Best Joystick Setup for Helicopters?

Yes, just the bottom edges.

The monitors do have a 75mm square mount pattern on the back but this was so simple and cheap. I was also concerned with monitor bounce when pressing them if using vesa.

I do need to get some black filament though :slight_smile:

I also printed at slot-mount for the knobster as well :slight_smile:

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Thanks so much to everyone for all of the great replies. I did have a newbie question though. How do I save my current peripheral setup to fly planes and create a new one for helicopters so I can switch back and forth?

Simply create a separate control profile for each aircraft and save it. It will be there when you need it. Just make sure the correct profiles are selected before you 'Fly".

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Thanks so much for the tip. I honestly had no idea that you could save a separate control profile for each aircraft that you fly in MSFS 2020. Thanks again!

Happy to help. In fact, for some aircraft, I have several profiles. Each one may have different controls or Sensitivity settings I test. This way I don’t have any trouble/confusion reverting when new settings don’t work properly. Just like backing up your computer. :wink:

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Modern helos with Force Trim, for example, H145, do not work well with joysticks with static centering springs, like your average fixed wing joystick. HPG and other devs realize that most people have traditition joysticks, so they created a hack.
Here is how real helo cyclics work: PIC presses TR trim release button and picks up, moving cyclic, to hover taxi, etc. When a desired attitude, ias, is reached, he release TR, new reference numbers are given to Auto Trim and this new attitude is held, aka ATT hold. (PIC might beep trim at this point to make minor corrections to A.Trim.) The cyclic remains in this postion and the helo is flying hands off. This is why sim Helo controls are friction or piston dampener based. Max flight stick, komodo, pro flight trainer (which i own) etc. One can remove the spring in conventional joysticks, but then how does is stay in new reference position like a real cyclic? Note: Be sure to setup H145 as joystick hack or real helo controls.
Pressing TR to center traditional joystick is a hack. This is not how helos fly. Traditional joystickers on youtube are picking up and landing without TR. This method is far too easy because it is using A.Trim. Rather like an Arcade helo, or assistance.

I’ll be saving up for a couple of years to get a real (i.e. expensive) cyclic and collective/throttle before I venture into helicopters. Unless of course I do a big job and get a big splash of disposable income. :laughing: :pray:

I know me, and I know I won’t be happy with the compromises an airplane HOTAS has.

The sad thing is, I have the H145 and the Alouette, and haven’t even touched them, since all I have is a TM16000 stick/throttle set (besides my Alpha/Bravo, which is totally inappropriate for helicopters…)

Gonna take you even longer to save up if you keep buying helicopters you don’t intend to use?

Personally I think you are missing out. Sure ā€œrealā€ controls would be much more awesomer but I think you still have to build similar synapse connections as opposed to fixed wing flying regardless of your controllers so that is 50% of the fun there. At least.

If you’re willing to suspend the other x% until you have the Full Monty setup, of course that’s your prerogative, but I think you’d still have fun now.

I have my X52 throttle axis reversed so that pushing away (what would normally be more power in a plane) is collective down and pulling towards me is up. It mimics the kind of motion you’d do more closely and feels pretty good. The sensitivity is higher of course as the movement range is like half or less but that’s just muscle memory and getting tuned into it. Probably a bit harder than it could/should be to be precise.

I have a SideWinder FFB2 stick, so can set a profile with very loose overall friction and no centering force but found it a bit nicer with some force so at least you can feel where dead-centre is (easier for controlling hover).

In 2 years you probably won’t even end up flying the H145 or Ally, as ā€œnew shinyā€ will be out by then!

Anyway I do get your point. I would love to get a proper set of controls but by no means feel like I’m really missing out in any enjoyment with my current setup. It’s great! The proper controls would just be icing on top for me lol

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Thanks for the detailed response.

