I am using a TM T-flight HOTAS and I am experiencing a sway down and to the right. It's so bad that during takeoff I have to yaw to left as if I was landing in 30 mph crosswinds. But it only occurs in A-10 but not Blackshark, Falcon 4.0, or BF3. I just find this stick to be too sensitive for A-10. Is there a calibration profile for DCS A-10? Or is it time for a new stick?

You might have to trim the aircraft... see if your stick is calibrated properly, or try flying without the stick (use the keyboard). If the aircraft displays the exact same characteristics, it's a trim problem not a stick problem. My A10 needs two "nudges" of left wing down trim in it's full-loadout state.

This is just the decision that I've been weighing. Another noob here, just getting back into flight sims after a long absence -- I used to play Aces over Europe years ago -- don't know if that would be considered a real flight sim, but I enjoyed it, and it was tougher than your average "arcade" style game. I've just started playing IL-2 1946 -- it's been out awhile, I know, but I'm having fun. Anyways, I currently have a Logitech Extreme 3D, and I was thinking of picking up the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas-X as a better (but still cheap) stick/throttle combination until I figure out if I'm back in this for the long haul, at which time I'd perhaps go for the Saitek X-52 (used to have a Saitek and loved it)or maybe something better. After reading these posts, though, I think I'll stick with the Logitech (and the blasted twist-rudder) until I'm ready to spend the extra dough. I do have one question -- there are a number of used X-45's on Ebay, and I've heard that the X-45 is better than the X-52, but is a used X-45 better than a new X-52? Sticks can be used fairly hard, and even if buying from a reputable seller who's rated its condition as "good", seems like I might just be buying a near-term problem. How often do the sensors on the X-45's go bad?

I have one of those T-HOTAS things from TM as a back-up to my back-up. I use it for old stuff on my retro PCs as it is really unsuitable for modern stuff like DCS series.

Unless you have several other controllers like MFD panels or the like, you will really struggle as you'll need to learn a lot of key commands on your keyboard. Even if you have a list next to you, it is going to be awkward leafing through and trying to find the assigment you are looking for.

Of course, you could always use something like VAC (Voice Activated Commands) to get around that problem.

For a budget HOTAS, it's pretty good - for serious sims it's out of its league imho. Better looking for a decent second-hand HOTAS if cash is an issue.