Affordable hardware within Flight Simulation has been at the forefront of many simmers’ minds for a long while. We have been stuck with the same hardware for many years. Despite the reliability, it’s been a long time coming for a new player. At long last, Honeycomb Aeronautical stepped up to the job with their new Alpha Yoke system. Not only is Honeycomb Aeronautical a new player to the field but, in my opinion, they also walk away wearing the crown.
The history of Honeycomb Aeronautical releasing the Alpha Flight Control has certainly been interesting. Many of the team have had plentiful experience in creating controllers for many years. This isn’t a team of people who just jumped into creating the product, but instead, a team who wanted to create something fresh, new and intuitive for new and old simmers alike. There was clearly a gap in the market for a yoke that provided in-depth functionality, whilst also keeping the cost in mind. And though cost played a big factor to ensure the product is affordable, the classy box and nicely padded inside were certainly a surprise. The box was just the beginning of my journey on this great yoke where that premium feeling is felt despite the relatively low cost of entry.
From a purely aesthetic perspective, the Honeycomb Alpha Flight Control yoke is a great looking yoke that will compliment anyone’s simulator set-up. The main unit box itself takes up a relatively small footprint of space both on the table and in terms of height. Measuring at a compact 42cm by 28m and a height of 12cm, it really is on the smaller size for a product of this type. When the yoke is fully pulled back, it extends to a maximum depth of 48cm.
I particularly loved the overall shape and design. The curved design towards the rear is a nice touch. The whole thing feels very nice with a matte finish continuing that premium quality theme. There is clear attention to ensuring the product remains cost-effective, but also without it compromising on the quality. The front plate, with its grill-like effect was also something of personal preference that I liked and the included red LEDs are a nice touch. It’s a shame the colour can’t be changed, but they add a bit of personality to the chassis of the product. The lights themselves can be adjusted in brightness between various levels, or turned off completely if that’s what you’re looking for. They don’t add or take away from the product, but if you have a set-up with lots of red LEDs, then you likely love this feature. For everyone else, it’s a take-it or leave-it situation.