Are there any other Honeycomb Alpha Yoke users who have no need for the panel and starter switches? This is a good yoke but those buttons get in the way of the setup I want. This is a much better yoke than the lower priced Saitek Cessna yoke I ditched and works well. But those switches are worthless to me. Because of those pesky switches I am looking at the Redbird Alloy YK1.
I’m not sure I understand this post. The switches work well for me. I didn’t need a second avionics master as the planes I fly only have one. I reprogrammed it and have been using it as a fuel pump switch. All of them can be configured to something else. Do the planes you fly have no switches?
2 Likes
If your after something a bit more solid than the Honeycomb and without redundant switches also check the Fulcrum, though their website is currently down.
I have all the switches I need in the Saitek switch panel. It’s a simple single engine sim airplane and has few switches. The idea is to get the switches in the same location as those in the real airplane. Even the Saitek panel has a layout that is nothing like the real Arrow. Where the left switches are on the yoke is where I need the Autocontrol III AP controls. It has a center roll control flanked by AP on/off and HDG on. Difficult to place those switches there with the yoke switches protruding out.
The fulcrum looks like a good option. Flat and Clean on the front .
Doesn’t look like Fulcrum will be a viable option in the near future.
They do have a delay on delivery mainly due to high demand combined with Covid and Brexit slowing production.
Mine took a fair while, I pre-ordered last year and got it in February /March. I think the current delay is about 6 weeks from pre-order to delivery though that seems to change depending on their supply of component parts.
There seems to be no way to place an order at this time with no website access.
6 weeks is not too bad of a wait. That’s what it took for my Viper Slaw rudder pedals. But how long until I can order is anyone’s guess.
True - I assume that is just a temporary internet glitch, it has never been down before.
You could always post a query on their Avsim support forum about current availability and what is happening with the webpage.
Sounds like whoever Fulcrum use as a web provider was having weird issues but the site seem sot be back now.
Good that the site is back sorta. Many of the links are still busted. But now I am thinking I could save that money and just make the Homeycomb shaft longer so I can put an instrument panel in front of the yoke switches. Saw a video of a couple of guys who did that. Although it will void the warranty, it’s a less expensive solution.
if you do that keep in mind that with a longer shaft you also increase the leverage on the bearings. Although they seem to be of a pretty high quality their mounted distance isn’t too long so a large lever might easily wear them out.
Well if it wears out then I have a reason to upgrade to fulcrum or redbird.
If you increase the shaft length you might also want to add extra bungees or thicker ones.
Would not hurt to do so on the aileron axis as well as the aileron axis seems a bit light by all accounts.
The problem is in trying to mimic a Piper aircraft. The ignition switch, autopilot and manifold pressure gauge in a Piper Arrow are close to the yoke shaft which places those items within the outline of the Honeycomb yoke body. The fulcrum has a smaller front outline which could work but It doesn’t appear that any of the available yokes are designed to be placed behind a panel and to provide enough room for switches. The only solution I have seen is the extension mod of the honeycomb.
Update: using a full sized print of the aircraft panel I found with an overlay of the smaller fulcrum dimensions that it provides room for the components that the larger Honeycomb doesn’t. No need for space between the front of the fulcrum and the back of the panel.