Winwing Flight Controls: Which Tier Fits Your Setup?

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Winwing flight controls span a wider aircraft spread than almost any other sim brand, and the company now sells them under a new name: WINCTRL. "Winwing" still appears on manuals, marketplace listings and search results, so the catalog can read like several competing brands when it is one range split along three aircraft lines — combat, civil airliner and space.

The useful way in is by aircraft type first, then by hardware architecture. Primary controls fall into three tiers: the integrated URSA MINOR sticks and throttles, the modular Orion2 ecosystem, and the force-feedback Cyber Taurus bases. The panels — the Airbus MCDU and FCU, the Boeing PFP and PAP, the "32" pedestal units and the combat MIPs — are standalone USB products that do not need a Winwing stick underneath them.

What separates the tiers is less about sensors than what each piece still requires you to add: a grip, a base, a throttle grip, a mount, a powered hub, or a specific SimAppPro aircraft profile.

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Winwing Is Now WINCTRL: What the Name Change Means for Buyers

The rebrand is not just a logo. WINCTRL's current store separates the catalog into civil flight controls, civil instrument panels, combat flight controls, combat instrument panels and space flight controls, instead of one flat "HOTAS" list. That split is the clearest map of how the company groups its own products.

The trap is naming. Product names from the old Winwing era overlap heavily with current ones, so an old product page can look like a separate generation when it is simply outdated. A buyer comparing "Winwing" and "WINCTRL" listings of the same item is usually looking at one product under two labels.

Everything current runs over USB on a PC, with configuration, calibration, firmware and aircraft integration handled in SimAppPro. There is no range-wide Xbox statement; the URSA MINOR Airline is listed as PC-only, so console compatibility has to be checked product by product rather than assumed.

URSA MINOR, Orion2 or Cyber Taurus: The Three Tiers

Decide which tier you are buying into before you pick a grip or a panel. They are not a straight quality ladder but three architectures with different upgrade paths and different things left to buy.

Two questions come up constantly and both have firm answers. URSA MINOR is not a cheaper Orion2: the URSA sticks use an integrated pincer gimbal and are complete out of the box, while Orion2 separates base and grip around a cam-and-spring mechanism that accepts mechanical upgrades such as the EX1 kit and the EX2 force-sensing conversion. And a bare Orion2 or Cyber Taurus grip cannot simply be plugged into a USB port — a grip needs a base, and a base needs a grip.

The natural cross-brand comparisons are VKB's Gladiator NXT EVO against the URSA MINOR Fighter, and the modular bases such as VKB Gunfighter, VIRPIL WarBRD-D and MongoosT-50CM3, and Thrustmaster AVA against the Orion2 base. For how those alternatives line up for DCS, MSFS and Star Citizen, see our HOTAS comparison.

Pedals sit across the tiers rather than inside them: the passive Orion Metal Flight Rudder Pedals, with an optional damper and separate fixed-wing, helicopter and ground-driving configurations, and the wider airliner-layout Orion 32 Rudder Pedals, against the force-feedback Cyber Taurus sets.

Check the Orion Metal Flight Rudder Pedals on Amazon

URSA MINOR: Integrated Sticks for Combat, Airliner and Space Sims

URSA MINOR is the compact, integrated tier — each joystick is a complete unit, so nothing else is needed to fly.

The URSA MINOR Fighter ships in left- and right-hand versions with ±15° of X/Y travel at roughly 6 N of force, a ±20° twist axis at roughly 4 kgf·cm and a 38 mm slider on the base. It uses magnetic sensing on a pincer-style gimbal rather than Orion2's cam gimbal, with adjustable vibration, a twist lock and adjustable X/Y damping. The right-hand model measures about 227 × 217 × 246 mm and weighs about 1.05 kg, and it can either rest on its silicone base or bolt down through two M5 points — the screws are not included, and the manual specifies a 6–10 mm insertion depth. It has no mechanical grip interchangeability with Orion2, so it is not a starting point for grip swaps, extensions or the MFSSB conversion.

