Virpil VPC ATLAS FFB Base

Why Not Gear, Belt or Direct Drive?

Patent-applied Dyneema cord system

Gear drives produce backlash and stepping. Belt drives stretch and introduce inconsistency. Direct drive on a flightstick suffers from the restricted axis travel — the motor can't rotate enough to produce detailed force effects through the small arc a flightstick travels.

VIRPIL's cord drive solves all three problems. The Dyneema cord transmits forces with zero backlash and zero stepping. Because the motors can rotate far more than in a direct drive arrangement, they have significantly more rotational resolution to produce fine-grained FFB detail — stall buffet, surface turbulence, G-loading — effects you will feel rather than just read about in a spec sheet.

• Zero backlash — cord transmits force directly with no play
• Zero cogging — hardware anti-cogging built into motor design
• Equal forces all directions — linear output regardless of stick position
• User-replaceable cords — rated orders of magnitude beyond operating load

Custom-Designed 25Nm Motors

Hardware anti-cogging — not just software

Most FFB products use motors designed for other applications. VIRPIL's engineers spent years researching the specific requirements for a flightstick FFB system before designing the ATLAS motors from scratch. The key differentiator is hardware-level anti-cogging — built into the motor itself — rather than relying solely on software correction that other designs use.

Absolute axis position sensors maintain precise positional data even after power is removed — eliminating the recalibration requirement that plagues relative-sensor designs on every power cycle. High motor efficiency reduces heat output, letting the ATLAS sustain maximum force output over minutes rather than seconds.

• 25Nm output torque — 12kg+ force at the stick
• Hardware anti-cogging — not software-only correction
• Absolute position sensors — no recalibration on power cycle
• High efficiency design — sustained max force for minutes, not seconds

Precision CNC Metal Gimbal — 18° Deflection

Thick billet aluminium, premium bearings

VIRPIL has spent years building precision gimbals for spring flightstick bases that are consistently rated among the best in flight sim. The ATLAS brings that same engineering to the FFB gimbal — machined from thick billet aluminium, riding on premium bearings, designed for ultra-smooth, ultra-precise input with no flex in the housing.

Rather than reading stick position from the motors (which introduces error), the ATLAS uses VIRPIL's VPC Contactless Digital Sensors mounted directly on the gimbal — the same approach used on their spring-based bases. This guarantees positional accuracy independent of any motor or cord variation.

• 18° axis deflection — wider than competitors' 15°
• Billet aluminium construction — machined, not cast
• VPC Contactless Digital Sensors on the gimbal — not on the motors
• All-metal housing with anti-flex plate — zero structural flex

ATLAS vs ATLAS Pro

Optional upgrade kit — available post pre-order

The ATLAS is designed from the ground up to be upgradeable. The optional ATLAS Pro Upgrade Kit adds a more advanced power module, cooling fans, and a more powerful power supply — converting your base from 25Nm to 45Nm without replacing the entire unit. Buy what you need now. Upgrade when your skills and budget allow.

ATLAS Pro Upgrade Kit available to purchase separately after the pre-order period. Not included with the ATLAS base pre-order.

ATLAS FFB Software

Co-developed with FFBeast experts

VIRPIL developed the ATLAS software in collaboration with FFBeast — a team with extensive experience in high-power FFB configuration. The result is software that goes far beyond typical plug-and-play FFB.

• Virtual Cam mode — design custom cam profiles even in games with no native FFB support
• Force trim — mirror real aircraft trim systems in software
• Automatic profile loading — game-specific profiles load on launch
• WarBRD and MongoosT-50 presets — replicate familiar spring and cam feels with adjustable damping for pilots transitioning from spring bases
• In-depth force effect tweaking — adjust every FFB parameter to your exact preference

Full Compatibility With Existing VPC Grip Ecosystem

Old and new — all compatible

One of the biggest asks from the VIRPIL community during FFB development was to maintain backward compatibility with the existing grip lineup. VIRPIL delivered — every current VPC grip and extension, old and new, is fully compatible with the ATLAS. If you already own a VPC grip, it works. No new purchases required.

• All VPC Constellation grips — ALPHA Series, DELTA
• All MongoosT-50 Series grips
• VPC WarBRD, V.F.X., FLNKR, SharKa-50, Hawk-60, Dual-SF
• Thrustmaster Warthog, F/A-18C, Cougar
• All VPC extensions — 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, 200mm S-Curve, Z-Extension

Remote Emergency Stop Button — Included

Instant motor cut-off, always within reach

22kg of force through a flightstick is powerful — and that means a safety cut-off is non-negotiable. Every ATLAS ships with a dedicated remote emergency stop button, designed to be mounted in a convenient, always-accessible position in your cockpit. Press it and all motor force output cuts instantly. A small detail that reflects serious engineering intent.

Designed Alongside the ATLAS

Two variants — chair frame and flight seat

Mounting high-power FFB properly requires a rigid, fixed structure — a desk alone is not suitable. VIRPIL's R&D team designed the VPC Universal Simpit Frame specifically driven by the ATLAS development. Compact, strong, and affordable, with two planned variants: one wraps around a standard office chair, the second pairs with a dedicated VIRPIL Controls flight seat. Target availability is before the ATLAS begins shipping.

• Variant 1 — frame around a standard office chair
• Variant 2 — advanced setup with dedicated VIRPIL flight seat
• Compatible with the full VPC device range — not just the ATLAS
• Target availability — before ATLAS shipping begins