Flight sim enthusiasts have proven to be some of the most commited PC enthusiasts and a rich market of peripherals has emerged over the years to satisfy the desire for realism, quality and immersion.

This page is aimed at those who are looking to move to the next level and maybe beyond to get the most out of the amazing flight simulator software of today and the future.

HOTAS stands for Hands On Throttle And Stick, and is a concept in flight control that was originally developed for the F-16 fighter jet and now used in all new combat aircraft.

In HOTAS all the primary controls that a pilot needs to fly the plane are located either on the joystick or the throttle. This means that when engaged in a combat situation, the pilot can access all the controls he needs without the distraction of having to visually locate them or move his hands away from the throttle and stick.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before the HOTAS system was copied and developed for the serious flight-simmer.

All modern flight simulators have a large number of keyboard commands of varying complexity that perform a variety of in-game functions. There are almost too many to remember in fact, and the old solution was to have a keyboard-overlay reference card that described what each key did.

The HOTAS allows each of these commands to be assigned to an individual key on the joystick or throttle, thus eliminating the majority of keyboard use entirely.

A HOTAS system is primarily aimed at the combat flight simulator market, but can be just as effectively used for civilian flight, even if it is not the most realistic option.

The first fully developed HOTAS system to hit the market was the Thrustmaster Cougar. By many serious simmers' reckonings it is still the best, but there are other devices now available to suit lower budgets.........

The Saitex X52 is the best entry-level solution to advanced flight sim controls available, and now there is a top-end version, the X52 Pro, for those who want the extra edge to their simming.

Developers Saitek have created a HOTAS that is really an all-round simulated flight control system. Just look at the features of the X52:

• Twist stick - twisting the joystick allows you to access in-sim rudder funtionality, essential in all modern flight sims, saving you the extra cost of a set of pedals.
• Multi-function display - An LCD panel integrated into the base of the throttle displays key-command information and features a stop-watch.
• Built in mouse - Located on the throttle, this allows you to control the mouse pointer in game without having to move your hands away from the stick!
• Vast array of controls - There are 23 buttons and 3 8-way hat switches giving 47 basic commands, but when combined with three mode settings and pinkie-finger shift switch this enables a total of 282 commands to be entered by the X52!
• Non-contact sensors - Rather than using traditional potentiometers the X52 uses "magnetic-hall" sensors so there is no contact with moving parts for the stick movement. In theory, therefore, there is nothing to wear out and the stick should last for ever.
• And much more! - illuminated buttons, 3 scroll wheels, 3 toggle switches, ergonomic rubber grips, adjustable handle system for different hand sizes, "safe mode" clutch button, idle and afterburner detents in the throttle, precision stick centering mechanism.

Additionally the X52 PRO gives you:

• Twice the sensors - the Pro has double the number of magnetic hall sensors for extra input precision.
• Interactive MFD - the multi-function display on the throttle can be programmed to retrieve and display in-game information such as airspeed, throttle and oil pressure.
• Illuminated feedback - the lights can be set to flash on the X52 in certain conditions such as a stall, technical failure or incoming missile alert. Also, there is a choice of green, red or amber LED illumination on the switches.
• Dual spring mechanism - the stick's centering mechanism featers dual-springs to make it more responsive, smoother and more accurate.
• Metal parts - metal switches and dials are feature on the Pro for extra durability. Plus they look great and much more authentic!

The X52 is the best "bang for buck" HOTAS available. For your money you get a highly customisable system that provides more than enough flexibilty for all the flight simulators on the market. It doesn't score highly in the realism stakes, but for pure simming capability it can't be beat.

PC PIlot magazine awared the X52 Pro 5/5 and said of it: "The X52 Pro is one of the hottest peripherals on the market and is outstanding both in terms of performance and functionality."

Made from solid die-cast steel, the Thrustmaster Cougar is the most realstic addition to the panopoly of flight-sim controls available.

Originally released in 2002 it quickly established a reputation as the supercar of joysticks. The Cougar is an exact copy of the HOTAS system found in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and was developed in conjuntion with the US Air Force, where it is used in their simulators for pilot training.

So that it can be supported by a variety of games, the Cougar's 'Foxy' software allows each of the 28 keys to be assigned to a keyboard command. By using "macros", the cougar can be programmed to carry out complicated key-presses at the push of a button. This system has now been copied by other control manufacturers, but the Cougar's software is regarded by many as the most powerful and customisable.

