@Travis Clark I'm planning on becoming a pilot in the near future and am currently studying aviation and airport management at university so for me I'll pay extra if it means I get it earlier😔😅
Great presentation Russ Im a Private pilot and I started WITH Ch yoke and rudder pedales and Flight máster. Today I will soon buy the Honey comb yoke and rudder. Thanks for your help.
I retired from the USAF in 1997 while a Commander at the Blue Cube in Sunnyvale, CA. Also have some F-4 and F-105 flight time. Was on the Source Selection for the ACF (F-16/F-17) way back in 1973-74. What year did you retire from the USAF?
@@daryljoseph1294 I was ROTC and studied Aero Engineering at The Ohio State University and graduated in 1974. Vietnam had just ended so my UPT was delayed a year due to post war cutbacks. I worked that in flight test year for Northrop at Edwards on the YF/17 (losing) side of that competition. Finally made it to Vance AFB for Pilot training class 76-06, first assignment was F-4 to Seymour Johnson AFB and finally flew OV-10 at Sembach AB in Germany for three years. I left AF after 7-1/2 years as O-3 and started my Airline career.
Surprised to see use of ailerons during stall recover. I was taught to only use rudder and elevator controls whilst recovering from a stall. I've just purchased the yoke.
Having a wing drop during a stall can lead you right into a spin. Don't want that. The ailerons were used to prevent the spin along with some added power.
@@Beet5090 The use of ailerons can actually cause a wing to stall even harder. Paul was correct, rudder only for recovery, it's natural to want to use ailerons but can lead to a very hard snap roll.
Rudder only technique is just to keep student pilots from overcorrecting with ailerons and killing themselves. You can use ailerons just fine in a stall recovery as long as you prioritize reducing your AoA
@@pyroman590 Disagreed. As long as the aileron input ins't too drastic, it can aid in stall recovery, especially during intentional stalls. Combined with nosing down, aileron input can save you from a spin.
@Jason Lee of course the could and in fact did. I ended up purchasing this yoke and would have liked to help support the content creator with my purchase. I didn't make the suggestion in order for them to make tons of money on it (unlikely anyway) I just wanted to show my gratitude for their time and energy. You can hate me, that's cool. I hate your generation just as much.
Thanks for this and your other videos, I'm gradually working through them all. Haven't done any sim stuff for years but wanting to get back into it so your videos are really helping me to decide what setup to go for.
My Honeycomb yoke is still boxed under my desk. Just waiting for FS 2020 to drop next week. Great review, can't wait to start using it. I hope you'll be making FS 2020 vids when it comes out. Subbed.
I just started swimming and I an really glad I held off and spent the extra duckets for the Honeycomb Alpha and Beta combo. Now to decide on rudder pedals
Swimming is great exercise no matter how many duckets it costs😃. Forgive me but your spellchecker made me smile. Seriously, I think it might be worth waiting for the Charlie rudder pedals coming from Honeycomb. While you wait I suggest you look online at eBay and consider buying a used set of Saitek or CH pedals. They will do the job. I love the VirtualFly Ruddo but they are about $1000. The Thrustmaster TPR are also sturdy at about $600 but for value the Charlie looks attractive.
Thanks Russ for another great review. I'm a recent Rift S convert also, in fact an all VR convert, and love your setup and hints & tips. I've tried using just the VR controllers and while that works, I don't like the lack of feel when hand flying. I have a CH yoke, which is great however I still find it binds in the pitch axis. Happily I just purchased this Honeycomb Yoke in Australia via ebay for a very good price.
Flew the Honeycomb at Sun n fun. If I hadn't already had a Brunner yoke on order I would have bought the Honeycomb for the money. My Brunner yoke came in so I had some experience with it before attending flight sim conference in Orlando. I spent about 20 minutes on the Honeycomb again and walked away with a considerable different opinion however I still feel it's an incredible value for an entry-level yoke especially considering the visual and the switches. As always Russ great job.
I've got a HOTAS Warthog, which is super for DCS but having gotten into GA with MSFS2020 now out it feels somewhat wrong flying Cessna's with a A-10C HOTAS lol. This has been one of my the prime contenders given its price. I've got a Saitek yoke but it's GOD awful. As you say, terrible deadzones and generally not a good feel. The fact the Honeycomb has some avionics/lighting switches and the ignition key really draws me to it. Nice to have that functionality without needing to shell out for an additional panel. Thanks for the video.
I used the rubber band solution for saitek yoke the first time I bought it. I don't know why they didn't go that way instead. I bought another one years after I sold that one and really can't stand it. I first heard of the Honeycomb a couple of months ago and was already wanting one , but your video really made up my mind. I built my mini Itx system for Ms Fs20. I'm crossing my fingers because if its a flop, that will be the last Ms fs I will buy. I currently have x-plane 11 on my it but stopped flying due to the yoke. Thanks for vid!
Thanks for your review, Russ. I agree about the Saitek yoke. I am a pilot but not at your level. But I was frustrated with the Saitek yoke. If you are using your sim to gain experience for your license, forget cheap products. You are looking for skills that are transferrable. That brings me to my comment on the Alpha yoke. I will not buy it because of the switch positions. You know this but I will say it for others. When starting the C172/182, your right hand will be on the throttle while your left hand is on the starter key. You used your right hand to start the airplane but no control on the throttle. For my sim, I want things to be as realistic as possible. My panel was customed designed and built by John over at Stay Level. Switches and the starter are on the left as in the real airplane. This is just my comment and preference. I use the Yoko+ but now considering the Brunner Force Feedback yoke. Perhaps you can do a review of the Brunner. Thank you.
The CH is far better than the old Saitek yoke but this is much sturdier and precise than CH. The built in switches and starter key are icing on the cake. Worth the extra $$ IMHO.
