Best products from r/flightsim

What are you looking for in terms of flight control hardware? What kind of aircraft do you want to fly in? Also, what's your budged?

If you just want an inexpensive stick that covers all the basics, get a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. Sets you back only ~$26 and will probably serve you well for a long time.

If you want to go for a realistic experience, I'd recommend getting the following hardware (ordered by importance, obviously subjective):

• A proper controller: Depending on what you want to fly there are several high-end control systems that will allow you to control your aircraft in a more realistic way. For military aircraft, you should take a look at the CH Fighterstick and throttle, the Saitek X52 Pro or, if you're rich, the Thrustmaster Warthog. I have no experience with the CH stuff, but I've owned several X52s over the years. It's true that you will probably not find a similarly featured controller for that price, but you should know that the X52 has some serious issues. More info here. Long story short, Saitek has some serious problems with quality control and your mileage with the X52 will pretty much depend on whether you get a good unit or not.
  The Warthog is insanely good, but also insanely expensive.
  If you want to fly general aviation aircraft, I recommend looking at the CH Yoke or the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke. Both are solid, affordable yokes that will make for a pretty good experience. If you want to get serious, keep an eye on the Iris Dynamics Force Feedback Yoke. It's not out yet, but it promises to be an affordable simulation-grade yoke with realistic force feedback - Keep in mind that "affordable" means ~$800 in this case.
  
  
• Head tracker: Head tracking is an absolute game changer. It will make your sim experience magnitudes more immersive and enjoyable. TrackIR 5 is probably the easiest way to get head tracking going, but it's pretty damn expensive. Also, NaturalPoint, the company making TrackIR, is frequently coming under fire for iffy business practices and anti-consumer behavior. Read more here. If you want an alternative, take a look at FreeTrack or FaceTrackNoir.
  
  
• Rudder pedals: A twisty stick is okay, but to get precise input you will definitely need proper pedals. I own Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals and I'm very happy with them. They are pretty comfortable and adjustable. If you want to go for realism, I'd recommend the CH Pedals - they have a much steeper angle and are closer to what you'd find in a real aircraft.
  
  
• Multiple monitors: Having three monitors is a definite plus. The wider field of view will definitely help you on the immersion front (having peripheral vision in your sim is pretty great) and in combination with a head tracker you'll get an awesome visual experience from them. If you want to go crazy, add a touchscreen to your setup like this guy. Keep in mind that running a multi-monitor setup requires a beefy GPU.
  
  
  As far as addons go, I unfortunately only have experience with FSX. For FSX there are some addons that I consider essentials:
  
  
• Accu-Feel: An amazing addon that adds lots of dynamic sounds and physics. Accu-Feel makes your sim feel much more authentic and fun.
  
• EZCA: A camera plugin that adds dynamic head movements and snap views. Works very well with TrackIR. EZCA will make turbulences, g-forces and ground movements feel much better.
  
• FTX Global: A graphics addon that gives FSX good ground textures, buildings, trees and more. Makes FSX look pretty nice even without tons of scenery/shader/texture packs.
  
• Active Sky Next: A weather addon that adds realistic weather systems, cloud textures and even friggin' tornadoes! Looks and feels much better than FSX's default weather.
  
  Sorry for not being able to recommend any X-Plane addons. I haven't tried that sim and have absolutely no experience with it.
  
  I hope you found something useful in this wall of text. Anyways, welcome back to the hobby, have fun! :)
  
  
  
  Edit: Swapped out the video with one that fits better.

You're correct in that almost all flight simulators are CPU-dependent. The faster single-thread performance you can get, the faster the sim will run. It looks like you've got the best processor for your price range; to get something better would cost $50 more at least. If you live near a Microcenter, I just saw this deal on /r/buildapcsales : http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.aspx?sku=302356 . You'll get a little bit more speed for about the same price. Otherwise, you've done really well.

If you're only playing FSX, then your RAM should be good considering that it's 32-bit and won't use more than ~3GB. If you switch to X-plane+addons, you might want another 8GB, but that's something that is very easy to upgrade in the future should you need to. Even then, a base X-plane 10 install won't need more than 8GB until you throw in add-ons. FSX will do well along with any other games he decides to play.

The graphics settings should be able to scale well to your GPU considering that your processor is good. You might not be talking a solid 60 FPS the whole time due to the way flight sims are, but you should be able to get comfortable performance. Somebody else may be able to give you better feedback on this.

You might end up needing a larger SSD, but if he's just starting on collecting addons and all, it'll work for now. SSD prices are dropping very rapidly, so you can get a larger one when that time comes. FSX's base install is about 10GB, so you'll have some room before things get full. If it helps, load times aren't terrible on modern mechanical drives, so you'll be fine even if you have to install it on your 1TB. The 1TB you chose has about 150 MB/sec sequential read, so it'll work well for you along with the SSD.

If you ever plan on doing significant upgrades (like a higher-end GPU), you may want a higher wattage power supply. The Corsair CX600 is $15 more and will give you a lot more wiggle room, so you may consider that. So long as he isn't working in the case a lot, getting a non-modular PSU won't be a huge loss (and may be a boon, considering he won't have to keep up with spare cables).

You've done well with your build, and it's very kind of you to build your father a PC. Make sure to get him a good control setup if he doesn't already have one. The folks here and at /r/hotas will be able to help you find a good setup should you need it. A few reccomendations to get you started:

• Thrustmaster T-flight HOTAS X if you're on a heavy budget and want a full HOTAS setup. There's not much of an upgrade path with this one, but it'll give the full package for really cheap.
  
• Thrustmaster T16000m Flight Stick if you want a very solid joystick that controls very nicely. It's well known for its great accuracy at its price point. I own this one and am pleased with it. It doesn't come with a hands-on thruster, but you can buy a CH Products thruster later down the line should you want one. Some people also use two of these with one being the thruster and the other being the primary joystick, but that's just preference.
  
• CH Products's stuff. CH Products is well-known for their very high quality stuff. They're pricier, but you can get the thruster and joystick seperate and they'll last you forever. They make a number of flight accessories, so check em out if you're interested.
  
• Saitek's stuff. Saitek has some quality control issues, but their HOTAs are pretty good for the price. A Saitek HOTAS will come with all of the bells and whistles in one complete package, so it's pretty easy to buy and slap on a desk. Saitek's stuff is good if you're willing to put in the slight amount of effort it takes to fix problems down the line.
  
• Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog. One of the most expensive and considered one of the best. This is probably out of your price range (it's definitely out of mine!) but it's fun to drool at. :)
  
  Again, you've done well and he'll love the computer. It looks like some of the parts you got are on a nice sale, so unless anyone here objects, you might get to ordering soon so it doesn't go out of stock! ;)

That's awesome! Flight simulation is strangely enjoyable. If you'd have told me I'd have put in nearly 400 hours in the last two years sitting in a virtual cockpit and flying around the world, I'd have laughed in your face. But... here I am.

I started with FSX, which I still use mostly because I've invested so much into it. FSX is dated, 32 Bit and not the prettiest of the big three, but I've clocked more hours in it than anywhere else. It's the cheapest flight sim straight out of the box at $24.99, but there's one thing you should probably learn about flight simming.

It is not cheap.

