Hi guys, who of you hace a motion rig for flight simming?
Is it worth it? Which product do you have?
Does weight and height matters?
Do you have it for 2D or VR?
How would such a set up look like? Do I have to have the PC right next to it I guess?
Thanks!
This video came out a few days ago, that may answer some of your questions.
I don’t own one, but I would only comment that your computer can be as near as your cabling will allow.
yeah, thanks! i saw that too but i still dont quite understand the full set up…
I do not own one but have tried several. Getting one is high on my list of future upgrades for my setup.
Your weight does matter, to work properly there is some setup and balancing that needs to be done. Your height will determine how comfortable you are in it. the position your seat needs to be on the frame along with your weight will affect the balance and setup.
Your PC has to be close enough for the chords for your peripherals to reach. You need to be a little more thoughtful about wire placement as you do not want to end up pinching one or having one experience excessive flexing during operation.
Power is another consideration, some of them require more than 1 outlet that need to be on separate circuit breakers.
Honestly, if you look around on YouTube you can find some good videos like the one linked above that discuss the pros and cons and what the different setups look like. More racing-oriented but Boosted Media has some good videos reviewing various motion sims. If you look for DOF Reality’s YouTube channel it contains some instructional videos on assembly that might give you a better idea of what the setup would look like.
yeah, would be really cool to have one! but looks that i need to do more investigation about it! many thanks for your feedback! 
Yes as he said, it varies a lot depending on what you go for.
Some seats pull 600W in terms of power, and some pull enough to require an industrial sized plug to be installed, Though for hobbyist use unless you’re making a real 777 cockpit, probably will be closer to household power.
Weight depends on the holding torque of the motors/linear actuators used and so also varies a lot. Some of the smaller seats have a max weight of 100kg before the motors start stalling, and the more “commerical home use” platforms are closer to 250kg etc. This becomes important when you think of yourself + your monitors, equipment, and anything else you want moving on the seat with you.
Research is definitely the first step to finding what would suit your criteria, either way, cost isn’t going to be your friend unless you make it yourself, and if you’re on a cost budget that’s likely going to involve using car window motors like this guy:
He, here’s the current topic on my VR Motion Rig. The link listed above was automatically locked after a period of inactivity, so my updates are in this one: DIY Motion Simulator VR Cockpit project + universal modular controls: 737-inspired pendular Yoke + Throttles / GA Props / Joystick+HOTAS / Heli Collective + Cyclic / Gear + Switchboxes + Dual Encoders
Yes to the first half - my budget was under $500, including all custom-built controls. No to the second half - those are not “window motors”. Though some people use truck windshield wiper motors, I used more powerful, but still relatively inexpensive motors used in sawmills etc. They are very powerful - I’m 84kg and they throw me around easily, and I had people weighing around 100kg with no issues. I did have to reinforce the structure several times because the motors kept breaking the connections - as my rig is made of wood, and the forces are quite strong.
Considering $500 build budget, it’s amazing! It is honestly a different experience from just the plain MSFS. If immersion is what you are seeking - then there’s no question about it. It takes VR immersion and then elevates it to another level. The immersion level shot through the roof. I also built in a vibration feedback into the seat. So I feel the engine, gears and flaps extending and retracting etc. All senses are involved now instead of just vision. It also works with other sims and games. I’m playing Starfield with it now, which was a difficult task to manage, considering it doesn’t support joysticks at all (just the gamepad) and has no position/acceleration data feed.
But, if you would have invest in an off-the-shelf system, it would set you up from about $3500 and upwards. So the question may have a different answer as it’s all very personal. At that budget it may be not as certain. I think that if you’d be ready to spend thousands, you wouldn’t be asking the question in the first place. But if you’re ready to spend some time and building your own - it’s very much worth it, and if you enjoy building stuff this project is as satisfying as they go.
This kind of a rig can only work well for VR, because you only need limited motion based on motion cues, to trick your brain. With 2D you need a much larger rig with more powerful motors that move your monitors as well as your seat, and with larger range of motion. I often have to turn down the motion scale because it can be too much.
Yes and no. My rig was ok with 100kg guy. But of course the heavier you are, the more robust it should be. Height doesn’t really matter.
Check out my topic. My PC is in the same room. It can be as far as a USB extension cable would allow. I use 20ft extension cable, and another set of extension cables for VR.
Next Level Racing Motion Platform Plus. I also have the Motion Platform v3 to add to it, but it is still in the box and I haven’t installed it yet. My PC is on a card under the TV on the left, pretty much out of the way. Entire rig sits on the 7’ x 7’ rubber floor I built for it.
Pretty cool! And it doesn’t take too much space! Your PC is on the left side?
