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CH Flight Yoke
by Ed "Lozhechnik" Reddy
 

Apart from all these flaws, one benefit of a yoke over a stick is improved flying precision. When you use a joystick a simple sneeze could send your plane into a mountain. With a yoke, however, you need to move the control a whole lot more to accomplish the same stick movement. I found that my bombing runs were improved by at least 100%, and landing large aircraft was no longer a chore.

Flying my B-17 over the skies with one hand on the yoke allowed for smoother turns and height adjustments and I was able to focus on other activities other than keeping the plane level as the yoke position told me what the plane was doing.

Aside from these benefits using a yoke felt a whole lot more real - you are involved more physically in flying your aircraft. No longer will a simple wrist movement allow you to take off: now you must gently pull back the yoke with both hands into your chest to achieve the identical procedure.

Functionality Score: 7

Quality/Reliability

The plastic quality is typical CH construction (CH makes their own plastics.) The control is moulded in a shape typical of most realistic aircraft yokes. The buttons click nicely and the throttle movement is smooth but is lacking friction for precise adjustments. The springs used for the yoke could be a little stronger but they performed well.

The rocker switches felt okay, however they should be more firm in their housings. The single fire buttons and the trim tabs clicked well and you can expect may clicks and trim adjustments without hassle. The four way hat is a real plus on this yoke as out of the three that I tested, it was the only yoke to contain a hat.

Score: 7

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Value For the Money

Considering this yoke only costs $110USD for the USB, and $100 for the Gameport versions, the yoke offers practical value for the money. I do question the quality of the centering mechanism, however, with the left/right-drifting problem I encountered.

This yoke is not a super value deal, but for budget pilots who want a basic yoke, you can consider this a reasonable purchase. The more I used the yoke, the more I realized that I could live with it. Coupled with a set of USB CH rudder pedals you’ve got yourself a good combo. With the increased competition for flight controls I did find the feel of the buttons poor for the cost.

Score: 7

Overall: 7

CH is known for making great products. Their pedals and throttles are top notch if a bit costly. If you are considering this yoke, the USB variant is the obvious choice for the extra $10.

The poor location for the throttle, weak left/right return springs, and the extending rod out the back would not deter me from purchasing this yoke. It has a great software interface, basic functions to which most pilots can quickly adjust, and a price that is hard to beat.

Go to SUNCOM G-Force Yoke

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Last Updated August 2nd, 1999

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