Great review thank you would you ever consider making a video on teaching how to land on the runway correctly when to flare things like that. you seem to be very thorough on the way that you talk and your explanations. I believe you would make a great video on that if you haven’t done so already.
@@pizza_parker9689 yes like hitting a golf ball. Every landing is slightly different. I even went through slumps during my 40 years in the cockpit. I would have to go back to basics and figure out what bad habit I had learned....like a golfer visiting the swing coach. A Chief Pilot at our airline used to say "You are only as good as your last landing". .... partially a joke and partially true.
MS 2020 is here! Oh Yeah!!! Like to see your yoke review when it is available on AUG 18th! I am presently using aSaitek X52 Pro have had it for several years - it still works great but I want a realistic yoke and rudders. also the HoneyComb Throttle is coming out soon!
J'ai beaucoup aimé votre présentation, merci. Pourquoi avoir choisi Honey Comb AERONAUTICAL Honey Comb Alpha Flight Control Yoke à la place Honey Comb Alpha Flight Control Yoke ? Merci d'avance de votre avis très apprécié.
😆 The yoke is very precise ... and 23k + flight hours may help too. As the say “Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing... if you can reuse the airplane it is even better”.
Yesterday a person from Honeycomb recently posted on their Facebook page that the reason some yokes have a deadzone, and some do not, is that some of the early production units were calibrated incorrectly at the factory, giving them a deadzone they should not have. My yoke from the original preorder has a 5mm deadzone in elevator, and a 9° deadzone in aileron (5% of total rotation!). Also, I have found out that the yoke has a built-in "hidden" calibration routine that can be invoked to recalibrate with no deadzone at all - but those that have been told this procedure have been instructed to not make it public, as they are concerned a user could screw up their yoke even worse.
@@rbarlow Yes, that is how I found out about the hidden calibration routine - I don't know of anyone else who has been told how to invoke the cal procedure.
@@rbarlow Howdy! Thanks. Notice you didn't put flaps down in stock XP 172sp. Perhaps I didn't hear them. Have you noticed that if you pull power at the numbers with full flaps 30 or even 20 that the 172 drops like a rock (on the GS at 65-70 kias, 300-400fpm on vsi). Seems like there is too much drag with flaps 20 or 30 in ground effect. What is your take? I use Airfoil Labs 172sp also. Same issue. Using Corsair i160 i9 rtx2080ti and XP 11.42 in (experimental model mode). Sometime, if you get time, try KSNA ILS 20R with wind at 56 ft, straight down rwy, 200 magnetic and 10-20 kts. Actually, I would appreciate anyone's opinion. Thanks.
Man I’m glad I saw this before buying another saitek. Whew close call! Glad you pointed out the resolution and ability to flare and ease the nose down. It was always difficult for me to ease the nose down with the saiteks. It was more like plunk oh well the nose is down lol! Thx for the review!
This yoke looks amazing!!! I've seen good videos about it! The only thing that I would want WITH this yoke is a throttle, but other than that, it looks awesome!!
6.20: Wrong aileron, airplane stall to the right and you increase the angle of attack by turning left. You you have to turn right to recover the stall when the airplane turn right
I have over 23000 hours doing it that way but I decided to check to see if the many military. FAA and Airline checkrides had let me slip through with such a fundamental error. If you refer to the FAA Advisory Circular AC120-109A Stall Prevention and Recovery Training 11/24/2015. Most training airplanes require at least 4 steps to fully recover from a stall. Pitch nose-down to decrease the angle of attack. Reduce the bank by leveling the wings. Add power as needed. Return to the desired flight path. If the right wing drops you need to level the wings with either left aileron or rudder. In some early airplanes using aileron only could create adverse yaw toward the low wing and cause loss of control. I flew the F-4 and the C and D models had this problem so stalk recovery used only rudder to level the wings. The F-4E model added leading edge slays and it could be recovered with aileron to level the wings in a stall just like a Cessna. With modern training aircraft coordinated rudder and aileron to level the wings is what I think is best but I would defer to the individual airplane’s approved flight manual. Maybe I misunderstand your point but you need to level the wings in any case. BTW this was not designed as a training video but a review of a yoke. Contact your Certified Flight Instructor for real life flight training. Here is a link to the circular (see Appendix 1) www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_120-109A.pdf
Love this yoke and have used it with X-plane. I can't wait for the 18th for MSFS, so I can delete Xplane for good. Looking at the scenery in Xplane and seeing MSFS,, I will never ever go back to cartoon graphics.
Thanks for a great review. I'm a pilot as well and I did most of my training hours in the Cessna 172. There some things they did not get right on this honeycomb yoke: Starter key on the wrong side of the panel, Where are the throttle and mixture levers? I think I will probably hold off on upgrading from CH Yoke until they come out with the new improved version of this. They have some very basic things they need to fix first.
I think there is way too much swooning over this honeycomb yoke. It has some major shortcomings that need to be fixed before it is viable as a simulator accessory.
That center detent in my CH yoke is horrid. Even level flight is a real pain. I need this and the throttle quadrant. Hopefully they have a rudder soon too. My cheapo rudders just broke lol. I was hoping to use Flight SIm 2020 to supplement my IFR training.
Thanks for the review. Question: Does this have a deadzone/detent in the middle out of the box? Did you have to configure it in any way to remove the deadzone? Thank you.
I really want it, but I need to get rudder pedals and a throttle quadrant first. I'm probably gonna get 2 Saitek Pro throttle quadrants and a pair of Saitek pedals.
