I just got one of these, it's pretty good so far. Certainly precise, more so once calibrated. Using with FS 2020, just remember to go to the sensitivity option and turn off the deadzone in the game. To calibrate, keep reading.... To enter setting, first push the 4 large switches on the base into this position 1 up 2 down 3 down 4 up. Then hold down the 2 white buttons on the left hand side of the yoke as you plug in USB connector and you should see flashing and it settle on a fixed light. This is then in calibration mode. Then follow this procedure: Turn yoke fully right, press rear base button on right, then release to centre, press rear button. Turn yoke fully left, press rear button, then release to centre, press rear button. Then push fully in, press rear button, then release to centre, press rear button. Then pull fully out, press rear button, then release to centre, press rear button.
Just to add to the above, if anyone catches it. That deadzone is there for a purpose. With a device like the Honeycomb which has resistive rubber banding, the center point of the axis may change slightly over time as they stretch. It's also not the most accurate way to guarantee it always lay fully center when the yoke is resting, regardless. Therefore you'll most likely need to recalibrate again or add in a dead spot, either via the calibration process or in software to make sure that the yoke, when resting, is actually dead center or you'll have some drift.
The LED is the one thing I thought was just a gimmick and hated it. Then I realized it's brilliant when I'm flying in a dark environment as I can turn it on to get light to take notes that doesn't impact my vision with a bright light. The biggest thing I'd like is for Honeycomb to offer different height clamps and screws.
@@Shadow__133 Are they actually doing that? I was using the suction pad on my 4.5" thick tabletop and it is losing adhesiveness. Hope they will offer larger clamps soon!
I still remember when Honeycomb changed their button layout on the horns and showed the change on UA-cam. I immediately pointed out to them the problems with the new layout and how it would be hard to hit the buttons, particularly on the right horn. I even suggested that they should make the red button cap taller to be able to access it over the trim switches but they said it was too far along in design/production. I was disappointed in their response because really, it’s not a layout change but just a different sourcing/moulding for the caps.
Really good review. A proper review. The flex in the cable connector would never have crossed my mind. At the beginning of the video you said your goal is to make me buy with confidence. Because of the number of potential issues raised in the video I started to get nervous but when you concluded at the end by saying it's the best on the market I found that I really trusted your judgement and I was instantly no longer nervous. Perhaps it may help however to remind me of the fact that some minor concerns like these are always to be expected. I did somewhat enjoy the emotional journey through the video anyway so maybe it's not that bad. Great review. Awesome reviewer. I'm gonna buy this yoke with great confidence.
I was thinking of getting the Logitech yoke for a long time as an upgrade from my joystick, mainly because of how expensive the Honeycomb is where I live (~£400), but in the end I decided to buy the Honeycomb and I've not looked back, it is the best yoke I've used. Thanks for a great review! :)
£400 is an awful lot. I'm assuming you're from the UK, given the currency. Just keep in mind that there's a really high demand for flight simulator peripherals at the minute, with the release of MSFS2020. Currys keep getting stock of the Honeycomb every few days, and it's only £230. They'll even send you stock alert email notifications if you sign up. to them
It needs FFB added and more focused towards VR for what buttons we only require for this. Gladly most buttons cater for these as you can swap out most. We need a feature for a HAT and Enter button to replace using a Mouse.
I found the roll axis resistance to be perfect, but the pitch axis resistance too strong (if you use a chair with wheels, on a floor with no carpet, you might need to place a rug under to stop the chair rolling when you pitch up and down), just personal preference. Agree with you on the build quality, I think its the highest quality piece of gaming hardware i've used, on par with the high end driving wheels.
same here, love it but my table Is to light and moves if I pull the yoke. To bad this force is not adjustable. Maybe not realistic but it would be nice if I could adjust it so it needs less power
Nice and spot on review. Got mine two weeks ago and love it. The only thing I don’t like are the trim rockers. They feel cheap and sharp on the thumb. Not too smooth either. Despite this and the ergonomics mentioned, I truly love this yoke. It was this and MSFG Pedals or the Brunner with no pedals and pray my Saitek ones last a bit longer (I’m using a backup pair I bought used in case my original saitek pedals died. And they did!). I’m happy I chose the Alpha route!
I think the few shortcomings come into even more perspective when one has to consider that the next tier of Yokes is currently only inhabited by Yoko at a price 4 times of the Honeycomb. Which clearly shows that there is still a market gap that can be filled by others. How about desiging a yoke that would fall somewhere between 350 and 500$? Or one with proper force feedback. Like in the higher end racing equipment available. One that is capable of exerting true life forces.
Glad to hear you like the yoke. I hear you on the Cessna Proflight line. I never got one. I was so bummed to hear that it was discontinued. I got the honeycomb myself about 6 months ago I think and it's been great for me so far with no issues whatsoever. I've put about 300 hours on it between MSFS and Xplane 11 and haven't noticed any issues with the switches or roll tension yet, but I'll keep an eye on it and let you know if I start to see anything. The full 180 degree roll was what sold me on it, couldn't imagine the saitek at only 90 would be sufficient for fine control. blue skies friend.
Yes I certainly do. It's very similar to the Saitek Cessna Pro flight, just with smoother axis and better resistance. Going to use both together and fly with my daughter 😊
hi thanks for the review, I suggest with the RJ45 connectors to add some hot glue around connector to stop any movement. Hot glue is easy to peel away later on if you need to remove it.
Your production values are going through the roof mate. Flight Sim Porn might be a good description, especially with the music. I don't know if you're aware of a sim driving creator called Chris Haye, but for what it's worth I've subbed to you for similar reasons.
Thank you J T G, I am actively trying to make better content so thank you🙏 I've not heard of Chris Haye, maybe I should check him out and get some more tips and ideas 🤔
Thanks for the detailed review! Made me definitely realize that the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke is for me, and even though it's currently sold out everywhere, will be worth the wait!
@@SimUKReviews Its double of the honeycomb landed in australia,with exchange rate it dont help but If did have the coin i pass honey,I am tired of tweaking stuff to work ,been tweaking fsx for 6 years and i would not want to start opening things up after 5 years replacing parts and tweaking .