The URSA MINOR Airline is the civil counterpart: an Airbus-style sidestick with magnetic X/Y sensing, a dry-clutch damping adjustment, vibration feedback and a twist-rudder axis, with around fourteen controls across grip and base depending on how they are counted. It is a complete USB sidestick with no Orion2 base behind it, positioned as the simpler route into Airbus flying rather than a metal modular build.

The URSA MINOR Space sticks are integrated left- and right-hand units aimed at HOSAS use in Star Citizen and other six-degree-of-freedom sims. Each is an independent USB device with the same ±15° X/Y travel, ±20° twist and 38 mm slider as the Fighter, measuring about 227 × 217 × 228 mm and 1.05 kg, with two M5 mounting points and no screws in the box. Pairing left and right gives direct analog control of all six axes without pedals.

Check the URSA MINOR Space R on Amazon

The newest addition is the URSA MINOR Combat Throttle Metal 1.0 and its EX 1.0 variant — a complete combat throttle rather than a modular base-plus-grip. It uses a metal core, base and detent structure, dual throttle grips, Hall-sensed main axes and roughly 65° of lever travel, with finger-lift idle and cutoff operation, configurable afterburner-detent behaviour and vibration. The EX adds a removable expansion panel that lifts the total HOTAS input count substantially. Because grip and base are sold as one unit, it does not accept the ViperAce, NavyAce or StrikeAce throttle grips that Orion2 uses, and SimAppPro support arrived in the 1.17.7 release, so the SimAppPro 2 beta is not required for it.

For Airbus cockpits, the URSA MINOR 32 Throttle Metal is an integrated twin-engine throttle with a full-metal core, frame and detent mechanism, aircraft-style power detents, game-synchronised backlighting and vibration in the levers. The separate 32 PAC Metal adds the surrounding pedestal controls — flap, speedbrake, parking brake and rudder trim — and cascades to the throttle so the pair can share a single USB path to the PC. No clamp is supplied, the strong detents make a hard mount the better choice, and the flap and speedbrake axes are worth calibrating carefully before first use.

Check the URSA MINOR 32 Throttle listings on Amazon

Orion2: The Modular Ecosystem

Orion2 is the tier that built Winwing's reputation: a modular, mostly metal system where the base and the grip are bought separately, so one base can change aircraft personality with a grip swap. It covers both the stick side and the throttle side.

The Orion2 joystick base is an all-metal gimbal that ships with a no-detent cam and a mid-strength spring. Optional cam, spring and damping hardware provides three spring sets and roughly twenty force combinations, and the base explicitly supports a damper-only, no-return setup for helicopter use. It is not a complete joystick — a compatible grip has to be bought or obtained in a bundle. It can sit on a desk but behaves better clamped or mounted, and SimAppPro handles its firmware, mapping, testing and calibration. The stock setup can feel light to anyone chasing heavy F-16-style control loading, and earlier damping modules were reported as less convincing for helicopter work than purpose-built cyclic hardware. The EX1 kit adds the cam, spring and damping hardware, while EX2 is the MFSSB movable force-sensing conversion, which keeps roughly ±5 mm of physical movement alongside force sensing and supports several force and displacement modes.

Three grip families cover the stick side. ViperAce Metal is the F-16-oriented grip, with a ViperAce EX version that adds a shaker module. CarrierAce Metal and the second-generation CarrierAce R.Metal 2.0 cover the carrier-fighter and Hornet side; the newer grip weighs around 550 g, with an adjustable palm rest offering roughly 21 mm and 20° of movement, a two-stage trigger and several multi-way hats and switches. The 3X0 grip covers the Airbus-style slot — the new full-metal Fly-by-Wire version, with dynamic vibration, has been announced for Orion2 and Cyber Taurus, but its shipping status is not confirmed, so treat it as forthcoming rather than on the shelf.

A word on names, because it is the biggest single buying trap: CarrierAce and NavyAce sit on the carrier/Hornet side, ViperAce and Legend on the F-16 side, and StrikeAce on the F-15 side. The renaming overlaps old and new terms, so these are aircraft groupings rather than clean hardware generations.