OK. First off, the Honeycomb is a good yoke, far better than the Saitek but it has flaws. I even tried to get some reaction from Honeycomb to my issue but no reply was forthcoming, nada. That's not very polite so I set out to find my own solution. The issue is that the pitch control, during fine movements in the flare, is slightly jerky, or sticky but definitely not smooth. This is a real shame because they already have the solution partially licked by using linear bearings on the double rail guide mechanism under the hood. They strangely proceed to use a nylon bush to guide the yokes spindle and I discovered that this is where the stickiness comes from. As an engineer, and always trying to improve a product already on the market, I dismantled the yoke and removed the spindle boss that the shaft of the yoke runs through. I removed the nylon bush and replaced it with a linear bearing after a little turning and reworking and it has transformed the yoke. No more jerky, sticky resistance to contend with. These linear bearings are SO cheap, under £10 for 12 number, linear bearings !! They out perform the nylon bush by miles. I fly a real world GA aeroplane and don't expect a jerky action and now my Honeycomb yoke copies the feel more accurately. I would urge Honeycomb to make this improvement in manufacture. It will not be an expensive thing to do. I'd be quite happy to convert the yokes of anyone interested in making this undoubted improvement to their simulator experience. I'd also be happy to talk to Honeycomb as well, if they are interested in improving their product. Ps. I also have a mod to increase the roll resistance. These methods would invalidate the warranty but, personally, I would prefer a more accurate simulation experience.
Great video man! Thanks for the review. This unit has been on my radar. After watching this I will definitely purchase one. Do you have any recommendations on rudder pedals?
I wonder if PS5/Sony's Dual Sense controller haptic force feedback technology could be use to make flight yokes that have dynamic force feedback rather than just a rubber band or a string
RbSims CH is best budget beginner yoke if you can’t afford the Alpha. It is plastic and very light in all axes but has no hard detent like the Saitek yoke. I replaced my CH with the Alpha and it is much much better. It costs about twice the cost of the basic CH yoke but it is more than twice as good. Skip eating out a few times and spend it on the Alpha!
Hi Mark Using Rift S now and love it. Have a Reverb G2 on preorder. Had the original Rift and it was good but Rift S is much better and inside out tracking means no sensors necessary. I have several videos on my cockpits but the one on VR is here th-cam.com/video/U33SiVYq36k/w-d-xo.html
5 axis and 20 buttons, X & Y axis on the grips for aileron and elevator, Z, R & U axis in the levers for Throttle, prop, mixture Four traditional push buttons, 2 bi-directional flip switches, 2 bi-directional rocker switches and 1 eight-way POV hat switch Total of 144 programmable functions with optional PC programming software (included) Large, sturdy mounting base with 7 foot USB cable I use a CH Flight Sim yoke--bought it new about 8 years ago for $99.00 ZERO problems with it to date. I has NO DETENTES in the movement and is very smooth - What can I say, I do not need those red lights. What was that? A 90 degree aerobatic turn?
Ha Ha... Sim Aerobatics. I first bought a Saitek yoke and as a real life Pilot it was totally unrealistic. I visited the A2A booth at Oshkosh and the owner's son Jake(a young boy then) let me try the CH Yoke. I was overjoyed to learn the detent was not endemic to all Sim Yokes. I have enjoyed great service from my CH Yoke too but the Honeycomb Alpha honestly has a much finer resolution in pitch that is noticeable. The throttle/Prop/Mixture on the CH is great for beginners as it eliminates buying a throttle quadrant BUT I think the switch panel on the Honeycomb Alpha offers some cost savings benefits too for those who would buy a switch panel addon. As for the red glow and smooth shaped design all I can say it matters for some or Apple wouldn't have sold so many high priced computers and watches. As a YOKO owner also, I am obviously driven by function over form but still think the Alpha is worth the incremental cost over the CH Yoke for most newbies. A basic CH Yoke is about $125 now so for a beginner it only requires another $125 incremental cost to upgrade to the Honeycomb. Not bad compared to the other costs to set up a basic home sim. Worth the extra cost IMHO. Thanks for your comments. BTW you know anyone who wants a used CH Yoke? I may have one for sale :)
Hi Russ- question: would you consider the XPC Alpha yoke with hall effect sensors as superior to the Honeycomb Alpha (original model as reviewed here)? I am NOT happy with the handling on manual landing with the PMDG 737NG in MSFS.
To be honest I haven’t tried the new XPC except at an exhibition for a few minutes. It is pretty much the same feel as the original unit but without the hall sensors, as you said. Unless you need XBOX compatibility I don’t know it is worth $100 more as my non-hall yoke seems fine after 4 years use.
Yoko is way better but a four times the price the Alpha by Honeycomb is a far better value. Unless you are building a home cockpit with switch panels the Apha’s switches are quite handy. The companion throttle quadrant from VirtualFly is also quite high quality and super durable but expensive. The honeycomb Bravo quadrant is die in October and had many switches for gear flaps and autopilot plus more. I would say the Yoko will last longer but you could buy 4 Alphas for the same price. If money is no consideration and you don’t mind providing switch panels VirtualFly is the most realistic by far but Honeycomb is close for a lot less
Are there any force feedback yokes you know of? So many force feedback steering wheels out there for car sims. How about joysticks? Ages ago I had the Microsoft force feedback joystick.
Yes Brunner in Switzerland makes some but they are expensive. Also Real Sim Gear has a side stick for Cirrus that is FFB I am not convinced it is worth the $$$ … most I have tried have a somewhat stiff artificial feel. I certainly haven’t tried enough to cast a universal opinion
Hello Russ, good review in flight, what are your thoughts about the Oculus Rift and the newer versions ? Still like the Oculus but curious what the differerences are in X-Plane. Cheers
Jaap Steenis I have only done VR in X-Plane but is works natively with Oculus (no SteamVR required) and I have found it easy to set up and use. I have had 3 HMD, the original Rift, Samsung Odyssey Plus, and the RiftS. The RiftS hands down is the best so far. It has the best visual resolution, biggest sweet spot, is compact and light, and the inside out tracking eliminates the sensors and additional usb cables and restrictions on where you can play . The only down sides are I miss the actual over ear speakers the other headsets had to block ambient sounds although the RiftS speaker setup is usable. Also I have a normal IPD but if your eyes are not spaced in the acceptable range there is no physical adjustment since one LCD serves both eyes. As for the OLED vs LCD differences I really haven’t noticed but I fly mostly in daytime scenes. Hope that helps.
