INTRODUCTION

    If you're heavily into flight and space simulators nowadays then you have numerous PC and console peripherals at your disposal that previous generations never did. Some of these peripherals include joysticks (flight sticks), throttles, yokes, rudder pedals and control modules (even LCD ones) all designed to cover the needs of gamers all over the world. Needless to say to properly arrange/position all of these peripherals you will also need a capable flight cockpit and well, there aren't that many around currently. A while back Next Level Racing introduced their Flight Simulator cockpit and today I'll be testing the Boeing Commercial Edition together with their Free Standing Triple Monitor Stand.

    Next Level Racing® is a global leader in simulation racing and flight cockpits, known for delivering high-quality, immersive experiences for gamers and professionals alike. Founded in 2009, the company designs and manufactures cutting-edge racing and flight simulator products that are used by esports professionals, aviation enthusiasts, and simulation training centers around the world. With a focus on innovation, realism, and premium build quality, Next Level Racing® continues to push the boundaries of virtual motorsport and simulation technology.

    The Flight Simulator cockpit by Next Level Racing is made of carbon steel and is currently available in three versions (regular sporting a black and red color theme, Boeing commercial edition sporting a black and blue color theme and Boeing military edition sporting a camo black color theme). It comes ready with an adjustable PU leather seat complete with faux wool for the base, lumbar support pillow and dual harnesses and as for available mounts it offers two for the center (flight stick and yoke), one for either side (throttle, mouse) and of course one at the lower front designed for rudder pedals. Unlike previous cockpits the Flight Simulator one also allows the user to mount a keyboard tray on either the center (instead of a yoke) or the sides so that too is convenient. Unfortunately, unlike for example the F-GT model which I reviewed long ago the Flight Simulator one doesn't have a monitor mount which attaches onto the frame (even as extra) and so you will need to get one of the standalone bases like the free standing triple monitor stand which I will be showcasing in this review (but with a single 49" screen). So, let's take a closer look and see just how good the Flight Simulator Boeing Commercial Edition cockpit by Next Level Racing really is.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Since I have installed strong LED lights in the storage room I had assembled the F-GT cockpit I had to remove that to assemble the Flight Simulator one.

I received 3 boxes from Next Level Racing, the Flight Simulator, free standing triple monitor stand and free standing keyboard stand which I wanted as a backup (turns out the bundled keyboard tray worked fine).

The actual retail box is of course inside and the Flight Simulator one has two product pictures on both the front and rear along with the Boeing logo (the theme is white and blue since this is the Commercial Edition).

Everything is nicely wrapped inside the box so no issues here.

Inside the box you'll find the backrest, seat/base, lumbar support pillow, harnesses, 2 large mats, keyboard tray, 4 peripheral mounting plates, rudder mounting plate, 3 side arms, two side panels, 6 height adjustable feet, 13 frame pieces, 4 knobs, 6 Velcro cable ties, lanyard, stickers, two plastic packages filled with bolts, washer, nuts and wrenches and the user manual.

ASSEMBLY PART 1

As the manual states we should start by mounting the pedal angle plate with the pedal frame.

Next as expected is mounting the pedal plate on the angle plate as seen above (depending on the rudder pedals you end up using you may need to have this leveled).

Attaching the seat frames to the pedal frame requires using two bolts on each side.

The end plate is next and again requires two bolts on each side.

Mounting the side panels comes next and again, these require two bolts each as does the cross member (2 on each side) which was next.

The seat attaches onto the seat frames by using four square neck bolts in total (2 on each side).

Just like with typical gaming chairs the backrest attaches onto the base/seat with 4 dome head bolts.

After that you will need to mount the arms on the sides (beware that there are two right arms, depending on where you want the mount to be).

The mounting plates are interchangeable so you can place them on either side.

If you want to mount a stick like the HOTAS Warthog which I'll be using for this review you will need to attach the HOTAS poles and the mounting plate as seen above.

Depending on whether you'll install a yoke or the keyboard plate you will also need to attach the center outer and inner poles.

For my requirements it's better to mount the keyboard plate at the center.

Next Level Racing also bundles a support bracket which you can attach for better stability (this is more for use with a Yoke).

The harnesses are secured via bolts on the sides and beneath the base/seat.

ASSEMBLY PART 2

Both plates have enough room on them for large throttles so whichever you decide to pair them with should be fine.

The Warthog stick is an exact match for the plate when removed from its base (haven't used many flight sticks lately so I can't speak on compatibility).