It blew my mind after years of modding games like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout where I could mod to my heart's content without spending a dime that I had to actually buy mods. If you want to seriously get the most out of any sim though, you have to be prepared to spend some cash. The advantage, however, is that you absolutely get what you pay for. I've seen some incredible addons for Skyrim, but some of the most top-notch addons I've ever seen in anything have come from flight sim.

Here's the addons I own for FSX, to give you an idea.

• PMDG 737 Series - A Boeing-approved 737 (and variants) with hundreds of pages of documentation, giving you the closest experience you can get to flying one without actually flying it. $69.99
  
• FS2Crew - Simulates the experience of having a first officer in the cockpit with you. They'll talk to you, flip switches and generally do the stuff that F/Os do. Makes the sim really come alive, and probably my favorite addon. $34.95
  
• Ground Services X - A wonderful addon that makes the setup phase much more interesting. Includes catering, boarding, fueling, pushback, and a number of other great features. $34.00
  
• FSCaptain - Lets you "work" for a real airline, recording your career and grading your performance. $39.00
  
• Active Sky Next - Allows you to import real, live weather into your sim, or use historical weather from pretty much any point in recent history. $24.99
  
  I've probably bought a couple more, but you get the idea. It's expensive, but the end result is stunning. You get an experience like no other. Also please don't think I'm bragging about being loaded. I am a broke college student, and the only reason why I ended up buying these addons was because I can't make good financial decisions and, at one point, every dime I made went towards flight simming (I wouldn't recommend it unless you enjoy having an empty bank account.)
  
  I'm not saying you have to spend hundreds of dollars though. More modern sims like X-Plane 11 are loaded with content and free plugins. If I were to recommend a sim to a newcomer, I'd say XP11 all the way. If you just want to get in the cockpit and start flying, it's your best bet. Plus it looks good out of the box, and you can get photorealistic textures for free with Ortho4XP.
  
  The other big option is Prepar3D. I've never used it, but it's my understanding that it's a more advanced version of FSX. It has a lot of the same addons as FSX, such as the PMDG series of planes. I can't say much about it since I've never owned it, though.
  
  Conclusion:
  
  
• FSX is my personal choice, just because I've spent so much on it and because it's still a solid sim 12 years later.
  
• X-Plane 11 is the best choice for newcomers.
  
• FSX (and by extension, P3D) is the best for paid addons. XP is lacking in that department.
  
  ​EDIT: I completely forgot to address the joystick problem. I flew for 150+ hours with either a mouse or an Xbox controller, and while that was doable it became far more enjoyable with a flight stick. I have a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and it's brilliant. It's also cheap (as flight sticks go). Highly recommend it if you're serious about flight simming (and it's great for helicopters in Arma too!).

To provide a little help, the kind of equipment you want to look at depends on your budget.

CH Products (Amazon link) provide one of the most respected and dependable line of flight sim equipment, from joysticks and throttles to flight yokes and rudder pedals. They aren't pretty or fancy-looking, but they are rock-solid dependable.

I also hear the Saitek pedals are good too (Amazon). Reviews on the quality of the Saitek joysticks are mixed. I have an old X52 joystick and throttle setup. It works great for me, but I have also modded them. There is a magnet mod you can do cheaply and easily to make the joystick more sensitive and accurate. But cheaper joysticks are available that do better without having to mod. The Logitech Extreme Pro 3D is highly reviewed as an awesome joystick with fantastic sensitivity. And it is very cheap.

A basic setup can work with just a joystick with a twist rudder control. Having a separate throttle is quite nice, especially with a full HOTAS setup with mappable buttons. A lot of people are quite happy with the Thrustmaster series of joysticks and their HOTAS setup.

I don't have a rudder pedal setup yet, but I would like to get one soon. The rudder control on my joystick gets the job done, but the realism with pedals is probably much higher and provides better control.

One piece of hardware I would highly recommend you look into is a headtracking peripheral, like the TrackIR (link). Being able to look around by turning your head is an amazing feeling. I actually built my own headtracker for about $15. It is a DIY Arduino project called EDTracker. I bought my components off Ebay (plus a custom pcb the EDTracker team provides) and spent an evening soldering everything together carefully. I just got mine running this past weekend, and with a bit of tinkering with the calibration and software settings, it works fantastically. I have the device strapped to the top of my headset, and using the OpenTrack software setup, it perfectly replicates the TrackIR protocols. Games that only work with TrackIR, see my device as a TrackIR.

The only limitation with my EDTracker is that it doesn't support translation (moving forward, backward, and side-to-side in space.) It does support the important 3DOF: pitch, yaw, and roll. So I can look up and down, left and right, and even roll my head side to side. This allows me to peer up and around my shoulder. I can't move forward to look closer at control panel gauges.

The basic gyroscope controller you can use is just a gyroscope and accelerometer for 3DOF. Without an external reference system (magnetic compass or camera and LEDs) the gyroscope can drift over time causing your center point of view to drift in game. The EDtracker firmware and software have very effective means of compensating for the drift, so I only have to click a reset button to recenter about once an hour or so. There is a slightly more expensive gyro controller ($10 vs $4) available that integrates a magnetic compass, and once the EDTracker team add support for it in their firmware, the compass will eliminate drift.

All-in-all for $15, this has been one of my smartest gaming investments in a long time.

CrookedStool isn't entirely correct.

Both FSX and XP10 can run on decent settings on pretty much anything with a semi-good CPU and pretty much any GPU.

Since you mentioned X-Plane in your post, I've built something that's about $650 to run that, as opposed to FSX which everyone else is building for. Though this should run FSX pretty well as well.

After whatever discounts are around when you buy the parts it should be at $650 or less. Currently running about $630, which is a little over budget, but it's really worth it if you can do it.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $180.49 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | $29.98 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | Asus H81M-K Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $55.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Kingston 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $54.99 @ Best Buy
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $56.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card | $150.38 @ Newegg
Case | Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case | $39.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $43.98 @ Newegg
Optical Drive | Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer | $26.97 @ Newegg
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $629.75
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-15 17:49 EDT-0400 |


Essentially, i5 CPU for good per-core performance while being pretty cheap. Overclocking CPU and mobo weren't really in the budget, so that's that.


Good, cheap cooler.


Inexpensive but reliable motherboard with everything you'd really need. Though, again, no overclocking, which, if you absolutely require, you'll need a $100+ motherboard.


Cheap RAM. RAM's all RAM, so if it works with everything else in your PC and is from a good company it'll all be pretty much the same.


1TB HDD. Figured I've give you the extra 500GB for another $20.


Best bang-for-your-buck GPU out there currently, in my opinion.


Basic, but good case.


Cheap DVD drive because you need it for sims.


Can't really tell you how many frames it will net you in XP10, but it should make it more than playable on medium settings. Just make sure you have HDR off and cloud puffs reduced as much as you can stand, and don't worry about running max settings. Because XP10 is beautiful even on medium ones


As for a joystick, I'd reccomend the Logitech Extreme 3d Pro. Mine's 7 or 8 years old and still going strong, only one button's gone out, and it wasn't an important one.


Also, I'd reccomend FlyJSim's enhanced Runway textures. They make the runways higher res without hurting performance much if at all.
And also the Taxi-HD Enhancement Pack. It makes the taxi signs better looking, and comes with some different textures.
They're both free, simple, and yet have made XP10 look way better.


