Flight Yoke · Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Honeycomb Alpha XPC
- Mid-Range
- Hall-effect sensors
- PC and Xbox
- Yoke only
Not in our rankings
Amazon doesn't sell the Alpha XPC right now, and Honeycomb's own store lists it as coming soon, so it's out of our rankings until it's back. On PC, the Honeycomb Alpha is the closest yoke we rank; on Xbox, see the Xbox yokes in our MSFS 2024 yoke rankings.
MSFS Performance Score
- Feel & Centering25% 100
- Controls in the Box25% 15
- Sensors20% 100
- Platforms15% 100
- Build Quality15% 70
Biggest contributor: feel and centering (25% of the score), rated 100/100. How we score
Verdict for MSFS
The Honeycomb Aeronautical Alpha Flight Controls XPC scores 60.5/100 for MSFS, offering a hybrid-build 180° rotation arc with 36 buttons that covers most GA cockpit workflows during VFR cross-country legs. Best suited for pilots stepping up from a gamepad who can live without force feedback and accept medium-spring feel as a substitute for real control loading.
Updated March 2026
Pros & Cons for MSFS
Strengths
- The hybrid construction and medium-spring resistance hold up across extended IFR sessions — where cheaper all-plastic yokes at this budget tier flex noticeably during aggressive pitch inputs on a missed approach, the XPC's build keeps inputs consistent through the full 180° arc.
- Plug-and-play USB-direct connection means MSFS 2024 detects the XPC on first launch; all three axes map cleanly without driver installation, and the 36 buttons give you enough bindings to cover autopilot panel, view cycling, and ATC commands without reaching for the keyboard mid-approach into a dense photogrammetry city like London Heathrow.
- At the budget tier, most alternatives offer fewer than 20 assignable buttons — the XPC's 36-button layout lets you build a functional cockpit workflow for GA aircraft in MSFS without a separate button box, which matters when desk space is limited and you're managing live weather transitions on a VFR cross-country leg.
Trade-offs
- The 0/100 force feedback subscore is felt immediately during MSFS 2024's live weather turbulence events — the medium spring simply returns to center with no dynamic load variation, so you lose all tactile feedback on stall onset or gusty crosswind correction during a short-field landing approach.
- The Travel & Feel subscore of 55/100 reflects a spring mechanism that mid-range yokes replace with more nuanced resistance profiles; pilots moving into complex aircraft or consistent IFR flying in MSFS will notice the artificial center detent during slow-speed maneuvering where precise elevator trim inputs demand a more graduated feel.
Full Specifications
- Sensors
- Hall effect (contactless)
- Throttle
- None (add a throttle quadrant)
- Trim wheel
- No
- Rudder controls
- Needs rudder pedals
- Panel
- Switch panel with ignition key
- Centering
- Damped self-centering
- Roll
- 180°
- Build
- Hybrid
- Works on
- PC, Mac, Xbox
- Released
- 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a good Flight Yoke for MSFS?
60.5/100 for MSFS puts the XPC in functional-but-limited territory for serious sim use. It handles well during straightforward VFR cross-country legs and pattern work in default GA aircraft, where the 36-button layout and clean axis mapping reduce cockpit workload. Flying photogrammetry approaches with live weather active — particularly in turbulent conditions — exposes the lack of force feedback and the spring's inability to communicate aerodynamic load, making a dedicated throttle quadrant a worthwhile complement to round out the control setup.
Is it worth the price for MSFS?
At the budget tier, the XPC is one of the few yokes offering hybrid construction and 36 assignable buttons rather than the all-plastic, sub-20-button layouts that dominate this price bracket. The three-axis setup and 180° rotation arc cover all primary flight control needs, though pilots who prioritize tactile realism over button count will find the spring-only resistance a clear ceiling for immersion.
What should I look for in a Flight Yoke for MSFS?
Travel & Feel (30% weight) is the most critical factor in MSFS 2024 because the sim's flight model responds to precise, graduated inputs — a yoke with inconsistent resistance or a short travel arc makes smooth ILS captures and crosswind corrections feel disconnected from what the aircraft is actually doing. Force Feedback (20% weight) becomes especially relevant in MSFS 2024's live weather environment, where dynamic turbulence, stall buffet, and gusts would ideally push back through the yoke rather than requiring you to read instrument gauges to understand aerodynamic load. The Honeycomb Aeronautical Alpha Flight Controls XPC scores 55/100 on Travel & Feel — adequate for routine GA flying — but its 0/100 on Force Feedback is the primary reason the composite sits at 60.5/100, leaving a tangible gap in physical feedback during anything beyond calm-weather VFR flying.
Is the Honeycomb Alpha XPC compatible with MSFS?
The XPC connects via USB-direct with no driver installation required, and MSFS 2024 auto-detects it as a yoke controller on first launch, applying a default profile that covers the primary pitch and roll axes immediately. Rudder axis and any toe brake inputs will need manual binding in the MSFS control settings menu, and if you're running a separate throttle quadrant, confirm the throttle axis on the XPC itself is mapped or suppressed to avoid conflict with your dedicated hardware.
How should I configure this in MSFS?
In MSFS 2024's control sensitivity menu, set the yoke's pitch and roll axes to a slight S-curve (sensitivity around -20%) to soften the spring's abrupt center feel and give finer authority during slow-speed approaches. Apply a 3–5% dead zone on both axes to eliminate any center jitter without masking the small control inputs needed for VOR tracking or autopilot handoff on long cruise legs.