Nightshifter

My name is Jonathon, and I am very interested in getting into RC helicopter flying...

I have a working idea of what skills are needed (riding the bubble) from flying helicopters in games, like Battlefield 2 - but I hold no illusions that I know how to do this in real life...

A friend of mine showed me a simulator today, and I had a bunch of fun with it (left the house with a smile after flying Airwolf and an A-10 Thundberolt...)...

For a complete novice like me, what simulator should I start out with?

antja

go for the best get Phoenix

neweheliflyer

get the free one first - the free FMS Sim ([link=http://www.flying-model-simulator.com]check their website[/link])

ginnz

My Feedback: (2)

my favorite free sim is HeliSimRC..... no sound, but it works awesome!

Druss

phoenix, real flight and reflex are all good sims. Real flight is the only one that comes with a controller though.

jaketrouble

i have tried 4 different sims... first i had the fms sim,,, this one,,, [link=http://ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/2328]http://ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/2328[/link]

then i got realflight3.5... it was on sale because v4 had just came out.. RF is soooo much better.. better helis/sceneries,, felt more real to life.. you can buy rf3.5 here on the for sale forums or get a new version [4] here>>> [link=http://ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/2092]http://ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/2092[/link]

then like a dummy i sold my realflight to upgrade one of my helis and got the fms one again... boy what i difference... i didnt realize how much it kinda sucked!! it will teach you how to tuse the stick and that is one of the most important parts of flying heli's along with the setting up..

then i tried another free sim here but you do need to have either a hbfp tx or the tx from the fms sim will work too.. this free sim is better then the fms free sim but it has no sound>> [link=http://www.marksfiles.net/HeliSimRC/index.htm]http://www.marksfiles.net/HeliSimRC/index.htm[/link]

i now have aerofly professional... it is up there with realflight and is a pretty good sim.. but out of the 4 i like realflight the best.. wish i never sold it.. [link=http://www.helihobby.com/html/aerofly_flight_simulator.html]http://www.helihobby.com/html/aerofly_flight_simulator.html[/link]


here is one of the for sale forum... it is used and an older version but a good sim>> [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=380354]http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=380354[/link]

now if you already have a hbfp heli all you need is this cable,, download either the free fms or helisim in one of the links above and your good to go..>> [link=http://ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/714]http://ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/714[/link]

Nightshifter

First off, thank you al for the replies - lots of great information...

I tried to install fms sim but the program crashes every time I try to launch it... So I'm using RCHeliSim for the moment...

Thank you for the referral to Phoenix, but I work for the State of Indiana, I don't have that kind of money right now to spend without gettnig a controller with it...

Since I do need a controller (other than my Logitech flight joystick) it looks like Real Flight might be the one to look into - unless someone has a better suggestion for a controller investment that would work with the sim and an aircraft.... My system does not have a game port, but I do have a serial port and USB 1.1 and 2.0 (I'm a computer hardware technician as well - just ask Soloboss about me)...

mr. ilikehelp

i downloaded the clearview demo. it only lets you fly in one place but it has the hbfp unlocked and is great. its also cheap to buy the full version. it is somthing like 35 bucks or so.

paulospilot

Gday mate..
Aswell as sims and actuall physical skills needed it helps to know some basics on how they work.
Set up is everything with these and makes it so much easier to get goin.Talk to as many people as you can on here
and dont be afraid to ask lots of questions.You have come to the right place to get them answered.
Have you decided on a heli as your first?

nuttcaze

Nice, another gamer, you got a BF2 clan? My clan is usually in 2142 or COD 4, but back to helis, as a gamer you will pick this up pretty quick, especially if you've used the helis in BF2, that game really helps with your understanding the movements of a heli, plus you'll already have good hand-eye coordination (unless you suck at BF2 just kidding), my suggestion for you would be to buy a HBFP as your first heli, the HBFP (HoneyBee Fixed Pitch) is a great beginner heli, extremely tough and you can use the Tx for sims (it comes with a sim program but I can show you how to use the HBFP Tx with AeroFly Pro Deluxe $0) But then you'll be practicing with the actual Tx you'd be using to fly. The HBFP isn't suppose to be the easiest heli to learn on (because its small size) but the fact that it has a third of the parts as other helis means its alot easier to repair as well as cheaper to repair, you'll be alot more relaxed flying the HBFP then other helis cause there just isn't that much to break so theres not that much to worry about when you're flying, you crash oh well unfold the blades and go fly again, most crashes don't even touch this heli and when something does break its usually some cheap $2 part. Flying helis takes ALOT of practice. With the HBFP you're killing 2 birds with one stone, you get a great beginner heli and a Sim program (even if it sucks, others are avaiable for free). And if you can master the HBFP, you'll have the skills to jump to any CP heli.

veralee

Here's a sim for $20, with control box. It seems to be the FMS with a box. You can get the FMS for free, but you still need a box.
http://www.nitroplanes.com/exrcflsitrki.html
That's good enough to get you started.

Here's the FMS site.
http://n.ethz.ch/~mmoeller/fms/index_e.html
They offer free software to use with an existing box if you have one. But if you have nothing at the moment, I'd suggest the $20 deal from nitroplanes or elsewhere. Here's a bunch of places selling basically the same thing.
[link=http://www.bizrate.com/robotic_radiocontroltoys/products__keyword--rc+helicopter+flight+simulator.html]sims[/link]

I'm not a big sim fan. I'd rather snort the exhaust and wobble around in the real world. The cheapest sim you can get that will familiarize you with the basic controls and allow you to develop some eye-hand coordination is good enough for starters in my opinion. A sim is a real good idea for a new person, but the sim only needs to be fancy enough to learn the basics and to have a thing to practice on to get the controling of the thing formed into automated response... cuz there just isn't enough time to ponder the matter and crashes get expensive. Once you have the basics pretty well digested, I suggest getting a decent heli and do it for real.

Once you can fly the thing you might want a more real world sim to practice on, but I don't see the sense of spending a gob of money on a sim unless you really like armchair "flying".

rparn2

My Feedback: (11)

I use Clearview it is pretty good for the money teaches you the stick and some prospective of the helicopter but there is nothing like the real thing don't get me wrong you do need to start on a simulator but flying a Rc heli is a challenge. But a lot of fun. happy flying Rick