Early Unboxing: Turtle Beach VelocityOne H.O.T.A.S. (PC)
Taking an early look at the hardware pushing Turtle Beach into its next era of flight simulation
Skyward Flight Media begins a long-term review for the upcoming Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Stick II, Dual Throttle and Universal Mount. These items are set to begin shipping on September 21st, 2026. Skyward Flight Media thanks Turtle Beach for the chance to review these units with no requirements or restrictions placed on our organization.
The primary reviewer of these units is Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza, co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. Following our contact with the Turtle Beach team at FlightSimExpo 2026, Skyward proposed a plan for long-term review of these units.
As always, the plan is to take this hardware beyond the common set of flight simulators to both test its capabilities and see if the price of these units is justifiable from the point of view of the consumer when compared to how it can be used over the course of many weeks of ownership.
We start with unboxing the VelocityOne HOTAS made up of the Flight Stick II and Dual Throttle to give our initial thoughts on design and features before taking to the sky. This unboxing contains diagrams and pictures from a Turtle Beach provided review kit alongside photos of the actual devices in possession of Skyward Flight Media on a green background.
Clear Button Labelling
Both the Flight Stick II and Dual Throttle have clear labelling on or near every button, slider, rotary and lever. Aesthetically, some may prefer a clean exterior with aircraft flight control terminology printed onto the shell of these devices. To give it more of a "real aircraft" feel. As someone that uses one device to fly many aircraft in many games, simply being able to look down to double check the name of a button without having to search for inputs in a control settings menu is very welcome. While my experience with the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Hangar app using a different device has been good, simply having the text on the hardware is convenient.
Hardware Impression: Flight Stick II
The Flight Stick II alone has enough functionality to fly a majority of the civilian aircraft you would find in Microsoft Flight Simulator without owning the Dual Throttle. However, once you see what the Dual Throttle offers, it is obvious that the Flight Stick II would be lacking in simulators that have mid to high fidelity military aircraft like Digital Combat Simulator or Falcon BMS. This is not a mark against this device.
There are combat oriented flight sticks at or slightly above the price point of the Flight Stick II, but they lack half of this device's throttle, navigational or information display features.
Referring to the diagram above, the rapid fire points are: 16-bit Hall-Effect Axes, 8 Axes and 38 programmable buttons. Integrated stick twist for rudder control with lockable option if using rudder pedals. Integrated throttle levers with swappable handles and haptic feedback.
While hands on examining the Flight Stick II a majority of the device is made up of a plastic material I could best describe as on par with the Thrustmaster T.Flight series. There is a limited amount of metal within the external part of the design which holds the buttons, screens and sliders user will manipulate daily. For everyday use I do not get the impression that I should be particularly worried about damaging the smaller high use parts like the 4-way Hat switch or POV thumb stick.
A few key features jumped out at me. Some that I will especially be focusing on during this review period.
Flight Management Display (FMD)
My eyes naturally fall to the Flight Management Display (FMD). The screen at the top of the flight stick itself. It is similar to a Turtle Beach product that was released earlier: the VelocityOne Flight Deck's customizable Heads Up Display.
The Flight Stick II FMD placed on top of the Flight Stick II keeps its information within line of sight of the player. The height of the stick keeps the FMD within the bottom half of the player's vision even when it is at desk mount height.
Without plugging it into a computer running the VelocityOne Hangar app for extended customization, the Flight Management Display's native capabilities show that it is not on the same level as a multifunction display that shows data from various flight systems. It does however provide fast device specific adjustments for control dead zones and axis tuning without having to pause the simulator or fly the aircraft while managing full screen setting menus. As I am someone that is too familiar with flight control tuning while tens of thousands of feet in the air, I am looking forward to trying this again only using the Flight Stick II.
Thumb Wheel
The thumb wheel located in the button cluster at the top of the flight stick is not only a device to navigate the FMD and select options. It can also act as its own axis or aircraft pitch trim or as a basic weapon selection function. New out of the box it feels stiff, but I wonder how much it will loosen up with frequent use. A firm trim function is important.
Integrated Cockpit Dial
This is a two part system that is on its face focused on aircraft autopilot. This GA style stacked dual rotary knob system with a push button at its top is pre-labeled for altitude, heading and speed. To the bottom left of the rotaries is a tri-position mode switch that can cycle through nine mappable inputs to layer control inputs both for the Cockpit Dial and the other buttons on the Flight Stick II itself.
I enjoy how tactile it is to operate these knobs. They do not spin freely. Each notch in them is rather firm, making turning them a very intentional act. There is no worry about autopilot deviation here.
Hardware Impression: Dual Throttle
The Dual Throttle feels like a mixture of Turtle Beach refining a design to make it more cost effective while attempting to innovate their concept of throttle controllers further. I like that there are many locations on this throttle that follow standard design philosophies you can find in other brands that make similar throttles. The commonality of locations for Hat switches, scroll wheels, buttons near finger lift areas and physical toggle switches give me a baseline confidence in its design.