As for other things, I'd reccomend finding some good cloud textures. If you can spend a little more money, Skymaxx is absolutely amazing and gives you sun rays, clouds, and some other stuff, as well as Urbanmaxx, which gives better textures, night lighting, and other things like normal maps for more 3d looks in cities.


And that should be it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

I have recommended this to many people, and I honestly think it is the best set up on the market right now: https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Flight-Pack/dp/B01N2PE8CZ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522886090&sr=8-3&keywords=thrustmaster+t16000m

I see some people saying to get World Traffic. I think you would have a better time doing something like VATSIM than using World Traffic.

Planes I would recommend:

Flight Factor A320 - Pricey, but it pays you can see the high quality you are paying for. In my opinion, it is the best plane on the market in any flight sim.

Flight Factor 757 Extended - Another one of my favorites. I enjoy having the passenger and cargo variants, I am super into flying cargo runs.

Few others things, other than planes:

If you fly in the US, KSLC by ShortFinal is an amazing payware scenery. ShortFinal also known as MisterX on the forums, is, in my opinion, the best scenery maker in X-Plane.

Sometimes the best things for this game are free. If you have the storage space, and you think your game can handle it, download Ortho4XP and get some ortho scenery.

If I think of anything else I will add another comment

I'm personally a huge fan of the Saitek X52 Pro -- it's comfortable, adjustable, holds its zero without recalibration, and has enough buttons and analog inputs for anything. But I'll admit, I am also biased towards that stick because I learned the Saitek DirectOutput SDK and make good use of it. The downside is it's about 3 times your budget, but if you are really getting into flight sims, it's worth the investment (in my opinion).

In your price range the Cyborg F.L.Y.5 looks like an excellent value. Saitek knows how to cram a lot of buttons on a joystick while still keeping it comfortable to use (partially because their sticks are adjustable). Total honesty: I have not used that particular stick, but I am a fan of the Cyborg line.

I also pick up cheap used joysticks at Goodwill for LAN party spares, and one I came across is the Thrustmaster Top Gun Afterburner, which seems to be a very similar design to the T. Flight HOTAS X. I wanted to like it, but the input precision was terrible -- in a combat flight sim, aiming was very difficult. However, I will admit that probably has more to do with being a beat-up old Goodwill find than anything else.

I've also come across several SideWinder Precision Pro sticks, which are surprisingly solid performers for their age. They will need recalibration every time you plug them in, but then the precision is pretty good. You have to be careful that it's USB-compatible (with pin adapter) since it is visually identical to an older model that is GamePort-only.

The Cyborg EVO is pretty nice too. I'd avoid the much older Cyborg 3D line because the input jitters a bit when you try to keep it centered, but I think the Cyborg 3D Gold (2001) was the last Saitek stick with that issue.

tl;dr: X52 Pro or Cyborg

I see someone already mention DCS, but since you mention something to ease in to the world of flight sims, i wouldn't recommend it, at least for now. DCS is as hardocore sim as it gets for civilians.

Then you have FSX, a good compromise between realism/accessibility, though it is kind of a dead game that has no further development.

Another alternative is Take on Helicopters, from Bohemia Interactive, the makers of ARMA.
Decent flight model, lots of mission content that actually puts the flying to use, and comes at a great price. Only downside is it needs a PC with a very good processor to run smoothly.

ARMA3, i suppose is also an alternative, it uses the same flight model, got tons of choppers and has better performance nowadays cause its always being optimized (still needs good CPU though). It´s a military sandbox with much more to do than just flying (infantry, all sorts of vehicles, it's huge) and the flight model has 2 versions, easy, and advances (taken from take on helicopters), the sceneries (maps) are gorgeous and very detailed and i truly enjoy flying in it.

-------------------------

As for controls; the [new thrustmaster HOTAS] (https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-FCS-HOTAS-Controller/dp/B01KCHPRXA) came out recently, has wonderful reviews. If it´s anything like it's predecessor (which i own), it's unbeatable in price/quality ratio,

To truly appreciate the Huey, I'd highly recommend at least a stick and pedals. The Thrustmaster T16000M has the best sensors in its price range and a relatively light centering force, so it would be good for helos. The old Microsoft FFB2 is also good if you can find one. Pedals would also greatly improve the experience; a set such as the Thrustmaster TFRP would suffice. While a throttle is nice, the slider on the base of the stick can function as throttle for the time being.

As for head tracking, the TrackIR5 is pretty pricey. The DelanClip is cheaper, and it has a guide on how to use the free software.

DCS Modules go on sale all the time, so I'd wait until the next one (probably christmas) to pick up Huey.

For me, headtracking and rudder pedals improved my experience tenfold. Even if it takes time, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase them if it is for the happiness and well being of your father.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-16000M-Flight-Stick-PC/dp/B004PZIEF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1481762169&sr=1-1&keywords=Thrustmaster+T-16000M

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Flight-Rudder-Pedals-Playstation/dp/B015PII6YI

http://www.delanengineering.com/shop/#!/DelanClip-Gamer/p/43397050/category=0

FSX is a brilliant sim despite what some users of other sims might say. I use all three main sims and FSX is still up there with the best because of the upgrade options and back catalogue of freeware.

It’s particularly good for learning because of the excellent learning center stuff included - both written descriptions and lessons. The lessons themselves can become a bit annoying later on because of the very fussy tolerance standards, and because of a few bugs.

If you really want to get deeper into flight sim learning get this book below - and fly the lessons that you can download for use with the book. This book takes you from the basics to advanced flying using charts and landing systems. These lessons will help you in any sim you fly with in the future, as it teaches about flying rather than FSX. The kind of stuff you might see other people doing and wonder how you learn that. The answers and step by step instructions are here below - and available used for a few dollars/pounds on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Flight-Simulator-Pilots-Training/dp/0764588222/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1543150152&sr=8-10&keywords=fsx+flight+simulator+x

Also would recommend the Angle of Attack free video series to fly along with.

https://www.flyaoamedia.com/aviator-90/

If you want to see FSX upgraded download the free Orbx Pacific Northwest demo. The process is sign in / add the free products / and download the FTX central scenery manager to install. You will also see loads of other demos/freeware in there.

https://orbxdirect.com/demos

Add to that PNW demo the freeware airport KHQM - and take a flight from KHQM and head north to the mountains. You will see a massive difference. (As long as you have followed the scenery recommended settings from the guide in central)

https://orbxdirect.com/product/khqm

With this type of scenery FSX looks like a completely different sim.

1. X-Plane.org This is the link to the XP10 section, but nearly all of them should work fine in XP11
   
   
2. Someone else can answer that
   
   
3. The Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS seems to be what everyone is recommending for an entry level HOTAS
   
   
4. For the base game, that's it really. Fly around. Generally people fly between two airports like in real life. Things get more interesting if you add stuff like FSEconomy or multiplayer like VATSIM, IVAO, or PilotEdge
   
   
5. For X-Plane, I would only really buy plane addons. Nearly all the scenery you will ever need is free on places like the x-plane.org fourm. The only other thing I would recommend is looking at one of the weather addons.
   
   
6. There are many, can't name them off the top of my head
   
   
7. MisterX is the end all be all of freeware scenery
   
   The planes I would recommend are the FlightFactor 767, FlightFactor 757, IXEG 737, Rotate MD80, AirfoilLabs 172SP, Any of the Dreamfoil helicopters, and whichever Carenando planes have the Reality Expansion Packs.

