CH Products Throttle Quadrant USB (300-133)

Rating:
Summary: BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK!
Review: Great product! Takes a little playing with the Sensitivity and Assignments settings in MS Flight Simulator 2004 in order to fine-tune it, but no problem. I am no gaming nut or PC guru just private pilot, who will most likely never fly a craft with a 4-engine throttle quadrant! Also, the technical support is very responsive to a technical question.

Rating:
Summary: Flight sim nut? Real-pilot too? BUY IT!
Review: I bought these in preparation for my multi-engine pilots license. Of course, I have been flying planes on Microsoft ( and Sublogic) well before I could get into a real cockpit. This is probably one of the best items from CH Products, especially if you like flying multi-engine aircraft or will be upgrading to flying a REAL multi-engine aircraft soon.

Microsoft and CH products have helped keep me sharper in the cockpit by allowing me to practice on the days when I can't go up for real. This product cannot be beat for customizability. I can go from a Beech Baron set-up to a Boeing 747 set-up just by playing with some settings. And if you have the CH Yoke and Rudder pedals, you have a relatively real flying experience without leaving your home.

If you are into military sims, this probably isn't for you. If you have Microsoft flight sim, X-plane, Fly or any other civilian sim and you value realism, you must get these.

$150 isn't cheap, but thats the cost of one hour of flight time in the Multi-engine plane I will be learning in. One hour of flight time versus hours of honing my skills at home? A worthy investment indeed!

The only downside, as there is on all CH products, are the clamps to hold it to the desk. They are really designed to fit desks that are thick and flat. If your PC desk has a curve to the front or is relatively thin, you have to find a better way to secure them to your desk. Wedging books or papers usually helps.

Rating:
Summary: Great for 747 freaks.
Review: This is the control console in most major jet airliners. It provides throttle(of course) as well as air/fuel and individual engine control. Can be useful in Piston and Turbo Props too. But is mainly used in Flight Sim 04 and the passenger jets. After watching that turbine spin up on that pilot episode of Lost how could you not want one. Turn that darn thing off already!