Left-handedness

[MobiusTa]

Hello,

 

I'm very new to flight simulators, am left-handed and found that there are no good HOTAS options for lefties. I ordered a t-16000M FCS hotas setup and unfortunately stripped the screw while trying to convert it to left handed mode. Rather than return it, I am thinking maybe I should just fly right handed as there does not seem to be any throttles well suited to left handed flyers. I considered flipping the thrustmaster throttle around and using it that way, but I lose a lot of the buttons. 

 

I am fairly adept with using my right to aim after years of playing shooters on the PC with the mouse, but was excited for the chance to use my dominant hand when learning something new for once.

 

My question is, what levels of fine motor control with a joystick are required to fly well? Is it more, or less than a mouse when playing first person shooters? I can tell that my left would have a bit more control, but I don't know if it's worth losing all of the buttons on the throttle. 

 

Anyone out there with a similar experience?

 

Cheers

[Sokol1]

Buy first, ask before... ?

 

In low cost range the option is T.16000M, with palm and thumb rest set for left hand.

In high cost option, VKB Kosmosima, VPC T50, Delta joystick grips has left hand option.

 

But for throttle, none of commercial HOTAS throttle is option, being a compromise an Saitek or CH Quadrant, but no buttons under fingers.

 

If I remember correct in Reddit a guy draw a right hand grip to be 3D Printed for TWCS, keeping their original buttons, HAT's.

 

Although not exactly low cost for solution is GVL224 custom throttles, that can bough for left or right hand.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/GVL224/videos

 

 

Meanwhile give a chance for you right hand, but aim in combat flight simulator/game is not that "follow mouse cursor of FPS or War Thunder", you nee "fly" the plane for keep gunsight crosshair over the "bandit". 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2019 by Sokol1

[Alonzo]

I think you probably need less fine motor for flying than FPS shooters. I am a leftie and for IL2 transitioned to my right hand for flying. Took a while but well worth it to have throttle controls all available as it should be.

[MobiusTa]

Thank you/spasiba to both of you.

 

That helps put my mind at ease a bit. It seems like there is much more to flying than just being able to maneuver the gunsights, I just didn't want to head too far down the road to find that it would be too difficult with my non-dominant hand.

 

Cheers from Canada

[=RS=GiantPLANK]

IM extremely left hand dominant.  My solution was to go for the thrustmaster t16000m also.  It can be changed to left hand use.

 

Then i paired a logicool throttle quadrant with it.  This thing is great.  3 levers for rpm, throttle and mixture.  three switches at bottom i use for flaps, water rads, oil rads.  other buttons on joystick are for gear, cowlings etc.  works well. and i get to fly with my left hand.

[Garven]

I used to use a T16000M in left hand setup and switched to right hand when I couldn't find a left hand throttle and ordered the Thrustmaster rudder pedal, joystick, and throttle set.  Takes a while (about a month or so if you play a lot, but I was learning rudder pedals at the same time) to get the hang of using a right hand stick, but now I don't think I would be any better with a left-hand set up.  

Edited June 3, 2019 by -332FG-Garven

[GVL224]

for the right hand

 

 

[sniperton]

11 hours ago, MobiusTa said:

I just didn't want to head too far down the road to find that it would be too difficult with my non-dominant hand.

I'm definitely right-handed, but for desk ergonomy reasons I have been using a left-handed mouse for over a decade even for FPSs. Now that I had to change mouse position, I find that my dominant right hand is much less skilled than my left one when it comes to precise mouse motorics. If you're new to flight sims (so that you don't have to un-learn anything), I'm pretty sure you have almost equal chances with your right hand on the stick and the left on the throttle.

[mattswe]

I'm lefthanded but use a T16000m with my right hand and the throttle with my left. No problems whatsoever, for me it works just fine. 

 

By the way, in fps games I use lefthanded mouse and control moving (wasd) with my right hand. 

[=RS=GiantPLANK]

On 6/3/2019 at 8:23 PM, GVL224 said:

for the right hand

 

 

 

WOW!!! can you tell me what is this model/brand?  and where can I buy it?  also how much?  looks very expensive!

 

 

[mazex]

I am left handed and flew simulators with my left hand up until I started flying IRL. My flight instructor quickly made it clear that "there are no left handed pilots". Real planes are made for right handed pilots with the layout of throttle, flaps, gear levers etc. So it will take some time, but just go ahead and get used to flying with your right hand - the process is much faster than you would think! If you are ever going to start flying IRL you are not allowed to fly left handed. After just a couple of days it will feel real awkward to go back fly with your left hand... While I am naturally still left handed , I recently tried flying a simulator with my left hand. Scary business  Felt as weird as it did when I was forced to fly right handed in real planes. I remember using Falcon 3.0 to "re program" my brain  back then 

[GVL224]

6 часов назад, GiantCorn сказал:

 

WOW!!! can you tell me what is this model/brand?  and where can I buy it?  also how much?  looks very expensive!

 

 

Hello.
These are my products.
I make under the order taking into account the wishes of the customer.
On my YouTube channel there are a lot of videos with my blocks.
The price of blocks for four levers is usually from 250 to 300 dollars.
production time 1.5-2 months.

