What's happening to the price of flight sim controlers?

[OldAirmail]

Yesterday I repaired the Saitek Pro Flight Switch Panel that I paid $51 for four years ago. The one that is now $100 on Amazon, and higher elsewhere.

Has my pay doubled in the last four years? No.


The Saitek yoke is going for $250, IF they have it in stock at all.

The CH Products Eclipse Yoke is a bargain at $190!

Some things, such as the Saitek Pro Flight Multi Panel or the Saitek PRO Flight Radio Panel, are around $130-$140.


A few years ago I asked what flight sim controllers were people using. The answer was pretty much - just a joystick.

With the rising price of the cheaper Saitek equipment heading over the $200 mark I can see that fewer and fewer people will be buying anything but a joystick.

[Flacke]

I totally agree with you and have been thinking the same thing. When you look at the cheap plastic and interior parts they appear to be more like $59 units not $200.

One of the problems for us is that these high prices may discourage young people from getting involved in Flight Simulations. That means a smaller market and higher prices from other suppliers like Carenado etc etc. We need more simmers, not less!

[wifesaysno]

I suspect what is happening to flight sim controllers is the same thing that is happening with the rest of aviation. Aviation is one of the few markets were the prices continue to increase regardless of demand and the global economy...A great example is how the Cessna 172 today new is several times more than what it was in the 90s despite Cessna having recouped all its investment and then some on it. I suspect it all has to do with the dwindling pool of people interested in aviation.

[OldAirmail]

The Saitek equipment that I have, was bought over time whenever there was a sale.

Not only am I seeing higher prices, I'm not seeing any real sales. Often I see "Item Unavailable" in place of the price.

It's little wonder that most people are using joysticks and keyboards.


Let's face it. This stuff is made in China, and there is no further product development in the flight sim hardware. It is as it is, and they aren't going to improve it.

True, things that are produced in limited numbers will cost more than things made by the millions.

But with the current prices, fewer and fewer people will buy them.


I have absolutely no clue how well FSX: SE is selling.

One would hope that with better flight sims, and affordable flight sim equipment, more people would be interested in it as a hobby as opposed to a short lived game.

But you can tell that, that's just what's happening. How often do you see new "members" ask a few beginners questions to resolve problems, and never see them again.

[Jetranger]

I got my Saitek Digital Flight Yoke and Saitek Combat Rudder Peddles & Saitek Throttle Quadrant back in like 2011 at a National Computer Retail Store Chain that only deals with computers, equipment and parts & TV's.

Micro-Center

I didn't think there'd be much noticeable difference with any of it as far as the Flying was concerned, but was I wrong, huge difference between using this stuff and just a joy stick.

I Agree tho, you'd think after all this time by now the prices would of gone down way cheaper than what I paid for all my stuff back in 2011.

instead just the opposite seems to be happening.

is it the supplier / MFG'er ?

the retailer

maybe where they have to buy the Raw materials from to make the stuff went up, shipping raw materials, the freight rates

or just taking advantage of whats HOTT and in Demand right now, that's popular ?

I have no idea

[Merlin0859]

For some reason the word Greed keeps popping into my head.

[Travis]

I have (and still use on a frequent basis) a CH Products Yoke bought in 2002 and it still works perfectly. The things don't go bad, IF you take care of them. However, looking at the new prices these days does deter me from purchasing a replacement set of pedals or throttle assembly. I can't even buy much of anything off eBay because it's either too expensive or too old. If FS is dying, where are all the cheap control systems and stuff?

[ermias]

For some reason the word Greed keeps popping into my head.

I am not sure if greed serves justice to this craze. Look at this link on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Saitek-Pro-Flig ... Sw1S9WePoG

For the most annoying, stubborn switch panel Saitek ever made, they are asking $996?!?! It is even "refurbished" with missing parts! And for added fun the seller adds a note "the 6 thumb screws (shown on 4 corners & top) are not included." I don't even know what to say about this.

(I gutted my switch panel and added generic USB cad from http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/inde ... Path=76_81 and connected the switches. SPAD didn't help much.)

My suspision is Saitek was hit hard by harsh reviews mostly for its radio panel control knobs and now either it is not ordering anything in that line or it is coming up with another better product. Only my speculation ....

ermias,

[Awaken]

I just noticed the price jump a few days ago when I looked into replacing my yoke. After some research it appears Mad Catz/Saitek is having bad financial problems right now. It looks like they have cut product stock, not just for flight controllers but for all of their console and PC products. Mad Catz was heavily involved with the new Rock Band4 which didn't do as well as they hoped. The CEO, President, and VP have all resigned in the past couple of days....

