Helicopter Simulator Controls

When playing any helicopter simulator game it is essential to get your choice of helicopter simulator controls right. This is essential how you would communicate with the game. Get this wrong and the frustration of annoying controls could cripple any chance that you may enjoy the game.

Do I helicopter simulator controls?

You may wonder why you would need specific helicopter simulator controls when playing a helicopter simulator game rather than using a normal PC mouse and the answer to that is very simple. Let me ask you a question “How many of you would take a tennis ball to a golf match?”… no-one, right? Even though both balls can be hit with a golf club, a tennis ball was not designed for that purpose and your performance would be affected. It’s the same principle here with gaming controls.

A computer mouse is an amazing tool but it was designed in 1964 when computer games didn’t exist therefore they could not be considered in the design process. The computer gaming industry has developed a great deal since then and it does not make sense to use a tool for a purpose it was not designed for. Gamers have specific needs which are not addressed by an ordinary mouse. A computer mouse limits manoeuvrability as it can only detect two-dimensional motion, so for example if you’re playing a helicopter flight simulator game you can only move the helicopter higher-lower or turn right-left, you have no way of controlling the thrust of the helicopter solely by using the movement of the mouse. You may have to control the thrust using an additional button on either your keyboard or mouse (brace yourself for sore fingers) or even worse some games uses automatic acceleration to control your thrust if you are using not using the correct helicopter simulator controls and this takes away from you a great deal of control in the game.

It is quiet true to say a computer mouse is useless when playing any 3D helicopter simulator game or any 3D computer game for that matter, and if you’re a serious gamer than you need to get some sort of joystick or simulator controls if you want to actually enjoy playing the game. Below I have reviewed some of the best helicopter simulator controls in the market today.

Best Helicopter Simulator Controls Review

X52 Helicopter Simulator Controls

The first helicopter simulator controls I would recommend is the X52 pro by saitek. It consists of two controllers, one is the throttle and the other is the flight controller. The separation of the two controllers allows you to set it up to your comfort.
The flight controller is a great looking piece of equipment and comes with the ability to adjust the colour and brightness for the illuminated buttons. The joystick has a comfortable fluid motion feel to it and the spring mount gives it a very generous axis of pivot. The saitek x52 flight controller has 6 double switches and 4 fire buttons including a pinkie trigger and even a safety flap covered missile launcher which makes it the bit more realistic. One great aspect of this controller is the range of ability given to the user to customize the controller. All the buttons can be reprogrammed to the specific function desired using software provided by saitek. The grip strap is fully adjustable to suit any size hand and even the sensitivity of the pivot can be set.
The second part of this helicopter simulator control is the throttle quadrant. This connects to the other unit via a serial cable. The display of the X52 pro throttle quadrant has many functions including; a clock which can be set in military format or 12 Hour format, a stop watch to help you keep an eye on your mission times. A computer mouse is built into the handle giving it the potential to substitute you regular mouse. There are a few more trigger control buttons which are also fully customizable and again here even the resistance of the throttle handle can be adjusted.
The controller computer software is where your able adjust all the functions of the keys and even test that each button works. From within the software is also where you can calibrate dead zone. However the software has a bit of a learning curve, but saitek x52 team are working on this and you can check their website to see if your computer is compatible

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro 

The Logitech extreme 3D pro helicopter simulator control is another reliable joystick I would recommend especially for entry level gamers. Logitech produces very reliable high quality products and this is not an exception. The controller has 12 buttons including an 8-way rubber hat switch. Each key can be programmed using the software from Logitech or even the control settings of most simulation games. The joystick is made from a high quality plastic and the throttle is surrounded by a rubber trimming. The wide rubber feet and the heavy weight of the base make the Logitech extreme 3d pro controller very stable to use. The hand rest is very comfortable and you would not find it a problem to use this controller for hours on end unlike other joysticks in the market. Logitech has also got it perfect when it comes to the precision of this controller.
The main down fall for this product is; the throttle is not a separate controller so it can get in the way of gaming, it also got a little loose and felt cheap after a few months of usage. The throttle resistance cannot be adjusted either like the x52 pro. Another issue is that the buttons on base get stuck and at currently there is no way that any of the keys can be programmed with computer mouse functions. This controller is a great value for this price but I would recommend it only if you looking to play basic Helicopter simulator games, this is not designed for a full-on shooter games. (Note: not for left-hand users)

Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog

The final helicopter simulator controls I would recommend is the Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog. This is a must have piece of equipment for any serious gamer as with it you can really enjoy the experience of any flight simulator game. Like the x52 this controller consists of two pieces. Firstly a joystick and a throttle quadrant. It is very well designed and completely made from metal which gives it a very heavy and solid feel. The precision and accuracy of the controls is immaculate and the configuration software is very simple to use unlike the other two helicopter simulator controls.
With this control in your hands and all the toggles and switches on both handles you really do feel like you are piloting a real plane. The experience is so much more realistic compared to playing with a cheap plastic top joystick. This controller has earned its reputation in the industry and has become the standard for simulator enthusiast. The only fall which gives it a 4.5 star rating rather than 5 is the price point which seems hefty at first but if you ever experience using this joystick you would realize it’s worth every dime.

I hope this article has helped you get an idea of which controller would suit you most. The helicopter simulator controls market is swamped with other joysticks, and you can get lost out there if you unsure what to look. I have chosen to specifically review these three because they cater for any users needs.

Many loyal users can vouch for these three controls however if you decide to go with some other helicopter simulator controls a piece of advice I can offer to you is to get a controller from an acknowledged company. Too often do I see people splitting their heads because they purchase an unknown controller from a manufacturer with no customer support, leaving them to figure it all out on their own. With either of these controls however you can never go wrong because even if the company is unable to provide supportyou can find thousands upon thousands of blogs and forums discussing each Helicopter simulator controls in depth.