hotas for the hornet? (budget)

so I'm going on a trip to the usa by the end of september, and want to bring a new hotas for the hornet. ideally I'd buy the thrustmaster hornet hotas whenever they release it, but I don't think it will be out by then, and even if it is, it's probably gonna cost more than the warthog hotas wich is about $470 right now. I need to buy it there cuz it costs about twice as much in my country, and it also deppends on availability.

I had many joysticks / hotas in the past, very basic ones wich even back in the 90s were unuseable, then I got a t-flight hotas x wich wasn't great but at least got me started with the warthog, then I tried upgrading it with a custom usb interface and switches, but never found proper switches, time, or skill to make something good out of it, and eventually abandoned it and bought a saitek x45 wich was way below expectation. it was better than the t-flight hotas x, but I was expecting being able to map all the warthog hotas commands to it, wich I obviously couldn't, specially when I had to leave one hat for panning the view cuz I never managed to make a proper head tracking dyi, nor had the money to buy a trackir.

so what do you recommend? the hornet is probably my favorite fighter jet ever, and I must have a decent setup for playing it. I have a great computer that runs dcs smoothly, but I need a hotas wich I can assign all the buttons and switches to.

so I'm going on a trip to the usa by the end of september, and want to bring a new hotas for the hornet. ideally I'd buy the thrustmaster hornet hotas whenever they release it, but I don't think it will be out by then, and even if it is, it's probably gonna cost more than the warthog hotas wich is about $470 right now. I need to buy it there cuz it costs about twice as much in my country, and it also deppends on availability.

 

I had many joysticks / hotas in the past, very basic ones wich even back in the 90s were unuseable, then I got a t-flight hotas x wich wasn't great but at least got me started with the warthog, then I tried upgrading it with a custom usb interface and switches, but never found proper switches, time, or skill to make something good out of it, and eventually abandoned it and bought a saitek x45 wich was way below expectation. it was better than the t-flight hotas x, but I was expecting being able to map all the warthog hotas commands to it, wich I obviously couldn't, specially when I had to leave one hat for panning the view cuz I never managed to make a proper head tracking dyi, nor had the money to buy a trackir.

 

so what do you recommend? the hornet is probably my favorite fighter jet ever, and I must have a decent setup for playing it. I have a great computer that runs dcs smoothly, but I need a hotas wich I can assign all the buttons and switches to.

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If you look hard enough, deals can be found on the Warthog.

I paid $300 shipped for mine, brand new.

Just wait for the TM F-18 and order it online.

the thing is, in brazil when you buy something online from other countries, they hold it in customs for months, and when they release it, they can charge up to 156% (60% + 60% over it) the price of the product+shipping. in some cases it's cheaper to buy a plane ticket to the us, and bring stuff with you, cause you have a $500 quota of stuff you can bring tax free. and sometimes, specially when you buy stuff from china, but not restricted to china, you never receive it. it stays in customs forever until it disappears from tracking.

so ordering online something that expensive isn't an option, that's why I need to buy it when I'm there.

any other options? I hear good things about VKB, but they only have one stick

Fael097,

Since buy online (from other countries) is very inconvenient option due local taxes (is up to ~105% in some states, 60% + ICS, not all charge ICMS - not 60%+60%) and the risk of the "black hole" in mail/custom system, and a very unfavorable currency exchange ratio, unless you plan make tourism in Miami, you need rely on local market, wheres the "best" buy is Warthog HOTAS for "mere"~$750.

Other than this (locally) is old Saitek X-56 (pre Logitech black/gray version) for almost the same price. Not even Thrustmaster TWCS+FCS is available.

In mater of "F-18 HOTAS" nothing specific was released in the (international) market, has only a (2016) promise of Thrustmaster in make a F-18 grip for Warthog bases (no ETA is know).

VKB and VirPil options are better in the sense of a "universal" controller for different planes/games/genres (plus better/customizable gimbal mechanics) than a Warthog, but are far from a "F-18 HOTAS" (Warthog HOTAS probable supply F-18 needs better), besides they are more expensive.

VKB and VirPil are low available - with only 2/3 places for buy online only, so even if you are in USA they may are not option, because can be unavailable at time (VirPil has no USA seller). An Warthog you can buy from Amazon and receive in few days, test and if don't like return.

Remember that Warthog HOTAS has a "hidden cost", require a rudder pedals - like CH, VKB or VPC, but this two will offer "twist rudder" in future ((CH's, in short are ... "museum pieces). ;)

the thing is, in brazil when you buy something online from other countries, they hold it in customs for months, and when they release it, they can charge up to 156% (60% + 60% over it) the price of the product+shipping. in some cases it's cheaper to buy a plane ticket to the us, and bring stuff with you, cause you have a $500 quota of stuff you can bring tax free. and sometimes, specially when you buy stuff from china, but not restricted to china, you never receive it. it stays in customs forever until it disappears from tracking.

 

so ordering online something that expensive isn't an option, that's why I need to buy it when I'm there.

 

any other options? I hear good things about VKB, but they only have one stick

I've a Brazilian friend who goes south close to Uruguay or Paraguay border, to buy pc hardwares for a good price.

Probable he refer to Ciudade Del Este - Paraguay, a kind of "Duty Free Shop", there Warthog is ~$470 - but need to pay fee (30/40%) for an smuggler to bring one to you, or smuggle yourself. Legal limit for buy there is $300.

Well besides the tm warthog which would be my bottom select I would go with the Vkb Gunfighter Pro with a Modern Combat Grip Pro you can go with the non pro versions no extension and less button functions. Both are out of stock right now but a lot like the vipil I believe is the name they just released their throttle to go with their stick iirc but I like the gimbal design of the vkb better and their throttle will not be out until the end of the year. I started with the gladiator from vkb but it’s only good for wwii era aircraft, their pedals are great because instead of pushing away from you you press downward

I recommend the Thrustmaster T. 16000 bundle. I got a stick, throttle and pedals for 189 USD on amazon

...I would go with the Vkb... vipil...

Problem is combine "budget" (OP premise) and VKB or VirPil. Example:

T50 stick w/base = $310.65

Deskmount = $42.11

Throttle = $343.93

Deskmount = $42.11

> $738.83 (+ shipping + fees = ~100% in OP country).

or for desktop use

T50 + WarBRD base = $344.97 (no option for buy in combo, resulting more expensive than T50 w/base)

Throttle = $343.93

> $ 688.90 (+ shipping + fees = ~100% in OP country).

:huh: