I am waiting for these to be delivered so I can start flying Heli’s. Brand new to them so I wanted an opinion about whether I have made a good choice - or not as the case may be!
I can’t speak to their collective specifically, but I’ve got a few of their products:
WarBRD base
Constellation Alpha Prime stick
Mongoose T50CM3 throttle
Control Panel 2
They take absolutely forever to ship, but once your gear arrives, you’ll probably never have to replace it. It’s the best of the best, full stop.
I’m currently waiting on a joystick extension from them, 45 days and counting… seriously they take forever. They don’t penalize US customers with tariff charges either. No idea how they’re doing that, but I’m not arguing.
The only downside to Virpil is that their products are really for combat simmers. They work great with MSFS, but they’re totally overkill for civil sims.
Oh, and the software gives you tons of flexibility, but it assumes you have a masters in computer science.
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They are great. With the right mounts and extensions, they offer a lot of feel and precision.
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This is what I ordered, and you are right, I have already been waiting over a month - BAck- order, back-order - looking forward to it though 
| Items | Qty | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MongoosT-50CM3 Base Availability: Back-Order |
SKU: VPC-109-001|1|£
|Rotor TCS Plus Base [UPGRADED] Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-112-001|1|£
|Chair Mount - Collective Base Adapter Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-620|1|£
|Flightstick Extension - 200mm Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-602-200|1|
|Desk Mount V4 Adapter - MongoosT-50CM3 Base Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-623-001|2|
|Desk Mount V4 - L Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-601-006|1|
|SharKa-50 Collective Grip Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-011|1|
|Constellation ALPHA Prime [R] Availability: Back-Order
SKU: VPC-009-01-R|1|
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I have the Collective and Chair Mount, Throttle and Alpha Joystick - they are excellent - make sure you tune the tensions to your preference.
I had to order a couple of extra bolts from Amazon to fit the chair mount to an IKEA Markus Chair.
I also used a C Clamp instead of bolts to attach the Collective Base to the Chair Plate - gives more freedom of movement and is much quicker to detach if necessary
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What you have ordered is what I have - it is very good particularly once you start to build up some muscle memory with it. It is not cheap kit, but think of it as an investment. 
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I have the WARBRD + Alpha grip + the T50CM3 Throttle and I am super happy with them. Extremely accurate, easy to use. I didn’t even change any springs or whatnot. I upgraded from an X-52 Saitek that I had for like 12 years 
so quite an upgrade.
You didn’t make a mistake, they are top notch and hold their value very well in case you wanna sell them later on.
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Thanks guys/ladies, now I am reassured I made the right choice. A few very good tips too, brilliant!
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Oups, I made a mistake, I only have the Alpha grip, not the prime. I was gonna say, depending on what you’re upgrading from, the quality will become apparent from the moment you hold it in your hands once you unbox it. I don’t have the Prime (the metal one) and I was worried I’m missing out, but it’s extremely solid, has heft and feels really good in your hands, so I’m guessing the metal one feels even better.
I have never bought Heli controls before but have been reading and watching vid’s a lot about the controls for them. I decided to get good gear once and for all as I won’t be able to afford them in a few months - retiring! Yes, by all accounts I have made a good choice as I have been dying to fly helicopters which will be another steep learning curve.
As yet I would not be able to comment on which is better and probably never will be as this will be the only one I buy but am grateful for the reassurance about the quality.
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There is a spring attachment, so the collective lever moves smoothly. Price is around 25 Euro or so, and this item is well worth it. Makes the lever stay in the position you want, and no need to overtighten the dampeners.
I own the Virpil Heli stick, collective and mount (and this spring thing), and I‘m absolutely happy about it! So, rest assured: good purchase!!!
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The only difference between the Alpha and Alpha Prime is the LEDs and the Prime is aluminum instead of plastic. The button configuration is exactly the same.
Yeah, my point was that even the plastic one feels fantastic and it’s very rugged, so the aluminum one must feel even more solid to the touch.
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I have the Virpil base and stick (Blackshark) grip and it is pretty amazing.
You basically get used to it and once you “get it” helicopter flying becomes really rewarding in DCS and MSFS. The switches are also nice.
Finding a way to mount was a pain in the butt for me (as my chair really didn’t work with the mount). I ended up buying a work-out step bench and just mounted on there. Works like a charm and I can put i under one of my desks to keep it out of the way.
Pretty clever that idea. How long did it take for you to “Get it”? It’s all about hand eye co-ord I know. I have been watching a few guys on youtube in MSFS and one in DCS. Those missions look good but the scenery is lacking a little in DCS but I suppose it’s there for missions and not the looks. What I do see in MSFS is folk trying to hover and land that seems to be an issue but all without question say it is easier with the right kit.
One guy was recalling how different it was to change from stick and throttle to collectives and a cyclic but that once he got used to it it was way better.
Gosh, I had a notification it is being shipped today! So excited. 23rd April until today 28th May - not too bad for a back order.
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Well looks like you will receive it soon. I’m sure after getting used to it you’ll enjoy it.
Rotos in DCS are great and definitely recommend it. I play DCS as much as MSFS . The flight dynamics and cockpit fidelity is beyond impressive. If you can handle choppers in DCS, the MSFS choppers are EZ mode. As for the ground graphics, yes, they seem to be about 10 years behind, but it is getting better (they just implemented DLSS) and the new Germany map is very impressive. Only downside is DCS is crazy expensive. Solid planes are $70 a pop and the maps cost money to. But it is still a pretty amazing sim.
I was under the impression DCS was free. Silly me! Yes I saw the cockpit of a troop transporter and you are right it was very good in DCS. I will have a go in MSFS first as my outlay has been a bit steep and for the future I will definitely keep DCS in mind. $70 for a craft - whew! Appreciate the advice though and will definitely look into DCS down the road a bit.
The base game is free but you generally need to pay for most high fidelity modules.
Don’t ask me how much I’ve spent on that sim ha ha.
Really wish MSFS would go down the weapon enabled military aircraft vertical.
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I believe this is now standard.
I have had my collective for a number of years now so don’t have this. The only reason I have not upgraded to add this is the collective would be hitting my desk when I use my desk/chair in it’s normal position. Once of these days I might actually get round to changing my desk, getting cockpit or motion platform… if/when I eventually make up my mind what route to take!