scubyfan,

Please don't make a typical beginner's mistake--buying an FMS-only interface!

FMS, like some other freeware and commercial sims, supports different interfaces:
1) the cheapest one-transistor serial- and parallel-port cables (cost $5 to build, work w/o problems in Windows 9x only) - FMS only!

2) so-called "PIC interface" - connects to a serial port and uses a proprietary data exchange protocol, which was originally implemented in FMS and later adopted by a couple of other sims

3) Universal joystick interface - connects transmitter to a game port or USB connector and presents the TX as a virtual Windows joystick; can be used with any software accepting joystick input (from non-Interlink versions of RealFlight, including RealFlight G2, to MS Flight Simulators and Combat Flight Simulators, BF 1943, X-Planes, IL-2, etc.). USB incarnation of such joystick interface even works on Mac.

In the long run, only universal interfaces, a game port or a USB one, make a wise investment. I've got my USB interface from www.milehighwings.com and never had any problems with it: flying RF G2, AeroFLY Pro, and a bunch of other sims.

I hope you find this info helpful.