Don't listen to the people saying spend 100$ on a joystick alone. The idea 500$ gets you nowhere is nonsense. I first started playing on a laptop with an iGPU until I could buy my build I use currently. We all start somewhere, doesn't stop you enjoying it.

I got a HOTAS for £50 and it does the job pretty damn well for entry level stuff. That said, 500 is pushing it, 600 is going to give you a lot better experience for a small increase in price. Dropping the price down check these out, or something similar.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Joystick-PS3/dp/B000V6HFZQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539879654&sr=8-2&keywords=thrustmaster%2Bhotas&th=1

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Joystick-PS3/dp/B0002EAA36/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539879654&sr=8-2&keywords=thrustmaster%2Bhotas&th=1

They won't be incredible, but for the price it'll still mean you can enjoy the game.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $98.99 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | Gigabyte - B450M DS3H Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $59.99 @ Newegg
Memory | G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $63.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $45.89 @ OutletPC
Video Card | EVGA - GeForce GTX 1050 3GB SC GAMING Video Card | $120.40 @ Newegg
Case | Cooler Master - MasterBox Lite 3.1 MicroATX Mid Tower Case | $30.98 @ Newegg
Power Supply | EVGA - 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply | $32.89 @ OutletPC
Monitor | Acer - V246HQL Cbd 23.6" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor | $99.00 @ Walmart
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $592.13
| Mail-in rebates | -$40.00
| Total | $552.13
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-10-18 12:20 EDT-0400 |

20$ more for that extra 1GB of VRAM is pretty important. Same with a 23.6 inch screen not 21. Nvidia GPUs run better on P3d, hence no AMD options despite their great price / performance. If you cut back even 15$ on the CPU your game performance will plummet, save till you can get these parts since any less and you'll have a much worse experience, really isn't worth it.

If need be PM me and can get you a copy of P3d v3 since you are on a budget already I doubt you'll be able to splash the 50$ on X plane. Got some OrbX sceneries / textures / light mods etc as well. Some OK / playable free mods available for p3d v3 to save money too. I moved onto X-plane 11 myself but the F22 with P3d is pretty good.

T-16000M if you just need joystick with twist (rudder). It has amazing precision. Uses HAL sensors (probably not the same as the ones used in Warthog which is currently the best joystick available at around 400$).

T-Flight HOTAS X if you want a good but cheap HOTAS. Has twist (rudder).

Logitech Extreme 3D if you just want joystick with twist (rudder). Another cheap but amazing joystick.

All of the above are well under 100$ and decent. You could also get X-52 but like most said it's a gamble.

Both T-16000M and T-Flight HOTAS are excellent and pretty cheap so they would be my #1 recommendation. Here is a small comparsion between the two by somebody.

You could try finding and reading some reviews online before you make your decision.

I don't think this is possible, but I feel like I have to point out that a joystick is definately the way to go for enthusiastic simmers. I recommend that you get this great deal for a surprisingly good joystick. (17.49$ for Logitech extreme 3d pro)


Thanks /u/OfficialShip2000 for this post

Edit:formatting

I use the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick. It is perfect for your price range and I think that you'll be very happy with it. The Amazon link I posted is selling it for $39, however, I purchased mine from Best Buy about a year ago for $30. You may save money by going the retail route if you're that concerned about the $10 difference. The joystick has full throttle, roll, pitch, AND twisting rudder support which negates any extra money you need to spend on rudder pedals (however I highly recommend you purchase some down the road, they feel great when flying).

When it comes to the only real essential hardware for running X-Plane 10, other than a decently powerful PC or Mac, the joystick is paramount. Down the road you can look into getting pedals, a yoke, or maybe even build a setup like this!



For $30-$40 I believe the 3D Pro is the absolute best option and think you will enjoy it. I have regularly cleaned mine for the past year and it is just as nice as the day I got it. The only exception to this being that the null/dead zone (stick resting position) has gotten slightly more wobbly, but that is a slight and fixable issue.


Good luck!

Better than nothing, but a joystick would be the ideal thing. There's a reason if joysticks are used on real planes!

I've had this one for years and it still works basically perfectly despite the hell i put it through. Another really popular and cheap joystick is this one. If you want to search for others, check if they have a rudder axis. The ones i linked allow you to control the rudder by twisting the stick, but some cheapo joysticks don't have that, and trust me, you're gonna need it.

1. Get a cheap Saitek x52 used, it is more than enough for just starting out.
   
   
2. There is enough freeware of high quality that you could make an amazing and complex sim without paying a penny.
   
   
3. Tutorials are a good start, consider this:
   http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Flight-Simulator-Pilots-Training/dp/0764588222
   
   If you finish that book, and it's lessons you will be super knowledgable.
   
   
4. Advice: stick with it, don't be afraid to ask questions; most simmers are very friendly and enjoy growing the hobby by stewarding a noobie.
   
   Also if you are able, take a discovery flight at your local airport, and see how things translate to the real world.
   
   Good Luck.

We definitely will continue developing for motion controllers. A lot of people love them, and it's fun flying using "only" VR.

Some people might take issue with this, but I don't think there's any need for a fancy/expensive joystick. I do the vest majority of my flying with a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. I wouldn't buy it for $60, but you can usually find them for $30-$40 (unless there's been a major price increase lately). The stick itself is solid, twist rudder works once you get used to it, and despite being pretty skimpy, the throttle paddle gets the job done. I can fly helicopters reasonably pricely too with it.

If you want a nicer throttle, and something slightly fancier, you can upgrade to the Thrustmaster Hotas.

Either of these joysticks will take you far in flightsim, and won't break the bank. I've found the sensor quality to be nicer than some of the pricier hotases like the x52 as well.

You really need some kind of joystick, or at least a gamepad. Playing with your mouse and keyboard is quite difficult and makes it nearly impossible to click on switches and buttons while flying. If you can afford it, a TRACKIR system will increase your immersion immensely and it also makes flying a lot easier, in my opinion.

As far as addons, the ones that I like the best are fspassengers (which really gives you more of an incentive to actually complete flights), REX (better weather simulation and textures), UTX (landclass addon. It puts roads and lakes and coastlines etc in the proper areas), and GEX (Ground Environment Extreme, a retexture pack that is pretty affordable).

Track IR

FSPassengers

REX

UTX

GEX

Saitek X52 flightstick

Buying all of those wouldn't be cheap though. I would recommend starting with at least a flightstick and fspassengers. That will help you have a lot more fun without your controls getting in the way. You'll probably want to look into some addon planes too.

I ordered a thing last week!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077X77DWM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

It's technically for driving. But I read the top review and it sold me on trying it out. Pretty much followed the advise from the review and it works great (As in, I bought some strong velcro). I set it up in a couple different ways...

​

1.) Middle mount out, side mount on the left: Hey look! A side stick!

2.) Middle mount in, side mount on the right: Traditional yoke and rudder...

3.) Middle mount in, side mount on the left: Queue the Top Gun theme!

​

I researched a lot of DIY solutions, and even checked out a few of the stands that are branded for 'flight sim'. I'm not that crafty, and those options online are expensive and look cheaply made. I fly in VR and on a screen, and I couldn't ask for a more versatile solution. The way it locks into my office chair is just icing on the cake.

​

TL/DR: 10/10 would 100% recommend.