The Cougar does come with a hefty price tag, as you might expect for an item of this quality, so it is probably out of the reach of the majority of casual flight simmers.

Additionally, there have been some questions raised as to the lifespan of some of the components - a thriving industry of third party modifications exist to improve the parts, with some users spending three times the original cost of the Cougar on new potentiometers, gimbals and force-feedback systems.

Given its realism, this isn't the easiest of simulation HOTAS products to use either - the spring tension is very high compared to other products and can leave the user with a sore arm after extended use!

As with the CH Fighterstick, there is no rudder support included in the Cougar setup so pedals need to be bought separately.

The Cougar was never designed to be a high-turnover product and is squarely aimed at the enthusiast who wants as much realism as possible. The Cougar is often found as the centerpiece of simpits and other advanced flight-sim setups.

CH Products take a slightly different approach to the design of their HOTAS system. Their main business concern is the manufacture of industrial joysticks and trackballs, and it is the dedication to accuracy and ergonomics that is so important in that side of the business that also informs the design of their flight-sim products.

CH products are my favorite flight sim products. My first high-end joystick was their flightstick which I bought in 1995 and it was a revelation. The smoothness of action and accuracy is unsurpassed by any other manufacturer. Amazingly, I dug the flightstick out last year and plugged it in to an old gamesport card and it still worked perfectly at 12 years old!

The premier CH joystick is the Fighterstick. It doesn't come with the throttle - that must be purchased separately and the unit takes up 2 USBs (three with rudder pedals!) - and it isn't made of metal, but of high grade plastics. However, the lightness of touch coupled with the accuracy of the electronics mean that I would recommend this to anyone who intends to fly combat flight sims for long periods of time.

I cannot get the same number of shots on target in Il2 Sturmovik with any other joystick than my Fighterstick. This may be because that is what I'm used to, but I think it is down to the extreme tightness at the center plus the smoothness in movement that allows me to line up my shots perfectly.

The software for key-programming is excellent, if not quite as customisable as the Cougar and X52 (it has few combinations of key presses than either of those as wel), but I don't mind using my keyboard for some of the lesser used inputs given the quality of the stick/throttle.

Civilian aircraft tend not to have joysticks as the primary flight controller, but use a yoke instead. Simmers who mainly fly civilian simulators tend to use a yoke for realism's sake.

However, it should be noted that although a joystick can be easily used for flying civilian simulators, a yoke cannot easily be used in a combat environment (except when flying heavy bombers). Therefore if you intend on flying both, you should probably buy a joystick/HOTAS instead (or both if you can afford them!).

If you are intending on doing some serious civilian flight simming you'll also need a throttle - you could use the throttle from a HOTAS system if you already own one, but most prefer to buy a desktop-mounted throttle quadrant that enables separate engine management as found on real civilian aircraft.

The market leaders in yoke design today are Saitek and CH products..

The CH yoke has been around for many years now and has become a firm favorite among civilian flight sim fans due to its quality. It is probably due a bit of an update now considering the features that Saitek's model has, but it is still the benchmark by which other yokes are compared.

Pros:

• Three additional built in axes for engine management (Throttle, prop and mix control)
• 144 total programmable commands using the supplied software
• mechanical trim wheel for precision elevator trim
• superb precision, build quality and longevity
• very sturdy desktop mountings
• 20 buttons including 2 flip switches, 4 push buttons, 8-directional hat switch and 2 bi-directional rocker switches.
• Realistic self-centring mechanism with no detents and some center-play - just as in a real plane.

Cons:

• Expensive
• Engine management controls not as convenient/realistic as having a separate throttle unit (which must be bought separately if required)

Saitek's system comes complete with a three lever throttle quadrant. For those who require the full 6-lever engine management another quadrant can be added at extra cost.

There were some technical issues with a batch that were produced in 2007 with users reporting 'phantom key-presses' and data spikes, but Saitek resolved the problem and as of January 2008 these units are no longer in the supply chain.

PROS:

• Self centering - realistic (replicates the real-life action of wind on the control surfaces) and allows easier trimming.
• excellent mechanical resistance provides realism and prevents 'over-controlling'
• built in 3-port USB hub for connectivity to additional control - another quadrant for instance!
• 14 buttons and three-way mode switch mean that 42 commands can be programmed into the unit
• integrated chronograph aids accurate timing
• well built and very sturdy. 2-position desk clamps provide excellent ridgidity when mounted
• unbeatable value, especiially when you consider that the throttle is included.