Bottom line.... take good care of the Saitek products you currently have...

[OldAirmail]

Well, that explains a lot.

Looking on Arstechnica - Rock Band 4 can’t save a struggling Mad Catz

"....a $4.36 million (£3 million) loss for the last nine months of 2015, up from an $809,000 (£560,000) loss from a year before."

The killer is this;

"Right now, Mad Catz is hoping those massive layoffs and a significant restructuring of the executive leadership can "lower operating costs, increase efficiencies,..."

"Mad Catz stock is currently down over 50 percent since February 4, and over 70 percent from a recent high last November (and down over 90 percent from an all time high in 2011)"

If their stock has dropped so much, and their losses keep increasing, ANYTHING that doesn't pull in big profits will be cut.

That's why almost no one had Saitek flight sim equipment to sell. Mad Catz probably can't get any orders from China without cash before manufacture at this point.



If you don't like the high prices for the Saitek equipment selling at the moment, just look at the price of premium brand hardware.

FSPilotshop is selling the Saitek yoke set for $195. the comparatively simple GoFlight - GF-Pro Yoke System is on sale for $674.96! Did I say that, THAT was the sale price? The normal price is $749.95!!!

For most of us it does no good to point out that the GoFlight is better made. We just can't afford that much. $749.95

Can anyone doubt that the future of flight simming will be more dependent on joysticks?


PS - As Travis says "....CH Products Yoke bought in 2002 and it still works perfectly". Mine isn't that old but it is very good.

[OldAirmail]

....
My suspision is Saitek was hit hard by harsh reviews mostly for its radio panel control knobs and now either it is not ordering anything in that line or it is coming up with another better product. Only my speculation ....

ermias,

I disliked the Saitek knobs for the Radio Panel and the Multi Panel as soon as I set them up.


One of the first, and simplest, mods that I've done.

Pull them off.

Put this in their place.



Go from this to this.

Cheap & easy.

[ermias]

Can anyone doubt that the future of flight simming will be more dependent on joysticks?

Yes, after years of flight simming, I got back to my 13 years old sidewinder force feedback which just works great with single monitor and I use is for my daily FIX.

When it comes to brands, my CH yokes, throttle and rudder pedals are still faithfully serving me. They were bought more than a decade ago. Same with GoFlight EFIS's, MCP and a couple of radios that still work without any bump.

Yes, Saitek's panels and throttle are cheaper and good bargain for the price. But that price, as we all know, comes with another price to pay. Like yours, I am using bigger knobs (I like yours better too) and I have already gutted out the switch panel and replaced. My favorites are the backlit information panel and the throttles.



ermias,

[Tonydb]

Flight simming at the consumer level has never reached users levels that make mass manufacture economic. At least that is what the market analysts and pundits would tell you. Globally it is a huge market and is actually expanding, especially in Asia. China alone has more FSX users than the rest of the world combined.

The Good news is that because many traditional supliers are unable to meet demand or realistic prices you will see a new range of suppliers who can make quality products at affordable prices from joysticks up to full cockpits. This will happen on the back of an unprecedented demand for training devices for General Aviation in Asia as simulators are be increasingly used to train situation events and carry out basic evaluation of flight school candidates. Currently demand outstrips supply by a huge margin. Where I live there will be 200 new training airfields built by 2030 alone and that is just a small fraction of the national total. All this is good news for the consuner market, it will drive down prices and increase competitive activity whilst improving quality.

How about a floor mounted joystick for 100 USD? or a complete panel with floor stick and pedals for 3000 USD and a whole range of products and prices in between that. Within the next two years that is what will be available.

[OldAirmail]

Ermias, a man after my own heart. I don't have two radio panels, but I do have two switch panels. One is used as expected. The other is still in the process of being repurposed.

Of main interest is the rotary Off/Right/Left/Both-All/Start switch. That's now a fuel selector switch with Off/Left/Right/Transfer.

Of equal interest on the second switch panel is the Gear Up/Gear Down lever. That now applies/releases the parking brake. But there's a twist - When the parking brakes are in the locked position, only the top light is lit red. When released the red light goes out. The two lower lights never light up.


The standard switch is mounted under the table at a slightly increased angle for better visibility. The upper one is as you see.




The Saitek Radio Panel is now pretty easy to program for functions other than radio, so I had best make a decision about buying one very soon.

The knobs on the left can make the display show just about any information in 1, 2, 3, or all 4 displays.

[OldAirmail]

Tonydb, can you act as our reporter for flight sim equipment?

I'm sure that you're right about a flight sim surge in China. The Saitek line may be sold, or it may be shut down.

Whatever happens, you'll probably see new stuff long before it appears outside of China.