The Orion2 Throttle Base is a modular dual-throttle platform with customizable detents, and the current store names NavyAce, ViperAce and Ka-50 compatibility. The base alone is incomplete — the matching throttle grip is a separate purchase — and finger-lift and detent hardware depend on the grip or bundle rather than being universal. The near-identical bundle names make it easy to buy the right base with the wrong grip connector, or without a finger-lift package at all.

On the throttle-grip side, NavyAce is the Hornet grip, StrikeAce E and EX II are the F-15-style grips marketed with dual vibration motors, and the ViperAce Throttle Grip Metal 2 is the second-generation F-16 throttle, built 1:1 in metal with dynamic vibration and revised rotaries. Complete packages — HOTAS MAX and the aircraft-specific ViperAce and CarrierAce bundles — pair a joystick base and grip with a throttle base and grip, but exactly which grips, finger-lift hardware and shaker options are included varies, and desk mounts are generally separate.

Check WINCTRL Orion2 HOTAS listings on Amazon

Cyber Taurus: Force Feedback and the Rig It Demands

Cyber Taurus is Winwing's force-feedback tier, and it is a distinctly heavier proposition than the other two — more mass, more power, more mounting and more safety awareness.

There are three current joystick bases, named in the production manual. E.D.16.Metal 1.0 is the direct-drive unit; E.B.29.Metal 1.0 and E.B.82.Metal 1.0 are belt-drive. All three use ±15° of pitch and roll travel. Maximum theoretical directional torque is 16 Nm in all directions for the E.D.16, 29/22/23/23 Nm for the E.B.29 and 82/62/64/64 Nm for the E.B.82 — figures that explain why the manual insists on firm installation and clear space for the startup self-calibration sweep. The bases weigh roughly 17.5 kg, 11.5 kg and 18.5 kg respectively, each needs a WINCTRL grip, and the desk bracket and 4080 profile hardware are not included. They connect over USB-B with 48 V external power.

One dating trap: early event coverage used EB23 and EB64 names for the belt-drive bases. The production manual says E.B.29 and E.B.82, so older announcement articles are already out of date.

The Cyber Taurus rudder range comes in civil and combat forms — the 32 pedals with an airliner layout and the Combat pedals with a fighter layout — each offered in E.B.192 and E.B.530 force levels. Like the bases, they belong at the fixed-cockpit end of the range rather than on a desk. A force-feedback yoke has been demonstrated, but its retail status is unconfirmed, so it belongs with the forthcoming hardware.

This is the tier to weigh against other force-feedback systems rather than against spring-centred sticks, and the tier where the rig and the room matter as much as the electronics — the same mounting logic we cover in the flight sim cockpit guide.

Civil Panels: Airbus MCDU and FCU, Boeing PFP and PAP

Winwing's civil panels are standalone USB peripherals. None of them needs an Orion2 or URSA stick, which is what makes them worth a look if you already fly an Airbus or Boeing in MSFS or X-Plane.

The MCDU is the Airbus-style physical CDU; the retail name is usually MCDU, with MCDU-32 in the manuals. It measures 228 × 146 × 28.5 mm and about 0.47 kg, with 1.0 mm line-select-key travel and 1.3 mm keypad travel, an integrated display, backlighting, a light sensor and a USB data connection — no HDMI output needed, unlike a conventional mini-monitor. Included brackets cover basic mounting, and larger panel integration uses separate hardware. Because buttons are easy to reproduce while display synchronisation is not, aircraft support in SimAppPro matters as much as whether Windows sees the device.

Check the WINCTRL MCDU-32 on Amazon

The PFP family is the Boeing counterpart: PFP 3N is the 737NG-style CDU, PFP 4 is 747-style and PFP 7 is 777-style. They are separate physical products, not interchangeable faceplates for the MCDU, sharing the full-size CDU concept with an integrated display, backlighting and a single USB connection. The physical labels are aircraft-specific, and display support is more aircraft-dependent than the raw buttons.

