I have been considering building a ‘proper’ simulator for years. Haven’t yet but always interested to view photos of other flight sim setups. I keep seeing multiple screens, fancy chairs, etc. only to see a HOTAS/quadrant sitting to the left of the keyboard and a joystick to the right. Years in the air and the only time I manipulated the throttle with my left hand was from the right seat. (or flying a cub)
I still use my old MS Sidewinder Precision Pro and I am aware that the manufacturers all seem to form the sticks to fit nicely in our right hand. That said, why buy a high end yoke and put the quadrant on the left?
Are there any manufacturers out there that build left handed sticks with flight sim in mind?
The Thrustmaster Airbus sidestick is ambidextrous, and the T16000M can easily be converted from right hand to left hand (parts are included in the box).
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I fly left seat with my saitek yoke and throttles. I do have an X52 from Elite Dangerous days and that would have made things right seat.
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Great question! I wonder the same all the time too. I see so many photos online of the stick on the right and throttle on the left. Doesn’t make much sense to me.
I use a honeycomb yoke with the Logitech throttle quadrant on the right, but this came naturally since I am a PPL in real life.
The answer there is simple; most people are right-handed, and so the right hand joystick has the large majority of market share. Joysticks are not primarily made for realistic flight sims.
Hopefully MSFS will change something in that market (and looking at the TM airbus combo, it already has and is becoming more mainstream).
Interesting point.
I use an ancient Logitech Attack 3. Reason I originally bought it was because it was not ‘handed’. At that time I was flying GA regularly and couldn’t imagine using my right hand for flying; and most joysticks at the time were right-handed as I recall.
Been a good buy. Still going strong 20+ years later. Way after I hung up my flying overalls for the last time!
I use the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS and fly from the right seat in the FSLabs Airbus in P3D. I do it because I’m a stickler for realism and if my controls are right hand oriented then I will fly in the right seat. When using my yoke, I fly from the left seat.
XCubs are flown from the middle seat. Stick is in the middle, throttle is on the left. It’s not a problem if you pick the right plane.
Better manipulation and muscle memory depending upon your preferred hand.
HOTAS are generally built with combat flight sims (and by extension, space shooters) in mind. All fighters have a throttle on the left and stick either on the right or between the pilot’s legs. Space shooters basically continued that layout of right / centre stick with throttle on the left side.
Prior to MSFS 2020, civil aviation sims were really a niche market for hardcore aviation nerds whereas the mass market appeal was more geared towards combat and space sims. So naturally, manufacturers geared most of their products towards that market where the $$$$ is to be found.
MSFS 2020 kind of changes that, as it now markets itself to the general gamer as well as to more serious simmers. Some would (rightfully) argue that at this point in time, the more casual gamer (and XBox) is their bigger focus with the hardcore sim market being a secondary thing to be further developed once they’ve roped in all the casual and console gamers.
Now we’re starting to see more civil aviation-geared setups like the Thrustmaster Airbus stick and throttle with a left hand controller. Options are still pretty limited atm with only Thrustmaster offering a left hand stick, but I think if the market demand is there, we’ll likely see other companies jumping on board there as well. It will take time.
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All - And of course, my layout of my office only lends itself to the throttle on the left because of the mounting system on the Honeycomb TQ. I also have seen benches, and Hobart (Lowes or HD brand) used as simulator stations. I might use the big table we have on the back porch, but then would be too close to the monitor (32" Samsung curved), and I have not figured it out as of yet. But got to get the TQ first, up to today, it’s has not shipped.
But, alas, I’m right handed, where normally I use the Joystick with it’s built in throttle (fly right and throttle left) but that is a single station for flying. The TQ (and yoke later) will change my way of flying, and will have to redesign office to accommodate the left seat layout.
And of course, if I replace the current monitor to a ASUS 49" gaming one, then I will have to take that into consideration as well.
BUT, this simulator has to get less buggy and more “real world” for me to plunk down a bunch of $$$$$, for all that stuff, so sort of in holding pattern, and think it’s going to be well into July 21 before this game is a real type simulator.
But, I can order the stuff (Yoke and TQ) and test them, and then put back in the box until I figure out layout for it all. There are companies, which make panels but you will have several thousand in that setup. I have lots of other things I have to do other than fly this thing all the time. Sorry to be so long winded.
I guess the question that immediately jumps to mind is…
What else are joysticks for? Most users that race on PC use wheels, really hard to drive with a joystick. Shooter games are keyboard/mouse or gamepad.
?? I am at a loss as to what else I would use a stick for other than flying.
Good point. Combat sims have been far more prevalent over the years. Overlooked that.
combat flight sims (normally stick right, throttle left), space sims. GA/Commercial flight sims really are a niche market (or at least, were before MSFS2020).