If you are just starting I think that all you need is a basic joystick and a simulator.

If you don't already have a simulator you can try the X-Plane demo for free. FlightGear is completely free but not nearly as detailed as the commercial sims.

The default Cessna 172 that comes with X-Plane or MSFS is not the most detailed general aviation model available but would do just fine for learning the basics of flight, procedures, and navigation. If you want something more detailed Carenado makes lots of very nice payware aircraft for both X-Plane and MSFS.

I highly recommend The Private Pilot Handbook by Rod Machado as a learning resource. It covers practically everything about flying small aircraft with both concise explanation and good diagrams (and plenty of corny humor).

I would recommend the following joystick...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Extreme-Pro-Precision-Joystick/dp/B00CJ5FPTA/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_63_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YMXKHKZMHZCXF36J9JB9

​

I had this for years before moving into yoke and rudder pedals. The bonus of this stick is it has a throttle lever, plenty of buttons and the stick twists that can be used as a rudder too.

​

In terms of sim, I would recommend XP11 if you have a powerful PC - if not then go for P3D v4 - if that is too much money, then go for FSX Steam Edition.

​

Be prepared to be spending money on addons though, as the vanilla of these sims are not all too great, much better with addons.

I would recommend Orbx for scenery, Active Sky for weather, A2A Planes in P3D/FSX.

> It looks like a flight stick is a must, but I really have no idea what to get. Recommendations?

Get CH Yoke + CH Pedals + CH Throttle (and I recommend larger, real-size throttle clips) . If you like to fly multiengine as I do with Fokker 70/100, consider getting multiple throttle quadrants. If you get tired of sims, it's pretty easy to resell your hardware on sim forums, you may even try getting second hand hardware on eBay and forums such as Avsim. My yoke and pedals are second hand, and I got them for a third of their retail price.

Everyone else has so far suggested a stick, and I too had Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 for years, and looking back I have to admit that I was missing out the whole time.

You can get a brand new Saitek yoke with throttles for less than $200 on Amazon. Goes under the name of Logitech G nowadays since Logitech bought Saitek a while back. So it's definitely not worth $350 used, not even with rudders, which you can get brand new for like $150. You're paying new price for something that's used. If you're buying used, don't spend more than $200 for a complete set.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-PRO-Flight-Rudder-Pedals/dp/B01LYPMTPT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524675041&sr=8-1&keywords=Logitech+G+Pro+Flight

Other than that, it's a decent yoke. It's not amazing, but it gets the job done.

And also look for CH rudder pedals. They are a little narrow, but they are pretty good. You can get them new for like $100-120, and used for like $50.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CH-Products-Pro-Pedals-USB-Flight-Simulator-Pedals/292534413435?hash=item441c68e87b:g:djEAAOSw9uNa3Sa3

They also have yokes, but most people seem to prefer Saitek's yoke over CH.

Welcome!
I have to agree that a joystick will increase the experience. The Logitech Extreme 3D pro is a great one, and is very cheap. I've had it for ages and it's working perfectly. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Extreme-Pro-Precision-Fightstick/dp/B00CJ5FPTA

Definitely GA. But before you purchase a payware plane, I'd consider buying a... book.

You can either go with Rod Machado lessons or try Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots Real World Training. I personally went with the book and this is probably the best money ever spent. It really allowed me to get into actual simming (instead of just not crashing) and I like the pace on which it progresses.

You'll get a nice chunk of theory, then have a chance to practice all of it (there are downloadable fsx files available from publisher's site) and if that's not enough - there's a list of similar fsx lessons at the end of each chapter.

You'll start with the simplest Piper J-3 Cub and then move to Cessna 172 (and later to more complex planes). As soon as you're familiar witch stock 172, feel free to purchase A2A version. It is as good as they advertise. I get shivers down my back each time I start the engine.

Don't concentrate on how your frames drop when everything is set to ultra. Figure out what matters most to you when adjusting the settings in FSX. Refrain from directly modifying your CFG files. Do not mess with your registry settings because one guy, 10 years ago, felt that changing an obscure key would magically fix stutters. Be mindful of all the addons you install. The more fancy airplanes and complex sceneries you install the slower your sim gets.

Apart from that, the virtual cockpit is where I do all my flying. Right click outside and click locked spot for smoother outside replays. The A2A Cessna 172 is awesome but not essential to learning how to operate the 172. Be prepared to create logins for Avsim, vatsim / Ivao and other websites that allow you to download airplanes and other addons. I recommend you upgrade from the joystick to a proper yoke. I run the CH eclipse yoke, throttle quadrant and rudder pedals. There are multiple apps you can get to complement your flight sim experience. My favorite is FlyByWifi fo iOS. I can manage radios, moving map, autopilot from my iPad. It gets old real quick trying to change frequencies using the mouse. Vatsim and Ivao are online ATC programs and you should look into them since they add to the realism of flight sim.

Take a look at this book if you have the time:

https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Flight-Simulator-Pilots-Training/dp/0764588222

I believe that it's widely agreed upon, that the Logitech Extreme 3d Pro is the best joystick on the cheap. It's only about $30 and can be found at your local stores or online. If you want something better, you'll need to spend a bit more (>$100) for a nice HOTAS. Hope this helps.

Pattern work without rudder is tough, I bought these despite all the bad reviews and I'm glad I did. Lots of people complaining they're made of plastic even though the pedals are strong enough that two of me could stand on them and they wouldn't break. I bought it 'used' off Amazon for $81, which means somebody bought it, didn't like it, put it back in the box and shipped it back. FSX:SE has issues with getting pedals to work right, with these pedals it's the brakes in particular. But a little fiddling and they work great.

Try running some flights all-visual with some sectionals and default FSX scenery. No VOR, no DME, no NDB, no GPS. The FSX scenery makes it tougher than real life, and that's great.

I only have VATSIM experience but what I know is... PilotEdge is quite realistic, but it's $20/month or $180 a year. Remember what that could buy otherwise, you're also limit to certain hours (0800-2300 PST) and I hope you like SoCal. Supposedly IVAO has very limited non-Europe coverage. VATSIM coverage can be spotty, but it's usually rather predictable. Audio quality is terrible, but obviously good enough that people can understand one another. Realism is at your discretion, many ARTCCs will try to go as realistic as reasonable. VAs are a plus.

Keep in mind, nothing's stopping you from trying. VATSIM/IVAO are free, PilotEdge has a 2 week trial.

At the T16000's price point I'd suggest the Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas X. The throttle's a bit weird with the detent at 50%, but is otherwise a great stick, and having the separate throttle is loads better than having to keep my left hand at the base of my right.

Thanks again for taking the time to share all of this helpful info. I think there will be plenty to do in the stock version. It's nice to know that there is an active community for mods and help. As for a flightstick, this one seems to get solid reviews. I'll look further into the Cyborg as well.

Awesome, really appreciate the info. The Honeycomb looks really nice, had never heard of it until just now. They claim to be releasing it "in the 1st quarter of 2018". I haven't ordered yet, but I'm a bit impatient, so I'll probably go ahead and get the CH/Saitek stuff for now, and possibly get the Honeycomb later. Here's what my build looks like, as of now:

https://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Eclipse-Yoke-Programmable/dp/B001GIOGBY

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-PRO-Flight-Rudder-Pedals/dp/B01LYPMTPT

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Saitek-Flight-Throttle-Qudrant/dp/B01M00UHE3

Thanks again for all of the information, very helpful

FSX is pretty realistic, and because of this has a relatively steep learning curve.

