I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to role-playing games I lean more towards racing than flying. But I can appreciate the impressive hardware for virtual flight fans.
Hardware like the new Trak Racer Airbus TR550 cockpit I saw at the recent Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte. It’s hard to miss in its white and blue color scheme.
It is an officially licensed product that takes design techniques from Airbus. This new cockpit area is small enough that you don’t need a whole room to set it up and still have the ability to install your dedicated flight sticks and any additional accessories you like to use with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Trak Racer is keen to point out that this isn’t just a seat with a joystick attached, which is comforting when it costs over €1,000.
“The TR550 is a dedicated flight simulation rig designed to replicate the seating position, sidestick geometry, and concentrated nature of the modern Airbus flightdeck. It’s not a joystick. It’s the real thing – as close as you can get without walking on the tarmac.”
I can’t say I’ve ever been in the cockpit of an Airbus plane, but looking for pictures online, it looks like Trak Racer did a good job of recreating the layout and flight environment. Every time you make sure that if you are a yoke user, rather than say, you still benefit from the same quality and comfort.
All mounts are fully adjustable, including the pedals, so visual pilots have complete freedom to create a setup that works the way they want.
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Even as a non-flyer, it’s an impressive piece of kit. It feels very well made, and the seat is so comfortable that I could take a nap in it after a long day at the show.
I love that products like this exist for flight sim fans and that they aren’t in a position to rehash the cockpit of a racing sim first. The living area feels great, and I love how easy it is to get in and out. Some sim racing rigs require you to be a professional bodybuilder to modify your body. Extra points for accommodations, too. They are very good.
It’s not cheap, though, but it feels worth paying if you want to take your Microsoft Flight Simulator experience up a notch or five.
It’s priced at €1,028 and $1,198 in the US, but you’ll have to wait a while to get your hands on one. Pre-orders are open, but shipping is not currently expected until October.
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However, this looks like an easy way to add some realism to your experience. Equipped with the best flight sticks for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, it will be a great setup all around.
Importantly, it is not too big or too much. It may not be foldable, but the seat can be folded away if you need more space when not in use.
I really like it, even if I’m not the target audience. I think anyone out there would be very happy with it.
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