zetor

My Feedback: (2)

I wondered why I was successful on my first try. All this time I thought it was the sim but it was actually the 2 semesters of physics I took.

mattsimonton

I messed with the g2 lite at my lhs for about a month
went to the field with my mom's ex/instructor
soloed and now I just sit on the patio
pull prop hangs in the back yard and go to the field 1 a week

I am 15 and fly sport
I started flying electrics 4 years ago
started flying gas 1 year ago
and now into sport and pylon racing

good luck to all of you
Matt

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

The sim helps! And I guarantee you that pilots using the sims will advance quicker than those who don't use it. Just because it's not an exact experience, doesn't mean that it can't be useful in learning technique, and building confidence. That's what I think.

Oodles

I learned to fly without a sim--Bought one for my son as a present to suppliment some of his shoot um up computer games--He used it with his electric Zaggi and learned to fly in a short time--My landings got sorry-not crash sorry -just eratic-overshots-prop busting-etc--Got on his sim for 30 minutes and next day landings improved--Now use sim for airobatics-invertered-rolls-etc---Great learning tool--If your flying has a problem you can't seem to click--Try a sim to straighten it out--Oodles

Jimmbbo

Use a sim? Absofrigginlutely!!!

Jim C.

they are VERY effective. BUT it all depends on how you go about it. you can make it an expensive "video game" or you can be serious and make it an invaluable learning tool. i wish i had one when i first started out. i had nothing but me and a plane. i think i would be at a higher caliber if i had one at first. Realflight taught me to fly helicopters. i never had an insturctor standing there with me when i first started them. but i did however, have massive hours flying the helis on there. the only help i needed was to get the setup right. so, they ARE very effective, it all depends on your attitude on them. whether you want them to help or you cant swallow your pride and let them help you, its all on you.

Steve CT

My 2 questions are; is there a difference from say the Nexstar simulator and the G2 simulator? I mean do all the controls work the exact same in making the planes do the same things?

Also, when you get the G2 and it has a transmitter how many channels is that transmitter that comes with the sim? Will it react as my actual transmitter I would use for real flying?

Can you hook up your real plane transmitter to a simulator i.e. G2? If so will the G2 be able to use all different kinds of transmitters i.e. futaba, JR, etc?

Sorry I guess it turned out I had more then just 2 questions.

Thanks

Jim C.

yes

like 6 or 7 but there a a ton of parameters on the program for your own tx

yes its the same thing only it doesnt transmit.


yes it comes with the cords to do so.

Jimmbbo

Agree [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif] - Would have saved a ton of money by having a sim when I began eons ago... (but then I wouldn't have room for my recently acquired stable of kits and ARFs) Since getting FSM, at about $200 per crash, I've saved about $100k

The sim's greatest feature from a learning perspective is that you can get the general feel for the controls and get the "coming atcha" responses nailed before you risk your pride and joy... The more repetitions you get in the sim with the airplane flying at you, the easier it will be when the adrenaline is pumping as your real life model is bearing down on you at what appears to be warp speed. Those reactions take time and repetition to become instinctive, and I am convinced they must become instinctive for your airplane to survive for long....

With the sim, you can lawn dart virtual planes with abandon and practice without the concern that your several hundred dollar, dozens of hours project will become a permanent monument to your first flying attempts

Am unaware of any "RC simulator syllabus", but would suggest the following sequence, adapted from a FS flight syllabus -

High Altitude - (Get the airplane airborne at an altitude that gives you some room and where you can still clearly see the airplane)
Effect of the controls - how much of which control does what to the airplane?
Interaction of pitch, throttle and trim - trimming the airplane to fly hands off
Constant altitude turns - bank and pitch inputs required
Climbs, turns to a specific direction
Glides - partial power, power off, trim change required to maintain desired descent or airspeed
Slow flight at a constant altitude - straight and turning
Stalls and recoveries
Keeping oriented to the airplane, especially when it is at a distance
Flight towards and away from pilot.
Recovery from unusual attitudes.

Low Altitude - 5-10 feet off the ground (eye level or so)
Flying in a straight line at a constant altitude (over or adjacent to the runway)
Flying rectangular patterns at a constant altitude (over and away from the runway)
Flying S-turns at a constant altitude (linked 180 degree turns, alternating right and left)
Flying the airplane close to the ground without landing (over the runway)
Flying the airplane towards and away from you

Traffic Patterns
Takeoffs, climb out, rectangular pattern to approach, landing
Landing flare timing and rollout
Deadstick landings


Cheers!

Jim

CrashBurn69

My Feedback: (1)

Is there a website that a person can download other planes that other people have made? That way you dont need the add on packs for other planes.

Jim C.

you will still need the add on packs to fly diffrent planes. however you can get variations to your current planes .[link]http://realflight.com/swap/index.html[/link]

CrashBurn69

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks that is just the thing I was looking for.

rbengines

My Feedback: (2)

I don't know about cut down on your training time,but I flew on a flight sim for about a month before going to the field. My first day out I solo and also flew inverted,landed and took off. I did have an expert pilot buddy box with me but he let me go solo after a few minutes. Do they work? You bet they do and they save on planes. They are not exact or real world feel but they are close enough. Elements such as wind and heat have effects on it in real world. Take the dive!

A man who learns from his mistakes is wise. A man who learns from other men's mistakes has wisdom.

GTac01

Worked for me, who soloed 6 days after getting airplane, trained in sim for a week...