Cracking good review on the Honeycom yoke Sim. Yeah, those switches just do not feel very nice at all. The red and white Rocker switches are ok to me but those little black ones feel like they could snap if you're not careful. I certainly agree with your concerns about the little USB cable from the moving part of the yoke to the main body. That's one of the first things that I noticed when I put mine together. Overall, though, I'm very pleased with mine.
Truly useful and comprehensive review. I hope the manufacturer is watching this and takes your points on board for the next version which will be the one I wait for. I am hoping for better things from the throttle quadrant.
Some of them creak and some of them have problems with the little RJ-45 connections (not cable related) , must be sent back for either of these two items. If anyone else experienced that, please leave a comment.
For what is worth my honey Combe didn’t arrive with any dead zone. Although you have to be careful. Iv noticed that the yoke sometimes looks off center to the left/right ever so slightly after turning the yoke very slowly to the left/right and letting it center.Prob down to the lower tension in the bungee cord memory I guess. This causes the plane to roll slightly more left/right than it should (taking p factor in to account). You may end up applying dead zone in fs2020 anyways. Fs2020 sets dead one at ‘2’ which is perfect for my yoke and not really noticeable.
Great video! What would you recommend if I fly sometimes the A320 and sometimes Cesnas, would you go for a sidestick or yoke? I'm still debating... thanks!
The concern over the soft touch plastic is very sensible... I have a very old X52 pro, which has a similar coating, and as it aged, the soft touch plastic started to degrade and became gross. Hopefully Honeycomb's plastic does better, but the only way to know is to wait and see. Also totally agreed on the button placement... Those look pretty awkward to reach over the trim toggles. For the spring tensioning, IINM the spring element in the Alpha is basically a bungee cord. It should be easily possible to preload it a bit more, or maybe add an additional one for extra resistance. Needless to say though, that'd be the end of your warranty right there. Some very cool brands (can't remember specifically right now) actually do allow opening the case without voiding the warranty, which only happens if you make actual modifications... not sure what product it was though, unfortunately... Virpil possibly?
Be aware! As it is you cannot change heading by less than 10° (normal is 1°) and altitude 1000ft (100ft normal) on Flight Shitmulator. I would wait until they fix it. Also, they are designing clamps for thicker desks, not sure when it will come out. It is an awesome yoke, the best I used so far. But I would wait a bit.
The forward postion on the hat switch failed on my yoke on day 1. The ethernet port is the problem as it works if upward pressure is applied to the small cable entering the yoke. Ive ordered another and giving this one back for a refund.
Mark smith, i suspect the solder on the port snaps or there isnt enough solder on it. I would have taken mine apart to inspect the port on the handle side but it was 1 day old so I figured i should send it back. I haven't had any trouble with the 2nd yoke and the flat 0.25m cable I swapped for the coiled cable. Was it just the forward hat switch you lost, the same as my first one?
@@adamday331 that could well be it. When I get the yoke back I'll consider opening it up to fix before selling it. Nah, the issue would happen with any of the buttons on the yoke handle.
@@MarkSmith-km2fw i say its the solder on the port as when i pushed up on the cable my hat switch worked again. Suggesting a bad connection around that area. I did wedge a small piece of plastic under the port to lift it slightly which worked for a short while but it didn't last. The flat cable removes any strain or twisting caused by the stock coiled cable. It does make you wonder how much testing they really did before launching to the public! Now if microsoft can fix the bush trip completion bug ill be happy again!!
Thanks for the review. Pretty excited to get my hands on one. WIll be a good upgrade from the thrustmaster hotas Iam using now. What would be your recomendation for a set of rudder pedals to go with an alpha yoke and beta throttle?
Personally, I'd say wait for the (presumably named) Charlie pedals from Honeycomb. But they still haven't announced those yet, so there's no knowing when you'd get them. Stay away from the cheaper pedals, in my opinion and go for something like the MFG Crosswind V2s. They're out of stock right now, but they get stock every few days, and should keep their resale value
Very nice but years ago i was getting my head around how to provide a force feedback and integrate trim, so that trim loads could be felt to reduce on turning the trim and moving the dead zone. Trim wheel needs to be on the yoke housing so that mechanically it can move the centring springs. Also loads could change with airspeed. I would have thought that would be available by now in a production yoke. Perhaps it needs "inventing".
I have the alpha flight yoke it's back in the excellent packaging as I could not make a good job of binding the controls being a LM P3D v4.5 sim user, I am told its simplicity it self with XPlane 11 and MSFS 2020, if you could do a comprehensive configuration video fo P3D users I know I would be very greatful I just could not get the control function figured out with P3D. As always very informative and straight talking on pros and cons. Cheers Charlie
Hey Mate.. Thanks for the detailed review + providing us with your thoughts on the gear. Just wanted to clarify, I'm assuming the "M3" you mention regarding the mounting pad, you actually are meaning to say "3M"? Like the chemical company who makes killer electrical tape, and wall hanging devices for mounting curios from our world travels like my shrunken head collection... My last girlfrriend did not appreciate 8 shrunken heads deciding to detach from their lofty perch and decend onto her head + lap one evening while i was away on Safari.... So for rhe sake of your subscribers. 3M mates. Dont lose a girlfriend like i did by using "el Cheapo" adhesive. Cheers!
OK. First off, it's a good yoke, far better than the Saitek but it has flaws. I even tried to get some reaction from Honeycomb to my issue but no reply was forthcoming, nada. That's not very polite so I set out to find my own solution. The issue is that the pitch control, during fine movements in the flare, is slightly jerky, or sticky but definitely not smooth. This is a real shame because they already have the solution partially licked by using linear bearings on the double rail guide mechanism under the hood. They strangely proceed to use a nylon bush to guide the yokes spindle and I discovered that this is where the stickiness comes from. As an engineer, and always trying to improve a product already on the market, I dismantled the yoke and removed the spindle boss that the shaft of the yoke runs through. I removed the nylon bush and replaced it with a linear bearing after a little turning and reworking and it has transformed the yoke. No more jerky, sticky resistance to contend with. These linear bearings are SO cheap, under £10 for 12 number, linear bearings !! They out perform the nylon bush by miles. I fly a real world GA aeroplane and don't expect a jerky action and now my Honeycomb yoke copies the feel more accurately. I would urge Honeycomb to make this improvement in manufacture. It will not be an expensive thing to do. I'd be quite happy to convert the yokes of anyone interested in making this undoubted improvement to their simulator experience. I'd also be happy to talk to Honeycomb as well, if they are interested in improving their product. Ps. I have a fix for the poor roll resistance as well.