CONS:

• Some people dislike the center detents on the yoke axes, due to the lack of these on most real aircraft
• desk clamps do not clamp well to thinner desktops without spacers (books!).

PC Pilot awarded it 85% and gave it 'classic' status. They said: "Overall, the yoke performed very well during the flight tests, providing smooth and precise control."

Unless you use an X52/pro or another joystick with a rudder device built in you will need a set of rudder pedals.

Modern flight simulators really can't be properly used without access to a rudder device. Keyboard commands won't work because you need to have variable input.

At the moment there are only two real choices of pedals for the flight simmer - The Saitek Pro Flight or CH Product's Pro Pedals.

Thrustmaster have sadly discontinued their Elite range of pedals and look unlikely to be producing them again any time soon.

Pros:

• 3 axis - left, right and toe-braking allows differential and variable braking exactly as found on real aircraft. Push harder and the brakes are applied harder (where supported in-game)
• CH Products legendary industrial quality parts and construction
• Rudder axis can be "unlocked" so the pedals can be used for driving games as gas/brake
• Very large base for extra stability
• Detent for easy centering
• Calibration and set-up is exceptionally quick and easy

Cons:

• Some people find the pedals slide a little too easily to be realistic.
• People with extra-large feet may find them slightly narrow
• There have been some reports of the pedals needing large amounts of power from the USB socket

Pros:

• Self-centering with adjustable dampening
• Tension knob located in the center of the unit alters tension resistance as required
• Adjustable foot rests accommodate all foot sizes
• Highly configurable with Saitek's SST software
• Differential toe brakes
• The pedal action is closer to the 'feel' of a real plane than that of the CH pedals

Cons:

• Flimsy feel compared to CH pedals - many simmers chose to mount them onto a board or similar to give extra ridgidity.
• Some users have complained of the pedals getting stuck in place and having to open them up to release them.
• There have been some reports of brakeage of the internal linkage system.
• The data readings from the pedal's output shows some 'flutter' or spikes, although it is not clear that this has any in-game impact or is any more/less than similar products

TrackIR (pronounced "tracker") is probably the biggest single innovation in simulation technology so far this decade. Essentially it is a device that turns head movement into vector data which can control the view in-game.

TrackIR is made by Naturalpoint who had been developing a product to allow seriously disabled people to use their computers via head movements. It was only a small leap of logic that the same technology could be used to add immersion to computer games.

It is widely used now, but following the initial release in 2003 it was greeted with a degree of skepticism by the flight-sim community, which was very skeptical of the concept (and, back then, the price!). I was an early user of the TrackIR and found it hard to believe that anyone could try it and not be won over by the extra levels of immersion - and that was when it could only perform on two axis - X and Y.

And I was right! Today almost all serious simmers use TrackIR for the immersion and situational awareness it gives.

Today's model the TrackIR 4: Pro allows six degrees of movement - That is Yaw, pitch and roll, and axes X, Y and Z. Short of fully functioning VR headsets (which still don't exist in any real fidelity), it is the most immersive device you can buy, and not just for flight simulators - A whole host of games other than flight-sims are also supported by TrackIR. You can view the list here.

After the HOTAS, I would suggest the TrackIR is the best device for immersing yourself in the world of simulated flight.

So once you have yourself a HOTAS or Yoke, a set of pedals, and TrackIR, where can you go for even more realism in your flight-simulator set-up?

The answer for many is to think about building a home cockpit. I am writing another page devoted entirely to the subject, so for this page I shall sketch out the control products available to you if you decide to go to the next level.

Regardless of what level of simmer you are, at some stage you will require more buttons. The complexity of today's flight-sims means that there are literally hundreds of input commands available depending on the level of realism you set the program to.

HOTAS provides an excellent solution, but many simmers feel that some of the commands are better suited to a separate input system.

The CH MFP is a versatile solution that allows you to create your own control panel from templates. The template is simply a graphic design that represents a part of an aircraft's control system - the radar, for example, or the navigational system.

You have 25 wireless buttons that are programmable using the same software used for other CH products. The buttons are placed in the appropriate position onto the base unit with the template beneath.

You then have a keyboard replacement that is far easier to use and also gives you an extra level of realism.

If you need to use the MFP for a different game or sim, simply pop the keys off, pull out the template and insert a new one and replace the keys. Simple - and takes about 30 seconds!