Honeycomb Aeronautical is back with another piece of hardware aimed at making flight simulation more accessible, this time shrinking an entire cockpit’s worth of controls into something that looks closer to a gamepad than a yoke. The Echo Aviation Controller, announced today and expected to ship in mid-December 2025, is designed for PC simmers who want the full aviation experience without dedicating a room to it.
The pitch is simple. Instead of buying separate throttle quadrants, pedals, and trim wheels, the Echo puts everything in reach of your thumbs and fingertips. Honeycomb calls it a “fully fledged simulation experience,” and judging by the control list, they are not exaggerating. Pitch and roll run through a precision Hall-Effect thumbstick, while yaw is handled by linked paddles on the back of the controller. It is a clever workaround for the usual foot-based rudder controls and should appeal to anyone who prefers their feet firmly planted on the carpet.
Throttle needs are covered by four independent levers, which means even multi-engine aircraft receive proper treatment. There is also a built-in trim wheel, designed for those constant, slight adjustments that keep you from nose-diving into a hillside. All of these inputs are assignable, giving players flexibility across different aircraft types and sim software. The controller is fully compatible with Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC, as well as other flight sims that support standard input mapping.
Honeycomb did not ignore the day-to-day essentials either. Dedicated physical buttons for landing gear, flaps, and parking brake offer quick access without diving into keyboard shortcuts. The company says the goal was “no compromise control in a single compact controller,” and the Echo’s button layout certainly seems determined to remove the usual friction points that new simmers face. It’s like getting a full Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie combo in the palm of your hands.
Marc Küpper, Honeycomb’s CTO, emphasized that accessibility is a big part of the company’s strategy:
Honeycomb Aeronautical strives to continually innovate, and we’re porud to serve the simulation community with best-in-class hardware. Our continued strategy not only includes a focus on expanding our range, but also in growing our addressble audience via products which reduce the barrier of entry associated with flight simulation.”
With its plug-and-play setup and small footprint, it is positioned as both a gateway device for beginners and a portable option for veterans who want to fly without hauling around half a cockpit. The Echo Aviation Controller will be available globally through the Honeycomb webshop in mid-December for $149.99. For sim fans who tend to spend more time dreaming about new gear than actually flying, this might be one hardware upgrade that doesn’t require a second mortgage.