TBH I have at times noticed the jittery controls but for me it only seems to be present in MSFS, not really noticed it in XP11 (but I haven't flown in over a month). Smoother controls are a massive plus for me, and adding a bit of roll resistance would be very high up on my list too.
@@SimUKReviews It's the "hold off" in the flare where the stickiness is noticed. I found it impossible to make small pulling movements to keep the nosewheel off the ground until the very last moment. I was having to make over forceful jerks to break the tacky feeling. It should be a completely smooth transition. Try it and see if you agree now I've described it. The roll resistance is very effective with my method also. I was thinking of offering a conversion service to interested people. I reckon I could perform all the work for about £90. The warranty would be voided of course but, personally, I would prefer a more accurate feel for the yoke.
Hi. Thx for the review. Got mine yesterday and I see the same problems has you. Also, if you see this message, does your yoke moves a little bit/ it's loose (like it's unscrewed a little from the metallic bar ) thank you
@@SimUKReviews hello, apparently it's a rare but now know problem... My device is new and I had difficulties to get one, so maybe I'll wait a little before asking a replacement one. Lol. Thx for your quick answer
I would get it but it kinda defeats the point of panels from logitech and get that realistic kind of flight, and i dont want to hit my hand while banking, maybe i could not use the switches, What do you think i should do?
TBH when my panels are working in MSFS I won't be using these at all, I dont in XP11 either. I actually meant to say the could have removed them and dropped the price.
I got stung by the 'left it on START' on the magneto switch AGAIN yesterday when flying on my lunch break with a coworker.. Wasn't until I started to come in for a landing and I was bleeding off some speed and no throttle, that I started to hear a 'ticking'... What the?? what could that b...... OH F... (switches it to BOTH).... I had a bit of a KHANNNNN! moment.
@@JoeSmoe1 my question still remains... WHY? Why would I need to do that at all? What would that achieve? All I had to do was turn my magento switch from START to BOTH on my Honeycomb Yoke and it would be correct.
On the fence with this one. I've been looking at it but worry about some of the point you mention, deadzones and lack of resistance. I'm using a HOTAS Warthog atm which is exceptional kit but doesn't deliver that true GA flying experience. I've flown Cessna 150/152/172 IRL and it feels weird to say the least flying one with an A-10C HOTAS xD. I looked up the Fulcrum yoke that's coming soon, but once you throw on the 20% VAT for here in the UK (£360 minus VAT) it's over £400 which is more than I was hoping to spend. Thrustmasters upcoming Airbus TCA range looks like an excellent "budget" option, if they were to come out with a HALL equipped Yoke I'm sure it would sell like goddamn hotcakes and I'd likely be a buyer. Good review :).
Got mine about a week ago. Its alright but definitely not what I expected. The amount of force required to push the yoke in and out is ridiculous - I want to enjoy the sim and not get the same workout you get from flying a real life C172 that is completely untrimmed. I'll be sticking to my X52 for anything that is beyond a C150/C172.
@@SimUKReviews but for someone getting into sim flying on a BUDGET it does the job. The Honeycomb has always been considered a premium item in the sim world. Saitek for budget / entry level.
@@4RMS7TRONG wrong. Cheap logitech is $169 plus tax and shipping from some places. And it's cheap and useless and the throttle that comes with the logitech pro bundle is useless also being it can only be used on that yoke. So if you upgrade your yoke your throttle quadrant becomes useless. So still better off for the quality to buy honeycomb for $250 plus logitech side usb quadrant for $60. Or wait for a honeycomb bravo with way more options to it for $250. And yes I understand all the prices are 2-3 times msrp now but when shit goes back to normal. Also bought my honeycomb on eBay brand new in the box for $90 over retail that included tax and shipping but I couldn't find it anywhere cheaper or that had an actual shipping date. And mine came with no problems and no dead zone area so I didn't have to recalibrate it at all and love it and is my first yoke ever.
@@SIMRIG412 someone else who seems to not understand the word BUDGET. You seem to be mentioning how good the honeycomb is.. that makes it a great yoke, it doesn't make it a budget one.
If I could afford to spend 500 dollars on a yoke and throttle quadrant I would totally buy the honeycomb yoke and throttle quadrant but I can’t so I bought the airbus tca sidestick which still looks really good so I can’t complain
Sim UK I think I will also be happy with my purchase but I had to pre order it (just the stick not the throttle quadrant) because every place I looked was sold out so it will be coming the 24th of September.
8:00 it means they allready calculated it. even they send new for free they made profit.it get cheaper build.god damn preorders and this nothing todo with covic its been pre order how many years now. i hate it and it seems they never get my money
BUILD FOR PRE ORDER.if not believe own product then not build them.build bigger patch and price is lower.OR keep same price and get more PROFIT. i hate out of stock preorder.after preorder and waiting 2 months for valve index. i did not buy it anymore becouse.that need was gone allready. i would had it if its stock item LOL. bad business. i would buy yoke and quadrant NOW but now wait 2021 LOL there is other options on shops lol
i dont really understand a review that knocks a product for what MIGHT happen in the future, saying the roll axis does not have much resistance and you dont really like it is a valid criticism, but saying it might fail sooner in the future because of that is just a guess and doesnt really fit with the review, same story with the switches, feeling cheap is a valid criticism but guessing that they might fail in 2 years is just... well its just bullshit, no grounds at all for any kind of estimation of when something might break and to state that as a negative. its like reviewing an alfa romeo and immediately knocking points off because you know... something might fail in a year or 2, isnt really fitting for a review of the product. if there were reports of failures with the yoke already then its valid to point that out as a caution to buyers, so for instance the the ''dead zone'' is worth mentioning because users have reported that this can be an issue with some and not for others, valid criticism. covering leaves dust and fingerprints... valid... could degrade over time... just guessing and not really any basis for it, how could it degrade? would a shiny piano black finish degrade faster? i reckon so. not my favourite review, was a bit lopsided in the fact you mix actual valid negative aspects with what is just guess work on your behalf which could scare potential buyers away, but i appreciate the review anyway and gave it a watch.