The FCU Unit1 is a full-size Airbus flight control unit with segment displays and four push/pull rotary controls, moulded to a 1:1 layout and supplied with desktop and cockpit brackets. EFIS-L and EFIS-R are separate purchases; each adds a segment LCD with rotary and ADF/VOR controls and a SATA-style expansion connection that lets panels cascade, so not every panel needs its own direct USB port.

Check the WINCTRL FCU Unit1 on Amazon · Check WINCTRL EFIS listings on Amazon

The "32" pedestal panels fill out an Airbus cockpit: 32 ECAM, the 32 AGP Metal 1.0 landing-gear and autobrake panel, 32 TCAS, and the 32 RMP 1.0 radio management panel are standalone USB units with SimAppPro aircraft profiles for synchronised lighting and functions. The 32 NWS L and R add a full-metal nose-wheel-steering tiller with a PEDAL DISC control. Aircraft support is added product by product in SimAppPro releases, so check a specific add-on's integration rather than assuming it.

Check WINCTRL 32-series panel listings on Amazon

On the Boeing side, PAP 3, PAP 3 MAG and the separate Mag Switch1 TS are autopilot and MCP-side panels, while the 3N and 3M PDC are display and control-side pieces that pair left and right in a glare-shield combo. The 3X0 Glare Shield Control Panel Set packages the Airbus glare-shield hardware around the FCU and EFIS, which is the sensible route if you want the whole section rather than individual panels.

Check WINCTRL PDC listings on Amazon

Combat Panels: TOP GUN, Legend and the Standalone Units

Combat panels are where Winwing goes aircraft-specific. They run alongside the primary controls rather than replacing them.

TOP GUN MIP 2 is a Hornet-oriented full front panel. The bundle contains a CarrierAce UFC 2.0, a NavyAce-HUD, three MFD units, three USB displays and three panel mounts, which makes it a modular assembly rather than a single USB appliance. It adds substantial desk width, USB connections and cable management, and it suits a dedicated F/A-18 cockpit rather than someone who changes aircraft often. The second generation replaced the first generation's silicone UFC keys with hard keys, so its long-term durability is not yet established.

Check WINCTRL TOP GUN MIP 2 listings on Amazon

The CarrierAce UFC 2.0 can also be bought on its own: long-travel hard keys, backlighting and integration with Winwing's HUD and MFD hardware, without needing an Orion2 stick or throttle.

Check WINCTRL CarrierAce UFC listings on Amazon

On the F-16 side, the ViperAce ICP is the F-16-oriented integrated control panel with dot-matrix-style display hardware. Viper MIP(VR) is the smaller bundle of the ICP plus two MFD Unit1 bezels, aimed at pilots who fly in VR and do not need physical USB displays.

Check the WINCTRL Viper MIP(VR) on Amazon

Legend MIP 2 is the larger F-16-side MIP bundle and is currently listed in stock.

Check the WINCTRL Legend MIP 2 on Amazon

The PTO 2 Panel of Take Off is a general combat panel with landing-gear and arresting-hook controls, NavyAce-style takeoff functions, station-jettison controls and tactile military-style toggles that stay identifiable in VR. It is a standalone USB panel and does not require a HOTAS base.

Check the WINCTRL PTO 2 on Amazon

MFD Unit1 and the USB instrument displays are modular, too: the bezels are useful on their own in VR setups, while each physical display adds desk space, USB and display-streaming load. Panel Mount1 is a separate mounting component unless it is bundled with the panel it is meant to hold.

Check WINCTRL MFD Unit1 listings on Amazon · Check the WINCTRL Panel Mount1 on Amazon

SimAppPro, Mounts and USB Planning

SimAppPro is the software spine of the range. It handles firmware updates, calibration, testing, mapping, supported-aircraft integration, lighting and device-specific haptic and display features, and the official Cyber Taurus documentation tells users to run it before supported games so the hardware is adapted automatically. Basic USB axes and buttons often work without it, but display streaming, game-synced lighting, vibration and force-feedback profiles, and firmware management all run through it. A community X-Plane plugin can drive many Winwing devices without SimAppPro. The production build was at 1.17.8 while SimAppPro 2 was still a beta preview, which is reason enough to stay on the production build for a working cockpit.

