Oh, and you might have to exercise some patience-with the game recently releasing, both HOTAS and yoke controls are hard to find in stock at the moment. So, make your decision based on which type of plane you think you’ll be flying more in the game. But the smaller one- or two-seater leisure airplanes like the ICON A5 tend to use a joystick, while large commercial airplanes like the Boeing 747 use a yoke and various ancillary controls. Both a yoke and a HOTAS will work with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, and you can pilot all of the planes with either. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a one size fits all solution here. But Microsoft Flight Simulator isn’t about combat, all of the planes in its lineup are civilian aircraft without weapons. Which brings up an important point: should you go with a more old-fashioned joystick controller or a yoke (the kind that looks sort of like a steering wheel)? The “Hands On Stick And Throttle” setup (HOTAS, for short) is more common, if only because it works for both fighter plane simulators and sci-fi spaceship games. Happy Holidays! This article is part of our Holiday 2021 Gift Guide where you can find the best-of-the-best recommendations from Review Geek, LifeSavvy, and How-To Geek to help you pick the perfect gift for everyone on your list!
