I Need a New Joystick

[mbnicholson]

I started this flight Sim hobby around 29 years ago. I love it. I am now flying mostly PMDG, the MJC8 Q400 and am trying to work up the Milviz KA350i. Over this period of time, the only controller I have used is the Logitech Extreme 3DPro. I like how easy they are to program, and with the Logitech Gaming Pad, I have plenty of buttons. Unfortunately, I have started to realize my present Joystick has about had it's last flight. It's more wore out than I am, and I'm 77. So I am looking for a new Joystick which will program with the Prepar3D program. I do not want one of these Hootsy or whatever they call those controllers with separate Joystick and throttle. After searching the web today, about the only one I could locate was a Thrustmaster T.16000M flight stick. I would sure appreciate any advise that might be out there. Easy to program without doing it with FSUIPC, One unit, and of sufficient quality to last. Any advise will be appreciated.

Mike Nicholson, Jetline Systems PC, 4.20 Intel 4 Core i7-7700k CDU, Nividia GTX 1060 6GB card, 32722 mbs memory, Windows 10- 64bit, Prepar3D v4.5 Pro

[MHargrove]

The T16000M FCS (the version without the throttle) is a nice joystick. Unlike older joysticks, it does not use potentiometers to sense the joystick position and will have a very long life as a result. It also has much higher resolution than your Logitech Extreme 3D Pro (a venerable and popular joystick from the Paleozoic era of flight simulation -- I have one on my shelf that has many, many hours of use). "Higher resolution" on a joystick means it will be more responsive when you move it -- it makes it possible to make that tiny adjustment to pitch or roll that you want to maintain altitude or heading, barely a breath of movement that was just not possible with your Logitech.

It also has the advantage of being adaptable to either left-handed or right-handed use -- very few joysticks allow that.

-M.

[mbnicholson]

Thank you for the reply Mark. Can you tell me if you program it with the P3d controller settings pretty much like the Logitech Extreme does? Mike

[MHargrove]

Yes.

[mbnicholson]

It's ordered Mark. I've been thinking of doing this for some time, Mike

[MHargrove]

Give me a shout after you get it if you have any issues with configuration or calibration -- I'll help if I can!

[mbnicholson]

I will, It arrives today, but I still have a couple of house projects to finish up first.

[mbnicholson]

All I can say is I am extremely happy with this Thrustmaster Joystick. It virtually installed itself. Spent awhile with the key assignments though. I have used a Logiteck G-13 keypad for years. I used this because there were only 12 buttons on the Extreme 3D Pro, and it gave me 22 more buttons. I use 10 of the buttons for Radar Contact. I kept all the buttons on the G-13 and have 5 buttons left over on the Thrustmaster. Just a question of learning the new buttons which I should master in 2 or 3 days. It's as smooth as silk. A very good hat switch. Just love it all. Sure glad I finally made the switch. Thanks for your explanations. These forums are just great. Take care, Mike