There are several giant models on Realflight. The interlink is a controller that precludes the need for using your real RC transmitter. You do not want to put the simulator wear on your field transmitter. The interlink looks, operates and feels like a real RC Transmitter. The Realflight L-39 looks and flies just like my BVM L-39. The Realflight F-86 also flies fairly similar to an F-86 (i.e. the swept wing actually affects the lower speed flying responses on Realflight, etc.) I learned how to successfully and consistently land my Ultra Flash using the sim. Realflight's Santa Clara Co. field is so realistic it looks very similar to my field. You can also add in wind speed and direction to create cross winds to practice realistic landings. The only tweaking I did to the Realflight L-39 was to map the flap and gear switches on the interlink to the same switches that I use on the DX and IX transmitters. That was easy. There is a graphical user interface to do that. I also added a bit more flap, which is very easy to do. If you want to customize the plane's design, there is a graphical user interface that makes it really easy. Over the years I have had several simulators, Realflight is the most realistic one out there for fixed wing and heli aircraft. I also fly the Realflight multi-rotors on the FPV fields to sharpen up my reaction times. We also use Realflight with our school program. The kids use it during the winter. In the spring, we take the kids out to the field. With their realflight experience we have them flying models in minutes and have them soloing in an hour or so. So, ... If you want a simulator for learning to fly a plane or heli, Realflight is the only one I would recommend, period!
Another thought. If you really want to learn Turbine jets, it is wise to first get some real EDF time. Also, there are many EDFs on Realflight to chose from. They also act fairly realistic on the Realflight sim. EDFs are also a lot cheaper to purchase repair and replace. Jets are different than piston powered planes. Jets have to be moving forward at an above-stall speed to have any control. I started out on electric prop planes and lost several. Used Realflight to figure out what I was doing wrong. Then I moved on to giant piston powered planes and still lost a couple, Then I moved to EDFs and still repaired several. Every plane and type of plane lands differently. Then I moved into turbine jets and have still lost one of those. A $5K crash is a lot harder to take. So my advice is to start cheap and work your way up. Turbine jets are different. Given the speed, costs and risks involved, one needs a lot of stick time before you tackle large jets, not to mention the turbine waiver. I have seen a lot of so called jet guys show up at our events and watch them crash, risk their fellow pilots and even crash very near a crowd of spectators. Start small and cheap and I don't mean start with a small turbine jet. They are in some ways actually harder to fly and land because of the increased wing loading.
If you really want to get into turbine jets. I recommend getting with with a couple Jet Guys and be their spotter for a season. There is a lot to learn before you even start building, let alone flying a turbine jet. Lastly, ... Some folks are just not cut out for turbine jets. It is better to figure that out before you make a $5K+ investment and hurt someone with it. Realflight will help you a bit. But that is only one tiny leap of the many toward being a successful turbine jet pilot.
Good luck with you new adventure.
Last edited by Len Todd; 03-06-2021 at 05:27 AM.