Yawman Arrow - Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Yawman Arrow do?

The Yawman Arrow is like no other flight simulation device that's ever been created. We’ve taken all the most important features of a cockpit and put them into a patented form factor for virtual flying where you want.

• Take a sim on the road with a gaming laptop or Android tablet – works great on airplanes, trains, in hotels and coffee shops
• Pull on a VR headset and keep all controls close at hand
• Cast to a TV from a laptop and fly from the comfort of the couch
• Grab a quick flight before dinner or on a break
• Free up desk space with a minimalist sim setup with no compromise in functionality
• Use it for real-world flight familiarization, preparation and training without complex hardware.

Where can I buy the Yawman Arrow?

Right here at the Yawman website or at Sporty's Pilot Shop.

How is the Yawman Arrow different from a conventional handheld controller?

The overall shape of the Yawman Arrow looks familiar, but it can do so much more. It has a design built from the ground up for flight simulation including patented mechanically-linked rudder trigger for yaw control, a multifunction trim wheel, POV hat switch, twin sliders, Vernier-styles poles, and six-pack buttons.

What operating systems/platforms will it work with?

The Yawman Arrow is designed for compatibility with Windows PCs, macOS, Android and Linux. We have tested the Arrow extensively on Windows desktops, laptops, Android tablets, Apple MacOS M1 and M2-powered hardware, and the Valve Steam Deck.

What simulators has the Arrow been tested with?

The Yawman Arrow has been extensively tested with Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane 11 & 12 for Windows, MacOS and Steam Deck, Infinite Flight on Android, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D, DCS World and space simulators such as Star Wars Squadrons. On top of all of these, our community has also put the Arrow through its paces across more than a dozen additional titles.

Is the Arrow compatible with Xbox (console or cloud) or iOS?

The Arrow is not designed for compatibility with Xbox and iOS. We hear the flight sim community and appreciate the enthusiasm to support the growing flight simulation ecosystem. 

Can I have the same experience in a handheld as full desktop sim hardware?

Absolutely! The Arrow takes a desktop yoke/joystick, a throttle quadrant and rudder pedals and brings them all together in one. While it may look like a familiar handheld, the Arrow is designed for the precise functionality simmers expect for aircraft of all sizes and levels of complexity. The Arrow can be flown in your hands or laid flat on a desktop so you can fly in a way that's most comfortable for short or long durations in your sim.

Can I travel with my Yawman Arrow?

The Yawman Arrow is designed to let you fly where you want to fly. We love flying in coffee shops, hotels, trains and even on airplanes. It's ideal for travel at 7.83 ounces or 222 grams. We deliberately designed the Arrow to be light and it is virtually the same weight of a traditional handheld controller without the batteries -- which are not needed.

Why was the Yawman Arrow made in the USA?

We designed and manufactured the Yawman Arrow in the United States build a high quality, stable supply chain that ensured we could deliver quickly and predictably. A great product we can't get to our customers isn't a great product.

Why is the multifunction wheel on the left side of the Arrow?

Space is at a premium on a handheld controller and we had to be deliberate about what functions would be most used when flying the aircraft. Throttle belonged on the right and as we sought to mimic real aircraft like a Cessna 172, for example, the pilots has to take their hand off the throttle to trim -- you should have to do the same on the Arrow for realism. The following video is quite helpful in illustrating this: 

Can I assign the trim somewhere else?

Of course! We also recommend using the hat switch for nose up and down trim control. The wheel is great to match the ergonomic performance of equivalent hardware on aircraft like small, slower general aviation aircraft. However, in the case of fast business jets, Boeings or even those GA aircraft with electric trim controls on a yoke or side stick, we recommend setting trim on the up/down controls of the hat switch. We've got an advanced profile for that when you're ready.

How durable is the Yawman Arrow?

We engineered the Arrow using high-quality and high-tolerance components to ensure durability. The controller has been subjected to hundreds of hours of stress testing. We also gave it to half a dozen kids (our own) under the age of 10 and it held up beautifully. We've taken particular care with the vernier poles to ensure they are robust and the slider design is internally reinforced to significantly reduce the chances of breakage.

Does the Yawman Arrow use potentiometers or Hall effect sensors?

The thumb, rudder trigger, sliders and poles are designed on high-quality potentiometers. Notably, we evaluated our production potentiometers against the benefit of Hall Effect sensors and found no tangible benefit to their use in the Arrow and the overall integration of its patented design.

When will it be available in my region?

Currently, the Yawman Arrow is available for shipment to the U.S. and Canada. We are actively working on bringing the Yawman to the EU and other territories an expect that to happen in the first part of 2024. Please check back on our site and sign up for our newsletter to stay posted on availability in your region. 

Why is the Yawman Arrow a wired device?

Wired controllers are more performant. They can operate at higher sampling rates, don’t have to be throttled to preserve battery, are not subject to radio interference and have far less latency to deliver the precision of control you expect. We include a USB-C to USB-A cord in the box.