Have you got a Honeycomb Yoke? If not then perhaps you don't understand how valid those potential issues really are. These are not aerospace grade switches and they feel like they very well might fail within 2 years.
@@SimUKReviews i do have a honeycomb yoke yes, but what you are doing by saying that is guessing they might fail, saying they are poorer feeling and seem lower quality seems a valid statement to me but saying they might fail is just a wild guess i think your review would have benefited without in my opinion. thats not to say i think your review is shit, i appreciated it and watched it. i have other concerns with the yoke personally, for instance i can feel movement in the steel rod up and down if i push up and down, its about 1-2mm of movement but its a concern, id prefer no movement that way. also i have to use the sticky pad on the base because of the nature of my desk and i dont want to keep the yoke in that position so have to keep removing it so i can play my normal games aswell, so the true question of what might not last is that sticky pad, just how long will it stay sticky, can the pad be replaced, will people stuck with this method of clamping the yoke down have problems in 6-12 months and will honeycomb honor the warranty for a sticky pad that dont stick anymore? its just a bit of constructive criticism of the review mate and just how i think it would have come across better.
@@jinx20001 I appreciate your honest feedback, but these concerns are not wild guesses they are based on other similar devices in comparison to the level of quality in this device...it is (as mentioned) a theoretical consideration. I hadnt noticed the vertical movement tbh, so will look out for that. Good news for you though, the sticky plate can be cleaned, left to dry and will return to its original sticky self 😀
@@SimUKReviews oh hey really that is good news lol sorry if i came across at all negative, its good to dig a bit deeper and understand where your views are coming from so i appreciate the discussion, earned a subscribe. catch you on the next one.
I just got one of these, it's pretty good so far. Certainly precise, more so once calibrated. Using with FS 2020, just remember to go to the sensitivity option and turn off the deadzone in the game.
To calibrate, keep reading....
To enter setting, first push the 4 large switches on the base into this position 1 up 2 down 3 down 4 up.
Then hold down the 2 white buttons on the left hand side of the yoke as you plug in USB connector and you should see flashing and it settle on a fixed light. This is then in calibration mode.
Then follow this procedure:
Turn yoke fully right, press rear base button on right, then release to centre, press rear button. Turn yoke fully left, press rear button, then release to centre, press rear button. Then push fully in, press rear button, then release to centre, press rear button. Then pull fully out, press rear button, then release to centre, press rear button.
Nice 👌
Where did you get it because it looks like its sold out EVERYWHERE
@@Jeats being in the UK, I got it from Scan Computers.
Just to add to the above, if anyone catches it. That deadzone is there for a purpose. With a device like the Honeycomb which has resistive rubber banding, the center point of the axis may change slightly over time as they stretch. It's also not the most accurate way to guarantee it always lay fully center when the yoke is resting, regardless. Therefore you'll most likely need to recalibrate again or add in a dead spot, either via the calibration process or in software to make sure that the yoke, when resting, is actually dead center or you'll have some drift.
@The Oracle if I remember its the led light button, when looking dead on its at the back on the right side.
The LED is the one thing I thought was just a gimmick and hated it. Then I realized it's brilliant when I'm flying in a dark environment as I can turn it on to get light to take notes that doesn't impact my vision with a bright light. The biggest thing I'd like is for Honeycomb to offer different height clamps and screws.
I thought the same thing, but it isn't bright enough sadly.
They are designing bigger clamps.
It would be good if the the light actually lit up the buttons/switches.
@@Shadow__133 Are they actually doing that? I was using the suction pad on my 4.5" thick tabletop and it is losing adhesiveness. Hope they will offer larger clamps soon!
PH Wong Who knows? It is what they told me when I bought it (April?). I have adapted mine so didn’t bother to ask again.
Great review Sim Uk. Fair and honest.. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Charles.
I still remember when Honeycomb changed their button layout on the horns and showed the change on UA-cam. I immediately pointed out to them the problems with the new layout and how it would be hard to hit the buttons, particularly on the right horn. I even suggested that they should make the red button cap taller to be able to access it over the trim switches but they said it was too far along in design/production. I was disappointed in their response because really, it’s not a layout change but just a different sourcing/moulding for the caps.
They should have listened to you.
Really good review. A proper review. The flex in the cable connector would never have crossed my mind. At the beginning of the video you said your goal is to make me buy with confidence. Because of the number of potential issues raised in the video I started to get nervous but when you concluded at the end by saying it's the best on the market I found that I really trusted your judgement and I was instantly no longer nervous. Perhaps it may help however to remind me of the fact that some minor concerns like these are always to be expected. I did somewhat enjoy the emotional journey through the video anyway so maybe it's not that bad. Great review. Awesome reviewer. I'm gonna buy this yoke with great confidence.
Wonderful news. Thanks Jay.
Simple job to have the cables down the torque tube.
Good music for the guests aboard on a flight to rio
HEY MACARENA!
@@SimUKReviews Is that the songs name?
Dude. I'm so glad this popped up on my feed. Nice review!
Cheers.
A very honest and fair review. Thanks.
I was thinking of getting the Logitech yoke for a long time as an upgrade from my joystick, mainly because of how expensive the Honeycomb is where I live (~£400), but in the end I decided to buy the Honeycomb and I've not looked back, it is the best yoke I've used. Thanks for a great review! :)
£400 is an awful lot. I'm assuming you're from the UK, given the currency. Just keep in mind that there's a really high demand for flight simulator peripherals at the minute, with the release of MSFS2020. Currys keep getting stock of the Honeycomb every few days, and it's only £230. They'll even send you stock alert email notifications if you sign up. to them
It needs FFB added and more focused towards VR for what buttons we only require for this. Gladly most buttons cater for these as you can swap out most. We need a feature for a HAT and Enter button to replace using a Mouse.
Great idea with the mouse nipple.
We won’t see Force feedback on anything anytime soon. Unfortunately the patents where bought by some very greedy people.
Im glad that they went directly to USB-C
detachable too!
