I agree with you on the sim saving money. Years ago I bought a used shuttle xx .30. Played with it for a couple weeks working on the hover. Then I was in the computer store and saw an RC Aerochopper for my atari 1040st. I had basic wireframe graphics and did'nt simulate ground effects very well, but worked well for hand eye coordination and I'm sure saved me alot of money. It cost me 200 dollars in 1990. Then In 1998 I bought the dave brown rcfs simulator; a little better graphics, but the rc interface looks like something you'de get from heathkit in the 60's. Again it cost me 200 dollars.
200 bucks seems to be the going rate for computer sims, lol.
Anyways, I do plan on getting realflight as soon as I can pull it off. For now FMS will have to do.
Sheesh, don't mean to sound so old, lol.
Trying to decide now if the shuttle xx might be worth digging out of storage and fixing up. I bought the axe so I'd have something to play with around the house as well as out in the field.
I must say that finding the axe cp at such an affordable price has resparked my interest in the hobby; looking for somewhere to put the computer so I can use my big ol desk to build my planes and helo's on. [8D]

BTW, does the axe cp in realflight handle similar to the real thing as far as power and maneuverability; and does realflight simulate ground effects very well?