I have had it for a month now, Looks Beutiful, flys well. The only down side right now is that it has no multi/twin engines, there are few add on aircraft yet, and building your own takes longer than stick building a kit ( I have both going right now and the kit is way ahead). The ability to use your own transmitter is nice so you can be comfortable with it, but if your just getting into flying like me chances are you bought a trainer with 4 channels, and a 4 cahnnel radio, so the models with retractable gear will keep their gear down, and you only get to try a heli with 4 channels. (Not a reflection on the software, just a statement, the software will handle many channels). Maybe I have not played with it enough (my wife would likely disagree) but I have not found a way to have intermittent thermals, they are everywhere. Its more like an updraft than a thermal and it covers the whole feild. I haven't tried that feature much so it may work better than i am saying. I know I have been mostly critical but I do like this simulator. I have a very nice computer and so it runs well on my machine at full resolution and detail. I do notice that it made me a better flier in a hurry. I soloed a month after I bought my trainer, and 2 weeks after i bought the sim, only went out on weekends.