I found the roll axis resistance to be perfect, but the pitch axis resistance too strong (if you use a chair with wheels, on a floor with no carpet, you might need to place a rug under to stop the chair rolling when you pitch up and down), just personal preference. Agree with you on the build quality, I think its the highest quality piece of gaming hardware i've used, on par with the high end driving wheels.
Certainly is Sergio, and yes I have experienced some wheel issues lol but it makes the trimming a dream!
same here, love it but my table Is to light and moves if I pull the yoke. To bad this force is not adjustable. Maybe not realistic but it would be nice if I could adjust it so it needs less power
Nice and spot on review. Got mine two weeks ago and love it. The only thing I don’t like are the trim rockers. They feel cheap and sharp on the thumb. Not too smooth either. Despite this and the ergonomics mentioned, I truly love this yoke. It was this and MSFG Pedals or the Brunner with no pedals and pray my Saitek ones last a bit longer (I’m using a backup pair I bought used in case my original saitek pedals died. And they did!). I’m happy I chose the Alpha route!
Little late to the party but, this is a superb review thankyou for your honesty. Subbed.
Thanks VRFSG! Already subbed to you :-)
@@SimUKReviews Thankyou so much! :)
Putting some damping grease on the internals should improve the low resistance, and will make the yoke feel more realistic
Thanks for the suggestion.
I think the few shortcomings come into even more perspective when one has to consider that the next tier of Yokes is currently only inhabited by Yoko at a price 4 times of the Honeycomb.
Which clearly shows that there is still a market gap that can be filled by others. How about desiging a yoke that would fall somewhere between 350 and 500$?
Or one with proper force feedback. Like in the higher end racing equipment available. One that is capable of exerting true life forces.
Google fulcrum Yoke ;-)
Market out there for a pilot to design a proper yoke.
Glad to hear you like the yoke. I hear you on the Cessna Proflight line. I never got one. I was so bummed to hear that it was discontinued. I got the honeycomb myself about 6 months ago I think and it's been great for me so far with no issues whatsoever. I've put about 300 hours on it between MSFS and Xplane 11 and haven't noticed any issues with the switches or roll tension yet, but I'll keep an eye on it and let you know if I start to see anything. The full 180 degree roll was what sold me on it, couldn't imagine the saitek at only 90 would be sufficient for fine control. blue skies friend.
Yes I certainly do. It's very similar to the Saitek Cessna Pro flight, just with smoother axis and better resistance. Going to use both together and fly with my daughter 😊
hi thanks for the review, I suggest with the RJ45 connectors to add some hot glue around connector to stop any movement. Hot glue is easy to peel away later on if you need to remove it.
Cool name!
Your production values are going through the roof mate. Flight Sim Porn might be a good description, especially with the music. I don't know if you're aware of a sim driving creator called Chris Haye, but for what it's worth I've subbed to you for similar reasons.
Thank you J T G, I am actively trying to make better content so thank you🙏
I've not heard of Chris Haye, maybe I should check him out and get some more tips and ideas 🤔
Thanks for the detailed review! Made me definitely realize that the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke is for me, and even though it's currently sold out everywhere, will be worth the wait!
pilot mall has it in stock. I ordered and they shipped same day!
Now ya talking Yes Sir!
there is another yoke in the works, fulcrum sim based in uk, i be keen to see you do reveiw one day.
Oh Nice! Thanks for the heads up.
@@SimUKReviews looks soild
Wow, it looks like it was designed for modders.. with everything being screws for the handle tops and yoke front.
Getting muddled up with messages, this looks incredible & the price is spot on! Honeycomb have a REAL competitor on their hands here.
@@SimUKReviews Its double of the honeycomb landed in australia,with exchange rate it dont help but If did have the coin i pass honey,I am tired of tweaking stuff to work ,been tweaking fsx for 6 years and i would not want to start opening things up after 5 years replacing parts and tweaking .
Danke good sir, this review helped me make a decision
Which yoke did you end up buying?
Cracking good review on the Honeycom yoke Sim. Yeah, those switches just do not feel very nice at all. The red and white Rocker switches are ok to me but those little black ones feel like they could snap if you're not careful. I certainly agree with your concerns about the little USB cable from the moving part of the yoke to the main body. That's one of the first things that I noticed when I put mine together. Overall, though, I'm very pleased with mine.
Thanks String! See you in the skies!
Truly useful and comprehensive review. I hope the manufacturer is watching this and takes your points on board for the next version which will be the one I wait for. I am hoping for better things from the throttle quadrant.
Thank you.
TBH I have already seen a number of potential design issues for the Throttle Quadrant, but hopefully I am wrong 😅
Excellent review as always :)
Thank you sir, looking forward to a tour of NZ.
@@SimUKReviews Definitely. How can I contact you for a MP flight at some stage?
I got mine just in time for launch of MSFS. It is the best yoke I could have invested in without using PFC products
What is PFC?
@@SimUKReviews precision flight controls. I used to have a full set up of nothing but that ages ago but wasn'tnt willing to spend 1000+ per thing
Ahhh OK thanks you. :-)
Excellent review. Now I'm on the fence and really not sure which one I should buy.
LOL, only consider a yoke if you already have a throttle qudrant...might consider a HOTAS first.
@@SimUKReviews Can we chat on Discord real quick. I want to point out something I encountered on FS.
@@jimmydali sorry mate, got my teachers hat on today, but wifey is back after lunch.
@@SimUKReviews Well it was just a quick question.
Did you get sorted bud?
Thanks for this video, excellent info. Also, thanks to Mark for the calibration guide. Any chance we can get a video tutorial on how to do it?
ua-cam.com/video/QSDJ-v66CfQ/v-deo.html
@@SimUKReviews Thank you very much. Liked and subbed by the way, great channel. Much appreciated.
Thank you & welcome.
Some of them creak and some of them have problems with the little RJ-45 connections (not cable related) , must be sent back for either of these two items. If anyone else experienced that, please leave a comment.
For what is worth my honey Combe didn’t arrive with any dead zone. Although you have to be careful. Iv noticed that the yoke sometimes looks off center to the left/right ever so slightly after turning the yoke very slowly to the left/right and letting it center.Prob down to the lower tension in the bungee cord memory I guess. This causes the plane to roll slightly more left/right than it should (taking p factor in to account). You may end up applying dead zone in fs2020 anyways. Fs2020 sets dead one at ‘2’ which is perfect for my yoke and not really noticeable.