I didn’t notice any dead zones in my yoke. I have been using my yoke for almost a year and am quite happy with it. I know some have tested and found a dead zone but if mine has one I don’t feel it and think it is one of the best sim yokes I have used at this price range.
Do your trim switches have play in them? I had my unit replaced due to the ethernet jack being crazy loose. The replacement they sent me had the issue corrected, but the trim switches are trash on this unit, very loose feeling, and don't feel nearly as impressive as the first unit's switches.
Hi Russ, do you have some news about the new honeycomb yoke XPC ? Is it really available because i didn't read reviews/ tests or rex about ? Thanks for your answer
I think it is still not available….if Honeycomb could develop things faster they could have already cornered the market….instead they have shown the market potential to many new competing manufacturers
a have this yoke too. but in xplane 11 all the buttons work but the yoke not working i mean in the game i am not moving left and right and up and down. how i fix the yoke working?
Thank's Russ. May be you don't know that Microsoft has distributed this yoke to gamers (professional gamers on the web, not simmers) for evaluating FS2020 during last month. Did you plan to give your own evaluation on that sim with that yoke later ? (VR is planned for later)
I will be ready on the 18th to get my hands on FS2020. It looks beautiful but it won’t take that long to know of the flight model is realistic. So far other pilots in the beta haven’t complained so I am hopeful
Hi Russ. Great Review as usual :) I have an unrelated question though. I can't find an Air Manager Panel for the Cirrus SF50 or the Eclipse 550. If there is one available for one or both of these planes, would you be able to send it to me - Beta is ok too. Thanks.
![[TH]FFWS SEA 2024 Fall - Knockout Stage Day 5](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/N2tl9xkQyyU/mqdefault.jpg)
Your review as an actual pilot is even more valuable. Looks like a good buy for people getting ready when MSFS2020 drops next year!
@ATyypicaL me too
@ATyypicaL me three
@Travis Clark I'm planning on becoming a pilot in the near future and am currently studying aviation and airport management at university so for me I'll pay extra if it means I get it earlier😔😅
@Travis Clark nah its about $300 I just checked which isn't too bad however for sure I agree if it's in excess of $350 it's better to wait 😔
@Travis Clark thats true 👆🏼
Thank You Russ for doing a review of the honeycomb alpha it was so good I order one and got it this morning
Great presentation Russ Im a Private pilot and I started WITH Ch yoke and rudder pedales and Flight máster. Today I will soon buy the Honey comb yoke and rudder. Thanks for your help.
I’m old... F4E Phantom II... also flew T-38A and OV-10B in USAF
I retired from the USAF in 1997 while a Commander at the Blue Cube in Sunnyvale, CA. Also have some F-4 and F-105 flight time. Was on the Source Selection for the ACF (F-16/F-17) way back in 1973-74. What year did you retire from the USAF?
Planes are fake mate
@@daryljoseph1294 I was ROTC and studied Aero Engineering at The Ohio State University and graduated in 1974. Vietnam had just ended so my UPT was delayed a year due to post war cutbacks. I worked that in flight test year for Northrop at Edwards on the YF/17 (losing) side of that competition. Finally made it to Vance AFB for Pilot training class 76-06, first assignment was F-4 to Seymour Johnson AFB and finally flew OV-10 at Sembach AB in Germany for three years. I left AF after 7-1/2 years as O-3 and started my Airline career.
@@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24 not sure what you mean “fake”...in the simulator?
@@rbarlow no such thing as planes. Its impossible for man to build such things. All Holywood make believe just like moon landing
Surprised to see use of ailerons during stall recover. I was taught to only use rudder and elevator controls whilst recovering from a stall. I've just purchased the yoke.
Having a wing drop during a stall can lead you right into a spin. Don't want that. The ailerons were used to prevent the spin along with some added power.
@@Beet5090 The use of ailerons can actually cause a wing to stall even harder. Paul was correct, rudder only for recovery, it's natural to want to use ailerons but can lead to a very hard snap roll.
Rudder only technique is just to keep student pilots from overcorrecting with ailerons and killing themselves. You can use ailerons just fine in a stall recovery as long as you prioritize reducing your AoA
@@pyroman590 Disagreed. As long as the aileron input ins't too drastic, it can aid in stall recovery, especially during intentional stalls. Combined with nosing down, aileron input can save you from a spin.
Unfortunately what I saw is Power, Aileron, then AoA. Which can get you into spin in certain situation. Stall recover is always reduce AoA first.
You should have put an amazon affiliate link in the description for the yoke and headset.
@Jason Lee of course the could and in fact did. I ended up purchasing this yoke and would have liked to help support the content creator with my purchase. I didn't make the suggestion in order for them to make tons of money on it (unlikely anyway) I just wanted to show my gratitude for their time and energy.
You can hate me, that's cool. I hate your generation just as much.
@@principedinerezza 👏👏👏
Thanks for this and your other videos, I'm gradually working through them all. Haven't done any sim stuff for years but wanting to get back into it so your videos are really helping me to decide what setup to go for.
As Fernando Alonso would say- "What a Yoke!"
am picking up a Honey Comb Alpha today (second hand will do me fine ) Can't wait to take it for a spin.
Almost 4 years and mins is still great
great great detailed review from a real commercial pilot! As always thanks for your passion and contribution to sim world Rus
Ordering the Honeycomb now - thanks Russ!
My Honeycomb yoke is still boxed under my desk. Just waiting for FS 2020 to drop next week.
Great review, can't wait to start using it. I hope you'll be making FS 2020 vids when it comes out.
