I have been using HC Alpha for several years - I really appreciate this product for its functionality (a lot of buttons that I use non-standard, in VR flights (that’s the only way I fly)).
When I bought the Alpha Yoke, I only flew slow and low (GA) and the Honeycomb was OK for that type of flight.
But I’ve also loved the bigger birds for a while now (A310-300, B737 etc)
And I’m wondering if it’s not time to change HC Alpha (the pitch axis is really very … requiring strength )
I wonder if:
Thrustmaster TCA Yoke (Boeing)
Fulcrum One Yoke
Does this change make sense ???
Will the above-mentioned models actually prove themselves better when flying larger machines, but at the same time not forgetting about GA flights ???
Have any of you used at least two of them to have a comparative scale???
On the one hand, I still really like the Alpha Yoke for functionality/reliability and overall enjoyment, but… maybe it’s time for a change
The Fulcrum One is awesome and you would certainly notice the difference. All metal construction, realistically long pitch travel super smooth and no clunky software to install. Just plug it in and you are ready to go. The best bit of kit I have. Thrustmaster make some nice gear but you have to select well. I have the TPR pedals and they rock but I’m not as impressed with my Warthog stick. Not used their yoke yet. At least you had the sense to omit that Turtle Beach rubbish dare someone through that thing into the mix.
Honeycomb Alpha is a push/pull type yoke while the TCA Boeing is a pendulum yoke. They are suited for aircraft that use the same system as the yoke. Having both is ideal, otherwise, choose one that represents the type of yoke system on the planes that you fly/like the most. The Fulcrum looks to be a higher quality push/pull yoke compared to the HC Alpha. I can’t tell you if it’s worth the upgrade. If you fly planes with a floor-mounted yoke then getting the TCA Boeing would be a better addition than another push/pull yoke.
Useful to note: the Fulcrum yoke costs about twice the price of the HC Alpha, and the Alpha includes battery/master/avionics rocker switches, five exterior lighting switches and a rotary magneto/start switch.
If you’ve never experienced the feel of the Fulcrum I understand why you would think having a few extra switches would make a difference. It’s a yoke not a button box so needs to be compared on the merits of this primary role. The Fulcrum concentrates on being a very fine yoke. You get what you pay for. Switches/buttons can be added a plenty with peripherals designed for that purpose if so desired.
I recently purchased the Thrustmaster TCA after flying with the Honeycomb for a couple of years. I really love owning both now. The Honeycomb is great for GA planes where you would find those type of yokes, the TCA is great with their pendular motion for bigger planes.
Somehow I never really realised before how the pendular yoke system makes it so easy to hold a specific pitch during a turn. It really feels like you have two controls in one. I really do love it. (But in terms of material, the honeycomb really is a superior product I must say, the feel of it is just superb. The TCA feeling a bit more plastic, but not so much that it ruins the experience.)
And half the quality, half the feel, half the robustness and about a tenth of the customer service. There is no comparison. You get what you pay for in this case and a few switches doesn’t make up the difference. They would of been better spending the money on better sensors and doing away with the led light show. Like you say a personal choice indeed.
I’m torn between the two at the moment. Can’t decide which to buy mainly because you can’t ‘try before you buy’. I mainly fly stuff like the King Air, Trislander, Honda Jet, Cessna 310, Cessna 414 but I am thinking about getting the PMDG 737 600.
My main concern about the Honeycomb xpc is whether the yoke pitch is too heavy/strong. Would it be okay with say the PMDG 737 600?
My main concern with the Thrustmaster is that it seems so much bigger than the HA xpc and seems to jut out about 9 inches almost into your gut. On the plus side some say that although it is meant for Boeing AC it is still very good for GA/business jets as well.
Well as I understand, the strong pitch on the yoke resembles airflow over the tail on GA aircraft. It’s indeed pretty stiff but I never minded it on bigger AC (as I never knew a pendular yoke before). I’d say go for it, the honeycomb that is.
The action is good, quite heavy at the extremes but with 8" pitch travel you rarely get there. Generally full deflection on something like a Cessna is pretty heavy in real life as well as well so I find the long travel and heavier action at the extremes very realistic.
The overall feel is the closest to a real yoke I have personally come across.
no dead spot, some stiction in the centre position but is not an issue
Construction is extremely solid, almost everything is metal including the yoke handle itself.
The yoke handle is removable and eventually you will be able to buy different handles to swap out for different aircraft. Can also be useful as it allows you to remove remove the handle and stow it if your not flying for a while.
The normal yoke switch gear feels realistic and is very solid and reliable. No need to treat the switches with kid gloves. The hat less so, but that is the nature of hat switches.
No unnecessary rubbish on the base that double up with your other custom/better quality other switch gear / HOTAS .
Support for me has been good.
Possible issues for some people:
they are in huge demand and not available off the shelf, you put in a preorder and get your yoke sometime later when your job comes up for production and shipping.
Due to the 8" pitch and solid construction they are not compact, you need desk space. Removing the handle when not flying helps though be careful not to overtighten the handle grub screw.
Some people actually want the redundant switch gear on the base as it keeps everything together in one unit.
That’s a good summary. The only thing I’d nit pick on is the size. I wouldn’t say it’s particularly large at all, in fact looking straight on at it I’d say it’s one of the smallest. It’s just longer than pretty much all of the others mainly due to the much longer pitch travel. If lateral or vertical space is an issue it would actually be better than most as it’s just depth you need which is often not the space driver.
I just received my Fulcrum One Yoke after a bit of a wait but it is worth it. Your review is pretty much spot on. It is a solid, premium product. Nice to be able to use a yoke for aircraft that are actually equipped with them in real life. Makes for a more immersive experience.
They are not off the shelf, they fill orders as parts become available and allocate yokes to the oldest orders first. But you do not pay for them till your allocated one is ready to ship.
I think mine was about 4 months but that was back in 2022 and I believe they are shipping faster than that recently.
If you do not have the money for a Brunner or Yoko but want something a bit more solid and realistic than a Honeycomb they are worth the wait.
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