So as the title says – tell me something that’s so significant to your simming that you don’t fly without it. I’ve seen these posts regarding just addons, but I’d like to know about anything – maybe a piece of hardware or a particular way you set up your controls. Or it may be an addon. I’m genuinely looking for things I can leverage into my routine. I’ll start with a few things I literally can’t do without anymore.
First is using my Xbox controller for my cockpit and drone cameras. Seems simple but I can’t not have this setup anymore. I think I got the idea from a YouTube video, but I’ve tweaked it to suit myself. Basically, I leave my controller in my lap and with it I can quickly move up, down, fwd, back, can look up, down, left or right. If I’m in the cockpit and want to zoom to the overhead or something on the floor – or if I want to hop to the back and be a passenger – I can easily do it all really quick and simple. Then if I hit the start button I swap to drone view and all my movements are the same (plus speed controls). In 2024 I also use it for the external/ ground camera. It has become so significant I had to spend a lot of time in DCS and X-Plane to get those performing the same (or very closely) or it would have seriously taken away from those experiences for me.
Next is my Winwing A320 FCU controller. I bought it for primarily the Fenix, but using Axis and Ohs I now use it for every single plane I own that has an autopilot system. And that makes them all consistent. I use the same knobs for HDG, Alt, VS, etc. for all planes. So in VR it was just a total game changer to be able to so easily find my controls and have them all be the same. And once you get a few planes set up in AAO, many of those profiles can simply be used for other planes, so it doesn’t take as long as you’d think to set up.
Little Navmaps (including the VR toolbar addon) and MSFS Addons Linker are both indispensable anymore.
Upgrading to the VKB Stecs was big simply due to the detent system it has. Not only does it work great for, say the A320 throttle detents, but you can use those detents as buttons, so I use one for, as an example, my afterburner with my F-14. As soon as I push it past the detent my AB kicks in, when I pull back below it the AB shuts off. Small thing, but it can be used in a lot of powerful ways.
My controller is an X52. I know it’s older tech, but I have yet to find another controller with an many analog axes available. I use the larger throttle rotary for the prop lever, the smaller one for the mix/condition lever, and the slider for spoilers/air brakes. I also removed the throttle detent spring/ball to give smooth movement over then entire throttle travel.
OpenTrack + AITrack + webcam (I have a Tobii but I prefer just using my webcam honestly, unless it’s super dark in the room in which case Tobii is of course the choice.)
Yoke/HOTAS and rudder pedals. Goes without saying maybe, but having started my flight simming on keyboard alone back before Windows, and having spent a fair bit of time with only a controller or a stick, it’s great to have the full setup and adds a lot of immersion for me.
After a couple of years with some cheap rudder pedals I bought the Thrustmaster TPRs and it’s the best investment I’ve made for my sim, especially with the squirrely ground handling in MSFS.
VKB Gunfighter Mk IV / MCGU stick + S-TECS Max throttle + T-Rudders Mk V - for the sheer build quality which translates directly to superb flying feel, controllability and adjustability, adding real pleasure to every single flight.
Tobii V head / eye tracker - I really wanted to like VR, but the downsides are just too great for me. The Tobii adds a huge dose of realism & immersion without all the negatives. This was shown up very obviously when the Tobii was unusable at the initial launch of 2024. Thankfully the XML file edit workaround brings it back online.
I simply cannot live without my PC and the peripheral devices connected to my PC case:
MSI MPG X870E Carbon WIFI - BIOS 1A3
Virtualization - disabled
Re-size bar - enabled
PSU MSI MEG Ai1300P
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
AIO Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
64GB Ram CL26 DDR5 6000 2x32GB G.Skill
MSI MAG 271QPX E2
Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC / 566.14
USB HUB
Logitech X56 H.O.T.A.S
VKB Gladiator NXT Evo Space Combat Edition
Honeycomb Alpha Flight Controls XPC Yoke
Logitech Flight Rudder Pedals
Airbus EFIS Winwing
Airbus FCU Winwing
Boeing 737 MCP Core Flight
Boeing 737 EFIS Panel Core Flight
Boeing FMC/PFP 3N Winwing
Thrustmaster T300 RS racing wheel
Sound Blaster X5
4xNVMe // 4TB for MSFS2022/2024
1xSSD
1xHDD
Windows 11 PRO 23H2
As for the software:
MSFS Flight Planner (freeware) https://planner.flightsimulator.com/
A huge bonus is the availability of free airport charts and SID/STAR procedures, which is incredibly helpful — big thanks to Asobo and Microsoft for providing these resources free of charge.
Since I started using it, I’ve abandoned a continuous Navigraph subscription. I now opt for the cheapest monthly subscription two or three times a year to update the AIRAC cycle for both my aircraft and add-ons.
SPAD.neXt https://www.spadnext.com/home.html
An absolute must-have for anyone serious about customizing their hardware. I use it to take full control over my input devices - especially for setting up complex profiles.
Addons linker https://flightsim.to/file/1572/msfs-addons-linker
Ever since we started juggling both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, manually creating symbolic links has become genuinely frustrating. Addons Linker is a true lifesaver in this regard. I plan to reinstall it soon.
Yoke, joystick, throttle quadrant, trim wheel, rudder pedals
Radio panel
TrackIR5
Navigraph
Active Sky
Good scenery for the airports I wish to fly to and from
VATSIM / PilotEdge for ATC
Headset
iPad
FSLTL for model matching
High quality aircraft (A2A, Black Square, FSReborn, COWS, ect)
Two 2560x1440p monitors with refresh rates of 170Hz and 180Hz
A powerful PC that allows me to enjoy the sim with everything maxed out
Not seen this one mentioned yet but Seafront Sims’ Global Shipping — such a subtle addition but boosts immersion no end. Ships and their wakes visible from cruise altitude.
GSX. I used to think this was a bit gimmicky… until I got it. Offers some good eye-candy while you’re sat twiddling your thumbs and the variety in the services and their methods means no two turnarounds are ever the same.