If your rudder system is slightly larger than the rudder plate you will need to level it as seen above.

Depending on the rudder model you may need to use some spacers like I did.

I had an old rudder system here by Saitek which I had never used so I decided to use it for this review.

The triple monitor stand box has two product pictures at the front/top.

Again, everything inside is packed properly.

Inside the box you'll find a total of 26 frame pieces, 6 monitor mounts (2 for each screen / Supports 32-65” monitors with VESA 75x75-450x660mm), 10 lockable castor wheels, 10 height adjustable feet, several Velcro cable ties, two Allen keys, wrench, stickers, 7 bags with bolts washers and nuts and the user manual.

The main feet of the triple monitor stand are secured in place with these triangle brace brackets and a single screw at their base.

As expected, the triple monitor stand is height adjustable.

Here you can see how the triple monitor stand is assembled for single monitor use.

The good thing about the triple monitor stand is that you can bring it very close to you (practically until the keyboard).

For this review I used the AOC AGON PRO PD49 Porsche Design QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (editing out the tiles left and right to focus on the setup might not have been the best choice after all). A very short clip showcasing the view from the cockpit is available both on YouTube and TikTok.

CONCLUSION

    When I first started doing reviews, I promised both to myself and everyone reading those reviews that I'd be transparent if something was to go wrong and well, several things went wrong with this one. Originally, I wanted to review the Boeing Military Edition since I wanted to use the HOTAS Warthog by Thrustmaster with it but in the end, I received the Commercial Edition (the other was out of stock). Then when I asked to get the Boeing civil aviation peripherals by Thrustmaster my contact ended up leaving so in the end I was not able to get those and well, using the HOTAS Warthog never felt quite right. As if these weren't enough the 49" screens I had here and wanted to use with the Flight Simulator didn't have compatible mounting brackets and unfortunately their manufacturers didn't have any available (even as extra). What I'm trying to say is that this review ended up taking way too long to happen (year+) but even after all this time I felt that it was something I needed to do if anything because the people over at Next Level Racing were not really to blame for this. Going back to the Flight Simulator Boeing Edition Cockpit there's not much I can say that you haven't already seen. It's easy to assemble (will take time however), build quality is very good, ergonomics are all but excellent and well, it's a lot better compared to the F-GT cockpit which I reviewed long ago. The downside is of course that this is a flight/space simulator only cockpit and so if you're also into racing simulators you'll have to look at another model (thankfully NLR makes many of those). A smaller drawback is the right side mount and more specifically its size. It would be nice to have a smaller one just for the mouse instead of a large one like this one which can't really be used with peripherals like the HOTAS Warthog. Also, the separate lumbar support pillow may not be ideal for people with disc issues (my brother has them and he couldn’t use it for many hours) and without it, things aren’t any better. The triple monitor stand is what I had issues with since unlike the F-GT monitor stand it can’t be used with many “regular” PC monitors, not without doing some kind of mod. I did manage to use the F-GT bracket to mount the AOC AGON PRO PD49 Porsche Design QD-OLED Gaming Monitor but even that solution wasn’t perfect (its screws were too short and the screws of the stand were too long so I had to use spacers again), so I do hope Next Level Racing doesn’t make the same mistake with future models (a speaker mount would also be nice to have).

    At the time of my review the Flight Simulator Boeing Commercial Edition Cockpit by Next Level Racing retails for USD899.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 877Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) so it’s not what most people will consider as affordable. On top of that even the single free standing monitor stand (this is what I ended up using in this review after all) retails for USD281.45/207.37Euros and well, that doesn’t help. Still such cockpit models are not meant for everyone and so if cost is of no concern the Flight Simulator Boeing Commercial Edition is a great option for flight and space simulator gamers and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Boeing Commercial Edition Model (Boeing Licensed / Design)
- Build Quality (Carbon Steel / PU Leather / Faux Wool)
- Positioning (Height Adjustable / Sliding Seat)
- Comfortable (Padding / Lumbar Pillow)
- Up To Three Screens (From 32” To 65”)
- Four Available Mount Plates (Flight Stick, Yoke, Throttle & Rudder)
- 2 Different Screen Positions (Flight Simulators / Racing Simulators)
- Keyboard Tray & Mouse Area
- 3 Different Rudder Positions
- Adjustable Feet & Castor Wheels (Triple Monitor Stand)

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Space Requirements (For Some)
- PC Screen Compatibility (Triple Monitor Stand)