Subbed.
Solar Powered Man yes I am anxious to get my paws on it to see if it’s flight model is as.awesome as it’s scenery. Fingers crossed!
Hope you enjoy it....mine is still working great!
I bought ms flight sim 2020 throw that satek away is all i need to know. I think ill buy this set up for my vr sim.
Another vote for the Honeycomb yoke - solid, stable and really worthy upgrade to the Saitek model.
I just started swimming and I an really glad I held off and spent the extra duckets for the Honeycomb Alpha and Beta combo. Now to decide on rudder pedals
Swimming is great exercise no matter how many duckets it costs😃. Forgive me but your spellchecker made me smile. Seriously, I think it might be worth waiting for the Charlie rudder pedals coming from Honeycomb. While you wait I suggest you look online at eBay and consider buying a used set of Saitek or CH pedals. They will do the job. I love the VirtualFly Ruddo but they are about $1000. The Thrustmaster TPR are also sturdy at about $600 but for value the Charlie looks attractive.
Appreciate the review using the three aircraft.
Thanks Russ for another great review. I'm a recent Rift S convert also, in fact an all VR convert, and love your setup and hints & tips. I've tried using just the VR controllers and while that works, I don't like the lack of feel when hand flying. I have a CH yoke, which is great however I still find it binds in the pitch axis. Happily I just purchased this Honeycomb Yoke in Australia via ebay for a very good price.
Bought the Honeycomb Yoke on the spot after watching your video. Thank you for the recommendation!
I just ordered this today, and seeing this review made me alot more sure that i made the right choice. Awesome video man i appreciate ur content
Over a year now and I am still satisfied that this is the best price vs. value yoke available.
Flew the Honeycomb at Sun n fun. If I hadn't already had a Brunner yoke on order I would have bought the Honeycomb for the money. My Brunner yoke came in so I had some experience with it before attending flight sim conference in Orlando. I spent about 20 minutes on the Honeycomb again and walked away with a considerable different opinion however I still feel it's an incredible value for an entry-level yoke especially considering the visual and the switches. As always Russ great job.
Excellent video, verbals done at a sensible rate, not a 100mph like some others. Looking forward to the next one.
I've got a HOTAS Warthog, which is super for DCS but having gotten into GA with MSFS2020 now out it feels somewhat wrong flying Cessna's with a A-10C HOTAS lol. This has been one of my the prime contenders given its price. I've got a Saitek yoke but it's GOD awful. As you say, terrible deadzones and generally not a good feel. The fact the Honeycomb has some avionics/lighting switches and the ignition key really draws me to it. Nice to have that functionality without needing to shell out for an additional panel. Thanks for the video.
I used the rubber band solution for saitek yoke the first time I bought it. I don't know why they didn't go that way instead. I bought another one years after I sold that one and really can't stand it. I first heard of the Honeycomb a couple of months ago and was already wanting one , but your video really made up my mind. I built my mini Itx system for Ms Fs20. I'm crossing my fingers because if its a flop, that will be the last Ms fs I will buy. I currently have x-plane 11 on my it but stopped flying due to the yoke. Thanks for vid!
Thanks for your review, Russ. I agree about the Saitek yoke. I am a pilot but not at your level. But I was frustrated with the Saitek yoke. If you are using your sim to gain experience for your license, forget cheap products. You are looking for skills that are transferrable. That brings me to my comment on the Alpha yoke. I will not buy it because of the switch positions. You know this but I will say it for others. When starting the C172/182, your right hand will be on the throttle while your left hand is on the starter key. You used your right hand to start the airplane but no control on the throttle. For my sim, I want things to be as realistic as possible. My panel was customed designed and built by John over at Stay Level. Switches and the starter are on the left as in the real airplane. This is just my comment and preference. I use the Yoko+ but now considering the Brunner Force Feedback yoke. Perhaps you can do a review of the Brunner. Thank you.
Got mine last week and love it, too. What a great value!
Sally Sparks what? Haha
Congrats. Enjoy!
Thanks for the detailed review! Made me lean towards the Honeycomb Alpha over the CH.
The CH is far better than the old Saitek yoke but this is much sturdier and precise than CH. The built in switches and starter key are icing on the cake. Worth the extra $$ IMHO.
I love how you set up your cockpit! You just got another subscriber. Keep doing great videos like this
Excellent video from a professional pilot. He highly recommends the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke and I highly recommend him.
New subscriber.
Thanks. 😀
Great review thank you would you ever consider making a video on teaching how to land on the runway correctly when to flare things like that. you seem to be very thorough on the way that you talk and your explanations. I believe you would make a great video on that if you haven’t done so already.
Kind of outside my regular topics but maybe. I am a CFI so I did wonder about liability instructing via TH-cam. Thanks for your comments.
Steven Pow its kinda like flaring comes from experience
@@pizza_parker9689 yes like hitting a golf ball. Every landing is slightly different. I even went through slumps during my 40 years in the cockpit. I would have to go back to basics and figure out what bad habit I had learned....like a golfer visiting the swing coach. A Chief Pilot at our airline used to say "You are only as good as your last landing". .... partially a joke and partially true.
MS 2020 is here! Oh Yeah!!! Like to see your yoke review when it is available on AUG 18th! I am presently using aSaitek X52 Pro have had it for several years - it still works great but I want a realistic yoke and rudders. also the HoneyComb Throttle is coming out soon!
The time of the Saitek yoke is over. I myself have the Brunner NG yoke, which is very good.
Great review. Thanks!
If only these weren't sold out literally everywhere
Thanks for your review. Most helpful.
J'ai beaucoup aimé votre présentation, merci.
Pourquoi avoir choisi Honey Comb AERONAUTICAL Honey Comb Alpha Flight Control Yoke à la place Honey Comb Alpha Flight Control Yoke ?
