ORIGINAL: Speedfrek
I must be the only one but I don't think the sim is any real help except for orientation. I got the free version of Aerofly and I am glad I did or I would be kicking myself if I spent enough money to buy a heli... on a game. There is NOTHING like flying the real thing. Get yourself a durable CHEAP heli and use it as your learner. Take it slow... I got a Honeybee FP and that thing is tough as nails. I crashed it a thousand times and total repair cost is below $20. I try my new stuff on that heli. I am just starting FF. But to me the sim is just a game. Yea you can practice 3d on the sim but that is back to orientation and that alone won't get you to hover.
So my suggestion is get a free sim and a cheap starter $100 heli and $20 in spare parts.
Not true. A simulator is not a game. If it were just a game, I doubt that the top pro flyers would use them to practice their moves and refine their skills. You're flying an FP heli which is pretty limited in what it can do. When you start to fly CP Helis and want to try aerobatics, you really appreciate being able to practice on the sim before trying it for real. Even fast forward flight is way different on a CP heli than it is on an FP (oh wait a minute, you can't really do fast forward flight on an FP. Try getting disorientated while your heli is clipping along at 60 mph. Flying an FP won't prepare you for that). You notice the payoff when you start flying a high performance CP heli and you have to react instantly without thinking about what you're doing with the sticks. To me, about all an FP heli is good for is learning orientation. It doesn't really prepare you to fly a CP heli. A simulator will. You'll never outgrow the sim. It will take you from hover to full on 3D.