My trusty TopGun Afterburner has finally given up the ghost, i can't repair it this time round so i'm in the market for a new HOTAS stick. Considering an X52 as the last one i had was good enough (though i sold it because i wasn't playing any stick games at the time). Any other recommendation from people? Must be a Throttle and Stick combo, i really find it difficult when i have to keep one hand on the stick, and another on the keyboard.

I've got a really F-16 style Joystick. Not sure if it's HOTAS or not but it's still around after about 6 months of daily use. It sticks a little on one side but that's because I always circle that way. Downside: 90 USD pricetag. Get it at CH Products, it's the USB CH Combatstick 568. Great for use Sims of any kind.

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Hands On Throttle And Stick.
Should be visualy obvious whether it's HOTAS or not.
Edit: And from the look of the site you supplied the Joystick and throttle are sold seperately.
Interesting to finaly find a site that sells just the throttle.

My trust old Saitek Cyborg 3D USB is still going strong, though the newer saiteks I've heard some bad things about from some of the other Banzai guys (Specifically the Evo IIRC)


Speaking of joysticks, what is the name of that blasted keyboard do-hickey everyone uses? X52? Something like that.

The Saitek X52 is a HOTAS type set up. I think you're talking about the Belkin Nostromo N52. They are nice for first person shooters.

Its by Belkin?!? Why didn't you guys say earlier >.< Belkin's main subsidiary is based about 15 minutes from my house. Oh well, time to buy I think. Hopefully it might help me improve my Mech ability.

For some reason, both my Cyborg Evo and my X52 have the same problem with this machine- an axis gets "kicked over" to one side, as if the stick needed calibration, but calibration does not fix the issue. This happened with the Z axis on my Evo and the throttle on my X52. The X52 was easily fixed by tweaking the dead zones for the throttle (contracting the ends of the bar until the offset was in the dead zone, thus allowing the unit to function normally) but the Evo seems to refuse the same cure. Since it happened to both sticks, I'm pretty sure it must be some issue Saitek sticks have in general- but it does not happen on my other XP computer. This one runs SP1, the other runs SP2. Just a heads-up for you Saitek owners.

Thrustmaster Cougar.

They cost though. And then you'll want to mod it with all the little aftermarket goodies people have come up with.

Ask the old Hillbilly how he still likes his X52. I have one but haven't hooked it up and tried it out yet.

I've got an X52 and I love it. Took awhile to get used to the stick twist as I had an X36 before. The twist was acutally rocker switch located on the throttle.

Yes sir the rocker twist took awhile to get used to. I miss my X36, now I have to use the keyboard some.

I am using a Cyborg 3D USB and a Nostromo N52 speedpad now.


Speaking off...anyone know how to make it so the Nostromo's mouse wheel can be used as a throttle?

Good old SW2 with FF from microsoft....