I bought the Phoenix 3.0 and Spektrum DX5e controller and was wondering if anyone knows of a way to have a view where it's like you're in the plane?

I've tried everything I could think of to do that but have a feeling I might not be able to do it with this model or any other.

If anyone knows if you can do the above how do I do it?

What do you mean, a view from the plane? As in a "cockpit view" on the ground?

You won't get that from your radio. You would need to install a real-time camera with some sort of transmitter on the plane, then a receiver and some sort of display on the ground. It's been done before, but by someone that is much more advanced than I am.

If electric, this will involve some weight and will require recalculating the power for that plane. If glow, well, depending on the setup, you may not need to re-power the plane.

CGr.

I was hoping it was built into the software because I haven't flown yet. I've saved myself a lot of money. Right when I thought I was getting good - CRASH!!!!!!!! That's only with the simulator I haven't even flown a plane yet but hope to in a week or so. I'm really into it but I think if I rush into really flying before I'm ready I'll make some costly mistakes.

Thank you for your time!!!

Cockpit or FPV view is only available on Simulator airports that are fully rendered in 3D.

Many simulators, like Phoenix or Reflex feature predominantly 2D airfields also called "Photo fields".

In this your viewpoint is actually fixed within the center of a large cylinder or sphere with the photo or image of the actual airfield virtually projected onto the sphere or cylinder.

Moving the viewport destroys the illusion of flying in a photo field, since it permits you to see that the viewpoint is moving around inside this large object.

The advantage of this technique is that the computer has less work to do versus a fully rendered airfield.

Never-the-less things like depth/collision buffer are required so that the simulator can give the illusion of a plane crashing into an object in the photo.



3D ( or what Aerofly now calls "4D") airfields render a complete 3D "world" so to speak much like an advanced video game.

This is far more processor and GPU intensive, but permits the viewpoint to be moved with the virtual 3D objects appearing correctly to the pilot.

3D rendering requires far more work for the programming team as a virtual airfield world has to be built up, much like a designer would construct an entire town plane or city in 3D ( yes I'm simplifying... ).

IMHO 3D is far far better than photo fields. The former can have a bit of a "video game" visual feel to it, given the amount of rendering possible, but objects can behave in a more realistic manner... e.g. winds can throw leaves across the runway, trees sway, etc.

Some Sims provide both ( e.g. Aerofly & Realflight ) to give the end user choice while scaling to slower machines...

Phoenix is primarily a 2D "Photo field" sim, so no cockpit or FPV views, nor "walking" your vantage point around.

Thank you for clearing that up. I was hoping to get a game perspective as well as training.

Do you know of good sims that won't cost an arm and a leg that will do a sim like you're in a cockpit of a plane?

Aerofly goes for close to $300.00 and Realflight for about $180.00 both with non-rc controllers that emulate standard RC TX's.

Since good 3D rendering takes a lot of effort, only the top tier sims do a good job at this. FSOne/2 is about the cheapest sim that has a degree of 3D rendering but it is "weak" at this at best...

IMHO sims pay for themselves many times over in reducing training time and letting you practice things you would never do at the airfield.

So "Arm and a leg" is somewhat relative....

I love it - Arm and leg are some what relative!!!

That isn't so bad, I wish I would have known that before I paid $170 for the Pheonix 3.0 software and Spectrum Dx5e controller. I learned though. I should have asked the question on which would be the best buy on the forum before I went ahead and purchased. I figured for $170 - $200 I would have got the cockpit sim as well. I think I got a pretty good system.

Do you think I got ripped???

I don't think that there is anything wrong with Phoenix.

For a beginner needing a TX the combo seems like a decent choice... however I wish they had at least used a DX6 instead of the DX5.

The latter is too limited.

For a few bucks more and the DX6, it would be a great starter combo.

If you already have or had a TX, I would have suggested something else.

What is a TX?

You'll see TX used as a shorform for Transmitter... and of course RX for Receiver.

