Cockpits & Setups
The short answer
Most people don't need a full cockpit frame to start. Try the MTSIM chair mount or desk mount on your existing stick and throttle first, then move to a Next Level Racing frame once you know you'll use it weekly.
MTSIM Joystick / HOTAS Chair Mount (T.16000M configuration)View at MTSIMRead our analysis
MTSIM Joystick / HOTAS Chair Mount (Warthog configuration)View at MTSIMRead our analysis
MTSIM Joystick / HOTAS Desk MountView at MTSIMRead our analysis
Next Level Racing Flight Simulator (MSFS Edition)View at Next Level RacingRead our analysis
Next Level Racing Flight Simulator Cockpit (Boeing Commercial Edition)View at Next Level RacingRead our analysis
Anman X56 Flight Simulator CockpitView at AnmanRead our analysisA flight simulator cockpit is any fixed setup that holds your controls in the same spot every time. It can be a chair-mounted arm for gear you already own. It can also be a full seated rig with its own seat. The six picks below cover that whole range, from the cheapest to the most complete.
MTSIM Joystick / HOTAS Chair Mount (T.16000M configuration)
Our verdict:
Best chair-mounted cockpit starting point
Best for simmers who want their stick and throttle locked in place without buying a frame yet.
View at MTSIMKeep in mind: each mount is sold individually; a stick and separate throttle need two mounts and matching controller plates.
MTSIM sells these aluminum chair mounts individually. For a T.16000M HOTAS, choose the T.16000M FCS stick plate and the TWCS throttle plate, one mount for each control. The mount anchors to the chair armrest attachment points; check the maker's chair attachment form before ordering. Height and distance can be adjusted to put the controls within reach.
MTSIM Joystick / HOTAS Chair Mount (Warthog configuration)
Our verdict:
Best chair mount for heavier sticks
Best for owners of Warthog-class or similarly heavy HOTAS gear who need a sturdier mount than the standard chair kit.
View at MTSIMKeep in mind: it still attaches to a chair rather than a fixed frame, so it moves if your chair moves.
For a Warthog setup, choose the Warthog joystick and throttle plates, one mount for each control. The plates adjust in height and distance. Confirm your chair's attachment form before ordering; the chair and controllers are not included.
MTSIM Joystick / HOTAS Desk Mount
Our verdict:
Best desk-clamp mount before you buy a frame
Best for anyone who wants a fixed desk mount instead of a chair mount, without committing to a frame purchase.
View at MTSIMKeep in mind: it depends on your desk edge being thin enough to clamp.
This MTSIM mount clamps to a desk edge. Select a mounting plate for your exact control: options cover Logitech X52 and X56 families and Thrustmaster T.16000M, TCA and Warthog controls. Each mount is sold individually; a stick and separate throttle need two. Check the desk edge against the maker's dimensions before buying.
Next Level Racing Flight Simulator (MSFS Edition)
Our verdict:
Best full seated cockpit frame
Best for simmers ready to move off the desk into a permanent, seated rig.
View at Next Level RacingKeep in mind: it does not include any stick, yoke, throttle or pedals.
Microsoft Flight Simulator licenses this frame. It includes a seat with adjustable lumbar support. Its mounting patterns fit yokes and sticks from the major brands, plus their throttles. It is the step up once a chair or desk mount no longer feels steady enough for regular flying.
Next Level Racing Flight Simulator Cockpit (Boeing Commercial Edition)
Our verdict:
Best licensed airliner-themed frame
Best for airliner-focused simmers who want a Boeing-licensed frame alongside their yoke.
View at Next Level RacingKeep in mind: it is still a frame only, with the same broad brand-fit mounting as the standard model.
This version carries Boeing's license and blue trim. It has the same wide range of seat and mount adjustment as Next Level Racing's other frames. It fits yokes and sticks from the major brands, as well as their pedals and throttles.
Anman X56 Flight Simulator Cockpit
Our verdict:
Best budget seated frame with joystick and pedal mounts
Best for simmers who want a seated frame with reclining seat back for less than a Next Level Racing model.
View at AnmanKeep in mind: controls are not included, and it is a simpler frame than the Next Level Racing lineup.
The Anman frame has mounts for a stick, a HOTAS and pedals, and each adjusts in height and reach. The seat back reclines from 90 to 180 degrees. It is a lower-cost way into a seated frame.
The biggest mistake in this hobby is buying a full cockpit before you know you'll fly enough to justify it. A permanent rig eats floor space. If you fly a few times a month, a chair or desk mount for your current stick or throttle does the job.
Maybe you fly most days and keep fighting a cramped layout on your desk chair. That is the real signal to move up a tier. A sale or a new product launch is not.
Before you buy any frame, check whether your current stick, throttle or yoke can clamp to your desk or chair. This tier costs the least and uses no extra floor space. It also teaches you a lot about how your control layout should be shaped before you commit to a frame.
A full cockpit ships as one frame with a seat built in. It is not a bare structure that you dress with separate mounts. Next Level Racing's Flight Simulator line and the Anman X56 are both examples. Each has an adjustable seat and mounting points, and each takes gear from the major brands rather than one maker. This tier is the right call once you fly often enough that a fixed seat, rather than your desk chair, makes your sessions better.
Every tier above depends on one thing: your gear actually mounting to the frame or clamp you buy. Check the exact model of each control against the frame's stated fit list before you order anything.
At the chair or desk mount tier, the usual mistake is a mount that doesn't match your chair's shape or your desk's edge. The stick then wobbles under load instead of staying locked in place.
At the full frame tier, the mistake is skipping the stated height and weight range. A seat or arm reach that works for one body size can feel wrong for another. If you are well outside an average height or build, check each frame's published fit range before you order. Look for a model with a wide range of adjustment.
Every tier above the chair or desk mount needs real assembly time and tools. Modular frames and full cockpits both ship flat-packed as parts, not as ready-made furniture. Set aside a few hours for the first build. Plan to recheck the bolts after your first few sessions.
For most people, the first flight simulator cockpit should be a chair or desk mount for the stick and throttle you already own. Move up to a Next Level Racing or Anman seated frame only once you know you'll use it every week. By then you'll also know exactly which controls you are keeping.
5 picks
Our top flight simulator cockpit kit picks, from Next Level Racing's frames to the budget Anman X56 seat.
2 picks
Next Level Racing sells two flight simulator frames, the Flight Simulator and the modular Flight Stand Pro. Here's how they differ.
No. A chair or desk mount holding your stick or yoke does the same job mechanically. It just does not give you a fixed seat position or a rudder pedal plate. Plenty of long-time simmers fly from a mounted setup for years.
A cockpit kit is usually a frame you build up piece by piece. A full cockpit, like Next Level Racing's Flight Simulator line, ships as one unit with a seat already built in.
Plan for roughly 1.5m by 1m of floor space for a seated frame, plus clearance behind it to sit down and stand up.
Yes, and it is the normal path. Your stick, throttle, yoke or pedals move over to the new frame as long as the frame's mounts support your brand.
