review isn't about individual units, its about the package deal. As a package deal this is a fine value. The three units together function very well and are evenly matched for quality and ease of use. At the moment you can only purchase them separately, but I suspect this is about to change!

When I thought about recommending this system, my first thought was.. "What about someone who starts here then needs more programming options? This system is quite limited...." However, these days there are some easy answers. Adding a unit like the Quickshot Masterpilot is a simple way to expand your system. If you suddenly take a liking to sims that require more control but you're out of space with your present HOTAS, you can plug in a programmable pad like the Masterpilot and you are back in business!

It would be nice if the pedals had a metal base; I doubt it would add all that much to the cost and it would ensure longevity. Documentation supplied with this gear is very light but the online manual is good and the software is simple enough that not a lot of information is needed. Thrustmaster warranties this gear for one year.