Lithuanian manufacturer Virpil is known mostly for high-end military flight simulation and helicopter controller hardware, but they’re about to branch out with the Advanced Flight Yoke Project.
Announced on the company’s forums, the project will focus on controllers for civilian aviation, promising “premium metal construction, wide range of adjustments, high precision contactless digital sensors and a dedicated eco-system with swappable yoke handles.”
The swappable yokes are certainly interesting, as we see a typical Boeing-style design and the unique Embraer-style handlebar design.
The manufacturer is also aiming for the controller to be relatively affordable, targeting a €500 price.
Interesting is also a the decision to fund the project via Kickstarter, considering that Virpil is an established company. The campaign will start on October 1 and it’ll involve preferential “early-bird” pricing and an exclusive discussion forum that will let backer shape the direction of the project.
Virpil mentions that Kickstarter is being used as a community outreach tool and backers will be offered refunds if requested.
At the moment, specific platform compatibility has not been mentioned.
Incidentally, we also get a statement on force feedback, which many simmers would like to see return. This specific project won’t include any, as Virpil doesn’t want to drive prices up.
That being said, the company is exploring the technology and has a force feedback expert on the team. Those who back this project will be given “preferential terms” to buy any civil aviation controllers created by Virpil in the future.
If you’d like to get into flight simulation but you’d like some help getting started, you can read our introductory guide, alongside the second episode focusing on installing add-ons, and another showcasing the basic instruments.
You can also read more flight simulation news in yesterday’s roundup article.