Turtle Beach VelocityOne Dual Throttle. Turtle Beach VelocityOne Dual Throttle.
Looking at the diagram below, the quick observations show more than enough rotaries and Hat switches to manipulate the sensors of something complex like a fourth-generation combat aircraft.
At a glance: 10 bit hall effect axes sensing on two independent throttle levers, 7 total axes, 35 action buttons, 3 Hat switches.
Physical Detent Cartridges
Now this is an interesting feature. When you think of friction related adjustments to flight simulation equipment, it is all about tightening screws or changing metal springs. The Dual Throttle does have a traditional throttle tension dial beneath it and there are optional screws and springs.
However, its inclusion of swappable detent cartridges that can be placed by hand in between the throttles without hand tools is eyebrow raising. They easily click in and out with the throttles set to neutral - standing vertically. From the package they come with four plates: Airliner, Combat, Space and a blank insert. Each of the cartridges has physically molded detent notches unique to each of them. Refer to the pictures below for close up detail.
Working the throttles with each detent installed, its evident what Turtle Beach is trying to do. I'm curious to see how the combination of physical detent and quick digital tuning will work together. It seems like it could be a more accessible alternative than just relying on the traditional friction knob/screw management systems.
With each cartridge being subject to physical object on object friction as well, I can think of a few flight games that require such rapid throttle movements I would prefer to use the blank insert with no detents at all to extend the life cycle of the other named cartridges. They would be best used for flight simulators that utilize detents more effectively with slower, controlled throttle inputs.
Throttle Base Button Box
Though the Dual Throttle can be considered a less advanced version of the throttle offered with the premium quality VelocityOne Flight Deck, I'd argue the Dual Throttle it is a better choice for users that play flight simulators in virtual reality.
The Flight Deck has an innovative Flight Touch Display which lets players add up to 39 functions in its touch screen display. However, for anyone wearing a VR headset there is no tactile feedback. With your vision being within the VR headset, only pressing your finger in the area of the touchscreen you believe is correct will let you know if you've hit the correct function.
The Dual Throttle's three toggle switches, three raised buttons and rotary knob give clear physical indicators of what you are touching. No need to peak beneath the VR headset or guess. These physical inputs cannot match the versatility of the Flight Touch Display, but it brings a different sort of value on its own.
Multi-Use Lever
The lever on the throttle base, to the right of the rotary knob, can be reprogrammed. It is its own axis. While it is tempting to assign it to be a landing gear lever as it comes stock with a lever head that looks exactly like a landing gear handle, this lever does have built in detents. The process of using a landing gear is pretty straight forward. It is either toggled down and locked or stowed up and secured.
Occupying this lever with such a binary choice seems like a waste. Instead, using it for something like flaps would be more beneficial. The detents can act as physical indicators of the flap state; one of the detents being a 'combat flaps' setting in a World War 2 warbird, for example.
Split Throttle Mechanism Concern
Both throttles can be moved independently of one another by pressing the easy to access Release button on the side of the left throttle. This engages or disengages a locking mechanism which relies on a plastic locking cylinder to extend and link to each throttle internally. It is a pretty straightforward system that is easy to use. However, moving the Dual Throttle through as many different configurations as possible, there is a possibility of this mechanism being damaged purely through the end user's own actions.
It is possible to extend the locking cylinder while the throttles are separate from one another. This can create a situation where the now unprotected, extended cylinder makes direct contact with the second throttle. In the event a user is firmly changing throttle settings, the exposed cylinder could be damaged. I cannot say this is something that commonly occurs to flag it as a known point of failure, but it is one possible point of end user created damage.
Thoughts on Turtle Beach Hardware Philosophy
Years ago, when I first heard about Turtle Beach entering the flight simulation hardware market, it took my mind a bit to accept that the "headset manufacturer" was now making flight peripherals. This was until their FlightSimExpo 2021 presentation in which I learned that former Turtle Beach Chairman & CEO Juergen Stark is licensed pilot with instrument rating for the Cirrus SR20 and SR22. In his home he has a FAA certified simulator that professionally replicates aircraft he flies with an operational instrument panel. Juergen Stark hired the core team members of companies like Saitek to develop the VelocityOne series of flight simulation hardware.
Shortly after I purchased a Turtle Beach Flight Universal Control System as the first civilian yoke I owned in a very long time. It offered an expanded level of desirable flight sim functions like a trim wheel and reconfigurable throttle quadrants in a relatively compact package. On the other side of things, there were what felt like compromises within the materials used in its construction but its ease of setup and familiar General Aviation yoke pattern were solid points.
I became interested in seeing how Turtle Beach would continue the VelocityOne series which seems to focus on providing users with above average flight simulation capability while maintaining a competitive price point with similar devices like the Thrustmaster T.16000 ecosystem, VKB Gladitor NXT or WINCTRL Ursa Minor.
I look forward to putting the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Stick II, Dual Throttle and Universal Mount through the paces in places both expected and unexpected.
About the Writer
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile]
