Your X52/Pro experience with Falcon BMS and other FLIGHT simulators
-
Hello everyone!
I’m planning on buying a…let’s say, a more “serious” joystick, or should I say HOTAS. I have been flying with my trusty old Genius F-23 USB (not 2000 version, haha ) and it has been good and all…but recently, I have been noticing and constantly complaining (to myself) about the joystick not being accurate enough for my needs. That means, if I pull the joystick, let’s say to the right, a little bit…the aircraft does not turn at all. I don’t know how to explain this, but long story short, the potentiometers (that transfer my joystick inputs virtually, into the sim) aren’t accurate enough compared to other joystick. Which I do understand as this joystick is too…too old as the accuracy wasn’t really a concern back then.
And today, I decided to do some serious research. I have been searching around forums…and videos…and everything about the X52 Pro, the T-Flight X HOTAS, X56, the T16000M, Warthog, the Gladiator, the 3D Pro (which was my last choice, of course) and VIRPIL…and VKB also.
X52 Pro was one of my primary choices as it does sell here in Croatia (where I live) and it looks nice, the T16000M being the second choice as it has quite a lot of positive reviews…but my taste says “It’s disgusting”, the X56 being an uncomfortable joystick to most of people(I know it’s a HOTAS, we’re talking about the joystick now), the Warthog HOTAS being also one of my primary choices, it ticks every single box that I could imagine…except for one (and most of you know that box, right?), the Gladiator joystick (I wasn’t looking after the throttle on this one, but it’s good to mention it) was recommended by a newsleter from x-plane.org, being one of the most accurate budget joysticks out there…but the button layout and the looks of the joystick do not really match my needs. The 3D Pro is for those really emergency situations, the T-Flight HOTAS is ok…the button layout on the throttle is really good because I love flying the Pilatus PC-9 in FSX (yeah I know, my old computer cannot run P3D at all…) but…the joystick does not tick most of the boxes. And lastly the VIRPIL products, which are in the same situation as the Warthog HOTAS, same situation for VKB (as a joystick).
Then, in conclusion, the best option available now is the X52, in this case, the Pro version. The reason I have put it as my primary choice? Firstly, the HOTAS can be tes…oh shit, I forgot the stores that sell the HOTAS are for online shopping…Duck
Anyway, let’s look at other more positive sides of it. It is very cheap nowadays (120 Euros no problem) it has a heavier base, it’s more accurate compared to the normal variant (as far as I read) and it does not look as shit as the T16000M. Now I know what you’re thinking, it has the same sensors as the Warthog and stuff like that, but the looks and the build quality is total…shit(and if you’re thinking I’m like that in real life, outside looks of women are more important than inside, you’re terribly wrong. An object and a woman aren’t the same thing AT ALL)The downsides of the HOTAS is mostly that it fails quite often…but I’m sure it won’t die on me just like that, since I had my Genius jostick that had one of the worst soldered wires EVER (I checked) and it still worked as a charm…with his flaws, of course.
So, I want to know all of your experiences with this HOTAS. Is it bad, is it good? Or if you have any other recommendations about other HOTASes or your experience with the HOTASes mentioned above (except for VIRPIL and the Warthog…I coincidently noticed there was a MiG-21 simulator when it was the anniversary of the Croatian Armed Forces this year…with the Warthog HOTAS, and it is a joy to fly with that thing, can’t wait for the next anniversary to fly with that masterpiece again xD, I mean with the HOTAS and the MiG-21), let me know!
Cheers!
-
Positive.
I do prefer the Warthog, but if the X52-Pro is what was available for me, I would not hesitate to buy again.
-
I have just a regular X52 and it works fine (after detent removal). I am sure Warthog HOTAS is much better but after I removed the detent from the Throttle (you need to open up the throttle assembly and remove a small greasy part) It is perfectly fine for smooth control. Maybe I will have a different view after using something better but given the price this X52 is already good enough to have fine control and be be good at AAR.