Hoowalt has opened pre-orders for the D303 Helicopter Cyclic Control Stick, a desktop and cockpit-mounted controller for helicopter flying in flight simulators. According to the product page, it works with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, X-Plane 11 and 12, and DCS World, as well as other major simulators.
The cyclic is the control a helicopter pilot holds in the right hand to tilt the rotor disc and so command pitch and roll. In real helicopters, it generally does not spring back to centre the way an aeroplane yoke or joystick does. Many simulator joysticks do centre, which is why a dedicated cyclic is a popular upgrade for rotorcraft fans.
The D303 follows that real-world behaviour. Hoowalt says its dual-damping mechanism lets the stick stay wherever it is released within its travel, and the damping can be adjusted to taste. Pilots who prefer auto-centring can fit the spring included in the package. Travel is ±12° on both pitch and roll, and both axes use non-contact Hall-effect sensors, which the company says avoids sensor wear.
The resin grip carries four physical buttons, one of them a two-stage button for trigger-style inputs, plus a four-way hat switch. The developer suggests using them for trim and view switching. The stick stands 700 mm tall on a 200×200 mm metal base, and a curved tube is meant to give clearance around the front edge of a seat. Hoowalt describes the construction as metal, PETG and resin, with carbon-fibre-reinforced PETG connectors. It can be mounted with removable suction cups or screwed to an aluminium profile cockpit frame. Connection is by USB, and Hoowalt says no driver installation is needed, so axes and buttons are configured in the simulator.
The D303 is listed at $659.99, but an early bird price of around $560 (15% off) is applied at checkout until November 7. Hoowalt says pre-orders ship in approximately 25 to 30 days. You can find the full specifications and order on the Hoowalt product page.
Feel free to join our Discord server to share your feedback on the article, screenshots from your flights or just chat with the rest of the team and the community. Click here to join the server.