[=RS=GiantPLANK]

5 hours ago, GVL224 said:

Hello.
These are my products.
I make under the order taking into account the wishes of the customer.
On my YouTube channel there are a lot of videos with my blocks.
The price of blocks for four levers is usually from 250 to 300 dollars.
production time 1.5-2 months.

 

OK very impressive.  I will bookmark your youtube page for future reference.  I would like to buy one when I have the money!

[GVL224]

2 часа назад, GiantCorn сказал:

 

OK very impressive.  I will bookmark your youtube page for future reference.  I would like to buy one when I have the money!

OK.
To order, please contact me by e-mail.

[Dakpilot]

On 6/11/2019 at 10:52 AM, mazex said:

I am left handed and flew simulators with my left hand up until I started flying IRL. My flight instructor quickly made it clear that "there are no left handed pilots". Real planes are made for right handed pilots with the layout of throttle, flaps, gear levers etc. So it will take some time, but just go ahead and get used to flying with your right hand - the process is much faster than you would think! If you are ever going to start flying IRL you are not allowed to fly left handed. After just a couple of days it will feel real awkward to go back fly with your left hand... While I am naturally still left handed , I recently tried flying a simulator with my left hand. Scary business  Felt as weird as it did when I was forced to fly right handed in real planes. I remember using Falcon 3.0 to "re program" my brain  back then 

 

Have to agree, 

 

Although when you are co-pilot and get to do the landing/flying it all gets complicated again... especially when you then transition to Captain.  I got fully sorted after flying a long contract on a multicrew aircraft where we were both qualified as captains and took turns leg for leg as PIC, sometimes swapping seats 7 times a day. 

 

I am left handed but now fairly ambidextrous 

 

Cheers, Dakpilot 

 

 

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

5 minutes ago, Dakpilot said:

 

Have to agree, 

 

Although when you are co-pilot and get to do the landing/flying it all gets complicated again... especially when you then transition to Captain.  I got fully sorted after flying a long contract on a multicrew aircraft where we were both qualified as captains and took turns leg for leg as PIC, sometimes swapping seats 7 times a day. 

 

I am left handed but now fairly ambidextrous 

 

Cheers, Dakpilot 

 

 

Every leg? I fly helos where my hand positioning doesn't change with the seating. Even then, I'd choose to switch by the day not the hop. Or at least switch for outbound vs inbound. 

[Dakpilot]

This was during operation lifeline Sudan,  we would fly a deep round trip into the North doing supply runs and medivac to various bases,  never knew what would happen so we took in turns leg for leg, I think the longest was 9 stops.. about a 15 hour day ? 

 

(sorry for off topic) 

 

Cheers, Dakpilot 

[MasserME262]

Im right handed for everything except for bicycle and Il2.

 

I have the T16000M, changed it for left hand. For throttle... I have a saitek quadrant, pretty simple but enough for a WWII plane (I dont play starships games and such).

I would say its a quite cheap hardware, and works perfectly fine with me.

The other day for some reasons I tried to change it (quadrant to the left, joystick to the right), just to make it "real" and "immersive" (the planes in Il2 are all for right handed people, I dont know if there even exist any for left handed ones). But the results were atrocious, I barely could take off, its like learning to walk as a baby once again, so I gave up with "realism" and just sticked to my left handed configuration lol.

 

But yeah, you dont need a big throttle being a left handed, the saitek quadrant works just perfectly.

[Lupus]

On 6/2/2019 at 4:41 PM, MobiusTa said:

Hello,

 

I'm very new to flight simulators, am left-handed and found that there are no good HOTAS options for lefties. I ordered a t-16000M FCS hotas setup and unfortunately stripped the screw while trying to convert it to left handed mode. Rather than return it, I am thinking maybe I should just fly right handed as there does not seem to be any throttles well suited to left handed flyers. I considered flipping the thrustmaster throttle around and using it that way, but I lose a lot of the buttons. 

 

I am fairly adept with using my right to aim after years of playing shooters on the PC with the mouse, but was excited for the chance to use my dominant hand when learning something new for once.

 

My question is, what levels of fine motor control with a joystick are required to fly well? Is it more, or less than a mouse when playing first person shooters? I can tell that my left would have a bit more control, but I don't know if it's worth losing all of the buttons on the throttle. 

 

Anyone out there with a similar experience?

 

Cheers

 

I am very left handed.  I had the same problem you did in finding a HOTAS to fly left handed.  Here is what I did.  I already had a joystick to fly with that I had been using left handed.  I made a conscious decision to try flying with it Right Handed.  After about a month, it didn't seem quite as weird to me so I bought a CH Products Fighter Stick and Pro-Throttle.  I discovered that flying with the HOTAS Right Handed was even easier than flying with the Joy Stick Left handed.  Probably in large part because my Left hand was on the Throttle.  Get a good quality HOTAS from Amazon (their return policy is amazing) and try flying with it Right Handed for a week.  If it works out, great! If not, submit an RMA and return the HOTAS to Amazon and look for a pricier custom setup you can get for someone that is Left Handed or build your own.