I tried CV and didn't find it to be very realistic based on what I've heard about the way a heli reacts. One example is lifting off: with no cyclic input, the heli tended to move straight up or to the right, and the normal real-world behavior is for it to move left. I also didn't care for the graphics, especially when the heli was a moderate distance away. I was using the T-Rex model and the tail would essentially disappear against the backdrop, making it very difficult to determine its orientation.

I decided to ditch CV in favor of Phoenix. It's a much better sim from both a behavior standpoint and a graphics standpoint. Of course, it's also $160 from Tower Hobbies, but I ended up spending about $80 on CV by the time I bought a USB interface. I checked the forums before purchase and the feelings about Phoenix were universally positive.