HOTAS
A joystick and throttle combo is a holy grail of flight sim hardware. It has everything you need to take off from a virtual runway, or undock from that friendly space station without leaving your hand from the stick or throttle. Introduced back in 1991 by Thrustmaster the first Cougar HOTAS paved the way to the variety of products we have today.
Like with most hobbies, the budget is the limit of what you can get your hands on these days. From the budget friendly combos to all metal replicas and everything in between, today is a great time to be a sim pilot. Choice is good.
When picking HOTAS, look to the games you are playing, and whether a particular setup has enough controls to satisfy ever more complicated sims, because you don't want to take your hands off of the throttle and stick when flying gets rough.
Joysticks
Flight sim joysticks are probably the most iconic gaming peripherals. You see one, and you know exactly what it's purpose, whether you are flying the friendly skies of the Microsoft Flight Simulator, battling your way in IL-2 or DCS, these allow you to experience the thrill of aviation without the terrifying prospect of leaving the ground.
In the past several decades, joysticks have undergone a remarkable transformation. From the clunky, unresponsive and imprecise beasts to the sleek comfortable marvels of today, these devices have come a long way. And with popularity of flight and space sims on the rise again, there are more choices that ever before, from the budget friendly all-in-one joysticks that let you try your new hobby, to all metal contraptions with a separate base, adjustable cams and swappable grips, there is joystick for everyone.
We hope that by providing this info you will find what you are looking for. Whether you are a casual flyer or a die hard sim pilot, welcome. Look around and come back often, as we try to keep this site up to date with all the new developments in flight sim hardware. If you are to get just one controller, joystick is essential, the ones with throttle and twist rudder axis are a must, as it will cover all the basic needs for an air or space pilot.
Rudder Pedals
These foot operated contraptions provide a nuanced control of a seasoned pilot. While strictly not necessary, rudder pedals add that extra touch of realism many of us crave in our setups. Like with other peripherals there are plenty of options to choose from. Some are plug and play simple 1 axis controllers, others have different degrees of adjustability and customization, all are awesome for coordinated turns.
In the hierarchy of flight sim controllers, rudder pedals are probably towards the bottom. A good twist axis joystick will go a log way to simulate rudder functionality for a casual flyer. However, you will know when you are ready to upgrade if you are serius about sim flying. Besides, once you get the pedals, you can map that joystick twist axis to the side thrusters, to make going through a space station 'mail' slot in Elite Dangerous a little bit easier.
Looking for rudder pedals, something midrange is probably a good choice for most people. You don't necessarily need independent differential brake asix, especially if your joystick has a pinky lever, you can map brakes to an easy to reach button, or if you are a virtual helicopter pilot. Having toe brakes axis is great for that extra bit of realism, but it comes at a cost which might be a consideration for someone getting their first set of pedals. The choice is yours, of course, and it's good that now we have choices.
Throttles
Throttles are the other half of HOTAS. While joysticks get all glory, a good throttle setup will allow you to operate additional controls with your other hand, freeing up the mental load on what is mapped to which mode on that one 4-way hat on the joystick.
Having a separate throttle allows virtual pilots to pick exactly what they need, without compromise or being tied to a particular joystick. While most joysticks have an extra throttle axis, having a dedicated controller with extra axis, buttons and switches is always welcome, especially as you dive deeper into the hobby.
From single to multiple engines, these can be used in general aviation or military simulation. The adventurous pilots can even try them in a space sim. Do pick one with a ministick if you get into space, the 6 degrees of freedom is a whole new way of flying, and you will need all the axis you can get.
Yokes
A fancy steering wheel for your armchair airplane, a yoke is unquestionably the top toy for virtual pilots who have everything. Given this niche, there are limited choices available, although most are top notch. Be prepared to push your budget to the limit.
Unless you crave ultimate realism or are training to become a real pilot, a flight yoke is a nice to have but not necessary to enjoy simulated flying. General aviation is where it would be used most, as combat flyer usually prefer joysticks.
Recent offerings from Thrustmaster, Turtle Beach and Honeycomb Aeronautical push the limits of realism and functionality of modern yokes, and are great contenders for desktop flight deck as you prepare for your pilots exam.