Great video! What would you recommend if I fly sometimes the A320 and sometimes Cesnas, would you go for a sidestick or yoke? I'm still debating... thanks!
Personally I'd like both lol.
The sidestick is more versatile, can be used for anything where as the yoke is more for the dedicated hardcore sim fan.
@@SimUKReviews Thank you!
The concern over the soft touch plastic is very sensible... I have a very old X52 pro, which has a similar coating, and as it aged, the soft touch plastic started to degrade and became gross. Hopefully Honeycomb's plastic does better, but the only way to know is to wait and see.
Also totally agreed on the button placement... Those look pretty awkward to reach over the trim toggles.
For the spring tensioning, IINM the spring element in the Alpha is basically a bungee cord. It should be easily possible to preload it a bit more, or maybe add an additional one for extra resistance. Needless to say though, that'd be the end of your warranty right there.
Some very cool brands (can't remember specifically right now) actually do allow opening the case without voiding the warranty, which only happens if you make actual modifications... not sure what product it was though, unfortunately... Virpil possibly?
Yes i have some old usb sticks with they coating, they sort of melted and went sticky.
Be aware! As it is you cannot change heading by less than 10° (normal is 1°) and altitude 1000ft (100ft normal) on Flight Shitmulator. I would wait until they fix it. Also, they are designing clamps for thicker desks, not sure when it will come out. It is an awesome yoke, the best I used so far. But I would wait a bit.
The forward postion on the hat switch failed on my yoke on day 1. The ethernet port is the problem as it works if upward pressure is applied to the small cable entering the yoke. Ive ordered another and giving this one back for a refund.
Oh dear
Same here re. the ethernet port. Unfortunately I purchased 2nd hand so I'm SOL. Won't be buying another.
Mark smith, i suspect the solder on the port snaps or there isnt enough solder on it. I would have taken mine apart to inspect the port on the handle side but it was 1 day old so I figured i should send it back. I haven't had any trouble with the 2nd yoke and the flat 0.25m cable I swapped for the coiled cable.
Was it just the forward hat switch you lost, the same as my first one?
@@adamday331 that could well be it. When I get the yoke back I'll consider opening it up to fix before selling it. Nah, the issue would happen with any of the buttons on the yoke handle.
@@MarkSmith-km2fw i say its the solder on the port as when i pushed up on the cable my hat switch worked again. Suggesting a bad connection around that area. I did wedge a small piece of plastic under the port to lift it slightly which worked for a short while but it didn't last. The flat cable removes any strain or twisting caused by the stock coiled cable. It does make you wonder how much testing they really did before launching to the public! Now if microsoft can fix the bush trip completion bug ill be happy again!!
Started to look for the Cessna pro flight.... I’m assuming they don’t make those anymore. I only can find used, and up for auction.
Just go with Honeycomb, especially the throttle.
@@SimUKReviews ok thank you for the input :))
Very nice, honest review. What alternative would you suggesting if stepping it up a level from this one?
Looking closely at the fulcrum
Sim UK thanks for the heads-up on that one, looks lovely bit of kit, would love to see a review by you
Thanks for the review. Pretty excited to get my hands on one. WIll be a good upgrade from the thrustmaster hotas Iam using now. What would be your recomendation for a set of rudder pedals to go with an alpha yoke and beta throttle?
I love my Saitek Cessna Pro Flight pedals (even though one of the brakes has lost its spring) but I am looking forward to the honeycomb pedals.
@@SimUKReviews oh! I didnt know they were doing pedals too! Awesome.
Personally, I'd say wait for the (presumably named) Charlie pedals from Honeycomb. But they still haven't announced those yet, so there's no knowing when you'd get them. Stay away from the cheaper pedals, in my opinion and go for something like the MFG Crosswind V2s. They're out of stock right now, but they get stock every few days, and should keep their resale value
Very nice but years ago i was getting my head around how to provide a force feedback and integrate trim, so that trim loads could be felt to reduce on turning the trim and moving the dead zone. Trim wheel needs to be on the yoke housing so that mechanically it can move the centring springs. Also loads could change with airspeed. I would have thought that would be available by now in a production yoke.
Perhaps it needs "inventing".
I have the alpha flight yoke it's back in the excellent packaging as I could not make a good job of binding the controls being a LM P3D v4.5 sim user, I am told its simplicity it self with XPlane 11 and MSFS 2020, if you could do a comprehensive configuration video fo P3D users I know I would be very greatful I just could not get the control function figured out with P3D. As always very informative and straight talking on pros and cons. Cheers Charlie
Hi Charlie , did you download the drivers from their website? Believe p3d also requires software.
@@SimUKReviews Yes I did but the Forums and support from various said it was not 100% a help?.
The rotating buttons on the metal clamps should have been in metal or at least in a stronger material than plastic in my opinion.
yO EVERY PIECE OF PLASTIC IN THIS YOKE IS SERIOUSLY HIGH QUALITY PLASTIC.
I live in hope that a force feedback joystick or yoke is released soon. I believe there are patent issues preventing them being widely available.
Brenner.
Why, so long as you make sure you don't copy whatever someone else does. I have seen the one with coils, still to complex.
I've just ordered one from Currys. Cheers!
Thanks for the review.
Is it possible to connect a saitek throttle quadrant to the honeycomb flight yoke ?
Not directly, but they can be used together if it is USB extension
Where do people buy this yoke? It looks like it is sold out everywhere..
Unfortunately there's a massive shortage on all flight sim hardware since MSFS2020 came out. Most are on back order till at least October.
Try Sporty's Pilot Shop. I've bought 3 of them recently. The last one was backordered, and received in about 3 weeks.
Hey Mate..
Thanks for the detailed review + providing us with your thoughts on the gear. Just wanted to clarify, I'm assuming the "M3" you mention regarding the mounting pad, you actually are meaning to say "3M"? Like the chemical company who makes killer electrical tape, and wall hanging devices for mounting curios from our world travels like my shrunken head collection... My last girlfrriend did not appreciate 8 shrunken heads deciding to detach from their lofty perch and decend onto her head + lap one evening while i was away on Safari....
So for rhe sake of your subscribers. 3M mates.
