What is a HOTAS? The Beginner's Guide to Flight Sim Joysticks and Throttles

If you've started looking into flight simulation hardware, you've probably come across the term HOTAS and wondered what it means, whether you need one, and what the difference is between all the options. This guide covers everything - from the basics of what a HOTAS actually is through to the specific products worth buying in Australia in 2026.

What Does HOTAS Stand For?

HOTAS stands for Hands On Throttle And Stick. It describes a flight control setup where both hands are occupied simultaneously - your right hand on the joystick (the stick), your left hand on a separate throttle unit (the throttle). The idea comes directly from real military aircraft design: fighter pilots need to control the aircraft, manage weapons systems and operate critical switches without taking their hands off the primary controls.

In flight simulation, a HOTAS gives you the same setup - a joystick for pitch and roll inputs, a separate throttle for engine power, and clusters of buttons and axes across both that let you manage aircraft systems without reaching for a keyboard.

Joystick vs HOTAS: When Do You Need a Full HOTAS?

A standalone joystick is a single controller - a stick that handles pitch, roll and often yaw via a twist axis, with buttons and a hat switch for view control and aircraft systems. Many sim pilots start with a joystick alone. It's a lower cost entry point and it works across a wide range of titles.

The step up to a full HOTAS comes when you want an independent throttle. A dedicated throttle unit gives you a physical, analogue control for engine power that's completely separate from the stick - which is both more realistic and more practical. Rather than managing throttle with a slider on the joystick, you have a dedicated axis your left hand rests on, with its own button clusters for common in-flight functions.

For anyone serious about flight or space simulation, the independent throttle is what makes the HOTAS format the right choice. Both hands have a dedicated role, and the sim becomes significantly more immersive as a result.

Who Is a HOTAS For?

The typical customer at GGD buying a HOTAS is someone into flight simulation or space simulation - not a casual gamer with a passing interest in flight, but someone who's either already flying in DCS World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Star Citizen or Elite Dangerous, or someone who's specifically getting into these titles and setting up properly from the start.

HOTAS hardware appeals across the full spectrum of flight sim. Combat and military pilots flying DCS or IL-2 benefit from the realistic controls and the ability to map weapons systems to physical buttons. Civil aviation sim pilots find that for fast movers and GA aircraft, a HOTAS gives more direct control than a yoke. Space sim players in Star Citizen or Elite Dangerous use HOTAS as the most natural control method for spacecraft.

MOZA vs Honeycomb: How to Choose

Two brands dominate the quality flight control market at GGD: MOZA and Honeycomb Aeronautical. Both are high quality. The choice between them is more about aesthetics and intended use than a clear performance winner.

MOZA brings a force feedback approach to flight controls. The AB9 FFB base delivers physical resistance and feedback through the stick that changes dynamically with what the aircraft is doing. MOZA is also the brand most sim racing customers at GGD already know - when customers crossing over from sim racing to flight sim ask their first question in the showroom, the answer is usually MOZA.

Honeycomb Aeronautical approaches flight controls from an aviation-focused design philosophy - button layouts and switch panels modelled on real cockpit instrumentation. For GA and airliner-focused sim pilots, Honeycomb's design language resonates more naturally.

For combat and space sim: MOZA. For civil aviation and airliners: Honeycomb. For mixed use: both are strong - it comes down to which design appeals more.

HOTAS Options at Gamer Gear Direct

MOZA AB6 Flight Simulator Bundle - Entry HOTAS

The MOZA AB6 Flight Simulator Bundle is the entry point into the MOZA flight control range. A complete HOTAS bundle - joystick and throttle - that gets you flying with proper dedicated controls without the complexity of building a system from individual components. The natural starting point for new flight sim players choosing MOZA.

MOZA AB9 FFB Base + MH16 Flightstick Bundle - Force Feedback HOTAS

The MOZA AB9 FFB Base + MH16 Flightstick Bundle steps up to a force feedback base. Unlike a passive joystick that returns to centre via springs, the AB9's force feedback system generates resistance and feedback dynamically in response to what the aircraft is doing. Airspeed, G-forces, control surface load - all of it can be felt through the stick. For combat sim pilots in DCS or IL-2, this takes the HOTAS experience to a different level entirely.

