For those who love flight simulators but also enjoy the form factor of traditional controllers, Honeycomb Aeronautical released the Echo Aviation Controller.
It’s advertised as fully compatible with Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC, but it’ll also work with any other flight sim.
Unfortunately, it’s not compatible with consoles, which is a pity, considering that the new PS5 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 desperately needs better controllers compared to the obsolete one currently available.
While the overall shape indeed resembles that of any Xbox-style controller, the controls are completely different. They include pretty much everything you need to control your aircraft intuitively, including throttles, rudder, flaps, trim, landing gear, and more.
Here’s a list of features.
- Complete Flight Control in One Device
Echo combines pitch, roll, yaw, throttle, trim, and core aircraft systems into a single, streamlined PC controller — no separate peripherals required. - Precision Analog Stick for Pitch & Roll
Smooth, responsive Thumbstick delivers full elevator and aileron input for total aircraft control. - Four Throttle Levers & Trim Wheel
Independently Assignable Throttle Levers featuring detents and exchangeable caps accommodate single and multi-engine aircraft. The integrated Trim Wheel provides continuous in-flight adjustment. - Rudder Paddle System
Rear paddles move in opposition to simulate rudder input — providing realistic yaw control without external pedals. - Hall Effect Sensors
Magnetic sensor technology in both the Analogue Stick and Rudder Controls for ultimate precision and longevity. - Essential Systems at Your Fingertips
Physical controls for landing gear, flaps, and parking brake streamline your flight experience and reduce reliance on keyboard mapping. - Compact, Desk-Friendly Design
The Echo Aviation Controller delivers full control in a clean, minimal footprint – ideal for simmers with limited space or those building a portable setup.
The price is $149.99, €149.99, or £129.99 depending on where you live.
You can check out what the controller looks like below.
The press release included a comment from Marc Küpper, CTO for Honeycomb Aeronautical.
“We’re excited to be bringing this innovative new controller to the flight simulator community after such a fantastic reception to its announcement. The Echo Aviation Controller is the ideal way to welcome new flight sim enthusiasts to our range of best-in-class hardware, as well as delight our existing community who will welcome the opportunity to enjoy a no-compromise flight experience from the comfort of their couch. The Echo is further evidence of our ability to innovate in the sector, and we look forward to sharing further new product information throughout 2026.”
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is currently available for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. If you’d like to hear more about the simulator, you can watch our latest interview with Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available only for PC and Xbox.
If you’d like to read more flight simulation news, you can find plenty in our latest roundup article from yesterday.
If you want to go further back, we have a handy overview video of the major flight simulation news in the past week. You can watch it below. As usual, leaving a like and a comment and subscribing to our growing YouTube channel is extremely helpful.
