Building My First Flight Sim Rig: What to Buy First, What to Skip, and Surprises

If I was starting from scratch today, I’d build it in layers.
That avoids “expensive regrets” and keeps upgrades meaningful.

1) Buy this first (in this order)

• A solid PC baseline (or confirm yours is up to it).
• One good primary control: yoke or stick + a throttle.
• Head tracking (or a simple camera-based solution).
• Good audio and a basic mic, if you fly online.
• Rudder pedals, but only after you like the rest.

Why this order?
A smooth sim and reliable controls beat fancy panels every time.

2) What I would skip at the start

• Huge multi-monitor setups right away.
• Full cockpit “switch panels” before you know your aircraft tastes.
• Cheap bundle controls that feel sloppy or develop spikes quickly.
• Motion platforms until you’ve flown a lot and know you want it.
• Elaborate desk mounts before you settle on your final layout.

Those items can be great later.
They just lock you into decisions too early.

3) A practical “phase” checklist
Phase A: Get flying comfortably

• Pick one aircraft “style” to focus on first.
• Do a clean install and keep add-ons minimal.
• Set up controls carefully and save profiles.
• Tune sensitivities and deadzones once, then leave them alone.

Phase B: Improve immersion without drama

• Add head tracking.
• Add pedals if you fly GA or helicopters.
• Add a simple keypad or button box for common functions.

Phase C: Specialise

• Only now add panels, more screens, or a dedicated seat/frame.
• Buy for the aircraft you fly most.

4) Things that surprised people (and still do)

• Ergonomics matters more than specs. Bad seating ruins long flights.
• Cable management is a real project. Leave slack and label things.
• USB power and ports become a bottleneck. Random disconnects are common.
• Lighting changes everything. Glare and eye strain creep up fast.
• Setup time beats “gear quantity.” Tuning controls is half the battle.

5) A quick buying tip
Try to avoid “sidegrades.”
Buy fewer items, but buy the ones you’ll keep.

If you answer these, I can be much more specific:

• Which sim are you targeting? (MSFS / Prepar3D / FSX / X-Plane)
• What aircraft do you mainly want? Airliners, GA, bush, helicopters?
• What’s your rough budget, including PC if needed?
• Do you prefer a yoke, or a stick?
• Do you plan VR, head tracking, or flat screens only?
• What desk space do you have? Small desk or dedicated corner?