Mounting is product-specific. The current store lists a Throttle Desk Mount5 and a Joystick Desk Mount2 with a Profile Bar 1, compatible with the Orion and URSA MINOR families and selected panels, plus a separate Panel Mount1 and Panel Desk Mount for CDU and MFD installations. These are not interchangeable with the much heavier hardware Cyber Taurus needs: a force-feedback base requires its own substantial bracket and profile solution, and a lightweight panel clamp is no substitute.

USB planning matters more here than on a single-stick setup. A full combat MIP or a civil pedestal combines USB displays, HID panels and cascading devices, and Cyber Taurus documentation recommends connecting through proper PC USB topology with adequate power. Reports of displays dropping out when a panel is added usually trace back to USB power and hub topology rather than the device itself, which is why an externally powered hub and deliberate port distribution are worth planning before the panels arrive.

Winwing hardware coexists with VKB, VIRPIL and Thrustmaster at the PC level, since Windows treats separate USB controllers as separate devices. That does not extend to mechanical compatibility: a VKB or VIRPIL grip does not become an Orion2 grip simply because both appear in the device list, and grip-and-base interoperability stays inside each brand's ecosystem.

Treat Xbox as unsupported unless a specific product page says otherwise. The SimAppPro, display and force-feedback workflow is Windows-oriented, and console support belongs in the criteria before anything else if it is a hard requirement — the same aircraft-first logic we apply in choosing controls for your sim and aircraft.

Legacy and Used-Market Hardware

Not everything carrying the Winwing name is current. Super Taurus, Super Libra, the first-generation Orion, the original TOP GUN and MIP components, PTO1 and the older Panel of Combat Ready family belong to the historical ecosystem rather than the current lineup, and their replacements are the Orion2, URSA MINOR, TOP GUN MIP 2 and Cyber Taurus hardware. Old end-sales pages and manuals remain indexed, which can make a discontinued item look like a current one.

The Gemini Throttle/Collective Base is the main legacy architecture still orderable in some regions. It needs a compatible grip and, for some combinations, connector or finger-lift hardware, and its companion accessories have inconsistent availability, which makes it a poor foundation for a fresh build even though existing owners can keep it running. On the used market, check accessory and SimAppPro compatibility against the specific product rather than assuming current replacement parts fit.

What Each Type of Setup Needs

Combat: the integrated route is a URSA MINOR Fighter stick with a URSA MINOR Combat Throttle; the modular route is an Orion2 joystick base and grip — ViperAce for F-16, CarrierAce for Hornet, 3X0 for Airbus — with an Orion2 Throttle Base and the matching grip; the force-feedback route is a Cyber Taurus base with a grip. The combat panels — TOP GUN MIP 2, Legend MIP 2, the UFC, the ICP and the MFD units — sit alongside these and are independent of them.

Civil: a URSA MINOR Airline sidestick, or an Orion2 base with a 3X0 grip, plus a 32 Throttle with or without the 32 PAC, and Orion 32 rudder pedals, form the primary controls. The panels — FCU, EFIS, MCDU, the 32 ECAM/AGP/TCAS/RMP set and the 3X0 glare-shield bundle — expand that, with PFP, PAP and PDC covering the Boeing branch. Airliner builders who want force feedback should look at Cyber Taurus bases and pedals.

Space: two URSA MINOR Space sticks, left and right, give a complete HOSAS without pedals.

Across all three, budget the parts a storefront does not bundle: a compatible grip for every base, a throttle grip for every throttle base, the desk or profile mount, and enough powered USB for the panels. The costliest mistake is buying by bundle name alone — match the aircraft first, then the tier, then confirm exactly which grips, finger lifts and mounts the bundle includes.