RCRAINMAN

SIMS HELP 100%!

causeitflies

I've taught many people to fly over the last twenty or so years and the ones that put in quality time on the sims are light years ahead of those that don't, at least in the beginning.
There are always a few guys that pick it up fast, but the sim guys always pick it up fast. I'm talking about many hours of sim time, not just one or two casual sessions. The learning curve is quicker with the sim because of the stress free "flying". Students quickly adapt to the differences between the sim and the real thing.

wings

It also helps keep down the "bug" to fly in between nice days. Kinda helps keep ya sane I guess.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Simulators are a great asset, but there's nothing like the real thing.

GTac01 has a habbit of making himself sound like a superhero. Here's a quote from his "Solo":

So while they are a big help, don't expect miracles.

hogzeke

does anyone own the new mcr xtra fight sim, what do u think of the graffics and how real does it seem,thinking about buying one for the long winter months if u do own one is there updated version coming out or can u download new planes of the net

Transam

I never had a flight instuctor. I got G2 learned how to fly on it and went to the field took off and landed without help at all. I have my real pilot license so a little understanding of throttle and elevator control helped too. I crashed on my 3rd flight when flying to close to a tree...but it reached up grabbed my plane. I would not advocate a sim then flight without an instructor but it is definitely possible if a dummy like me can do it. The sim is definitely worth it.

T/A

Semi Retired Aviator

I'm with the guys who say that the simulator is great. My flying improved out of sight when I bought the G2, and I use it regularly. I haven't even come close to a crash since I started using it.

I said elsewhere (maybe on this thread; I've had a couple of chardonnays so don't know for sure) that full scale pilots use simulators exclusively for training, and the first time they fly the actual aircraft is with passengers. They're even rated for landings. A full scale sim costs about US$20 Million, and it saves that about every day in costs to airlines.

The RC sims aren't quite that good, but they are good, and if you spend an hour a day for a month, you will slot into this hobby like you were meant for it. I'd go for a dedicated sim rather than one like the Nexstar which is an exclusive type. With the G2 you get to fly different types as your skill level improves.

The other guys are right in that it isn't a real aircraft, but it will get you ready for a real aircraft. You'll still get the shakes when you taxy the real thing out, but not like you would have if you didn't have the sim time under your belt. I agree specifically with FHuber when he says take offs and landings are not so real; landings more so than takeoffs.

Go buy a sim first; it will cut your learning curve and damage bill.

brandon7117

My dad bought me a G2 sim. flew it for a month.Then my dads friend let me fly is xtra easy 2 plane.I flew it like i been flying planes for a while.I landed took off everything.So yeah its worth the money.Even my dads friend flew my sim. and learned to solo.[8D]

shakes268

To quote the kids of today, "OMG! PWNeD"


Sims were a great help for me. I flew on a sim for a month before going to the field. It help with orientation and learning the controls. As far as taking off and landing - the sim could have never really prepared me for it. A sim takes you part of the way but the real life experience completes it. Like someone said, it's a nice supplement. Most people can't learn to fly by sim alone but it will give you a better head start than someone who is starting without a sim.

laaf2005

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks for the info guys. This thread helped me to understand the strengths and weaknesses of simulators. I recently got into r/c planes and bought my first one about 2 weeks ago. Since then I have been researching everything I can about flying. I have yet to take my plane out because of the weather, but I hope to soon. I only have a basic plane with no ailerons (firebird scout) so flying shouldnt be too hard. Eventually I want to get a more advanced plane, but we all have to start somewhere. Since I cant afford to spend $200 on a flight sim can someone tell me if FMS is a good simulator in general and if it has sucessfully helped anyone to learn the basics? How close are the physics of FMS in comparison to RealFlight G3, Reflex XTR, Aerofly Professional, ect? Any info will help.

Also, I only have the transmitter that came with my Firebird Scout and it cannot be connected to a computer so can someone suggest a decent joystick that would be similar or as close to a real transmitter as possible?

Sith

I just flew for my first time yesterday on my nextsar

The flight sim didn't seem to help much, at least I didn't feel it did, but then again I'm sure it did because when I was in the air it almost felt like I've flown before after twitching the controls around to get the feel of the plane. But it didn't really feel much like the sim, although all the guys at the field were surprised by how smooth I flew and they all said I cheated using the sim! I find that the wind factor is much different in the real thing than the sim because even with 10mph winds on the sim, and yesterday there was very little wind at the field, the wind affected the real plane more so than on the sim.

The other thing that was a lot different were the takeoffs, I actually found them a lot easier with the real plane because we have a grass landing strip, so it didn't tend to need as much rudder to keep it straight like the cement landing strip on the sim. Then of course it got to landings, which was completely different in the real thing because of perspective and in the sim it's just so easy to take it down. But I did manage to take off,land,take off, then land right after again on my third flight, which surprised me along with everyone there at the field,lol. I actually find you get more nervous and get the shakes more after you've landed then when I was actually landing since you get so focused while landing you don't notice it.

All in all the sim appeared to have made a big difference in making you feel like you've flown before, but it wasn't something that I can really compare side to side saying it's realistic and feels the same, because it didn't feel like that to me. But I will recommend using it before your first flights, and I plan to go play around on it some more after I get home from work just to compare it a little better, then go flying tomorrow if the weather is good. Oh btw, the nexstar is an awesome first plane, the instructor along with all the other pilots at the field all agreed that it flew really nicely, had lots of power and looked real nice in the air.