Landing the Cessna 172 in FS4

Every single joystick or yoke you pick would make your life better compared to a controller. Compared to a gamepad they have a wider range of traveling before reaching 100%, so smallest inputs on the stick are smallest inputs in the simulator.

And once you experienced a analogue throttle and rudder controls, you will never look back.

If you are completely new to sticks, take a look at "Considering your first HOTAS" as a quick start. My first stick was a rather cheap Logitech which was really great to get started.

I also think that a joystick is much better for flying by hand than a Playstation controller. I have used the "TCA Sidestick X Airbus Edition" so far, whose provisions are now too hard for me. Now I use the "URSA MINOR Airline Joystick", which I like better so far.

Just try to not buy the cheaper joystick, you will be replacing it very soon looking for more quality, take some time to research.

Since I mostly fly in VR in AFS4, I only use one USB joystick with a lot of buttons and a rudder pedals. And the Quest 3 controllers mostly to turn off the planes.

I don't know about anybody else but I use the Starfield Xbox game controller for airplanes and the Airbus joystick just for Helicopters. No issues flying and landing any of the aircraft in FS4. I don't know, works for me, no crashes, no scrubbed landings. I love using the controller, feels good in my hands too, it's comfortable.

Don’t delay waiting for a premium joystick, a dead cheap one will be a hundred times more enjoyable than a controller, I’m using a simple Saitek that I’ve had for about 15 years. Supposedly the cheap analog resistor pots wear out and get jittery but mine are all going strong with no ill effects.
Turn the sensitivity way, way down in the Aerofly menu and for some flying ‘life’ turn the wind turbulence up, at least half way and consciously under control the plane. Big inputs are never needed and keep pitch changes to a minimum. Watch YouTube flying videos for reference.
Real planes have friction and inertia in moving the control surfaces so just get used to your joystick and use what ever movement is needed to get the job done. Check and renew the calibration in the Aerofly menu as required.

Pedals can wait as you hardly ever use them in a plane. A twist joystick rudder control will cover landing corrections for a while in the aeroplanes. Pedals make a big difference with the helicopters and flying a twin on one engine but sticking to the 172 at first is a good idea. Mastering one type will give you a sounder aeroplane’s aerodynamic feel than you would get from using all the different planes equally. A wind strength of a quarter to a third of maximum would be about the maximum appropriate for the 172.

Pre-conceived starting-point power settings help too, full throttle on take off, about 2250 rpm in the cruise and about 1700 or 1800 in the descent with two stages of flaps keeps things stable and under control.

Quote from ApfelFlieger

I also think that a joystick is much better for flying by hand than a Playstation controller. I have used the "TCA Sidestick X Airbus Edition" so far, whose provisions are now too hard for me. Now I use the "URSA MINOR Airline Joystick", which I like better so far.

Hello Apfel,
I did realize the TCA has a better precision due to its longer axes. What do you prefer on Ursa model, for curiosity.

Thank you

Yes, the URSA Minor is in my eye too... what do you think about it?

I can't get rid of my good old Thrustmaster T Flight Stick X that I've been using since the FSX days, admittedly outdated since then, but still working. The second is a Hotas4 that I use occasionally for heavier stuff.

Same with me and my CH Products Combat Stick and CH Products Throttle. Got them while they were not that expensive. They will not break, and the potentiometers are still rather precise. They fought with me against the Empire, Thargoids and the Axis, and accompanied me on trips with the Pitts, the C172 and my latest HEMS endeavours with the EC135.

My Saitek Rudders again are somewhat clunky. But I cannot bring myself to get some decent rudder pedals - so rudder trim is my friend.

Quote from cristianodesa

Hello Apfel,
I did realize the TCA has a better precision due to its longer axes. What do you prefer on Ursa model, for curiosity.

Thank you

I started many years ago with a joystick from LOGITECH. Because the reset force was too high with this one, I removed the spring there as a trial. This made the joystick easier to handle - but I was not allowed to let it go.

When the TCA series came out of THRUSTMASTER, I switched to the TCA sidestick because I just liked the design. But here, too, I find the reset force too strong.

For flying with helicopters, I then treated myself to the PUMA X from PRO FLIGHT TRAINER. But I still prefer to fly fly-by-wire airplanes with a joystick.

I get a lot of information about flying the A320 from the Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@captain_ingo. Ingo also describes how the sidestick works in the real Airbus. And that gave me the idea with the URSA from WINWING, which I like very much now.

I also find Ingo's statement interesting that when flying the A320, the use of the sidestick is actually only a few seconds during take-off and a few minutes when landing and the rest is controlled automatically or manually via the FCU as a central element.

So far I don't have much experience with the URSA, but I like the handling very much.

Quote from Jugac64

Yes, the URSA Minor is in my eye too... what do you think about it?

My previous, however still quite low, experiences are positive and I am happy to have bought it.

The FS 4 version for the Mac recognizes the URSA immediately. Unfortunately, only the buttons 1-24 can currently be assigned to the Mac for all external devices, but this is a general topic, which will surely be solved by IPACS.

Quote from ApfelFlieger

I started many years ago with a joystick from LOGITECH. Because the reset force was too high with this one, I removed the spring there as a trial. This made the joystick easier to handle - but I was not allowed to let it go.

When the TCA series came out of THRUSTMASTER, I switched to the TCA sidestick because I just liked the design. But here, too, I find the reset force too strong.

For flying with helicopters, I then treated myself to the PUMA X from PRO FLIGHT TRAINER. But I still prefer to fly fly-by-wire airplanes with a joystick.

I get a lot of information about flying the A320 from the Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@captain_ingo. Ingo also describes how the sidestick works in the real Airbus. And that gave me the idea with the URSA from WINWING, which I like very much now.

I also find Ingo's statement interesting that when flying the A320, the use of the sidestick is actually only a few seconds during take-off and a few minutes when landing and the rest is controlled automatically or manually via the FCU as a central element.

So far I don't have much experience with the URSA, but I like the handling very much.

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Thank you very much for your excellent feedback

When I connect a new device to my FS 4 on the Mac, I do this:

(1) Under "Settings" / "Controls" / "Input devices" I move all controls and buttons and see if a reaction is also displayed for them. My experience is that stick and lever always work, buttons only up to the running number "button 24".

(2) Then I calibrate the elements that can be calibrated.

(3) After that, I assign the functions I want to the buttons in the various menus.

So far, there is always at least 1 element with all my devices that is in a preset position when switched on. That's why I always move (!) When switching on, first put all elements through.

For troubleshooting, a look at the file gc-map.mcf, which you can also set here, helps. There are all data inside that affect the controller itself and its assignments:

• https://www.aerofly.com/dokuwiki/doku.php/simulator:mcf?s[]=gc&s[]=map#game_controller_map