Aces of Thunder Controls Guide for HOTAS, VR, and Controllers

What to know

• Control setup is currently easier in flat-screen mode than in VR
• HOTAS works well, but axis inversion and UI mismatches are common
• VR hands are best kept for menus, not primary flight control
• The PC and console UI has limitations that affect trim and advanced bindings

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Aces of Thunder is a high-fidelity WWII air combat simulator developed by Gaijin Entertainment, with a strong focus on realism and VR immersion. That depth comes at a cost: the default control setup is unintuitive, especially on PC, and the current UI can mislead new players.

This guide breaks down how to configure controls cleanly across HOTAS, VR, mouse and keyboard, and controllers, based on real-world workarounds that avoid the most common pitfalls.

Area	What to expect
Initial setup	Best done in flat-screen mode
HOTAS	Fully supported but requires manual axis checks
VR hands	Reliable for menus, not ideal for flying
PC peripherals	Supported, but UI lacks clarity for trim and percentages
Controllers	Functional on PC and console, limited peripheral support on console
UI state	Functional but unfinished and inconsistent

Why you should start in flat-screen mode

The first recommendation is simple but important: do not configure controls in VR. The VR UI is currently cumbersome, slow to navigate, and makes it difficult to see exactly which axes and buttons you are binding. Flat-screen mode provides clearer menus and faster iteration, letting you verify axis direction, deadzones, and conflicts before committing.

Once your bindings are stable, you can switch back to VR without needing to revisit the menu often.

How to set up HOTAS for main flight controls

HOTAS is the ideal way to play, but the in-game diagrams can be misleading. Focus on what the axis actually does, not what the UI image shows.

Step 1: Bind core flight axes

Map roll, pitch, and throttle directly to physical axes on your stick and throttle. After binding each one, immediately test for inversion. Many setups will default to reversed pitch or throttle.

Step 2: Verify rudder input

If you have pedals, bind yaw to them. If not, a twist axis works fine. Poor rudder setup is the most common cause of unstable turns and constant fighting against the aircraft.

Step 3: Ignore incorrect UI visuals

Some control icons do not match the actual aircraft behavior. Trust the live input response, not the on-screen illustration.

Core flight controls and recommended bindings

These are non-negotiable. If these feel wrong, the entire game feels wrong.

Control	Aircraft function	HOTAS recommendation	Controller recommendation
Pitch (elevator)	Nose up/down	Stick Y-axis	Left stick Y
Roll (ailerons)	Bank left/right	Stick X-axis	Left stick X
Yaw (rudder)	Slip & torque control	Pedals or twist	Triggers / bumpers
Throttle	Engine power	Physical throttle	Right stick Y
Wheel brakes	Ground handling	Stick button	Face button

Important: If the plane constantly fights you in turns, your rudder is misconfigured. This is the most common issue new players run into.

HOTAS setup notes that save frustration

Issue	What to do
Inverted pitch or throttle	Check inversion immediately after binding
Wrong control icons	Ignore UI images, trust behavior
Over-sensitive input	Lower sensitivity before adding deadzone
Unstable turns	Verify rudder axis and trim access

Do not trust the diagrams blindly. Some visuals do not match actual aircraft behavior.

VR hand controllers: what they’re good for

Use case	Recommendation
Menu navigation	Yes, works well
Cockpit interaction	Yes
Primary flight control	Not recommended
Precision dogfighting	Avoid

The most stable setup is HOTAS or controller for flight, VR hands for immersion and interaction only.

Gunnery and weapons bindings

Precision matters more than volume of fire.

Binding	Why it matters	Best placement
Primary guns	Main dogfight weapon	Trigger
Secondary weapons	Bombs / rockets	Separate thumb button
Weapon modes	Prevent misfires	Dedicated toggle
View recenter	Situational awareness	Easy-reach button

Critical tip: Never bind weapons to the same input you use for fine pitch control. You’ll shake your aim every time you fire.

Trim controls (advanced but critical)

Trim lets you fly without constantly fighting the aircraft.

Trim type	Fixes	Recommended bind
Elevator trim	Constant climb or dive	Hat up/down
Aileron trim	Rolling drift	Hat left/right
Rudder trim	Engine torque pull	Secondary hat

If your plane pulls left at full throttle, that’s torque—not a bug. Rudder trim fixes it.

Sensitivity and deadzone guidelines

This menu makes or breaks the experience.

Setting	Recommended range
Pitch sensitivity	70–80%
Roll sensitivity	~80%
Rudder sensitivity	~60%
Deadzone	2–5% max
Curve	Slight curve on pitch

Too much deadzone causes delay.
Too much sensitivity causes stalls and overcorrection.

Device-based recommended layouts

HOTAS (best overall)

Component	Assignment
Stick	Pitch & roll
Pedals	Rudder
Throttle	Engine power
Hat switch	Trim
Trigger	Guns

Controller

Component	Assignment
Left stick	Flight
Right stick	Throttle / view
Triggers	Rudder
Face buttons	Flaps, gear, weapons

VR users

Function	Input
Flight	HOTAS or controller
Interaction	VR hands
View reset	Wrist or easy-reach button

Current state of the control UI

Aces of Thunder rewards proper setup more than almost any other flight game. Spend time in flat-screen mode, verify every axis, map trim early, and keep VR hands out of flight control. Once tuned, the simulator becomes smoother, more predictable, and far more immersive.

The control UI works, but it is unfinished. Some labels lack context, percentages are unclear, and visual feedback can be misleading. These issues affect both PC and console, though PC players notice them more due to advanced peripherals.

Updates may improve this, but for now, manual testing is essential.