The first thing I'd recommend is to get a joystick. You don't need anything fancy, I flew for a year on a $30 Logitech 3D Pro and it worked for the most part. After getting a joystick of some kind, just fly around in the beginner missions or free flight and get a feel for how the sim feels. You should do this in a slower plane, such as the C172. It's simple enough that you won't be too confused.

Then, once you're ready to get into more serious simming, go watch Angle of Attack's Aviator 90 series of videos, they're great lessons.

In my opinion, one of the most important things to remember is that it is still nothing more than a simulator. Don't be afraid to do dangerous and stupid stuff and crash countless times, just have fun with it.

I use the now discontinued Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2. I use it all the time for flying GA Aircraft in X-Plane. Gives a really good feel for having to trim the aircraft properly, amongst other things.

It's the only thing i've ever had that feels like a real GA Aircraft does (I have a PPL(A) ).

You can pick them up for around £35-£75 on eBay.

I've had mine from new for around 20 years and it's just as good as the day I bought it. Natively supported in X-Plane too.

I know this is a bit of a late reply. Hope this helps someone out. Always baffles me there aren't many force feedback options out there even today.

Edit: For anyone that does get one, be aware its only the Force Feedback 2 that has the USB connection.

Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X on amazon. Fairly cheap but they make a variety of these varying from PC to Xbox One, so just make sure you get the right one (if you go this route)
It comes with a awesome joystick with a twist able axis and plenty of buttons, along with a separable throttle with another axis on the back. The link is here.

FSX:SE is by far the best running sim on lower spec PCs.

You said you don't have a gaming PC which means you probably have integrated GPU (or maybe a low-tier dedicated GPU), however you are still likely to have a decent CPU, FSX:SE is more CPU-intensive than GPU-intensive and that's why I think it will be your safest bet.

FYI I run it on an i5 3.2 Ghz (it's a quad core) and it runs very well. I think it could run equally well on a dual core CPU of similar speed (FSX doesn't take advantage of multi-threading that much).

In addition it's 32 bit so it will never use more than 4GB of RAM. So you don't need a PC with a very large amount of memory.

Finally, you said you're going to use a mouse but I highly recommend getting a 3-axis joystick with a throttle slider, you can get one for less than $50, for example this one: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-963290-0403-Extreme-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_147_bs_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3E3JMB4KXRFV43SKRAQT

Honestly, I don't think that you'll find many people around here that use PS4 and XBOX controllers for flight sim. I even bought an Xbox one controller for driving in games and rocket league, and have tried it flying, and it just feels wrong.

My advice would be just to buy a cheap joystick to get started. This one is great value and if you choose to be more serious, you can transition towards something better quite easily.

• I can easily recommend this joystick to start out with: http://amzn.com/B00009OY9U
  
• Whenever you want to learn how to use different add-on aircrafts, YouTube tutorials was a great source for me. Definitely something you can check out.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Stick-PC/dp/B001CXYMFS

Amazing value for money, amazing joystick!

Pretty simple. You saw the screen shot of when I was actually flying, and now this is a picture of my screens and controls. Nothing extravagant. Just a laptop hooked up to a larger display above it. I've been using this yoke and pedal combo for about a decade now (still kickin', minus the tow brakes). Both are CH products (Pro Pedals, CH yoke), and I love them. Pretty cheap for how long they have lasted and how nicely they perform.

Like I said, nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I also have a joystick, because you simply cant fly a J-3 with a yoke!!!

I use this one Logitech 3d pro

It's inexpensive and so far worked pretty well. I'm not a super serious simmer so until I get to that desire $30 to be able to control my plane better than a PS2 / Xbox controller is worth it.

Best: Logitech 3D Pro joystick Still working perfectly after 7 years.

Can't think of a worst though.

I have the Thrustmaster T.16000m HOTAS and love it. Plenty of buttons and axes for me. I have everything mapped that I want to have mapped and still have a few buttons on the base of the joystick left over in case I want to add to that. Great build quality, too. The only thing I wish I could do is to disable the orange light somehow. Anytime the joystick is out of its neutral position, that bright, obnoxious orange light at the base of the stick glows, and can be quite distracting. That's my only complaint.

Depends on your budget.

I'd recommend this if your budget allows for it.

If not, the Logitech 3D Pro is the best stick for your money imo.

I'd recommend picking up pedals especially if you're into general aviation flying but definitely get a joystick as your first purchase. As far as yokes go, the lower end ones are generally not worth it and the next options are in the $400-500+ USD range. Some users are happy with their CH/Saitek yokes but I didn't have a great experience with them.

Yes, I believe you can use VATSIM with the steam edition.

Which joystick depends a lot on how much you want to pay. I'll paste links in ascending order of price for sticks which are reasonably recommendable.

I currently have a Saitek X-52 Pro which is absolutely fantastic (especially for the price).

=====
Joystick only
=====

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Extreme-Joystick-Silver-Black/dp/B00009OY9U


http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Playstation-3/dp/B001CXYMFS/

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HOTAS
=====

http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-200-571-Fighterstick-USB/dp/B00006B84X

with

http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Pro-Throttle-USB/dp/B00006B84Z/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1420529163&sr=1-2&keywords=ch+hotas

=====

(I have this one)

http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-X52-Flight-System-Controller/dp/B000LQ4HTS

http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-Flight-H-O-T-Throttle-System/dp/B00HHAIY72/

and the most expensive (but seems to be well recommended):

http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Hotas-Warthog-Joystick-2960720/dp/B00371R8P4

Grab yourself an Extreme 3D Pro and try it again. 10 times better experience.


edit: you could also get yourself a much nicer joystick than this but it's a great (cheap) place to start.

Roll it back to level. Straight and level flight, at least without trim, is actually pretty hard to maintain. Your keyboard doesn't have the precision to do this. Get this joystick. It's pretty good for a beginner stick. Also, watch/do all the training stuff in the sim.

I recommend picking up Xplane 10 (better for a middle-end pc, and you can get the regional edition which is cheaper) or Xplane 11 and a cheap HOTAS from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Stick-pc/dp/B001CXYMFS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518703046&sr=8-1&keywords=thrustmaster+t-flight+hotas+x

That will get you the best $100 or less flight sim experience IMO. Note, that for any modern flight sim you will want a pretty high-end intel CPU (or Ryzen would be decent). AMD FX and APU processors are just too slow for the single-threaded nature of current sim options. You should be fine with a mid-level GPU however.

If the HOTAS is too much, just get any old joystick you can find that has a throttle lever: https://www.amazon.com/ThrustMaster-2960623-Thrustmaster-USB-Joystick/dp/B0002EAA36/ref=sr_1_3?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1518703285&sr=1-3&keywords=joystick

You won't want to fly with a gamepad, you won't have any fine-control because the analog sticks are so small so landings would be especially difficult. Throttle control is also difficult on a gamepad

I'd also suggest a flightstick. The logitech Extreme 3d pro is a good starter stick, it's listed at amazon for $25.00 http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Extreme-Joystick-Silver-Black/dp/B00009OY9U I'd also recommend Microsoft Flight Simulator X as a good sim that's compatable with your TrackIR5

Hey. It doesn't really mater as most yokes aren't that realistic as you can't turn them the full ninty degrees. (Some really expensives yokes have do this). A yoke also takes a lot of space. It doesn't really matter for flight simulation. I'd recommend the https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Flight-Pack/dp/B01N2PE8CZ joystick. Although I'm a boeing fan it's just better and cheaper to take a joystick.

