Potentiometer
From Wiki
A potentiometer (or pot) is a variable resistor. They are commonly used in joysticks, throttles and pedals for axis controls and dials. They are being replaced in modern devices by hall effect sensors.
This is an interesting FAQ from the Thrustmaster FAQ section of Dr. James "Nutty" Hallows Fly Foxy website explaining why replacing failed potentiometers with shop bought replacements may not work:
8) Do joystick pots differ from ordinary pots?
Yes, they do. The pots are special in that the entire active area of the potentiometer is included in about the middle 70 degrees of pot rotation. Most sticks do that since the typical pot rotates 270-300 degrees but the stick can only move it 60-70 degrees. Other than that they're pretty much standard pots with a resistance of 100k or so. Finding pots with the narrow active range off-the-shelf is pretty difficult, they're usually built-to-order by the stick manufacturer.
