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Spec-sheet comparison, not a hands-on test. We have not tried the WINCTRL URSA MINOR Airline Joystick ourselves: the score and details are based on the official WINCTRL spec sheet and dated US prices.
left-hand (L) version; R version sold at the same price
9.1Excellent · out of 10Airbus pilots on a budget, here's your sidestick. WINCTRL's URSA MINOR Airline Joystick gives you ±15° of travel, a twist axis and a sliding throttle in the base for $68.70, the lowest price of any airliner control in our data. Left- and right-hand versions cost the same.
US price checked on October 29, 2026
“Is This the Best Budget Joystick? | Winwing Ursa Minor Joystick Review and Test” · Video by Flight Streamer on YouTube
| Brand | WINCTRL |
|---|---|
| Model | URSA MINOR Airline Joystick |
| Version | left-hand (L) version; R version sold at the same price |
| Sensor | Contactless magnetic |
| Axes | 4 |
| Buttons | 14 |
| Twist rudder | Yes |
| Platforms | PC |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Stated platforms: PC.
Score out of 10, calculated in the flight stick category from the official spec sheet and the checked US price, then placed on our editorial scale. Not a hands-on test. Missing criteria are removed and weights renormalized.
| Raw score (weighted average) | 8.2/10 |
|---|---|
| Displayed score (editorial scale) | 9.1/10 |
| Sensor (30%) | 10.0/10 |
|---|---|
| Resolution (10%) | Not stated, criterion removed |
| Axes (10%) | 7.0/10 |
| Buttons (10%) | 7.3/10 |
| Twist rudder (10%) | 10.0/10 |
| Modular design (5%) | Not stated, criterion removed |
| Platforms (5%) | 6.0/10 |
| Warranty (5%) | 4.0/10 |
| Price (15%) | 6.7/10 |
Flight stick, rated "Excellent" by our scoring: 9.1/10.
The two products in the same category with the closest price.
Control count stated by WINCTRL; sensor type: contactless magnetic.
Airbus flies with a sidestick, and practicing on one builds the right habits: small wrist inputs instead of arm movements, and a hand that sits off to the side rather than in front of you. The twist axis turns ±20° and handles rudder until you own pedals.
WINCTRL uses non-contact magnetic sensors on X and Y; the long-travel throttle slider in the base is a potentiometer, per the spec sheet. Add 14 buttons, a hidden 5-way switch and a vibration motor driven by flight data, tuned in SimAppPro.
Pick the hand before you order. The captain flies with the left hand on the real airplane, the first officer with the right; the version we list is the left-hand one, and the right-hand one is the same price. WINCTRL doesn't publish the product weight.
The base slider is a starter throttle, and WINCTRL lists no detents on it. For real detents, WINCTRL's URSA MINOR 32 Throttle adds IDLE, CL, FLX/MCT and TO/GA gates and engine master switches for $145.10.
Points taken from the official manufacturer spec sheet.
Stated platforms: PC. Version: left-hand (L) version; R version sold at the same price.
US price checked on October 29, 2026: $68.70. Linked merchant: Amazon. The price at the merchant is the one that applies.
The Thrustmaster TCA Officer Pack Airbus Edition bundles an Airbus sidestick with a two-lever quadrant, detents and a reverser for $199.99, $131.29 more. For a general-purpose stick, the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS costs $11.29 more and states 16-bit Hall sensors.
All four rated sticks are in the best flight sticks; if this is your first, see the best budget flight sticks.
For Airbus pilots on a budget, the URSA MINOR Airline Joystick is the easy yes: a proper sidestick, contactless X and Y, vibration and a base slider, $68.70 on October 29, 2026.
Add the matching throttle when the budget allows. Check today's price first.
Amazon price, October 29, 2026 · Affiliate link
Weighted average of the criteria: raw score 8.2/10, which is 9.1/10 on our editorial scale.
Weight: 35.3% of the overall score
Weight: 17.6% of the overall score
Weight: 11.8% of the overall score
Weight: 11.8% of the overall score
WINCTRL states contactless magnetic sensors for the WINCTRL URSA MINOR Airline Joystick. Check the official spec sheet for which axes use them.
The WINCTRL URSA MINOR Airline Joystick scores 9.1/10 ("Excellent") in the flight stick category, ranking 3 of 4. The score is calculated from the official specs and the checked US price, with no hands-on test.
The US price checked on October 29, 2026 is $68.70. It may have changed since.
Not according to the manufacturer, which lists: PC.
We link to Amazon. Some links are affiliate links and are labeled next to the button.
No. This page is a spec-sheet comparison, not a hands-on test: we have not handled the product. All information comes from the official WINCTRL spec sheet and dated US prices.
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