​

(In de link above rudder peddals which is a must and a throttle are included)

Joystick, definitely. Personally I use a Thrustmaster HOTAS X. Price isn't much more than an xbox controller, and it's much better suited to the job.

It has a twist stick and a lever-thing on the back of the throttle, either of which can be used for rudder if you don't have pedals (I like the thing on the throttle).

just the stick - Logitech Xtreme 3D Pro $35 at best buy might even be in stock locally, will work but sensors are cheep will wear out in a year.

stick and throttle _ Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS HOTAS Controller better sensors will last much longer

if you also want rudder peddles this is a well priced combo Thrustmaster T16000M FCS Flight Pack - PC

This seems to get good reviews and is good value

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-HOTAS-Controller-2960778/dp/B01KCHPRXA?crid=3V1KVJNM44WCY&keywords=joystick&qid=1537116247&sprefix=joys&sr=8-6&ref=mp_s_a_1_6

DCS: F-86, a good HOTAS, a good display, TrackIR.

http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Playstation-3/dp/B001CXYMFS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1406260389&sr=1-1&keywords=t-flight+hotas

These are the sticks I use, they're pretty good. $50

Alright so I'm on Amazon trying to make my final decision.

The three I am looking at are:

X52 Pro: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LQ4HTS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X: http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Playstation-3/dp/B001CXYMFS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397006753&sr=8-1&keywords=Thrustmaster+T-Flight+HOTAS+X

Thrustmaster T-16000M: http://www.amazon.com/Hercules-2960706-Thrustmaster-T-16000M-Flight/dp/B001S0RTU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396877154&sr=8-1&keywords=thrustmaster+t+16000

Any comments, concerns, warnings, or advice? Thanks again!

Roughly $6000.

The biggest ticket item was the GTX690 ($999), and the three monitors ($324 each). We have about $1600 into the rest of the PC (512g SSD, 3.9ghz Intel Core i7-3770K, 16gb 1600mhz RAM).

The Saitek components are pretty reasonable, the FIP displays add up though. Here is a table of my spreadsheet, it doesn't include the cost of the GTX690, or the PC, or a few misc things like the keyboard.

| Item | Qty | Cost | Total |
|:-------|:------:|-------:|--------:|
| Saitek CES432100002/02/1 Pro Flight Cessna Yoke System | 1 | $165.78 | $165.78
|Saitek X52 Pro Flight System Controller | 1 | $138.99 | $138.99
|Saitek Pro Flight Cessna Rudder Pedals | 1 |$177.23 |$177.23
|Saitek CES432110002/06/1 Pro Flight Cessna Trim Wheel|1|$44.99|$44.99
|Pro Flight Instrument Panel| 6 | $123.38 | $740.28
|Saitek PRO Flight Radio Panel |1 | $120.52 |$120.52
|Saitek PRO Flight Switch Panel| 1 | $79.52 | $79.52
|TrackIr 5 Premium Head Tracking for Gaming |1 | $145.00| $145.00
|Logitech Wireless Gaming Mouse G700 |1 | $69.15| $69.15
|Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset |1| $57.24 | $57.24
|Playseat Flight Seat |1 | $499.00| $499.00
|ASUS PA248Q 24-Inch LED-Lit Super-IPS Professional Graphics Monitor| 3| $323.82 | $971.46
|Saitek PRO Flight TPM System |1 | $129.92 | $129.92
|Total | | |$3,339.08

I bought this: Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS HOTAS Controller, it definitely has more buttons than I need, but it is plastic and hopefully it will last as long as my previous Logitech stick. My logic is if I get 5 years out of it, great!. I'll then replace it with whatever comes out then. You need 2 USB ports for this setup

Without a doubt the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. Have used it for all types of flight simulation, works like a charm.
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-963290-0403-Extreme-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U

I took a look at Prepar3d but it was quite a bit more expensive than FSX and the amount of licenses made me nervous to buy him something that might be restrictive at all.

Do you have any of your own recommendations? The equipment section is very helpful and I'm thinking of springing for this yoke even though it'll not sit well with my bank account if it's the best option. The Eclipse version if out of the question unfortunately. He'll likely not be flying jets so I'd rather get him a yoke over a stick.

I'm sorry for all the questions and concerns. All the information and options available are a little bit daunting.

> not looking for the complexity of FSX

FSX can be as simple or as complex as you'd like. You can load up the game, not touch any options, then hit the big "fly now" button and be up in the air within minutes. Or you can buy all the payware aircraft and addons and spend up to 30 minutes sitting on the ramp learning how to start up your bird.

My suggestion (since this is how I did it) start with all the default, free stuff and fly around some places you know in real life. Then if you've decided you're serious about this, slowly begin adding in some extra stuff. I suggest picking up the Logitech 3D Pro joystick and FSX: Steam Edition when it goes on sale.

I used to play around 5-6 years ago round a friends house, he had this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/CH-Products-200-616-Eclipse-Yoke/dp/B001GIOGBY/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1459095199&sr=8-13&keywords=flight+simulator+controls , the game is so fun :D

Thrustmaster T16000M. Replaced my old logitech 3d pro which was a workhorse for many years for me and prob the majority of this community. But was floored with the level of precision and ergonomics of the Thrustmaster. Its because it has hall effect sensors rather then pententiometers which alot of the old flight hardware tends to have. I got the whole package with throttle and pedals and never looked back. Tons of programmable buttons too! Prob the best stick you can get in the sub $100 price category.

Thrustmaster T16000M FCS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQEDEEW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IWXxCbJ1V06FB

A decent entry-level joystick runs thirty bucks plus shipping on amazon. Microsoft's xbawks36 controller runs forty-five bucks.

Joysticks are better.

Joysticks can be had cheaper.

do yourself a favor and get something like a 3D pro for around $30. You can probably find one on ebay or craigslist for even cheaper.

You might want to invest in this book. It's about $20 on Amazon, and does a really good job of teaching you how to fly using MSFS.

> I use the keyboard and mouse

Yea, that's not going to fly. You need a flight stick to play fsx with any reasonable control. I picked this up at goodwill for 6 bucks and I'm very happy with it. When picking one out make sure that it rotates left and right for rudder control or your going to have a bad time.

If you stick with it, I HIGHLY recommend spending a few bucks for this:

Extreme 3D Pro Joystick for Windows https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009OY9U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6NoIDbEVB6FZV

It’ll suffice for any flight-simming

Yes. Rudder pedals on an airliner (and most small aircraft) can tilt kind of like a gas pedal in a car to control the brakes. These are called 'toe brakes' because if you push down with your toes, it controls the brakes. see this illustration. How hard you push down with your toes controls the intensity of the braking. Controling the aircraft on the ground using the brakes (for example, holding down the right brake to help you make a right turn) is called 'differential braking'.

I have the book Microsoft Flight Simulator X for Pilots and it's helped me out with quite a few things as far as navigation and IFR.

You can find a lot of good tutorials on YouTube as well.

Nope, it's actually the Force Feedback 2! 10 years old and still running strong!

