Quick outline:
- Why I needed a stand
- The stand I used
- Setup story
- Real flying moments
- What I liked and what bugged me
- Who should get it
- Small tips
Why I even needed a stand
I love flight sims. But my desk? It’s tiny. My yoke kept sliding. My throttle crowded my keyboard. My pedals walked away from my feet. It felt silly. If you’re curious how that whole saga unfolded step by step, I laid it all out in this detailed stand-at-home review.
So I bought a flight sim stand. I used it for months in a small home office. I moved it in and out of the living room a lot. I even put it behind the couch when my niece came to visit. That was a fun day—she thought it was a robot.
The stand I used (and what I used with it)
My main rig was the Next Level Racing Flight Stand. It folds, which mattered for my little place. I mounted:
- Honeycomb Alpha yoke and Bravo throttle
- Later, a Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS (stick on the right)
- MFG Crosswind pedals
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I also tried a friend’s Monstertech setup for a weekend. That one felt like a tank, but it didn’t fold. I’ll come back to that.
Setup: 22 minutes and one “oops”
Unboxing was simple. Lots of steel. Not light. Not flimsy.
Tools I used: the included hex keys and a small wrench from my kitchen drawer. I set the frame, attached the pedal plate, then the side arms. The slots lined up for my Honeycomb gear. The Bravo needed two washers, or the knob would pinch the plastic. Easy fix.
I messed up the first time and put a support bar one hole too high. My yoke sat in my chest. I laughed, took a breath, and moved it down. Total time? About 22 minutes, not counting the “oops.” No drilling. No swearing. Well, maybe one tiny grumble.
Real flying moments that sold me (and a few that didn’t)
First flight test: Microsoft Flight Simulator, Cessna 172, short hop around Boise. I pulled the yoke. The stand didn’t wobble. It did flex a hair on a hard pull, but not enough to bother me.
The real test came in a crosswind at London City. I planted my feet on the Crosswinds and cranked the rudder. The pedal plate stayed put. My chair tried to roll back, so I put a cheap rug under it and used wheel locks. Problem solved.
DCS at night, refueling in the A-10C, hands shaking like always. The right-side stick mount was steady. My throttle felt planted too. I didn’t fight the frame. I fought my nerves instead. (For those wondering, my frames stayed silky because I’m running the rig I built in this flight-sim PC guide.)
I took a break and folded the stand. I timed myself: about a minute and ten seconds with the yoke still on. It slid behind the couch. I felt proud. Small wins count.
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Now the parts I didn’t love. When I tried a center stick, the main post got in the way. I’m 5'4", and my knees knocked the bar. Side-mount worked fine, though. Also, on hard rudder jabs, the frame gave a little creak. Not loud, just a metal “ehh.” Rubber feet helped on my hardwood floor, but I still heard it at night.
A quick compare: foldable vs. rock solid
My friend’s Monstertech stand felt rock solid. Like, zero flex. It used thick aluminum rails and fancy clamps. I flew an hour in X-Plane and forgot it was a stand. But it took space. We couldn’t tuck it away. If you have a spare room, amazing. In a small apartment? Not my pick.
My folding stand hit that sweet spot. Strong enough. Fast to move. Good price. Yes, it’s heavy to carry. But it earns the weight the second a landing gets rough. If you’re leaning toward clamps and desk mounts instead of a full frame, I compared five popular options in this hands-on roundup.
What bugged me
- The center post. Great for yokes; not great for a center stick. (If you crave a proper center-stick rig, take a peek at this F-16 cockpit build for inspiration.)
- The knobs. A couple were short. Washers and patience fixed that.
- Some flex under heavy force. Not a lot. Just a tiny “give.”
- It’s heavy to lift. Think small dumbbell, not a feather.
What I loved
- It folds fast. I can stash it in a minute.
- The pedal plate holds still. My feet don’t chase it.
- Lots of slots and mounts. Honeycomb, Logitech, Thrustmaster—no drama.
- Solid feel for the price. I didn’t baby it.
- Cable guides that don’t snag. My desk looked less like a snake farm.
Who should get this
If you need to share space, this stand makes sense. If you fly MSFS, X-Plane, or DCS and want your hands in the right place, it works. If you want a center stick between your legs all the time, you may want a different frame, or a more custom rail build.
If you want zero flex and never plan to move it, that Monstertech style frame is awesome. But again, it lives where you put it. Some pilots even go full airliner and drop a yoke into a permanent shell, like the setup in this 737 cockpit office review.
Tiny tips from my mess-ups
- Put a rug under your chair. Lock the wheels.
- Use washers on plastic mounts. Saves stress marks.
- Set the yoke so your elbows are at your sides. Your shoulders will thank you.
- Zip-tie the pedal cables to the frame. No snags.
- Mark your favorite height with a Sharpie. Faster resets.
My bottom line
I wanted easy moves and firm controls. This stand gave me both. It’s not perfect. It flexes a touch, and the center post isn’t my friend. But in real flights—like that wild crosswind at London City or my shaky refuel in the A-10—it kept calm. And it let me clean the room fast when family came over.
You know what? That balance matters. I kept it. And I flew more because of it.