Dont lose a girlfriend like i did by using "el Cheapo" adhesive.
Cheers!
Lmao. 3M.
Wonder if anyone has a good modification for the roll access to increase the tension yet?
I've heard from people who have done exactly this, but not seen anything shared as yet...
I’m definitely buying this yoke
I love mines, well worth the money.
OK. First off, it's a good yoke, far better than the Saitek but it has flaws. I even tried to get some reaction from Honeycomb to my issue but no reply was forthcoming, nada. That's not very polite so I set out to find my own solution. The issue is that the pitch control, during fine movements in the flare, is slightly jerky, or sticky but definitely not smooth. This is a real shame because they already have the solution partially licked by using linear bearings on the double rail guide mechanism under the hood. They strangely proceed to use a nylon bush to guide the yokes spindle and I discovered that this is where the stickiness comes from. As an engineer, and always trying to improve a product already on the market, I dismantled the yoke and removed the spindle boss that the shaft of the yoke runs through. I removed the nylon bush and replaced it with a linear bearing after a little turning and reworking and it has transformed the yoke. No more jerky, sticky resistance to contend with. These linear bearings are SO cheap, under £10 for 12 number, linear bearings !! They out perform the nylon bush by miles. I fly a real world GA aeroplane and don't expect a jerky action and now my Honeycomb yoke copies the feel more accurately. I would urge Honeycomb to make this improvement in manufacture. It will not be an expensive thing to do. I'd be quite happy to convert the yokes of anyone interested in making this undoubted improvement to their simulator experience. I'd also be happy to talk to Honeycomb as well, if they are interested in improving their product. Ps. I have a fix for the poor roll resistance as well.
Magnificent news! Especially interested to learn this method Sir.
@@SimUKReviews Have you found this issue with the yoke or is it just me?
TBH I have at times noticed the jittery controls but for me it only seems to be present in MSFS, not really noticed it in XP11 (but I haven't flown in over a month).
Smoother controls are a massive plus for me, and adding a bit of roll resistance would be very high up on my list too.
@@SimUKReviews It's the "hold off" in the flare where the stickiness is noticed. I found it impossible to make small pulling movements to keep the nosewheel off the ground until the very last moment. I was having to make over forceful jerks to break the tacky feeling. It should be a completely smooth transition. Try it and see if you agree now I've described it. The roll resistance is very effective with my method also. I was thinking of offering a conversion service to interested people. I reckon I could perform all the work for about £90. The warranty would be voided of course but, personally, I would prefer a more accurate feel for the yoke.
Wilco. Good idea.
Hi. Thx for the review. Got mine yesterday and I see the same problems has you.
Also, if you see this message, does your yoke moves a little bit/ it's loose (like it's unscrewed a little from the metallic bar ) thank you
Hi, no i don't have that.
@@SimUKReviews hello, apparently it's a rare but now know problem... My device is new and I had difficulties to get one, so maybe I'll wait a little before asking a replacement one. Lol. Thx for your quick answer
See if you can get the xbox ready version...same price.
Where is the cup holder?
lol ☺
I would get it but it kinda defeats the point of panels from logitech and get that realistic kind of flight, and i dont want to hit my hand while banking, maybe i could not use the switches, What do you think i should do?
TBH when my panels are working in MSFS I won't be using these at all, I dont in XP11 either.
I actually meant to say the could have removed them and dropped the price.
What is that red thing on the shaft?
Just one of my own cable tie's
Does this yoke also work good as a steering wheel in cyberpunk?
I got stung by the 'left it on START' on the magneto switch AGAIN yesterday when flying on my lunch break with a coworker.. Wasn't until I started to come in for a landing and I was bleeding off some speed and no throttle, that I started to hear a 'ticking'... What the?? what could that b...... OH F... (switches it to BOTH).... I had a bit of a KHANNNNN! moment.
😆
next time press CTRL +E to restart engines
@@JoeSmoe1 Why would I need to restart the engines that are already turned on and working perfectly fine?
@@ColinRichardson it just resets everything. if the engines are already on itll skip that part
@@JoeSmoe1 my question still remains... WHY?
Why would I need to do that at all? What would that achieve?
All I had to do was turn my magento switch from START to BOTH on my Honeycomb Yoke and it would be correct.
I have the CH Eclipse and hmmm debating whether to get one of these but then again the CH works nice plus it hast the built in TPM.
I'd rather get a VKB NXT rather than a tension band yoke.
On the fence with this one. I've been looking at it but worry about some of the point you mention, deadzones and lack of resistance. I'm using a HOTAS Warthog atm which is exceptional kit but doesn't deliver that true GA flying experience. I've flown Cessna 150/152/172 IRL and it feels weird to say the least flying one with an A-10C HOTAS xD. I looked up the Fulcrum yoke that's coming soon, but once you throw on the 20% VAT for here in the UK (£360 minus VAT) it's over £400 which is more than I was hoping to spend.
Thrustmasters upcoming Airbus TCA range looks like an excellent "budget" option, if they were to come out with a HALL equipped Yoke I'm sure it would sell like goddamn hotcakes and I'd likely be a buyer.
Good review :).
Google Fulcrum Yoke.
Buttons feel cheap to me. I wish there was a yoke with force feedback around this price.
Banner, bannon ... something like that, ffb yokes (work in progress but looking very interesting 👌)
Brunner, brennar....so tired lol
You'll struggle to find a FFB yolk at £230. You're looking at upwards of £1000
think this thing will work with fs9 straight out of the box? will not get msfs 2020 until spring of 21 at the earliest besides i still love MSFS FS9.
In the most part yes, although you prob will want to rebind each input.
Alright but does anyone know the song?
4:00 giggidy giggidy giggidy
lol
Got mine about a week ago. Its alright but definitely not what I expected. The amount of force required to push the yoke in and out is ridiculous - I want to enjoy the sim and not get the same workout you get from flying a real life C172 that is completely untrimmed. I'll be sticking to my X52 for anything that is beyond a C150/C172.
That weight really helps in GA trimming.
@The Oracle Wow cool, thanks for sharing
It's weird they put the switches on the left and key on the right...
Pretty much opposite of any light ga.
Can we use it on car games as well?
My first ever wheel was a yoke (I didn't know that at the time) so yes it prob can, but not ideal.
