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Budget Friendly Simulator Build
Budget Friendly Simulator Build
Lisa avatar
Written by Lisa
Updated over a week ago

We are regularly asked about the photo above's components and software due to it being such a simple and compact simulator setup. Below we are going to go over each of the products you see in the photo so you can replicate it yourself if you wish. 

CH Product Eclipse Yoke $220.95 : We think this yoke is the best bang for buck as it has many built-in features you need for a flight simulator.
These features include:

Built-in throttle, prop and mixture control levers
x2 push pads for rudder control.
x2 trim wheels for aileron and elevator trim
Hat switches for adjusting views.
A total of 240 programmable functions with the included software

RealSimGear GNS430 AND GNS530 BUNDLE $749:  This product is especially helpful for learning and practicing instrument flying procedures.  When coupled with virtual ATC like PilotEdge or VatSIM this provides the most realistic simulation possible. This allows you to develop a deep familiarity with the Garmin 530 and 430 interface and controls so you can be better prepared for actual lessons with your CFI.

Large 40" 1080p TV $179.99: In the photo we have used a spare TV we had around the house. This is connected to our computer via a HDMI cable. You can also use a 4k TV/monitor if you are looking for extremely detailed visuals. 

iPad $350: You can use almost any ipad to run the steam gauges. We are using an iPad pro 9.7

iPad mount $51.95: RAM Suction Cup Mount for iPad

X-Plane 11 $59.99: Xplane 11 is currently the most realistic simulator software which provides stunning visuals along with a stellar flight model. X-Plane 11 has hundreds of addon scenery packs and aircraft that you can download so you can really customize your sim to your liking. 

RFCockpit $15.99:  RemoteFlight COCKPIT HD is a full-featured, touch-enabled cockpit panel replacement for almost any of your Flight Simulator aircraft. Optimized for new iPad retina display from the very beginning but will look just as good on normal iPad screen. Enjoy your scenery on full screen and let your iPad do the job displaying the gauges.

Entry level computer $1,295: Intel Mainstream Flight Sim and Gaming System

  • Intel Six Core i-5 9400F Processor at up to to 4.1GHz

  • Intel Z390 Chipset Motherboard supporting all 8th and 9th Gen Processors and Overclocking

  • Can display X-Plane, MSFS X, Prepar3d, or other games on one to four screens

  • NEW - Fast USB 3.1

  • 16 Gigabytes of DDR-4 3000MHz RAM running in dual channel mode

  • 500 Gigabyte Solid State Hard Drive (SSD) at 1800MB/s

  • Nvidia GTX 1660 Super with 6GB GDDR6

  • 700-Watt Power Supply for supporting all current video cards and processors

  • Two Year Warranty

  • Internal Wireless-AC Adapter ( WIFI)

  • Gigabit Ethernet Port

  • Multiple USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 ports

  • Supports up to 64GB of RAM with 4 memory slots

  • 8-Channel Audio

  • Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

  • Windows 10

  • Dimensions 15.8" x 8.3" x 16.5"

  • Supports one, two, three, or four displays

  • XForcePC, the PC system used by Austin, the creator of X-Plane.

  • Detailed instructions on implementing a triple display setup with X-Plane

Total cost: $2,742.88

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