Nigel, I'm also in the market for a yoke, and at the Flight Sim Show at Cosford earlier this month, I got to try out two new ones - the Honeycomb one, as shown in your first link, and this one:
https://www.fulcrumsim.com/
The Honeycomb one was okay, but felt a bit on the cheap side. It was also very stiff in the pitch axis, and even after only a few minutes, my arms were starting to strain a little. On the other hand it's got all those switches to hand, which is a big selling point. The guys there said there was still some polishing to do, so maybe they'll slacken the spring tension while they're at it.
The Fulcrumsim one was much more solid - the yoke wheel itself is cast aluminium - and the spring settings made it much less effort to use, too. It also uses real aviation-grade switches and buttons, making it more durable. Another good feature is that the yoke wheel itself can be detached from the shaft and in time, Fulcrum are going to release a Boeing style wheel which will plug straight on. I asked about the possibility of a vintage DC-3 wheel, and that too is being considered.
The main drawback is the price - it's going to be on sale for about £460, whereas the Honeycomb unit is over £200 cheaper.
Everyone I spoke to agreed that the Fulcrumsim yoke is better, and they included a certain high-end developer from the USA, whose identity I shall not reveal because he might not want me quoting him. Paul Frimston ( our very own Delta558 ) had a go, and I think he liked it. If he sees this thread, maybe he can add to it. Yes, it's a fair bit more expensive, but I think it's good value for money. It's supposed to on sale before Christmas.
