MAIN -- SONY -- MICROSOFT -- NINTENDO -- PC -- E3 BUZZ 
CH Eclipse Flight Yoke
Product: CH Eclipse
Company: CH Products
Date: 06/07/2009
Avaliable On:

In a camouflaged, net-covered booth, I found a pair of flight simulation cockpits showing off CH Product's newest wares. Specifically, I got to try out the CH Eclipse Yoke, inside of a three-screened simulator set-up. The CH Eclipse has fingertip paddles, allowing you to control rudders without using the foot-based rudder controls, if you prefer (or don't have the foot-based rudder controller). The CH Eclipse also features programmable trim and scroll wheels with center push functionality, three push buttons (two of which are illuminated), two eight-way hat switches and a rocker switch and trigger on each side of the handle. The included six-lever throttle / prop / fuel mixture panel includes colored handles to identify function. Speaking of functions, I should definitely point out that everything is highly programmable. I was curious as to whether the levers could be remapped, because I was thinking about mounting it from the ceiling of a simulator cockpit, to match what the game was displaying, and I was told that not only were the functions remappable, but you can even map sub-ranges of the levers' throws to be different controls.

If you're in need of a lot of different control options (but not necessarily all at the same time), you will enjoy the three-color LED selector dial. This dial has three different settings that have corresponding identifying colors (red, yellow, green) that let you quickly know at a glance what control set you have selected. With these three different settings, you get a total of 240 programmable functions with CH Control Manager software and six analog 10 bit axes for aileron, elevator, throttle, propeller pitch, fuel and rudder.

Other improvements featured in the CH Eclipse include new and improved industrial grade material and components and robust plastic extenders for thin desktops, making the CH Eclipse perfect for casual or entry-level simulation enthusiasts, as well as more seasoned simulation veterans.

Geck0 aka Robert Perkins

GameVortex PSIllustrated