Helicopter Controls

[dainja556]

About to get back to the States.  I haven't been able to play with X-Plane much over the last year, and when I did, it was with a little gamepad.

Not long after I get back I'll begin flight training, private pilot-helicopter.  I want to be able to practice some maneuvers at home, and am considering buying some sort of dedicate helicopter controls.  I have an X-52 and CH Products rudder pedals, but neither of those things seems to work real well for flying helicopters.  They just don't have the same feel.

I don't want to spend a fortune on controls (more I spend on sim hardware, the less I have to fly REAL helicopters.  It's taken me years to save up the money.)

A couple of years ago, the only company I was aware of that sold dedicated controls was Flightlink.  I tried them out at Heliexpo '08, and I think they're just far too expensive for what they are.

So!  Can anyone recommend another company that sells heli controls, or at least controls that would work well for helicopters?

I'd considering building/modifying something, but I don't really own any tools (I live in barracks, and have no space to store stuff) and don't know anything about electronics.

[eaglewing7]

You can use the X-52 as a control quite well.  Loosen the throttle right up for the collective, and then for the cyclic, take the fighter stick control and using cable ties pull up the plastic thing under the spring and secure it up in the air.  Then you will get a completely loose non-centreing stick for your use, and no need to spend a ton of money on helicopter specific controls.  Unless of course you don't want to use the throttle in the X-52, then you could buy a throttle quadrant and use the throttle slider as a collective, still not the most realistic, but it does work.

[JB_XUSA]

if you can mess with pvc this might work. things are at least pretty simple but also looks pretty cheap.

by the way don't you have to have a commercial single engine land certificate to start helicopter training. Course you are in the military but when you get out will that still apply as a civilian?