Hello all! As a person who’s used yokes and joysticks for a while with IF, I’m going to give you a short guide on how they work, how much they cost and much more. Having been a pilot for IF for more than half a year now, and a pilot for CXVA, I can relate to most people here. Anyway, here is my guide.
Pros - Very fun to use, adds a realistic element to your flying, and makes IF way more interesting. Also there will be no need to calibrate your device, as when you connect it, the yoke will already be calibrated.
Cons - CAN be expensive, sometimes doesn’t work if you get things wrong (e.g, denying the software to go through your firewall etc), some features may not work such as rudder and brakes.
Software - Personally, I use the Map Connect software, because it is really simple and works all the time. Completely free and downloadable on Windows or Mac. Though, you will have to have a separate laptop or PC to run the software and plug your joystick/yoke into.
Yokes and Joysticks - I personally use the Logitech Yoke and Throttle Quadrant (they must be bought together), which are quite cheap for what you get, and a Logitech Joystick (Extreme 3D Pro). They both get the job done with airlines and smaller aircraft, and I they are not too expensive. Wouldn’t recommend you to get any yokes or throttles with specific buttons only applicable to airlines, such as flap axises or spoiler axises, as you cannot connect these axises to the game through Map Connect. Especially do not get any sort of flight sim hardware that is branded to Airbus or Boeing, as they will have specific buttons and throttles for the type, which are not compatible with IF, plus, they are very expensive. No one should get any rudder hardware, because rudder does not work at all with Map Connect and IF. Lastly, a lot of people might be disappointed with this, but you are unable to connect 2 throttle axises to be throttles, since. IF only has one throttle axis in game. Overall, yokes and joysticks can be difficult to pick specifically for IF, but my recommendations get the job done at a cheaper price.
Space and extras - If you only buy a joystick, you don’t need much space, just a table to put your laptop, joystick and device on. If you buy a Yoke and throttle (or maybe even a joystick as well), you will need a whole dedicated desk for the entire setup, so that you can fit them all. For extras, I would recommend if you buy a Yoke/Throttle, it would make your experience better if you also had a monitor with an adaptor, so you can display your device on a larger screen for better gameplay. Getting a joystick along with a Yoke and Throttle is also a good idea, as you can cross connect them to allow you to fly Airbus and Boeing flight control configurations.
Cost (my own) -
- Yoke + Throttle - 180 USD, can be cheaper if second hand
- Joystick - 35 USD
- Software - FREE
- Monitor - Anywhere from 60 USD or more is fine
TOTAL (full set) - 275 USD (aprox)
Miscellaneous Notes -
- I don’t advise you to get any military style joysticks or throttles, as most of their buttons don’t work. Stick with cheaper Airliner/GA style hardware.
- Don’t buy ones that are too expensive, because if they don’t work, it will set you back a lot of money.
- Do not buy any hardware before knowing how everything works.
- If the software doesn’t work, check everything (make sure the device with the software is on the same wifi as the IF device, check firewall etc).
- Keep the software window open at all times when flying, otherwise if you don’t, you won’t be able to use your hardware.
- Always configure your buttons and axises on the hardware first, otherwise nothing will work.
- If in doubt, search up Youtube tutorials or check the software IF Community page.
Thanks for reading my post! Hope you have a great day and enjoyed reading my guide!