Merci d'avance de votre avis très apprécié.
Thank so much for the video! I just got mine out of the box. Feels so solid compared to my old CH yoke.
the switches and magneto rotary switch is handy too
8:30 that landing was soooooo smooth, very nice! Makes me laugh when I compare it to my unstable jolts onto the tarmac!
😆 The yoke is very precise ... and 23k + flight hours may help too. As the say “Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing... if you can reuse the airplane it is even better”.
@@rbarlow haha very true! I will use that to reassure my passengers on future flights, lol..
@@rbarlow that made me laugh sir :)
Thanks for the great review
Thanks for this great review Russ.
I've just replaced my saitek yoke with this.
I'm a rank amateur but I think it's brilliant :)
Hey! How do you like it now? Do you feel a difference between the sautés and honeycomb?
this is the review ive been looking for thank you
Glad I could help a little bit.
Looks like the item to replace my thrustmaster 16000. From a loyal follower. Two thumbs up for your review.
Thanks Mark
You can always keep a separate stick for aircraft with joystick that's what I did.I use both my yoke and joystick for different planes
@@caribbaviator7058 I have kept my thrustmaster 16000 for just such times.
Yesterday a person from Honeycomb recently posted on their Facebook page that the reason some yokes have a deadzone, and some do not, is that some of the early production units were calibrated incorrectly at the factory, giving them a deadzone they should not have. My yoke from the original preorder has a 5mm deadzone in elevator, and a 9° deadzone in aileron (5% of total rotation!). Also, I have found out that the yoke has a built-in "hidden" calibration routine that can be invoked to recalibrate with no deadzone at all - but those that have been told this procedure have been instructed to not make it public, as they are concerned a user could screw up their yoke even worse.
Steven Williamson yes Almost Aviation’s TH-cam channel has reported on this rather extensively. Have you seen his videos?
@@rbarlow Yes, that is how I found out about the hidden calibration routine - I don't know of anyone else who has been told how to invoke the cal procedure.
Thanks Russ, great review. I'm about to start creating my own home cockpit for simming and I appreciate the information you disseminate
Good luck...its fun!
@@rbarlow I especially like what you're doing with the virtual reality goggles. I can probably eliminate four screens, lol
@@rbarlow Howdy! Thanks. Notice you didn't put flaps down in stock XP 172sp. Perhaps I didn't hear them. Have you noticed that if you pull power at the numbers with full flaps 30 or even 20 that the 172 drops like a rock (on the GS at 65-70 kias, 300-400fpm on vsi). Seems like there is too much drag with flaps 20 or 30 in ground effect. What is your take? I use Airfoil Labs 172sp also. Same issue. Using Corsair i160 i9 rtx2080ti and XP 11.42 in (experimental model mode). Sometime, if you get time, try KSNA ILS 20R with wind at 56 ft, straight down rwy, 200 magnetic and 10-20 kts. Actually, I would appreciate anyone's opinion. Thanks.
Man I’m glad I saw this before buying another saitek. Whew close call! Glad you pointed out the resolution and ability to flare and ease the nose down. It was always difficult for me to ease the nose down with the saiteks. It was more like plunk oh well the nose is down lol! Thx for the review!
Nice setup
This yoke looks amazing!!! I've seen good videos about it! The only thing that I would want WITH this yoke is a throttle, but other than that, it looks awesome!!
The Honeycomb Bravo throttle Quadrant is due in November so check it out. Has lots more to offer than just levers I think you can preorder now
@@rbarlow Does the yoke come with the throttle? Or do you have to buy the throttle separately?
6.20: Wrong aileron, airplane stall to the right and you increase the angle of attack by turning left. You you have to turn right to recover the stall when the airplane turn right
I have over 23000 hours doing it that way but I decided to check to see if the many military. FAA and Airline checkrides had let me slip through with such a fundamental error. If you refer to the FAA Advisory Circular AC120-109A Stall Prevention and Recovery Training 11/24/2015. Most training airplanes require at least 4 steps to fully recover from a stall.
Pitch nose-down to decrease the angle of attack.
Reduce the bank by leveling the wings.
Add power as needed.
Return to the desired flight path.
If the right wing drops you need to level the wings with either left aileron or rudder. In some early airplanes using aileron only could create adverse yaw toward the low wing and cause loss of control. I flew the F-4 and the C and D models had this problem so stalk recovery used only rudder to level the wings. The F-4E model added leading edge slays and it could be recovered with aileron to level the wings in a stall just like a Cessna. With modern training aircraft coordinated rudder and aileron to level the wings is what I think is best but I would defer to the individual airplane’s approved flight manual. Maybe I misunderstand your point but you need to level the wings in any case. BTW this was not designed as a training video but a review of a yoke. Contact your Certified Flight Instructor for real life flight training.
Here is a link to the circular (see Appendix 1)
www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_120-109A.pdf
Did you build your cockpit yourself? Looks like a easy build? Care to share the plans?
thank you captain for the wonderfull video. To bad it is sold out everywhere
Yes COVID-19 and the release of MSFS has created a shortage of all Sim hardware. Too many people at home looking for something fun to do.
Great Review, thank you.
Very Nice! Congratulations!
Love this yoke and have used it with X-plane. I can't wait for the 18th for MSFS, so I can delete Xplane for good. Looking at the scenery in Xplane and seeing MSFS,, I will never ever go back to cartoon graphics.
Awesome review Russ thanks 👌
When designing they realy should more pilots test things like here which is Awesome.
I agree... pilot power!
Thanks for a great review. I'm a pilot as well and I did most of my training hours in the Cessna 172. There some things they did not get right on this honeycomb yoke: Starter key on the wrong side of the panel, Where are the throttle and mixture levers? I think I will probably hold off on upgrading from CH Yoke until they come out with the new improved version of this. They have some very basic things they need to fix first.
