DreamFlyer Available for Flight Simulation

The DreamFlyer is a pilot's seat mounted in an aluminum frame with a flat-screen monitor mount (or optionally, three mounts) that hooks up to your PC using two USB 2.0 connections. The gyroscopic movement of the frame allows a prospective pilot (of up to 250 pounds) to roll or pitch with the motion of the simulated plane.

The DreamFlyer connects a top-of-the-line Saitek flight-control stick and throttle (included) to the frame and seat. When the flight stick is centered and the pilot is seated with weight balanced across both axes, flight is level and balanced. But to pilot the plane, pushing on the flight stick means pushing against the pilot's weight, giving the simulated flight the feeling of really piloting a plane. The seat tilts, to give the sensation of banking or diving. It takes some exertion to execute maneuvers, and banking becomes a radically physical feeling.

The system launched late last year, and is an impressive rig. But it's decidedly a product for enthusiasts. If your gaming life revolves entirely around flight simulations, and your idea of a pleasant Saturday is a simulated trans-Atlantic flight, you'll enjoy the DreamFlyer. But it's an investment. The basic frame comes with space for a single monitor and costs $2800. For another $199 you can get two more monitor brackets (that only roll) to provide a wider field of vision (and a more visceral experience). Keep in mind that the cost doesn't include the PC or monitors, and it will cost another $425 to ship the DreamFlyer somewhere in the US or Canada (it's more elsewhere). But if you decide it's worth the investment, it's an awesome experience.