The main controls are the same as the gameport version. You’ve got a trigger, a side mode switch next to the trigger (note: this can be changed to act as a regular button when the throttle is used to change mappings), and a pinky button on the bottom front. Your thumb does the rest. On the side there is a 4-way “boat” hat, and up top there is a 4-way “castle” hat, and a second 4-way hat. Above those are the sticks fourth push button, and an 8-way coolie hat.
The stick has a big handle, so if you have tiny hands, you may want to look elsewhere. On the other hand (no pun intended) I have pretty girlish hands, and I have no problems with the stick. So it’s your call on that one.
Now for the other half of the powerful pair, the USB Pro throttle. Unlike the Fighterstick, there are some physical changes to the USB Pro Throttle from the gameport version. On the front of the handle are the usual suspects, three push buttons, and a 4-way hat for your pointer finger.
Here’s where the changes have taken place. The 4-way castle and boat hats remain, and I think that the 8-way coolie hat in the middle was a 4-way on the old Pro Throttle, but don’t quote me on that. The big change is what is next to the 8-way hat. That’s not a hat, it’s actually a mini-stick with an x and y axis. It can also be pushed in, which changes the button mappings on the throttle. Why the need for yet another stick? Well a lot of flight simulators use the mouse in-game to control instruments like radar modes (the F-22 has about 6 of them), and this little guy can take the place of the mouse so you never have to take your hands off the controls, and be caught unprepared for that sudden Su-33 Flanker attack.
