Getting your hands on a HOTAS (Hands On Throttle-And-Stick) is one of the best ways to enhance your experience with flight simulators. These game controllers allow players to fly fighter jets or sci-fi spaceships and make them feel more realistic and immersive. However, you need to know what does HOTAS mean before making any decisions.
The HOTAS concept is a standard that has been implemented in modern military aircraft cockpits. It involves placing auxiliary controls on the throttle lever and flight stick, allowing the pilot to perform functions without having to remove his or her hands from those two control surfaces.
While it may seem strange to add more buttons and switches to a fighter jet’s flight controls, the idea is that doing so allows a pilot to stay fully focused on the task at hand during stressful or high-load situations. This is particularly useful when executing complex or pressured maneuvers that require rapid and repeated inputs of power, pitch, and roll control.
HOTAS is also a common feature in the flight sim controllers used by gamers, and the concept has even made its way to some of the steering wheels found in modern open wheel race cars. The Thrustmaster Warthog is a well-known example of a high-quality fightstick that features a HOTAS setup designed after the controls in an American fighter jet. This results in a device that’s both functional and premium-looking, with plenty of metal for a hefty build.
