Jeep brah, do you have an ace edge and can confirm that it kicks ass or are you just sayin to get one cause they are so friggin expensive?

The switch is just to enable it to work on Blazing Angels which had a funky scheme. This game seems to detect the stick and adjust I guess, the controls are different than the layout on the menu, but work right.

The "A" button is the trigger, BTW.
The build quality sucks. Use it for a while and it'll be creaking like an old rocking chair.

Q:What's the overall build quality like?
A:I wouldn't consider it to be heavy duty. It's good enough for recreational use, but far inferior to some of the PC quality fight sticks. It's better than a standard controller in my opionion tho. And like the previous poster said, it makes creeking noises as you're twisting and yawing. I think I might try greasing the spring which is external.

Q:Hows the dead zone?
A1:I had to turn down the sensativity a bit in the demo to keep from overadjusting on targets. I'm currently set at 3/4 and plan to turn the sensativity down a bit more. The plane tended to oscillate a bit while trying to fine tune my aiming on distant targets at max settings.
A2:The rudder controls(which you twist the stick handle to use) feels fine.

Q:I'm curious about the button layout on the aviator flightstick.
A:The top buttons are well laid out. B uses missiles, (I presume X uses bombs but havent tried yet) and the Y button toggles targets. I won't tell you what the trigger button does (incase you're following me).

Q:Also does the analog "thumb stick" on top of the flightstick control view or is it the D-Pad?
A:The thumb pad hat on top of the stick controls your view. You can pan around all over whichever way you want.

The one minor problem I've faced is that if you like using padlock to keep on targets I think you have to hold down the RB button. I don't think its an on/off toggle. So with the flight stick you need a third hand to keep padlock on and still use the throttle.

Many thanks guys.

IMHO
saitek (and I only bought it for this game-I'm a Saitek N00b
Pros
Cheap (ca 3.5times cheaper than Hori)
Commonly Available
After sales service was amazing (missing adaptor for live headset sent 1 day after email...!!!)
I quite like the twist rudder (then again I was unlucky enough to go to an all boys school- St.Ironwrists...:( )
The throttle stays where you leave it..so matching speed is easy with familiarity..
Thumb stick for viewing is really quick and handy(quick flick for mirror or glances to specific angles)
Good for lefties..
Stick gotta be better than controller!

Cons
Cheap (lighter than standard controller)
The throttle stays where you leave it-awkward as it won't come off WEP unless you throttle down enough..therefore precision required...
Ambidextrous at the expense of ergonomics (crap wrist rest)
No rumble/feedback
Hand juggling ( i.e leave throttle) sometimes required for front buttons...
Trim in Sim is still a mystery...
Some buttons don't toggle-
If you can't live with a compromise, DON'T get it.

If you can afford $240- Black Hori from Japan- I would, and still might depending on funding (and whether it transpires the Hori/Ace edge gives a massive advantage in online mp), but this stick will do just fine for now...I just wouldn't plan on lap play with either! Fine when used on desk as throttle hand keeps any unit movement in check unless you really wanna yank it around (St.Ironwrists?) in which case one wouldn't be giving the smooth precision the Sim mode requires anyway-

In summary- with uncertainty in the air this is a cheap safeish option...
________
First-Generation Ford Mustang History

Well said.

TBH I'm sure something else will pop up at some point so I dont want to invest in an expensive stick that may get surpassed soon....so the Aviator would be a great stop gap.

I made a small mod to my aviator, made it a bit better for me:

with a short length of steel wire I tied together some of the coils in the the spring coil at the base. that made the coil more tight but pressure is off the stick and it is now a lot easier to move

Nice....how are you finding the accuracy of this stick? Big upgrade from a pad?

The biggest problem with the aviator is the control layout. It's pretty much impossible to control throttle and pressing base buttons at the same time... So I've had this idea for some time to modify the joystick. I'm quite tempted about getting a spare one to try it out.

Anyway, the idea is to put the RSB & RB to the very front of the joystick base, in the lower right corner. That would enable me to push the buttons with my index and middle fingers while resting my palm on the throttle.

The LSB & LB would be moved on top of the base to right, on the throttle "bulge". That would enable me to push those buttons with my thumb while resting my palm on throttle. I might have to cut off a little bit off the right side of throttle lever, so it won't be in the way of the buttons.

I wouldn't do anything to back, start and D-pad buttons, since those are not used as often anyway... All in all I don't think the mod would require much more than drilling/cutting and rewiring. I could be wrong though. :D

the stick itself has a really good value, it works fine
BUT
it is not so good in Birds of Prey because of
DEADZONE and NO TRIM

only reason I keep using it is becase it has big advantage over gamepad in regards to THROTTLE and FREE LOOK

as someone said earlier; being able to look around while flying is huge


Anton, do you have any comment on the deadzone issue?

I find my aim is jumping around. I want to adjust just a tiny bit, - start moving the stick, nothing happens, move it some more, still nothing, still more and boom, my aim jerks past the target
What can be done to help this problem? I do not want to invest in the Ace stick.