I might try doing the spring tension mod I’ve seen on YouTube on my TM16000 stick. It has decent Hall Effect sensors, and maybe loosening up the springs will make it sutiable for my helicopters. I really should start flying what I paid for. :sweat_smile:

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Yes you should or you’ll always remain behind. Hype is releasing the H160 this month. Now, regarding the controls. I suggest the VKB Gladiator NXT. I have two, right and left handed. Replaced the TM TCA Sidestick. They work beautifully, with or without the springs and they have adjustable clutches. I can get very precise controlling on the H145, that is when I don’t panic and get too heavy-handed

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I remember some posts (yours?) about the VKB Gladiator NXT a while ago. I was interested then.
I’m getting a nice check this month and I think I’ll buy. They aren’t too pricy.

May I ask why you have both a RH and LH?
I can see it for a space sim, but I’m not grasping the usefullness for helicopters. Do you use one for a cyclic, and one for collective/throttle?

Correct. Right is my cyclic, left my collective. There is no ā€˜throttle’ on the 145.
If you’re not already there you should join the HYPE discord. You receive excellent help there. The Devs are on there every day and there are many very experienced helo pilots, sim and real. Answers to questions are sometimes within minutes.

Thanks. I am on the Hype discord, but haven’t been active yet.

What do you think about this combo?

Left-Hand for collective. (I also have the Alouette and could probably bind throttle and trim controls.)

Right-hand for cyclic. Gunfighter MKIV Extended. I have DCS, and that stick would be a vast improvement over my TM16000. And the extended handle would be good for helicopters in MSFS.

I don’t know. Don’t believe I’d be comfortable with that angled stick. Not realistic for a chopper in my view. The extended stick, maybe. How tall is it ? I couldn’t see the specs on their site. You have to be sure to have enough buttons/switches to program. The Gladiator has more than enough. Between the two I have 30. Seven of those are either 4 or 8 way . They are really necessary for the helicopters. My left stick is not the Deluxe, so it has a few less capabilities, but the missing are minor.

Don’t think it’s any less realistic than using a regular upright stick as a collective. Personally I’d stay away from using a stick as the collective altogether. Best to use a dedicated collective or another control that will stay where you leave it rather than you having to continually hold it where you want it.

The possibility with 2 x Gladiators is to use one with the OTA adapter (the angled one) as the collective, and the normal upright stick as the cyclic. The OTA adapter on the collective stick will allow you to use the twist axis as a throttle if desired, and the springs can be removed completely to stop it from self-centring.

I can confirm the higher end Gunfighter is a superb joystick whichever grip you choose, and is a considerable step up in feel and performance from the Gladiator, although I couldn’t previously have imagined how that was possible.
The grip extension pictured above is 200mm, and there is a 100mm version available as well.
The all-metal Gunfighter base allows you to swap springs from heavy to very light, and the adjustable dry-clutch dampers and cams allow you to eliminate the self-centring action which makes it perfect as a cyclic. Using either of the grip extensions considerably extends the throw of the stick, and therefore allows for much finer control too. It isn’t cheap, but you’ll never need another stick and it’s perfect for fixed-wing too.

My collective stays, removed the springs. Sometimes I quit in mid-flight and forget to lower the collective. Next flight starts with the helicopter falling from the sky. The cyclic has the springs, using trim release it doesn’t matter. Sure, it may be better to use a dedicated collective but they are too expensive for the general populace. Besides that, from what I’ve seen, they are too large for desktop use. They must be mounted on the floor or attached to the chair. If they don’t come with the necessary chair hardware that’s additional expense. Sure, I’d like one of those. I’ve been married too long to seriously consider it.

The extension itself is 200mm, almost 8". What is the total height?

Thanks for that. The more I read, the more I believe that’s the way to go.

The Gunfighter IV Modern Combat grip has 24 programmable buttons, which should be enough.
I have to decide between the 100mm or the 200mm extension (and the appropriate under-desk mount.) Probably the 200mm one.

Fortunately, my under-desk Alpha is easy to remove, so it won’t be hard to switch from airplane to helicopter control.

I like the idea of the NXT Evo (angled) grip on the Gladiator base. Is that what you mean by ā€˜OTA’?

I just asked in the VKB Discord. I couldn’t find in on the product page, or in the support documentation.