FCS HOTAS with Flight Controller and Throttle (Windows)

I have a lot of things to say about this incredible piece of equipment, but here's a TLDR for people who want a quick glance at multiple reviews: it's one of the cheapest flight control sets you can find on the market that still delivers high quality performance to any game you choose, however it must be noted that the controls can easily move around if you push or pull too hard and that right-handed people will naturally feel better with the controls. Now, let's start with all of the negatives just so everyone is aware. 1. Firstly, the material that the set is composed of is relatively cheap plastic. This doesn't detract from the feel of it (at least in my opinion), as the handles have nice grips to assist you (the yoke actually has a rubber siding for your comfort, which I love). Because of this, it's not exactly the heaviest thing in the world, so you can imagine what it might be like jumping into an FA-18 Super Hornet and absolutely sending it into a steep turn. If you can't, I'll put it this way: the controls will fly, not you. They don't fall off the table, but they may raise up a little bit and disorient you. Also, the rudder pedals function the same way. Make sure you are not pushing or pulling down on them too hard or they will end up moving (and in my case that's bad because I have a foot-rest bar from one end of the bottom of my desk to the other, and you can put two and two together). Wear shoes when you're using the rudders for maximum comfort and performance. A solution to this entire problem could be to buy some clamps for the desk and floor, but I have yet to do that since the issue isn't big enough for me to throw away more money. 2. The throttle and yoke combo is made for right-handed people, so if you are left-handed like me, be mindful that holding the controls the way you'd prefer may not feel exceptional. That in no way means it isn't comfortable, however my hands begin to ache a tiny bit after long hours of gameplay because of the unnatural angle they're positioned at. This only happens after extremely long sessions, though, and all things considered, holding the controls still feels nice the wrong way. If you easily get carpal tunnel or other hand aches, be mindful of this, please. 3. Last but not least, make sure you are wary of the fact that if you're in a game and need to use your mouse for something, the controls may disconnect and require that you press a button to recalibrate them. This sometimes puts me into an immediately steep climb in Microsoft Flight Simulator and thus either a stall or an annoying gain in altitude. This issue can be avoided by retaining the position your controls were in when you paused, however, if that doesn't work, be prepared to immediately readjust your controls. Now it's time to explain how much butt this thing kicks. 1. The controls are SUPER realistic. The throttle, yoke, and rudder pedals make you feel like you are genuinely in control of a full-blown aircraft. Not much else to say on that. 2. There are tons of buttons to suit your needs. The yoke has multiple buttons on its top, and a plethora of buttons on its base. The throttle has numerous, quirky-looking buttons behind the throttle itself. While the rudder pedals don't have buttons, they don't need any. That wouldn't make much sense. The brakes and movement capabilities of them are super intricate! 3. The controls are incredibly easy to set up, but make sure you have enough USB slots. I did not, so I purchased a dongle with four USB ports so that I could connect everything at once and make my setup literally plug-and-play. Note, however, that the rudder has a specific, ethernet-looking cord that you may not have a slot for in your computer. I believe it can connect to the throttle, but I haven't seen the slot for it so don't quote me on that. I went ahead and purchased an adapter for the rudder pedals so that everything was able to go into a USB port. It's a little extra money that you might not want to spend, but I chose convenience over price and I do not regret it in the slightest. 4. For the last major plus side to this set, it feels comfortable. I'm a left-handed person, and you already know this thing is right-handed, so there is a little bit of a discrepancy in my review. However, nothing can take away from how comfortable the set feels when you're in the cockpit of an aircraft. The yoke is made extremely well for how cheap it probably is, the throttle allows your hand to rest nicely while flying, and the rudder pedals are sturdy, meaning they won't move around unless you push a little hard (it's also harder to rudder in the air, but be careful so as to not accidentally press them mid-air, or your aircraft may do things it was never meant to do. I'm so pleased with this set, and it was one of my bigger purchases for my own entertainment. So far, nothing has genuinely let me down. A few nitpicks here and there, but that is almost completely overshadowed once you actually get into the air. There's so much more I could say that I loved about the controls, but that would make my review applicable for a Harvard essay. I highly recommend this product to anyone interested in playing an aviation-based game because of its affordability and feel. Hope you found this review helpful. Throttle on!