Hi spidarx,

I wouldn't try talking you out of the Real Flight Basic package that scooterinvegas mentioned, it's a good value at $99.99. There is also a $69 version of Easy Fly 3 that offers a lot of value:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXSG5&P=ML

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXUS8&P=SM

I'm a big fan of the ESky EK2-095A USB simulator controller:

http://www.hobbypartz.com/e4chflsitrki.html

http://www.raidentech.com/e4chflsitrki.html

It comes with the FMS simulator on CD-ROM. I've also used it with the ClearView flight simulator, which you can download at:

http://www.rcflightsim.com

ClearView can be flown in demo mode for 15 minutes, and is only $39.95 to register online for an instant upgrade to the full version.

FMS is good for basic stick orientation. ClearView has vastly superior physics and graphics and is a bargain at $40. The flight modeling and physics are, in some significant ways, better than much more expensive simulator programs.

Tower Hobbies also carries a pretty cool "special edition" of the Easy Fly 3 flight simulator. It has several flyable models and fields, and comes with a Logitech USB game controller that simulates the dual stick control of an RC radio:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXUS9&P=ML

This is a nice package and a good value at $17.99.

Any of these are good options that can get you flying on your PC for $99 or less.

Good luck and good shopping!