Virpil Flight Yoke

Virpil said the kickstarter wouldn’t go live until Oct 1st.

Hi,

The upcoming Boeing yoke really caught my interest.
However what I am missing is that on the forward side of the yoke handles there are no rocker switches which IRL serve as PTT buttons. Squeezing the upper part (MIC) with the index finger would trigger the PTT for external comms, like ATC etc., and pushing on the lower part (INT) would act as an intercom switch between the pilots. The switch is normally spring loaded to the center OFF position.
Would be nice if Virpil could include such rocker switches on (preferably both handles) at the front side(s) of their yoke(s) before release.

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They had the lid off the Virpil yoke in their kickstarter photo. It looks like it uses springs to provide resistance and centering in the roll axis: four of them. Does anyone using a yoke or stick ever experience drift in the roll axis? I’m using an old thrustmaster stick and the Cessna 152 always feels like it wants to roll left when the stick is centered and released. There is no way to trim roll, only pitch.

Hi,
Does this occur in other single engine prop airplanes as well? If so, than this is normal as there are left turning tendencies associated with single prop aircraft, like propeller torque, P-factor and slipstream. To counteract these tendencies, rudder is normally used. This is most noticable at low speed with high power, i.e. takeoff, climb and slow flight.
If this also occures with jet aircraft at no crosswind, then I would check the calibration of your joystick.

Right now, I have only been using the 152. I’ve been out of flight sim hobby for a long time. I think the last time I was simming was with MSFS98 and the Janes series of games like Longbow, Warbirds and IAF. I’m essentially starting over. I’ll try recalibrating the stick, but I think it is just not particularly good. I do think it is weird that they don’t seem to have assignable roll and rudder trimming in this sim. From my RC modeling days, I found there wasn’t an airplane that didn’t require at least some roll trimming. Rudder was less of a factor.

I guess that is why I have been impressed with the 2020 version of this sim and haven’t really noticed the warts as much as a lot of players here. I remember what this stuff really looked like when I was doing it, so seeing what these guys have accomplished with an affordable flight sim package has been eye opening. Haven’t had enough time in to get jaded. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Chances are your hardware needs replacing. These days good quality controllers use high resolution contactless sensors. Those old sticks use potentiometers and they are prone to noise after time. You’ll also find good quality yokes and sticks generally have better tension. Not all are good though so if you are thinking of upgrading at some point for a better experience read up on all the ones you may consider before purchase. There are plenty of reviews and opinions on many different controllers here on this forum and generally across the internet.

Even if the plane have no ailerons or rudder trims, they should work anyway with dedicated keyboard keys or specific buttons binded to these functions in your controls settings.

Hi,

I used to fly a lot model airplanes myself. RC, control line, freeflight etc.
However this is an area where comparisons are not really applicable because even a real C-152 does not have any rudder or aileron trim. The only lateral “trim” was a bendable tab on the bottom of the rudder of the C-152.
The left turning tendencies are not compensated for by the use of ailerons, but by the rudder. You can verify this by looking at the “ball” of the turn and slip indicator. It should stay centered if the rudder application is correct. If the ball is off to one side then you should increase rudder pressure towards that side. It is commonly referred to as “stepping on the ball”.
Like others have already suggested, maybe a newer joystick might be in order. And prefeably some rudder pedals as well. They make a huge difference, especially if you might want to fly helicopters or gliders later on.

According to the kickstarter page linked by Baracus above, this yoke handle has dual stage triggers on both sides. Not exactly the rocker switches, but can be used in a similar fashion.

Thanks for the responses. I’ve been looking over different peripherals. For example, throttle quadrants. So far, the only one of those that seems versatile for GA aircraft at a reasonable price is the Honeycomb Bravo, but that company sounds like it is on its last legs. My issue is that I would like to minimize constantly replacing gear. I would like to buy something decent and not have to replace it in two years. This Virpil yoke looks promising, but I don’t know what their release timeline is going to be and it doesn’t have FFB, which means it would eventually have to be replaced. As far as rudder pedals go, I did order the WinWing pedals, so I’ll see what those are like. It was a toss up between those and the MFGs, but I didn’t like that the MFGs use 3d printed foot pedals at a higher cost than the WinWings with metal foot rests. It also helped that the shipping costs were included in the WinWings.

Buying a set of expensive rudder pedals before a new control stick probably appears a**backward, but I am still looking over those. I just have to decide if I want to bite the bullet and buy something now with FFB or do the usual thing and spend money constantly replacing gear. I’ll leave it at that. I don’t want to hijack this thread.

Hi @some1pl ,

Thanks for pointing this out! This is exactly what I was looking for. :+1: :grin:

Thanks Baracus, I actually got an email from Virpil literally minutes after last checking.
And since I was on the road for several hours and late home, I didn’t see until today.
Looks very interesting and could fill the gap left by Honeycomb.
Now for price, delivery, import duties, VAT , etc.:confused:

I’m expecting it will be much better than the plastic Honercomb stuff. This is Virpil and they make quality gear. The price will reflect that.