Hardware & Technical Best flight/fight control (FAoff): X56 vs. T16000M HOTAS vs. Dual stick T16000M

[Knightshark]

I want to hear your thought about the best setup for ship control in flight and combat scenarios with strong bias towards FAoff.

The x56 offers the most analogue axis, but i am unsure how suitable these ministicks are to compensate thrusters in FAoff. Also the throttle is quite nonlinear (it feels "chewy"/"ropy" if you can use these words in this context), so fast movements are not possible and imprecise.

The T.16000M Hotas has a ministick at the throttle, but for the index finger, and i am not sure how suitable this is for fine adjustments.

The dual stick setup is the most exotic one, an i don't have much intuition how it could work. I imagine having digital throttle is ok, and having fine analogue control of 6 axes is ideal. But possibly the learning curve is pretty steep?

Anyway what do you think? And what do you think about an combination, like an x56 with an additional T.16000M stick for the left hand as replacement for the throttle. In scenarios where precise thruster control is required the hands would be on the x56 stick and the T.16000M. And in super cruise etc. on the throttle. Also, could it be doable to quickly switch left hands between throttle and stick?

 

[subhouse07]

If you fly exclusively FA-off I think dual sticks is the way to go. I've got two T16000Ms, and once I learned them well I felt like I'd never had better control of my ship. I only use the mini throttle lever in supercruise and just use the twist axis on the left stick for forward-reverse thrust. Of course if you aren't flying fa-off all the time, it would be handy to have an actual throttle as well. I've been thinking about getting one myself just because I feel in combat you're best off with a mix of fa-on and off, but I can manage with strictly off decently enough. As far as x56 vs T16000m, I don't know because I've never used the x56. THe t16000m is great though! No dead zone, and I hear they hold up for a long time! One of mine is actually starting to get some weird drifting issues but the other one isn't so I'm guessing it might just be a faulty stick.

 

[Knightshark]

Thanks. I guess dual sticks are a good choice then, never heard anything negative about this solution (besides getting used to it takes time).

I know learned that Logitech decided to send me a x56 as replacement for my broken x55. So know the option would be to get a T16000m stick and use it with the left hand, switching occasionally to the x56 throttle and using the x56 stick for the right hand. Once the x56 breaks (i guess it's just a matter of months) i'd get the Thrustmaster FCS as a replacement.

 

[777Driver]

Thanks. I guess dual sticks are a good choice then, never heard anything negative about this solution (besides getting used to it takes time).

I know learned that Logitech decided to send me a x56 as replacement for my broken x55. So know the option would be to get a T16000m stick and use it with the left hand, switching occasionally to the x56 throttle and using the x56 stick for the right hand. Once the x56 breaks (i guess it's just a matter of months) i'd get the Thrustmaster FCS as a replacement.

Have flown pure FA-OFF for the last two years, exception is with the new fighters. Originally went with the dual stick option but was not happy with it. My setup is below, wouldn't fly with any other stick.

logitech attack 3 (short throw) They don't make the stick anymore, purchased a few on ebay as backups. Analog throttle on the stick for vertical thrusters & hovering in high G worlds, digital up/down on the thumb for vertical thruster operation in normal flight.

Saitek pro flight & Custom pedals - Lateral thrusters on left/right toe brakes, yaw on the rudder axis.

Custom throttle (also have a X52 throttle as backup) Both configured the same, main axis for thrust, thumb switch for reverse thrust.

Last step was to configure flight landing overrides to provide a dampening effect for roll and pitch.

 

[Knightshark]

Have flown pure FA-OFF for the last two years, exception is with the new fighters. Originally went with the dual stick option but was not happy with it. My setup is below, wouldn't fly with any other stick.

logitech attack 3 (short throw) They don't make the stick anymore, purchased a few on ebay as backups. Analog throttle on the stick for vertical thrusters & hovering in high G worlds, digital up/down on the thumb for vertical thruster operation in normal flight.

Saitek pro flight & Custom pedals - Lateral thrusters on left/right toe brakes, yaw on the rudder axis.

Custom throttle (also have a X52 throttle as backup) Both configured the same, main axis for thrust, thumb switch for reverse thrust.

Last step was to configure flight landing overrides to provide a dampening effect for roll and pitch.

What about the dual stick setup was it you didn't like? I tried yaw on pedals (saitek pro flight), but couldn't get used to it and kept using the twist on the stick.
Now i am thinking to use the pedals as keys, e.g. boost, fa-off (hold), and the pedal rudder for forward/backward thrust.