My reason for 4 instead of 5 stars? The clamps are awful. They are designed only to fit really thick, flat desks. If your computer desk has a curved front, it’s really difficult to get this to stay put.

The feel of the yoke is a little too plasticky. I would like to see slightly smaller yoke with a closer material feel to a real yoke.

This item is a MUST have for anyone who takes their civilian flight simulators ( Micrsoft flight sim, X-plane,Fly!) seriously. It’s so much more enjoyable and realistic then using a joystick. Unless you have Airbus simulator add-ons!

I finally got around to purchasing these rudder pedals from Amazon after accepting that I was NEVER going to find this item in stores. (…)
Getting to the point…these pedals are a must have for serious flightsimmers…especially if you own Microsoft Flight Simulator and like to fly general aviation or the large commercial heavies. I also purchased the USB CH Flight Yoke for $99.74; the difference these 2 items make to the simming experience can’t be stressed enough. If you ever got the guilty feeling after mastering the greased landing with the Boeing 747 or other heavy aircraft (the feeling that it’s unrealistically easy), then this is the next level. It takes a lot more concentration and coordination to master flight using yoke and rudder as opposed to just a joystick or keyboard…just keep your hands off the yoke while going down the runway or taxiing, and you should be able to keep things in order! You may also consider purchasing the CH Throttle; that’s going to be next on my list, because using the throttle controls as they are postitioned on the yoke are a little inconvenient for some aircraft that require constant changes in throttle position.

Overall, I’m satisfied with the construction of the pedals; they weigh in at around 6 pounds and feel fairly solid and sturdy. The motion is fairly smooth with the application of both rudder and toe brakes. They work well. Not much more you can say about that. The same can be said about the construction of the yoke…fairly solid considering. I would like to have seen a little less tension on the yoke personally. Unless you are trimmed close to overtrimmed status, you have to give it a good pull to get airborne. I haven’t studied it long enough to see how that REALLY compares between heavy versus light aircraft. But again, I think that only speaks to the construction of the unit and the strength of the clamp setup; pulling back on that unit with a fair amount of force and the unit doesn’t budge from the desk. The yoke may take some getting used to based on where it will sit on your desk…in my case, there is about a half an inch beneath the fastened clamps to allow for my slide out keyboard tray, which was enough space in my case. I could see a potential problem in that area for others.

I’ve read about complaints with the clamp system on the yoke, but I’d like to meet the guy that can think of a better solution to keep the unit stationary on your desktop…no problems with my particular desk and the clamps. What I’ve read is that people with lips or other unperfect edges may have problems since the surface area of the clamps is small. Again, not a problem with my particular desk. Another con that I read about and can somewhat concur with is the trim quality. I find myself having to adjust the elevator trim more frequently with changes in speed than with my joystick…on approach this can be viewed as a nuisance or part of the greater challenge. I’ll have to give it some time to decide on that one. It may be that it’s just easier overall with a joystick. I was looking for more realism and a greater challenge when I purchased the yoke and rudder.

Installation was a breeze in Windows XP; just plug them in and they are ready to go. They come with a cd with any drivers that may not be installed already, and also games (so, I’ve heard…MSFS is my favorite past time, probably wouldn’t fly anything else that I don’t already own anyway). Another good thing about this unit and MSFS is that it is recognized as a separate controller. I have used the pedals in combination with the flight yoke as well as my Saitek X52 Flight Control system when I needed a joystick and not a yoke for flying fighters or even general aviation aircraft that have sticks and not yokes.

Finally, both the yoke and rudder are a very good investment for the hobby. You’ll find yourself enjoying the hobby more and actually steering clear of the autopilot controls. Hope this gives you some things to think about.