The HOTAS X is a big step down in quality, but a good product for that price point. This is the set I was talking about.

Have you flown anything before? If not, I suggest you get FSX:Steam to start out. Then, you can fly with your mouse, and practice the basics, and maybe get a joystick (I recommend this one). Once you’ve gotten used to it. Get either X-Plane or P3D and start investing into some addons

> Thrustmaster HOTAS X for around $100


You can get that one for at least half the price, like here on Amazon!

Thrustmaster T.16000M. Get the stick now, save up to add the HOTAS throttle later. Maybe add the pedals farther down the road.

Stick: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ThrustMaster-2960706-Thrustmaster-T-16000M-Joystick/dp/B001S0RTU0

Throttle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-TWCS-Throttle-Controller-2960754/dp/B01L28LVUG

Pedals: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-Flight-Rudder-Playstation-2960764/dp/B015PII6YI

Highly recommend this book!

https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Flight-Simulator-Pilots-Training/dp/0764588222/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=flight+sim+book&qid=1564236032&s=gateway&sr=8-6

Or you could be a bit smarter and buy this : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Extreme-Pro-Precision-Joystick/dp/B00CJ5FPTA/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_63_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FHMATKA47BRJZMBBN89F

Take a look at the 16000m FCS:

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-FCS-HOTAS-Controller/dp/B01KCHPRXA

Personally I think it's a much better option than the X52, both in terms of build quality and precision.

This is the book I used while getting my pilots license:

https://www.amazon.com/Rod-Machados-Private-Pilot-Handbook/dp/0963122991

There's a couple chapters all about charts and VFR navigation. I highly recommend it

I have a CH yoke and pedals I'm willing to sell if you're interested.

https://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Flight-Yoke-200-615/dp/B000056SPM

http://www.chproducts.com/Pro-Pedals-v13-d-716.html

Reason I'm selling is I upgraded to the Brunner CLS-E yoke and pedals.

Yeah, buy one of these

Or these

I would advise that you pick up any version of FSX you can and I recommend this book

I agree. Used the Saitek yoke for a while until it broke. I'm now using this Thrustmaster HOTAS and I really like it considering the price point.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01KCHPRXA/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

I couldn't find the product name exactly, but could those be yours?

Thrustmaster TFRP Flight Rudder Pedals for PC & Playstation 4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PII6YI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_36rZxbZWDZ6TJ



EDIT

These have the exact name you mentioned but look similar to the ones above on Amazon. Same price too.

https://m.newegg.com/Product/index?itemnumber=N82E16826280072

Sure. https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Flight-Pack/dp/B01N2PE8CZ

Though you could technically get by with a joystick with a slider for throttle, I would say my minimum starting point would be a separate stick and throttle. Check out: Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS HOTAS Controller (2960778) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KCHPRXA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_PaPVBb4RFAYC1

The stick twists which you can use as a rudder while getting started so you can decide if you want to spend another 100+ on rudder pedals.

Amazon (US) has both the flight stick and flight pack on sale. Not sure if they'll go any lower.-
Flightstick: $40, down from $60
Flightstick + Throttle: $97, down from $107
Flight pack: $130, down from $160

The usual advice for a beginner joystick is the Logitech 3d Extreme Pro. It's only $30 and does everything that you need.

150$ for the x52 pro from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-X52-Flight-System-Controller/dp/B000LQ4HTS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331923513&sr=8-1

Hey Check out these. (Sorry bad formatting)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saitek-Pro-Flight-Yoke-System/dp/B000TCD1UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CH-Flight-Sim-Yoke-Mac/dp/B00260GF42


Two good budget orientated yokes for fs

I also found to joysticks for you


Common 1st joystick
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-3D-Pro-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U


https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Stick-PC/dp/B001CXYMFS/

Joysticks are really cheap and for military sims, they are a must. I would just buy one. This is what I use. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Extreme-Joystick-Silver-Black/dp/B00009OY9U

I used these two books and they helped greatly. They even have flights that you can download and use as part of the cirriculum.

• Scenario-Based Training with X-Plane and Microsoft Flight Simulator: Using PC-Based Flight Simulations Based on FAA-Industry Training Standards
  
  
• Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots Real World Training

http://www.amazon.com/Oculus-Rift-Certified-G11CD-WS51-Desktop-Bundle/dp/B01BHFI4XG

+

http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-X52-Flight-System-Controller/dp/B000LQ4HTS/

+

http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Pedals-Simulator-300-111/dp/B0000512IE/

+

https://flyinside-fsx.com/Products

I got this one as a temporary one and have had it for about 2 years (not so temporary!) https://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-963290-0403-Extreme-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1484259058&sr=1-2&keywords=joystick

[Logitech Extreme 3D Pro ($33.99)] (https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-3D-Pro-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0)

[Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009OY9U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00009OY9U&linkCode=as2&tag=fgs0b-20)

https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-3D-Pro-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U

This one.

https://www.amazon.in/Logitech-Extreme-3D-Pro-Joystick/dp/B00009OY9U?tag=googinhydr18418-21&tag=googinkenshoo-21&ascsubtag=_k_EAIaIQobChMI55-qtvmL4gIVijgrCh0KMAn6EAQYASABEgJrOvD_BwE_k_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI55-qtvmL4gIVijgrCh0KMAn6EAQYASABEgJrOvD_BwE

Saitek X52 Pro $125 USD

Regular price is $160. Ends 3 hrs 45 min from time of this post.

Aaaand it's over.

What are the specs of the computer is he going to be running this on?

Cheapest option is probably:
FSX:SE when it goes on sale for under $10 all the time. Just saw yesterday there is a "Helicopter Total Realism" add-on that supposedly makes the helis more realistic.

Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas

Thrustmaster Rudder Pedals

TM T-Flight Hotas X

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001CXYMFS/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1333913795&sr=1-4

This is the video he linked to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ormVjGh5o&feature=youtu.be&t=2m18s



Link to the page: https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Flight-Rudder-Pedals-Playstation/product-reviews/B015PII6YI/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews&showViewpoints=0

The new that they just released https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-FCS-HOTAS-Controller/dp/B01KCHPRXA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480700764&sr=8-2&keywords=thrustmaster+hotas

I ordered this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KCHPRXA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

really looking forward to getting more into flight sims!

Awfully hostile, eh?

I chose the exact same prices that are posted for used items on Amazon, offered to haggle a bit, and I really need the money.

Used Yoke on Amazon

Used Panel on Amazon

Pedals on Amazon

140 euros is 155 dollars. Plus the cost of shipping to EU, which would be exorbitant from the US.

120 euros is 133 dollars. My panel is cheaper.

The gear is immaculate, and ready to ship NOW.

PS: I asked the mods to post this.

Edit:

I'm not some shameless huckster. I'm a long time poster to this sub, and I am devastated that I have to sell my gear. I'm in some pretty dire straits, and have to sell this stuff immediately. I was hoping to get them to a member of this sub, but it appears they're going to eBay thanks to your hostile post. :(

I suggest the CH Products flight yoke and the CH Products throttle quadrant.

I made the mistake of buying the Saitek Yoke and throttle stacks. Unfortunately they feel cheaper and are cheaper. The Saitek yoke binds throughout the motion of the yoke and the throttles have lost their control axis abilities and I don't have the patience to try and work it out. I have used the CH Products and they are really worth the extra money.