Choose your MSFS controls from the aircraft you fly most.

Control-family matrix

Choose from the aircraft you fly most. The same stick can work across MSFS, but its space, throttle, and button demands change when you move from a trainer to an airliner or combat aircraft.

See the PC and Xbox compatibility matrix for current platform paths and connection limits.

Pick a lane

One PC joystick

If you already own a single joystick, compare its one-piece layout with the Hotas One in this PC stick vs. HOTAS guide. If you want a separate throttle, use the first HOTAS buying guide.

HOTAS for mixed aircraft

If you want a stick and detachable throttle in one purchase, the first HOTAS buying guide explains when the T.Flight Hotas One MSFS Edition fits. Compare it with the VelocityOne Flightstick if you prefer integrated base levers.

Compact controls

For one base and built-in levers, start with the VelocityOne Flightstick. For the tradeoff between a single PC stick and a separate throttle, see Extreme 3D Pro vs. Hotas One.

Airliner or yoke

Start at the airliner hub for the TCA Yoke Boeing Edition or Honeycomb Alpha XPC path. An Airbus-first cockpit belongs in the TCA Sidestick setup; the PC Airbus sidestick is not the Xbox Sidestick X.

Add hardware when a control becomes the limit

A stick slider works until power changes need a more deliberate hand movement. Add a separate throttle for a full-hand grip. Choose a quadrant when independent engine, propeller, or mixture levers matter, or when an Airbus setup needs engine detents that match the aircraft. Check the package contents: a yoke does not necessarily include its quadrant.

Rudder pedals move yaw and toe brakes to your feet. Add them when twist rudder starts to limit taxiing, crosswind work, or braking. They are optional when twist or a rocker already does the job. On Xbox, check the connection path before choosing pedals. For helicopter and warbird controls, see the rotorcraft and warbird guide.

Before adding another unit, measure its base, cable clearance, and storage space. A mount that fits your desk may solve a sliding base without replacing the controls. A chair that moves under braking is a separate problem.

For cockpit view control, compare Tobii and TrackIR. If your PC is short on USB ports, use the powered USB hub guide to compare port counts and connection checks.

A sensible upgrade order

1. Start with the stick, or a HOTAS if you already know a separate throttle matters.
2. Move to a yoke when GA or Boeing-style flying is the main job, not just because the desk looks more complete with one.
3. Add a throttle or quadrant when the available levers no longer cover the aircraft you fly.
4. Add pedals when twist rudder or braking is the limiting control.
5. Mount the hardware when movement or storage, rather than the control family, is the problem.

Compare the whole setup footprint

Use the dimensions for the exact model you are considering, then leave extra room for the clamp, cable bend, and your hands. These figures describe individual products; they are not combined desk-space estimates.

Check the airliner hub for yoke and sidestick package differences, and the desk-mount guide before adding a clamp to a shared desk.