Controllers

[Jon H]

Can anyone suggest a good (CHEEP-ISH) set of rudder pedals, or a left handed twist joystick (other than Satiek)?

I can't afford a lot as I'm only 16.

[BFMF]

I've been using the MS sidewinder joysticks. They're not too expensive, they twist, and they last quite a while

[Jon H]

Is it suitable for lefties like me?

[cspyro21]

Hey Johnathon Holvey,
I see you're left-handed too.

I would have suggested the Saitek Cyborg 3D force Feedback, but:

A) It's a Saitek and you said you didn't want us to reccommend a Saitek.

B) It's not really too cheap....

[Joe_D]

I'm also left handed and the chioces are rather limited.

I have a Satiek EVO and I love it!
However, even for right handed use, the Satiek EVO is an excellent stick to say the least.

You say you don't want to spend too much but, what is your limit?
I have seen the EVO for about $35 US.
If you spend much less for any JS I seriously doubt that you can get anything "good".  :)

[Jon H]

By budget is about

[Fozzer]

Having a choice between a left-handed joystick and Ben, (Saitek), which would you choose...?

... ...!

Paul... ...!

[Saitek]

You're not going to use my stick - forget it Paul!

Saitek's are the best things to have.  8)

[dave3cu]

Can anyone suggest a good (CHEEP-ISH) set of rudder pedals, or a left handed twist joystick (other than Satiek)?

I can't afford a lot as I'm only 16.

Do you have an old jopystick laying around?

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=hardw;action=display;num=1137123987;start=1

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=hardw;action=display;num=1107707272;start=30

Real cheap  :)
Dave

[JBaymore]

Check out this stuff.....................

1.)

[Jakemaster]

The only pedals I know of are CHProducts, which are very good.  They cost about 100 tho, so, yeah, start saving up

[BAW0343]

i'm sorry you cant afford a saitek   i have the X45 (definatly not left handed) but i love that brand and will never go back to microsoft joysticks   however the sidewinder 3d pro is what you may want  it is rather simple and seems (to me) to be either handed. its kinda oldish so it should be cheep if you can find one??

[Nav]

I have an ancient Logitech Wingman Force-Feedback which still works well - though the twist mechanism needs the occasional squirt of WD40.

Jonathan, it rather depends what stage you are at with FS9. If you're a beginner, I don't think you need to give the rudder too much priority - the 'autorudder' setting on FS works quite well in the air (you can still use rudder for steering on the ground by moving the stick straight left or right). So one option is to get a low-cost two-axis joystick for now.

As to being left-handed, I am too - but I use my right hand on the stick. The reason for this is that real single-seat or tandem-seating aeroplanes are designed for the right hand to handle the stick, with all the other controls (throttles, trim, etc.) on the left, and I got used to using my right hand when I flew for real (at about your present age!).

So if you have any thoughts of getting some real flying lessons later it would be as well to be in practice handling the stick with your right hand. Even if the seating is side-by-side you'll likely be in the righthand seat, as a pupil, so the same setup (most of the controls on your left) will still apply.

In any case, even in Flightsim, it maybe makes some sense to have your left (main) hand free for the mouse, keyboard, etc.? Now I think about it, most of the key controls you use most often (for ATC, power, revs, mixture, and so on) are at the left end of the keyboard. It's easy enough to set up the mouse for left-handed operation, only takes a 'click'.

[Jon H]

I use the mouse in my right hand anyway...

But iI've noticed that in FS you're sat on the left of the plane, with the throttle/mix/prop controls to your right.
If you hold the stick in your right hand, how do you reach these??

[Nav]

But iI've noticed that in FS you're sat on the left of the plane

Quite right - the captain sits on the left. Since you own the game it's natural that Microsoft should appoint you as captain.  :) Captains DO have to use their left hand on the stick/yoke in a side-by-side setup, with throttles etc. in the middle.

But learning to fly; flying any single-seater or tandem-cockpit type; and presumably flying professionally as second dickey, if you should get that far - you're going to find yourself using your right hand on the stick.

Only a suggestion, anyway. Which would at least give you a wider choice of joysticks.