The world of simulation isn’t just about racing cars. Aircraft pilots also train on simulators to gain experience on aircraft they already know or have not yet mastered well. In fact, spending hundreds of hours on a simulator is part of a pilot’s certification for one or more aircraft types.

Apart from proprietary simulators from Boeing, Airbus or any other aircraft manufacturer, the most famous flight sim titles are Microsoft Flight Simulator and DCS World. The former focuses on civil aviation, with hundreds of aircraft at your disposal. The latter takes a more diversified approach, with combat aircraft available to fly, as well as helicopters, cargo planes and prototypes too.

Just as in racing simulation, or sim-racing, flight simulation requires specific equipment in your setup. We’re talking about control sticks, throttles, pedals and instrument panels. If you thought sim-racing was an expensive discipline for a fan, expect to see the flight simulation and equipment necessary for a realistic experience. Spoiler Alert: the bill can easily exceed €10,000 without too much difficulty.

There are many players in the flight simulation market, just as there are in sim-racing. We have brands that are active in both markets, and the most famous is certainly Thrustmaster. This French manufacturer is active both in gaming peripherals with controllers, and in sim-racing and flight-sim peripherals.

Except that the flight simulation discipline is beginning to reach a much wider audience, with new disciples becoming interested by the day. And this, of course, is leading to new brands entering the market, such as Moza Racing.

Sim-racing peripherals manufacturer Moza made its racing simulation debut just a few years ago, with a pretty good range covering the needs of many racing car fans. But recently, the brand has unveiled a whole range of flight simulation peripherals, with active bases and other high-tech products.

If you’re a fan of sim-racing and flight-sim, which isn’t all that rare anymore, you need a setup to enjoy both disciplines. Which brings us to today’s topic: the best flight simulators for PC. We’re going to take a look at some of the best products for flying airplanes on the big or small screen.

Cockpits and chassis for total immersion

Just like in sim-racing, you need a flight-sim chassis to operate with a good level of realism. And of course, the list goes on and on, including brands that are active in both markets. Once again, as in sim-racing, flight-sim cockpits are plentiful, targeting pilots with different levels of piloting ability.

Next Level Racing has several products in its catalog, including the Flight Stand Pro represents the middle of the range for pilots who love airplanes. It’s a sim-racing-style stand, but this time specifically designed for sim-airplane piloting. It’s a perfect match for the discipline, combining versatility and affordability to give you the perfect start to your training in the skies. Price-wise, you can expect to pay €550 at Stealth Gamer, and there’s a cheaper option in the form of a stand too, but much more basic. This is Flight Simulator Lite for €300, but you’ll be limited in terms of the peripherals that can be installed.

The best flight simulation peripherals

There are many flight simulation peripherals on the market, with products that can be specific to certain aircraft. For example, there are handles for airliners, fighter jets and even helicopters. And that’s just for joysticks, because let’s not forget that aircraft require other equipment, such as throttles and rudder pedals.

When it comes to handles, there are several options to suit your preferences. Thrustmaster offers many products for both airline and fighter pilots. One of the brand’s most popular combos is the T.16000M FCS, with throttle and joystick, ideal for amateur pilots who want good equipment for long-distance traverses, or engaging an enemy in a dogfight. This combo will set you back €150, and is PC-compatible.

And if you’re an airliner fan, Thrustmaster, in collaboration with Boeing, has the TCA Yoke in its catalog. This is a Yoke-shaped stick with several controls integrated into the peripheral, and also a throttle. Expect to pay €500 to install it on your setup and take full advantage of the American brand’s legendary airliners.

Finally, if you’re looking for an even more immersive experience, Moza Racing also offers top-of-the-range equipment. Its AB9 FFB active base, equipped with two electric motors, delivers powerful, realistic force feedback. Combined with the MH16 Flightstick, you get a complete setup for around €800. It’s quite an investment, but the quality and realism offered make enthusiasts feel it’s well worth it.

Dynamic simulators: the ultimate experience

Let’s take a look at what is considered the Holy Grail for aircraft pilots, or even racing drivers, and that’s the dynamic simulator, commonly known as the “dynamic chassis”.

The principle of a dynamic cockpit is to combine mechanisms capable of reproducing aircraft movements with a chassis. This is achieved mainly by adding electro-hydraulic actuators to cockpits to produce the desired movements. This type of setup is very popular in sim-racing, with brands such as Next Level Racing offering options for both amateur pilots and the more seasoned of the lot.

For our list, this company is once again present with the FlightSim Pro. The Australian brand is very active on the global simulation market, with high-quality, competitive and, above all, immersive products, and this shows on its FlightSim Pro.

This chassis includes 3 of the brand’s products – Flight Simulator Pro, Motion V3 and Motion Plus – to create one of the best dynamic cockpits for flight simulation. What’s more, you have the option of adding a monitor mount, in either 1-screen or 3-screen configuration, to take simulation to the max.

Of course, such a setup has its price, and it’s clearly out of reach for a good proportion of virtual pilots, despite the fact that Next Level Racing is considered reasonably priced. The FlightSim Pro retails for €8195, and if you decide to take the monitor mounts, add another €350 or €500 depending on the screen configuration. It’s a hefty price, yes, but at the same time, being immersed in the action, with the plane moving in pursuit mode right behind an enemy so you can line it up and pull the trigger, and watching it disintegrate into smoke, all in your living room, is nothing short of epic.

Note that the FlightSim Pro is sold without flight simulation equipment, and you’ll need to purchase this separately, whether from Moza Racing, Thrustmaster or any other manufacturer offering quality products.