Echo Aviation Controller puts the flight simulator at your fingertips

Aviation honeycombA company that makes flight simulator accessories like flight sticks and pedals that can turn your desk into a cockpit has announced a compact alternative for PC pilots with limited space. The upcoming Echo Aviation Controller is about the size of a console gamepad but pushes standard features like joysticks and buttons to one side to make room for flight-specific controls like throttle levers and a dedicated trim wheel.

On the left side of the main controller you’ll find the joystick, four action buttons, and a second cone joystick used to control the simulator’s camera. Meanwhile, the right side is where all the flight controls are located: four throttle levers accompanied by a wheel that can be adjusted to maintain the aircraft’s altitude without additional input.

At the bottom of the Echo Aviation console are dedicated controls for adjusting the plane’s flaps, raising or lowering the landing gear, and activating the parking brake so you don’t have to reach for the keyboard frequently. There are also two sets of shoulder buttons on the top edge, and on the back you’ll find a pair of sliding paddles that move in the opposite direction and act as rudders, controlling the side-to-side movement of the plane’s nose and helping with steering while navigating the airport and runways.

In addition to the hard-shell carrying case, the Echo Aviation Controller will come with a set of interchangeable covers for the throttle levers and other controls so you can customize each one and easily differentiate them by their shape or color if you remap their functions.