DOF Reality H4r 4-Axis Hero Motion Platform with Heave (Flight)

Four axes (Pitch, Roll, Yaw and Heave) move your whole cockpit as one, with the smooth-running "r" gearbox tuned for the slow, glassy control inputs that make flight and helicopter sims feel real.

The DOF Reality H4r is a four-axis Hero platform built for one thing above all: making the air feel real. Where lap-time chasers want sharp, violent motion, pilots want the opposite: long, fluid, perfectly controlled movement that lets you fly on the seat of your pants. That is exactly what the "r" variant delivers. Its extra-smooth SFU gearbox is tuned for the slow, precise inputs of flight and helicopter sims, so the platform tracks subtle attitude changes without the notchiness that ruins immersion.

This is a full-platform rig: your seat, stick, throttle and pedals all move together as one rigid body. Lean into a banking turn and your whole world rolls with you. Pitch up on a climb and you feel the deck tilt back under you. With Heave on the fourth axis, you also feel the gut-drop of turbulence, the cushion of ground effect on landing, and the lift of a helicopter breaking into a hover: the vertical cues a three-axis rig simply cannot reproduce.

The H4r sits at the heart of the Hero range: enough motion authority to convince your inner ear, smooth enough for hours of cross-country flying, and built on commercial-grade steel so it stays planted no matter how hard you push it.

What’s in the box

• Rigid commercial-grade steel rig (supports both a normal and an F1-style seating pose)
• Mounts for your seat and sliding rails
• Integrated power-drive motors
• 100-240V control unit with USB
• SimRacingStudio software license
• Quick-assembly tools
• Full 1-year warranty

Not included (buy separately): a seat, your yoke or HOTAS stick, throttle and rudder pedals, and a VR headset (optional).

Technical specifications

How it moves

This is a full-platform rig: the seat and all your controls move together, so your hands and feet stay locked to the cockpit exactly as they would in the real thing.

• Pitch: tilts you forward and back so you feel the climb and the descent.
• Roll: tilts side to side so you feel the bank of every turn.
• Yaw: turns the platform left and right, so coordinated and uncoordinated turns feel different.
• Heave: drives the whole platform up and down for runway bumps, turbulence and vibration.

Who it’s for

The H4r is for the serious flight or helicopter simmer who wants true full-platform motion with vertical Heave, and who values smoothness over raw aggression. If you spend your evenings in DCS, MSFS or X-Plane and want the cockpit to actually move with you, this is the rig built for that job.

• Step down: If your budget tops out lower or you mostly fly fixed-wing and can live without the vertical Heave axis, the three-axis H3 gives you Pitch, Roll and Yaw on the same smooth Hero platform.
• Step up: If you want the full envelope (including the surge and sway cues that complete the sensation of flight), the six-axis H6r adds two more axes of movement. You can also start with the H4r and upgrade to the H6 later with the upgrade kit, adding three motors, frame parts and a new control box.

Games, platforms & compatibility

The H4r runs the full DOF Reality flight library (27+ titles in all), including Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and 2020, DCS World, X-Plane 10/11/12, IL-2 Sturmovik, Prepar3D 4.5/5, War Thunder (planes), Star Wars Squadrons, Elite Dangerous, Aerofly FS 2 and Condor 2 gliders.

• PC (Windows): Fully supported across every title above, for the complete experience.
• Console (PlayStation/Xbox): Works with the select games that send telemetry over the network, and with the MagicBox adapter you no longer need a Windows PC between the console and the rig. Console games that don't send telemetry have no motion support today.
• VR: Supported via OpenVR Motion Compensation, so the platform moves with you while your headset view stays locked. Works with the Valve Index, Quest and Quest 2, Reverb G2, Vive, Pimax and more.

Because the H4r moves the entire platform, your stick, throttle and rudder pedals stay perfectly aligned with you in every attitude, with no fighting to reach controls that have drifted out of position. See the full breakdown on our DOF support page.

Complete your rig

• Flight controls: HOTAS Mounts Kit and Honeycomb A+B adapter to bolt your stick, throttle and yoke straight to the moving cockpit
• Seats & harnesses: DOF Reality seat, Sparco R100/R333/Sprint, 4-point harness
• Immersion: SRS UShake 6 tactile cushion, SRS Hurricane wind package, Buttkicker mount
• Practicality: monitor mount, floor mat with DOF shield, protective covers, transport wheels, cable extensions
• Console: the MagicBox adapter connects a PlayStation or Xbox to the rig with no Windows PC in between, for titles that send telemetry natively (it carries motion only, not your wheel, pedals or controllers)

See the full Options, Add-Ons & Upgrades guide, or browse all accessories.

Future-proof: upgrade later

Upgrade to the full six-axis H6 later with the upgrade kit: three extra motors, frame parts and a new control box (current kit prices are on that page, and freight to the US and Canada is included in them). Every DOF Reality platform is modular; see how the upgrade paths work on our Options & Upgrades page.

Shipping & delivery

Your rig is built to order and ships insured from our European manufacturing partner, door to door with tracking. Freight to the United States and Canada is included in the price. The current lead time is in the Shipping and Returns tab. It arrives disassembled in two boxes (commercial-grade steel, so it is heavy by design = rigid and durable) and bolts together with the included tools; then you install SimRacingStudio and connect by USB. Depending on your country, the carrier may bill import fees (duties, taxes or brokerage) at delivery. These are not included in the price and are never charged at checkout. Full details on our Shipping & Delivery page.

Warranty, support & financing

Every platform includes a full 1-year manufacturer warranty, with an optional Extended +1 Year. As a US-based DOF Reality retailer, we back every order with free pre-sale consultation and hands-on setup help, and you can split the cost with Shop Pay, Affirm, or Klarna at checkout. Questions before you buy? Talk to us or call (952) 649-5710. See Warranty & Support.

Frequently asked questions

Why choose the H4r "r" version over the standard H4 for flight?

The "r" variant uses an extra-smooth SFU gearbox tuned specifically for the slow, precise movements of flight and helicopter sims. Flying rewards fluid, controlled motion rather than the sharp jolts of racing, and the "r" gearbox delivers exactly that glassy feel through long banks, gentle climbs and steady hovers.

What does the Heave axis actually add for a pilot?

Heave is vertical movement: the platform lifts and drops as one. For flight that means you feel turbulence shake the airframe, the sink and cushion of ground effect on landing, and the lift of a helicopter coming into a hover. These are cues a three-axis Pitch/Roll/Yaw rig physically cannot reproduce.

Will my stick, throttle and pedals move with me?

Yes. The H4r is a full-platform rig, so your seat and all your controls are mounted to the moving frame and travel together as one rigid body. Your hands stay in the same place relative to you no matter the attitude, which keeps inputs natural even in steep maneuvers.

Can I upgrade to six axes later?

You can. The H4r upgrades to the six-axis H6 with the upgrade kit, which adds three more motors, frame parts and a new control box. Starting at four axes and growing into six lets you spread the investment while keeping the same core platform.

Does it work in VR for flight sims?

Yes. The H4r supports VR through OpenVR Motion Compensation across headsets including the Valve Index, Quest and Quest 2, Reverb G2, Vive and Pimax. The motion compensation keeps your in-headset view stable while the platform moves you, which is essential for comfortable VR flying.