Throttle quadrant will come out mid summer 2020
I think there is way too much swooning over this honeycomb yoke. It has some major shortcomings that need to be fixed before it is viable as a simulator accessory.
That’s awesome bro congrats I’m really impressed it looks a professional way done.
That center detent in my CH yoke is horrid. Even level flight is a real pain. I need this and the throttle quadrant. Hopefully they have a rudder soon too. My cheapo rudders just broke lol. I was hoping to use Flight SIm 2020 to supplement my IFR training.
Thanks Russ
Thanks for the review. Question: Does this have a deadzone/detent in the middle out of the box? Did you have to configure it in any way to remove the deadzone?
Thank you.
There is no detent on this yoke.
where is the throttle which accompanies the Honeycombe Yoke??
I really want it, but I need to get rudder pedals and a throttle quadrant first. I'm probably gonna get 2 Saitek Pro throttle quadrants and a pair of Saitek pedals.
OK. First off, the Honeycomb is a good yoke, far better than the Saitek but it has flaws. I even tried to get some reaction from Honeycomb to my issue but no reply was forthcoming, nada. That's not very polite so I set out to find my own solution. The issue is that the pitch control, during fine movements in the flare, is slightly jerky, or sticky but definitely not smooth. This is a real shame because they already have the solution partially licked by using linear bearings on the double rail guide mechanism under the hood. They strangely proceed to use a nylon bush to guide the yokes spindle and I discovered that this is where the stickiness comes from. As an engineer, and always trying to improve a product already on the market, I dismantled the yoke and removed the spindle boss that the shaft of the yoke runs through. I removed the nylon bush and replaced it with a linear bearing after a little turning and reworking and it has transformed the yoke. No more jerky, sticky resistance to contend with. These linear bearings are SO cheap, under £10 for 12 number, linear bearings !! They out perform the nylon bush by miles. I fly a real world GA aeroplane and don't expect a jerky action and now my Honeycomb yoke copies the feel more accurately. I would urge Honeycomb to make this improvement in manufacture. It will not be an expensive thing to do. I'd be quite happy to convert the yokes of anyone interested in making this undoubted improvement to their simulator experience. I'd also be happy to talk to Honeycomb as well, if they are interested in improving their product. Ps. I also have a mod to increase the roll resistance. These methods would invalidate the warranty but, personally, I would prefer a more accurate simulation experience.
Why not post a video to show others how to do it?
Great video man! Thanks for the review. This unit has been on my radar. After watching this I will definitely purchase one. Do you have any recommendations on rudder pedals?
do a video on how to setup the VR goggles that is so cool I would to do mine
There are quite a few out there but maybe when I get my new headset. Thanks!
Nice work Russ.
Thanks Mark....new hobby? Thanks for lurking!
I wonder if PS5/Sony's Dual Sense controller haptic force feedback technology could be use to make flight yokes that have dynamic force feedback rather than just a rubber band or a string
Interesting. Most force feedback yokes start about $2000 so that would be awesome if possible.
this looks like a torture room.
When you play with vr you do not care about a good monitor right ?
It's my impression, or the yoke have too much dead zone?
I thought the same,..
I couldn’t agree with you more regarding Saitek yoke, which has less feel than even the Logitech sidestick.
Former fighter pilot? Neat. What jets?
Thanks for this!
You can adjust your sensitivity curves in both xplane and MS2020 so that the real yoke and visual yoke move 1:1 🤗
I have since learned that. Thanks.
Did you just recover that won't drop with aileron input? Oh boy.
What do you think about the CH yoke? I know this is the wrong place, but can't afford the Honeycomb...Would appreciated any comment...Thanks...
RbSims CH is best budget beginner yoke if you can’t afford the Alpha. It is plastic and very light in all axes but has no hard detent like the Saitek yoke. I replaced my CH with the Alpha and it is much much better. It costs about twice the cost of the basic CH yoke but it is more than twice as good. Skip eating out a few times and spend it on the Alpha!
@@rbarlowLOL... I'm already on a diet. I'm using THAT money for a new computer which I desperately need.
Outstanding insight and valuable info! What VR headset are you using? And do you have a video on the construction of your very cool cockpit?
Hi Mark
Using Rift S now and love it. Have a Reverb G2 on preorder. Had the original Rift and it was good but Rift S is much better and inside out tracking means no sensors necessary. I have several videos on my cockpits but the one on VR is here th-cam.com/video/U33SiVYq36k/w-d-xo.html
Very well structured review. Enjoyed it quite a bit. Would you mind sharing info on the rudder pedals shown in this video?
They are Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals which are no longer available from Logitech. May be available used on eBay.
@@rbarlow Thankyou for the reply, Russ. I'm inclined on the new thrustmaster pedals, been hearing some good things about it.
aileron in the stall? oof can't really blame you, the stalls in XP are just so unrealistic. cool set up though.
5 axis and 20 buttons, X & Y axis on the grips for aileron and elevator, Z, R & U axis in the levers for Throttle, prop, mixture
Four traditional push buttons, 2 bi-directional flip switches, 2 bi-directional rocker switches and 1 eight-way POV hat switch
Total of 144 programmable functions with optional PC programming software (included)
Large, sturdy mounting base with 7 foot USB cable
I use a CH Flight Sim yoke--bought it new about 8 years ago for $99.00 ZERO problems with it to date. I has NO DETENTES in the movement and is very smooth - What can I say, I do not need those red lights. What was that? A 90 degree aerobatic turn?
