As some of you know, VIRPIL was nice enough to send me one of their latest pieces of flight sim hardware, the VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle for review. I’ve decided to break my review of the unit into three pieces which gives me a chance to spend more time reviewing the unit for the full review and it lets you ask questions along the way. So, with that in mind, welcome to the first of three articles I’m writing about the VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle.
The box!
Let’s start off with a few important considerations surrounding the purchase of something like the VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle. Unless you happen to live inside the VIRPIL factory, you’re very likely going to have the throttle shipped to you and so packaging actually does matter.
VIRPIL has done a good job of packaging their products and I feel like the latest package, although not flashy in any way, is possibly the best packaged that I’ve seen from them. It certainly on par with other established flight sim hardware manufacturers.
There’s an outer box that takes most of the abuse from shipping and is taped with a VIRPL branded shipping tape which I think is cool. Once opened up, there’s a second product box just inside which contains the throttle and all of the accessories.
My example arrived in great shape and had no serious blemishes. The inner box, though not flashy, was well protected.
Let’s open it up!
Opening up the box for the first time very quickly reveals some added cardboard to keep the throttle in place and safe during shipping as well as an information card.
The card has a link in both written and QR code format that takes you to the VIRPIL support website. The site has a lot of information on how to setup a throttle, what software you need, and how each of the detent sets work. Detent sets you say? More on that in a moment!
The throttle is also wrapped in bubble wrap which also helps to ensure that the throttle ships without getting jostled around too much.
Detents available
This throttle comes with a configurable system that lets you configure bumps and stops on the throttle by preference. This is ideal if you want to fly an aircraft equipped with afterburners and they only kick in at a certain point. You can be certain that you don’t get into afterburner unintentionally by configuring the throttle with a bump or stop. The VPC MongoosT-50CM3 lets you alter the detent by style as well as by range.
Here are the versions as listed by the product website:
- “Classic” Detents – Lift to pass detents, push return.
- “Classic Plus” Detents – Lift to pass detents, push return but with an additional tactile bump immediately after crossing the detent range.
- “Warthog-Type” Detents – Lift to pass and lift to return detents.
- “Aerobatic” Detents – Push through and push return detents.
- “CosmoSim” Detents – Push through central detent.
If those descriptions don’t fully answer your question on the way that they can be configured, this graphic from the VIRPIL support site surely will.
I’ll be exploring each of the detents in time for my full review and I’ll probably cover this section again along with my impressions once I’ve had a chance to do that. In the meantime, you can see each of the detent packages comes with labeled ziplock bags inside a bigger bag. Simple, effective packaging.
Next up, first impressions
I’m looking forward to trying all of these and configuring the throttle to meet some of the things that I’m looking for when flying in all of the different sims that I fly. From X-Plane to Microsoft Flight Simulator to DCS and IL-2, I will be putting this throttle through it’s paces.
Look for my first impressions piece coming soon!
Stormbirds 
Looks awesome.
By the way I recently installed 6 speakers for surround sound (front/sides/rear) and it feels like a huge upgrade in some flight sims as well as some other games.
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Nice! I actually just simplified my speaker setup with the Audioengine A1’s pictured in the background replacing my old Altec Lansing 5.1 setup. Wanted less clutter on the desk.
What speakers did you go with?
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I use a 13 year old Denon Receiver. Digital Signal Processing is not working fully anymore but in Direct Mode it still works fine. Connected to it are some Aiwa Speakers. For side surround I use an old Aiwa Stereo System and for Back Surrounds and old Sony Stereo System.
I use three analogue outputs.
It is a pity that most AV receivers do not have multi channel input anymore for analogue sound.
Though of course you could probably use multiple zone functionality.
Using three analogue sound outputs makes it independent of monitor settings.
(The advantage of doing it this way is that if you use something like HDMI on Graphics cards you would probably either get an invisible display on windows or would have to clone a monitor and be limited with what you could select regarding resolution/refresh rate.)
Amazingly I did not spend a single cent and still sounds good.
There is an amazing app on steam called “Spatial Sound Card”. I did try lots of apps and this one does a great job, however I wanted a solution that I could use also with online games without worrying if I might a ban over an app. (DId not hear of anyone getting banned over “Spatial Sound Card” but I know people got banned over Asus Xonar sound cards).
For X-Plane almost all the sound is Stereo (with very few excetions).
(PS: I highly recommend checking out Spatial Sound Card on Steam.)
Regarding VIRPIL, their rudder pedals look great.
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I’ve been on the fence for that throttle for a while now.
On one hand the price, even though I’m sure the quality is amazing, is quite a hit and on the other hand I keep reading reports about small repeated technical issues (sticky joysticks, flashing LEDs – stuff you’d expect would be ironed out from a premium product in this price-range) that end up with people having to send the throttle in for repair soon after receiving it. I’ve encountered these reports both on reddit and in sim forums. From what I read they have an excellent warranty/support system and kudos to them for it, but that’s not the point.
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