MOZA MTP Throttle Panel

The MOZA MTP Throttle Panel is MOZA's dedicated throttle unit - the left-hand component that completes a MOZA HOTAS setup. Multiple throttle axes, switches and controls designed for both civil and combat sim use.

Honeycomb Alpha Yoke + Bravo Throttle Quadrant

For civil aviation-focused sim pilots, the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke and Bravo Throttle Quadrant are the natural pairing. Yoke-style roll and pitch control for airliners and GA aircraft, with multiple throttle levers, flap controls and gear handles for a complete civil aviation setup.

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick - Standalone Joystick

If you want to start with a joystick alone before committing to a full HOTAS, the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick is a capable entry-level standalone option for PC and Xbox.

What Sims Work Best with a HOTAS?

• DCS World - The premier combat flight sim. DCS has more axes and buttons mapped per aircraft than any other sim, and a proper HOTAS is essentially required to fly it correctly.
• Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS 2024) - Works with both HOTAS and yoke. For GA and fast movers, a HOTAS is the more natural choice.
• IL-2 Sturmovik - WWII combat sim that benefits greatly from a HOTAS for the same reasons as DCS.
• Star Citizen / Elite Dangerous - Space sims where the dual-axis setup of joystick and throttle maps naturally to six-degrees-of-freedom spacecraft control.
• X-Plane - Flexible sim that works well with both HOTAS and yoke across aircraft types.

Building Your First HOTAS Setup

Step 1 - Choose your stick type

Combat and space sim: joystick. Civil aviation and airliners: yoke. Mixed use: joystick covers more aircraft types.

Step 2 - Add a throttle

Even an entry-level throttle unit transforms the experience. The MOZA AB6 Bundle includes both as a matched set - the simplest starting point.

Step 3 - Add rudder pedals when ready

Rudder pedals add yaw control for coordinated flight, crosswind landings and helicopter flying. Not essential to start, but the natural second purchase. See our flight simulator controls guide for the full range.

Step 4 - Configure your bindings

Take 20-30 minutes to properly map your controls in the sim before flying. Most flight sims don't auto-configure correctly - setting up your own bindings makes an enormous difference to the experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a HOTAS in flight simulation?

HOTAS stands for Hands On Throttle And Stick. It's a flight control setup consisting of a joystick (right hand) and a separate throttle unit (left hand) - the same configuration used in real military aircraft. A HOTAS allows you to control the aircraft and manage systems without removing your hands from the primary controls.

Do I need a HOTAS or just a joystick?

If you want an independent throttle - a dedicated physical axis for engine power separate from the joystick - you need a full HOTAS. For most serious flight sim pilots, the independent throttle is a meaningful upgrade. A standalone joystick is a lower cost entry point but limits throttle control to a slider on the stick.

What is the difference between MOZA and Honeycomb flight controls?

Both are high quality. MOZA brings force feedback technology to flight controls, which is particularly compelling for combat and space simulation. Honeycomb is designed around civil aviation aesthetics and instrumentation, making it the natural fit for airliner and GA simulation. The choice is more about your sim focus and aesthetic preference than raw performance.

What flight sims work with a HOTAS?

DCS World, MSFS 2024, X-Plane, IL-2 Sturmovik, Star Citizen and Elite Dangerous all work well with a HOTAS. DCS and Star Citizen in particular are designed around HOTAS use and benefit most from a proper dedicated setup.

Is a HOTAS good for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

Yes - particularly for general aviation, bush flying and fast movers. For commercial airliner flying, some pilots prefer a yoke and throttle quadrant like the Honeycomb Alpha and Bravo setup for more accurate civil aviation ergonomics.

Where can I try a HOTAS before buying in Australia?

Gamer Gear Direct's Dandenong South showroom stocks MOZA and Honeycomb flight controls. Visit us to get hands-on before you buy.

Ready to set up your HOTAS? Browse the MOZA AB6 Flight Simulator Bundle, MOZA AB9 FFB Base + MH16 Flightstick Bundle and the full flight simulation range at Gamer Gear Direct - Australian warranty, fast delivery, and available to try at our Dandenong South showroom.

Written by Blake Sterling, Founder and CEO of Gamer Gear Direct. Blake has been helping Australian sim enthusiasts build their dream racing and flight simulator setups since founding GGD in 2019. When he's not in the Dandenong South showroom, you'll find him behind the wheel in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Forza Horizon and Wreckfest.