When Saitek/Mad Catz announced their new partnership with Cessna to market an additional line of Pro Flight gear, we were very impressed to see they were including a trim wheel. So many times in a flight simulation, trim controls are difficult to get to and make realistic. It is usually done with a wheel of some kind and requires a lot of turning and fine-tuning to trim just right – something most gaming peripheral makers don’t want to tackle. We got our grubby, geeky mitts on the Trim Wheel and are happy to bring our review to you fine readers.
Unboxing the Pro Flight Cessna Trim Wheel, I was happy to note that it is a very durable-feeling device, and fits in with the rest of the Pro Flight light nicely. Even if you did not go with the rest of the Cessna-branded peripherals, it still would fit in with your standard Pro Flight-equipped cockpit. Featuring a large, black matte wheel, the unit is very different than anything I have ever seen made for the PC flight simmer – it really has to be seen in context to get the full effect. Using a 2-position clamp, the Trim Wheel can either be mounted on top or in front of your desk. This makes the unit very easy to place inside a home cockpit. In terms of construction, the only thing that would have made the Pro Flight Trim Wheel better would have been a braided cable. There is a bit of setup to be had in the Trim Wheel – the mount needs to be screwed on to the back or bottom of the unit. The screws are a Phillips head (I am unsure as to why thumbscrews were not included instead, but I digress).
Setting up the peripheral is easy – just plug it in! The device is seen as a generic USB game controller and you can also use the included SST programming software if you like. Going into Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X and Ubisoft’s IL-2 Sturmovik, assigning the controller was a snap. Before I knew it, I was trimming my aircraft for easier take-off’s and landings as well as sustaining straight and level flight mid-route. The action of the wheel itself has just enough friction to not free-wheel on its own, and plenty of movement room for minor corrections.
Saitek has really hit a peripheral class that has been overlooked by many companies, and the Pro Flight Trim Wheel is an exceptional purchase for about $50 dollars.
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Pro’s
- Price at $49.99 is ALMOST TOO reasonable
- Durable construction
- 9 revolutions means fine-tuning is easy
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Con’s
- No braided cable
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