If what you are looking for is a cockpit simulator, I would reccomend X-Plane 9 or Microsoft Flight Simulator. Both do a decent job simulating that kind of enviroment, although neither are RC simulators.

Although it is nice to have a cockpit view for flying an RC simulator, it is not neccesary. In fact, it will help you very little when learning to fly. The biggest and most difficult task a new pilot has to overcome is the perspective. As you (the pilot) is standing on the ground, you cannot follow the aircraft. As a result, you must make corrections to the aircraft's flight path even though you are viewing it from an obscure angle. For instance: When the aircraft is flying away from you, i.e you are standing behind it, moving the stick to the right will roll the aircraft to your right. Now, if the aircraft is flying towards you and you do the same thing, the aircraft will still roll to the right, but it will be your left. Because of this, you have to visualise your controls as controls in the aircraft. This can be very difficult to learn, and is one of the best uses of a simulator.

I reccomend you keep your copy of Phoenix, as it is an excellent sim - in my opinion the best - for learning to fly RC. Focus on learning to fly smoothly and at all different attitudes and directions.

Always spend the money on better equiptment, not a better sim.

Either way, Happy Flying and good luck!

Thank you all for your excellent guidance. I'm happy that the Phoenix software is the best in <font color="#000000">GraemeEllis</font>'s mind, I love it too. I know that flying in a cockpit isn't good for learning to fly RC but I thought I could have a little extra fun.

Thanks for all your kind words of wisdom and good luck to you all.

As for better equipment do you mean a TX, planes, extra parts?

[X(] Phoenix 3.0 is a simulator. I get it now.

In this hobby there are certain things you can save a lot of cash on, and others you should NEVER try to save money on by buying the cheap stuff.

Top on the list is the transmitter and receiver.

IMHO: Typically you want figure out what the absolute maximum you are willing to spend on a TX and then tripple it ( heh... ).

A good multi channel ( 7 seven channel up ) transmitter is computer controlled, and can handle many plane configurations at the same time.

That means even if you have several dozen planes, the one transmitter can control them all, and remember the specifics of each one.

A good TX also provides for extended mixing function. Many mid sized and up planes use separate servos for each aileron or elevator, etc.
Without a good TX, you often have to purchase a servo reverser, more expensive reversed servos, or other devices ( you typically spend 60.00 UP per channel when you have to reverse one servo )... The better TX's can do this for you.

That is why I complained about Phoenix's choice to use the DX5e... had they raised the price a bit to cover a much better DX6e, Phoenix would be a KILLER beginner combo.


GraemeEllis mentions getting better hardware instead of a better sim.

I agree only if you don't already have a sim. If not money spent on a good sim is a GOOD investment and tends to save the cost of planes and hardware many times over.

Ithought I was buying a pretty good sim and transmitter, I acctually thought I was getting the best they had but the website may not have been updated for a while where I got it. I like the DX5e and I don't know about the higher end newer ones but this one seems just fine for me and the Pheonix software that came with it are great for me because I don't know any better.

I should have done a little mroe research before purchasing anything but I wanted to just get going on it so bad that I made some timely mistakes. I'm sure it's happened to many guys when they first started out.

Thanks for all your excellent feedback and knowledge!!!

You didn't make a bad choice... I wasn't trying to imply that.

Starting with the DX will serve you well.

At some point you'll want to upgrade as you get more planes ( you can NEVER have enough planes! heh... )...

Then you'll remember this discussion....

Ican believe that!!!! I would like to have 10-20 planes eventually. It's something I wanted to do as a 10 year old and seeing grown men flying RC planes in the last of 3 huge parks I lived in front of in LA finally came back around and now I have the money to purchase all the stuff I need. We were so poor growing up that having one was out of the question but dreaming about it was very cool plus there was a hobby store right aroound the block from where I lived at that time.

I eventually got a paper route and had pretty much forgotten about the RC planes until the last month.

It seems as though we only have enough time on earth to do a lot of the major things you wanted to always do. Could you imagine if we could live for 900 years!!!! I would be into stuff I never would of dreamed of.