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I’ve been eagerly waiting for this bundle to launch since I tested Honeycomb’s prototype last year, and even more so when the standalone Foxtrot stick won my highest praise. Still, even though it remains my favorite flightstick for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the Foxtrot always felt like it was missing that compact throttle box. Problem solved.
Ben Wilson
I became a fast fan of Microsoft Flight Simulator when it came to XBOX in 2020, and its sequel still holds my attention when paired with a reasonably priced throttle-and-stick setup — of which I’ve tested my fair share.
Honeycomb Aeronautical provided a sample but did not see, nor did it have any input on, the contents of my article before publishing.
How much does the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit cost?
You’ll find the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit for $179.99 at Honeycomb’s own store or through approved third-party US resellers such as Sporty’s and Focus Camera. Over in the United Kingdom, a £159.98 listing at Argos is your best bet, besides a £161.18 option at Amazon UK that’s imported from Europe with a slower delivery expectation.
Otherwise, the standalone Foxtrot Aviation Stick is still available for $149.99 at Amazon US, though the compact Throttle Box isn’t currently sold separately, so the Takeoff Kit bundle is a smarter buy. If you’re unsure, or you’re in another part of the world, Honeycomb lists more global resellers for extra options. Whichever you choose, the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit is only compatible with PC.
What I like about the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit
One of my only complaints from my review of the Foxtrot Aviation Stick was the lack of analog throttle controls, but that’s what the compact Throttle Box is here to solve. Otherwise, the flight stick itself is identical, so everything I said in that original article is still accurate. That includes my willingness to settle for digital throttle control, but now I don’t have to.
Honeycomb includes screws and plates that attach the Throttle Box to the left or right side of the Aviation Stick.
Underneath the Foxtrot stick, I spotted the same screw threads: a pair on either side. These finally have a use, since Honeycomb includes screws and plates that attach the Throttle Box to the left or right side of the Aviation Stick. That alone seriously improved my earliest experience with the Takeoff Kit, as the extra weight helps keep it grounded.
All four sliders feel identical, with enough resistance to stop them from rattling around or accidentally moving by small amounts. Each has a detent toward the bottom, which lets me push past into reverse thrust or lets me know when I’m at the limit for the speed brake and flaps. After a few flights, I found that I generally preferred a general aviation (GA) setup with propeller and mixture levers.
Along the bottom, four chunky switches come in adorably tiny versions of a landing gear lever, a pair of engine switches, and a rotating parking brake. I use them only a fraction as much as the sliders, but they still provide satisfyingly realistic feedback when I’m getting ready for take-off or completing a landing. Plus, I only needed to assign four axes and four buttons, so setup was fast.
Does the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit have any issues?
(Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)
The Foxtrot compact Throttle Box had two physical issues, though one was minor, and the other seems specific to my sample. That is, the interchangeable lever handles should be easy to swap out, but one doesn’t fit flush because of an apparent fault in the plastic mould. So, if I wanted the complete GA set, I’d have to deal with a throttle lever that sits too high.
Sticking with the Airbus-style speed brake lever doesn’t necessarily bother me too much, since it’s the prop and mix handles that lean harder into the realism aspect, but it’s something that would only be solved through a chat with Honeycomb’s customer support team. There are no spare parts for sale on its website, so it’s something to check when you buy the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit.
That minor issue is simply that the compact Throttle Box is too lightweight (~330g) to hold steady on my desk mat, sliding forward when I push the levers. It fares better on wood, giving the rubber feet a better chance to grip, but I suspect this might have influenced Honeycomb’s decision not to sell it separately. Still usable, but it’s better when tethered to the Aviation Stick.
So, the biggest downside to the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit is that the compact Throttle Box isn’t sold separately, at least not yet. That might change in the future (and I hope that it does), but anyone who bought into the standalone Foxtrot Aviation Stick before now will be left feeling a little stuck.
In theory, the Throttle Box could retail for around $30, which hints at why it isn’t available on its own. It could be that manufacturing costs are only covered when it’s included as a bundle with the flightstick, and that mass-producing packaging and licensing for a separate unit isn’t viable just yet.
One of the only downsides to the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit is that the compact Throttle Box isn’t sold separately.
On the other hand, Honeycomb already sells a range of accessories at a matching $29.99 price point, including a mix of electronics and plastic or metal add-ons. It’s blocking existing consumers from accessing the most natural pairing for Honeycomb’s Foxtrot stick, but it’s less drastic for newcomers.
Otherwise, I’ll always lament the lack of XBOX compatibility, but Honeycomb might solve that in the future with one of its ‘XPC’ variants. It delivered the same equivalents with its Alpha Flight Controls XPC, and an upcoming variant of its excellent Echo Aviation Controller is set to do the same.
Should you buy the Foxtrot Takeoff Kit?
You should buy this if …
✅ You want an immersive flight sim experience
✅ You don’t want an overwhelming setup with too many inputs
You should not buy this if …
❌ You already own the Foxtrot Aviation Stick
Buying the Takeoff Kit gives you the fantastic Foxtrot Aviation Stick, which, while it doesn’t feature the world’s best technology, is still my favorite overall flightstick because it’s so convenient. That’s still the theme here, as Honeycomb adds a no-frills Throttle Box that mostly matches, but at the same time, feels like a more budget-grade add-on that should be sold (and branded) separately.
That, paired with an unfortunate flaw in the lever handles that came with my sample, leaves me wanting changes. If Honeycomb can sell the compact Throttle Box separately, with its own warranty support system, and even consider selling the GA lever handles separately, it’ll win a higher score from me. Instead, it’s easier to recommend the Bravo Throttle Quadrant Lite.
Honeycomb Aeronautical
Foxtrot Takeoff Kit
“Designed for Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane, it delivers smooth, precise control for both general aviation and airliner operations on PC and Mac.”