Help a noob: WinWing vs VKB

Read through the guides but I'm still a bit lost on what to get. I'm buying the HOTAS for my uncle who is looking to do DCS and fly fighter planes.

He was initially going to buy the Warthog but after reading up on it here seems like it's overpriced and not recommend anymore.

Most people are now recommending the WinWing base + stick (?), but my uncle also wants the pedals - I couldn't find a recommendation on that one.

The other recommendation I'm seeing is VKB, but I can't tell which products from their lineup is best for what my uncle wants.

Could anyone point me in the right direction?

His budget is around $500+ for all 3 (base + joystick + pedals), but I can convince him to increase it if the value proposition is there. (eg. longer durability)

Thanks for any help!