I still think the saitek is the best BUDGET yoke you can get. Honeycomb are a premium yoke brand.
Hi Mathew, having owned one I recommend you avoid it. If the Cessna version was still out then maybe, but the Pro flight Yoke is not great.
@@SimUKReviews but for someone getting into sim flying on a BUDGET it does the job. The Honeycomb has always been considered a premium item in the sim world. Saitek for budget / entry level.
@@4RMS7TRONG its definitely. The cheapest, but for the price I think I would rather get a tm airbus rig.
@@4RMS7TRONG wrong. Cheap logitech is $169 plus tax and shipping from some places. And it's cheap and useless and the throttle that comes with the logitech pro bundle is useless also being it can only be used on that yoke. So if you upgrade your yoke your throttle quadrant becomes useless. So still better off for the quality to buy honeycomb for $250 plus logitech side usb quadrant for $60. Or wait for a honeycomb bravo with way more options to it for $250. And yes I understand all the prices are 2-3 times msrp now but when shit goes back to normal. Also bought my honeycomb on eBay brand new in the box for $90 over retail that included tax and shipping but I couldn't find it anywhere cheaper or that had an actual shipping date. And mine came with no problems and no dead zone area so I didn't have to recalibrate it at all and love it and is my first yoke ever.
@@SIMRIG412 someone else who seems to not understand the word BUDGET. You seem to be mentioning how good the honeycomb is.. that makes it a great yoke, it doesn't make it a budget one.
4:00 thats kind of sus
?
3:58 it looks like uh........ nvm
oh! Now all these comments make sense LMAO.
If only it wasn't sold out literally everywhere...
Sporty's Pilot Shop. I've bought 3 of them recently. The last one was backordered, and received in about 3 weeks.
If I could afford to spend 500 dollars on a yoke and throttle quadrant I would totally buy the honeycomb yoke and throttle quadrant but I can’t so I bought the airbus tca sidestick which still looks really good so I can’t complain
I think you're going to be very happy with your purchase 😃
Sim UK I think I will also be happy with my purchase but I had to pre order it (just the stick not the throttle quadrant) because every place I looked was sold out so it will be coming the 24th of September.
@@tranquilhawk5110 Where did you pre order?
$649.99 on Amazon today.
Amazon will hike the price if they think they can get away with it....wow!
i hate rubberized grips thy always ether rub off making it look bad or thy get sticky and collect everything again making it look bad
It is an area of concern for me too.
8:00 it means they allready calculated it. even they send new for free they made profit.it get cheaper build.god damn preorders and this nothing todo with covic its been pre order how many years now. i hate it and it seems they never get my money
BUILD FOR PRE ORDER.if not believe own product then not build them.build bigger patch and price is lower.OR keep same price and get more PROFIT. i hate out of stock preorder.after preorder and waiting 2 months for valve index. i did not buy it anymore becouse.that need was gone allready. i would had it if its stock item LOL.
bad business. i would buy yoke and quadrant NOW but now wait 2021 LOL there is other options on shops lol
3M not M3
Ah, yes 3M thanks.
Can't get it anywhere, ridiculous
Sporty's Pilot Shop. I've bought 3 of them recently. The last one was backordered, and received in about 3 weeks.
Soft rubberized... and becomes gluey and sticky in a couple of years...
I have one. It's still in the box. Meh.
Ch yoke made me hate yokes in general
i dont really understand a review that knocks a product for what MIGHT happen in the future, saying the roll axis does not have much resistance and you dont really like it is a valid criticism, but saying it might fail sooner in the future because of that is just a guess and doesnt really fit with the review, same story with the switches, feeling cheap is a valid criticism but guessing that they might fail in 2 years is just... well its just bullshit, no grounds at all for any kind of estimation of when something might break and to state that as a negative.
its like reviewing an alfa romeo and immediately knocking points off because you know... something might fail in a year or 2, isnt really fitting for a review of the product.
if there were reports of failures with the yoke already then its valid to point that out as a caution to buyers, so for instance the the ''dead zone'' is worth mentioning because users have reported that this can be an issue with some and not for others, valid criticism. covering leaves dust and fingerprints... valid... could degrade over time... just guessing and not really any basis for it, how could it degrade? would a shiny piano black finish degrade faster? i reckon so.
not my favourite review, was a bit lopsided in the fact you mix actual valid negative aspects with what is just guess work on your behalf which could scare potential buyers away, but i appreciate the review anyway and gave it a watch.
Have you got a Honeycomb Yoke? If not then perhaps you don't understand how valid those potential issues really are. These are not aerospace grade switches and they feel like they very well might fail within 2 years.
@@SimUKReviews i do have a honeycomb yoke yes, but what you are doing by saying that is guessing they might fail, saying they are poorer feeling and seem lower quality seems a valid statement to me but saying they might fail is just a wild guess i think your review would have benefited without in my opinion. thats not to say i think your review is shit, i appreciated it and watched it.
i have other concerns with the yoke personally, for instance i can feel movement in the steel rod up and down if i push up and down, its about 1-2mm of movement but its a concern, id prefer no movement that way. also i have to use the sticky pad on the base because of the nature of my desk and i dont want to keep the yoke in that position so have to keep removing it so i can play my normal games aswell, so the true question of what might not last is that sticky pad, just how long will it stay sticky, can the pad be replaced, will people stuck with this method of clamping the yoke down have problems in 6-12 months and will honeycomb honor the warranty for a sticky pad that dont stick anymore?
its just a bit of constructive criticism of the review mate and just how i think it would have come across better.
@@jinx20001 I appreciate your honest feedback, but these concerns are not wild guesses they are based on other similar devices in comparison to the level of quality in this device...it is (as mentioned) a theoretical consideration.
I hadnt noticed the vertical movement tbh, so will look out for that.
Good news for you though, the sticky plate can be cleaned, left to dry and will return to its original sticky self 😀
@@SimUKReviews oh hey really that is good news lol sorry if i came across at all negative, its good to dig a bit deeper and understand where your views are coming from so i appreciate the discussion, earned a subscribe. catch you on the next one.
@@jinx20001 all constructive criticism is appreciated and considered for the next video too. Thank you and welcome 🙏
Budget youk.....🙄