Real Flight G3.5, Aerofly Professional Deluxe, Reflex XTR, and FS One are all top-shelf flight sims. Reflex XTR often gets mentioned for best physics and most realistic helicopter flight by experienced heli pilots. All of these products are around $200 in price.

The folks who developed Aerofly Professional Deluxe just came out with a new version called Easy Fly 2. Easy Fly 2 is based on the Aerofly Professional Deluxe graphics and physics engine, but it was designed to be a less expensive package. It comes with a variety of helicopters, airplanes, and flying fields and sells for $99, or $129 with dedicated controller. It is less expensive but it isn't expandable like Aerofly Professional Deluxe.

There are other simulators that aren't as well known that are reasonably priced as well. There is a simulator called ClearView that you can buy for $30, and it's available as a free trial download. It's really not too bad as far as graphics and physics considering that it's 80% cheaper than some of the big name simulators.

There is a freeware flight sim called FMS that is well worth the price. It's not very realistic with regard to physics or graphics, but flying with it will teach new pilots control orientation.

Runtime games makes a simulator called the Phoenix R/C simulator. It sells for around $159.99 and boasts realistic float plane physics and graphics. If you want to fly off of water, this is a fairly unique product.

I happen to own Real Flight G3.5 and I like it. I've flown on Aerofly Professional Deluxe, and I like that, too. A good flight sim is a pretty sizable investment, but it will help you build your flying skills and practice when weather won't cooperate with your liesure time.

I absolutely know for certain that the extra time I've spent on my flight simulator at home has prevented two crashes out at the field when I should have lost planes. I reacted to some unexpected flying positions reflexively without thinking about it and put my plane back into safe, upright positions only because I'd done the same thing on the simulator while practicing previously.

My only advice with regard to helping you select a product to purchase - I like having a dedicated simulator flight box so I don't have to use my actual transmitter to fly with. I don't have to worry about recharging after practicing on the simulator, and the controller case that comes with Real Flight G3.5 is an actual Futaba transmitter case, so it's just like flying on my 4YF transmitter.

Good shopping and good luck!