Ha Ha... Sim Aerobatics. I first bought a Saitek yoke and as a real life Pilot it was totally unrealistic. I visited the A2A booth at Oshkosh and the owner's son Jake(a young boy then) let me try the CH Yoke. I was overjoyed to learn the detent was not endemic to all Sim Yokes. I have enjoyed great service from my CH Yoke too but the Honeycomb Alpha honestly has a much finer resolution in pitch that is noticeable. The throttle/Prop/Mixture on the CH is great for beginners as it eliminates buying a throttle quadrant BUT I think the switch panel on the Honeycomb Alpha offers some cost savings benefits too for those who would buy a switch panel addon. As for the red glow and smooth shaped design all I can say it matters for some or Apple wouldn't have sold so many high priced computers and watches. As a YOKO owner also, I am obviously driven by function over form but still think the Alpha is worth the incremental cost over the CH Yoke for most newbies. A basic CH Yoke is about $125 now so for a beginner it only requires another $125 incremental cost to upgrade to the Honeycomb. Not bad compared to the other costs to set up a basic home sim. Worth the extra cost IMHO. Thanks for your comments. BTW you know anyone who wants a used CH Yoke? I may have one for sale :)
landing like a boss
Hi Russ- question: would you consider the XPC Alpha yoke with hall effect sensors as superior to the Honeycomb Alpha (original model as reviewed here)? I am NOT happy with the handling on manual landing with the PMDG 737NG in MSFS.
To be honest I haven’t tried the new XPC except at an exhibition for a few minutes. It is pretty much the same feel as the original unit but without the hall sensors, as you said. Unless you need XBOX compatibility I don’t know it is worth $100 more as my non-hall yoke seems fine after 4 years use.
Can you hook it to a smart TV?
Or do I still need a PC?
You need a PC to run the simulator BUT any TV can serve as the monitor to display the Simulator view.
If you have to compare Honeycomb to Yoko which Yoke is the realistic feeling on your honest opinion?
Yoko is way better but a four times the price the Alpha by Honeycomb is a far better value. Unless you are building a home cockpit with switch panels the Apha’s switches are quite handy. The companion throttle quadrant from VirtualFly is also quite high quality and super durable but expensive. The honeycomb Bravo quadrant is die in October and had many switches for gear flaps and autopilot plus more. I would say the Yoko will last longer but you could buy 4 Alphas for the same price. If money is no consideration and you don’t mind providing switch panels VirtualFly is the most realistic by far but Honeycomb is close for a lot less
Are there any force feedback yokes you know of? So many force feedback steering wheels out there for car sims. How about joysticks? Ages ago I had the Microsoft force feedback joystick.
Yes Brunner in Switzerland makes some but they are expensive. Also Real Sim Gear has a side stick for Cirrus that is FFB
I am not convinced it is worth the $$$ … most I have tried have a somewhat stiff artificial feel. I certainly haven’t tried enough to cast a universal opinion
Hello Russ, good review in flight, what are your thoughts about the Oculus Rift and the newer versions ? Still like the Oculus but curious what the differerences are in X-Plane. Cheers
Jaap Steenis I have only done VR in X-Plane but is works natively with Oculus (no SteamVR required) and I have found it easy to set up and use. I have had 3 HMD, the original Rift, Samsung Odyssey Plus, and the RiftS. The RiftS hands down is the best so far. It has the best visual resolution, biggest sweet spot, is compact and light, and the inside out tracking eliminates the sensors and additional usb cables and restrictions on where you can play . The only down sides are I miss the actual over ear speakers the other headsets had to block ambient sounds although the RiftS speaker setup is usable. Also I have a normal IPD but if your eyes are not spaced in the acceptable range there is no physical adjustment since one LCD serves both eyes. As for the OLED vs LCD differences I really haven’t noticed but I fly mostly in daytime scenes. Hope that helps.
Yes we enjoyed this sir....can you confirm if it has deadzones or not ?
I didn’t notice any dead zones in my yoke. I have been using my yoke for almost a year and am quite happy with it. I know some have tested and found a dead zone but if mine has one I don’t feel it and think it is one of the best sim yokes I have used at this price range.
Do your trim switches have play in them? I had my unit replaced due to the ethernet jack being crazy loose. The replacement they sent me had the issue corrected, but the trim switches are trash on this unit, very loose feeling, and don't feel nearly as impressive as the first unit's switches.
Hi Russ, do you have some news about the new honeycomb yoke XPC ? Is it really available because i didn't read reviews/ tests or rex about ?
Thanks for your answer
I think it is still not available….if Honeycomb could develop things faster they could have already cornered the market….instead they have shown the market potential to many new competing manufacturers
It looks like there is a significant dead zone is the roll axis.
Did you make your own stand, or whatever you call it, that you've attached the yoke to?
yes he did
I just got mine. The only thing I don't like about it is the trim switch. Logitech's solution was easier.
You can tell he is a pilot by the amount of times he says uh
a have this yoke too. but in xplane 11 all the buttons work but the yoke not working i mean in the game i am not moving left and right and up and down. how i fix the yoke working?
Any thoughts on the dead zone people have been talking about?
Thank's Russ. May be you don't know that Microsoft has distributed this yoke to gamers (professional gamers on the web, not simmers) for evaluating FS2020 during last month. Did you plan to give your own evaluation on that sim with that yoke later ? (VR is planned for later)
I will be ready on the 18th to get my hands on FS2020. It looks beautiful but it won’t take that long to know of the flight model is realistic. So far other pilots in the beta haven’t complained so I am hopeful
Hi Capt. Russ! Can you tell me what brand of VR and rudder are you using? Thanks
Ordered mine a month ago and still haven't got it. Damn FS 2020!
Back in stock at x-Plane.org do you should see it soon
They do look nice and look good Quality
Hi Russ. Great Review as usual :)
I have an unrelated question though. I can't find an Air Manager Panel for the Cirrus SF50 or the Eclipse 550.
If there is one available for one or both of these planes, would you be able to send it to me - Beta is ok too.
Thanks.
C.E. Sherrod contact me via gmail and I can probably help
Thank you, I just subscribed.
Much appreciated