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Helicopter Controls

Helicopter flying asks more of the controls than fixed wing does, because you are making constant small corrections on every axis at once. Gamer Gear Direct stocks the force feedback gear in Australia that suits it, with local warranty support.

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Why Force Feedback Suits Helicopters

A helicopter is never trimmed and left alone. The cyclic loads up and moves as the aircraft changes state, and a spring centred stick cannot show you any of that because it pulls back to centre with the same force every time.

On a force feedback base the motor holds the stick where the aircraft would, so the weight in your hand changes as the machine does. In a helicopter that is most of the information you fly on.

Force feedback flight stick base with the grip removed showing the drive shaft

Grips and Mounting

A centre mounted grip is the closest match to a cyclic, and it needs somewhere to live between your knees rather than on the desk. A floor mount or a cockpit centre bracket both do the job.

Base and grip sets are listed together where they are sold that way, and the wider stick range is in Joysticks. Mounts and brackets are in Flight Simulator Accessories.

Force feedback base paired with a side stick grip on a mounting plate

What Else a Helicopter Setup Needs

Anti torque pedals are the third axis, and general rudder pedals cover that job. They are in Rudder Pedals.

A collective is the one control with no direct equivalent in a fixed wing setup. Many simmers map it to a throttle lever, and the throttle units that suit that are in Flight Sim Throttles.

Helicopter Control FAQs

Do I need a dedicated cyclic?

No. A centre mounted flight stick does the same job, and a force feedback base makes it behave far more like the real control than a spring centred stick will.

What do I use for the collective?

Most simmers map it to a throttle lever. It needs to hold its position rather than spring back, which is why a quadrant style lever works better than a self centring axis.

Are the pedals different from fixed wing pedals?

The hardware is the same. In a helicopter they control the tail rotor rather than a rudder, so the input is constant rather than occasional.

Can I fly helicopters with a yoke?

Not well. A yoke is built for the pitch and roll inputs of fixed wing flying and does not give you the centre stick movement a helicopter needs.

Buying Helicopter Controls from Gamer Gear Direct

We are an official stockist for the brands we carry, so every unit ships with Australian warranty support and is backed by Australian Consumer Law. Stock is held in our Melbourne warehouse and goes out Australia wide.

Helicopter setups are the ones most worth talking through before you buy. Call us on (03) 9961 0240, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

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