I have been flying helis for about a year now and I am pretty good (fixed pitch only), but now I want to get into planes. I plan on starting with a 3 channel such as Cox Sky Cruiser and I have been practicing on my simulator for a month now and just can't seem to get it perfect. My question is do I really need to be proficient on the simulator first before I try live flight? When I started with the helis I jumped right in live with a cheap 3 channel and had very little problems learning, but I have a heck of a time flying helis on the simulator nowso I'm thinking that may be I should forget the simulator and just get out and fly. Any opinions?

No, you don't have to buy a Simulator, but it sure helps, plus it's fun as well when you can't fly. Try to get somebody that can help you, an Instructor in flying planes is almost a must. They will check your plane for throws, balance, etc. . I't s better to have an expierence Pilot help you out in the First plane, and maybe afterwards.

I've had several students come to me after a lot of hours on the simulator. Most just need to learn how it really is to land. Takeoffs are ok on the sims, but landing isnt very accurate. It usually goes pretty quick though since their fingers already have been trained pretty good. But they still need help when the weather isnt perfect. I think the sims are pretty good at reducing the amount of time it takes to solo.
Edwin

The sim. is not everything. But it is going to save you $$$ in the long run. As long as you keep coming back to brush up. before and after every session of flying.

I find the takeoffs are fairly easy, especially with a tricycle gear. The landings are a different story. I can get it up, fly, go inverted and fly, do loops and rolls. Basically keep the thing in the air. I am now concentrating on coordinated turns using aileron and rudder. I can land using the instructor although still not easy. My problem is that when I am upflying and wanting to land, I can't find the damn runway!!!! Makes lining up for a final approach impossible. Any body out there haveany advice?

if you are flying helis, even fixed pitch, you should be fine with fixed wing without a sim.

It will really depend on what sim your using - FMS or alike .. utter rubbish IMO, and will not teach you a thing.
As a heli guy also (but with nitro collective pitch not FP), I use Phoenix as a training tool, and found it VERY helpful when initially going into planes, as it allows for the differing characteristics to come through, and get your head space in the right place so when I went to the field, on my first take off and circuit, my instructor almost walked off as he didn't think he was needed. It was also a fantastic tool when going from a 450 electric to my nitro heli.
High end sims do help learners - period, it's just that the ones that do are also the expensive ones!

I trained on the Sim for 2 months before heading out with an instructor, flying came pretty easy and i had my basics down pretty good.
The thing i noticed was the difference in landing and taking off, and the pucker factor. I say go get out with an instructor for a few flights
and it will make training with the sim that much more productive as you can optimize the sim to help you with anything you are having
problems with. Landing just can"t be simulated IMO you learn to do it at the field.

Yup.

RCKen has an excellent list of what simulators WILL NOT teach you. Well worth reading.

That said, they do cut down on the amount of time it takes getting used to different plane orientations.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Kiwibob72, you're right I am TRYING to use the FMS sim and I was starting to think it was garbage since I can't even fly the helis on it and I have been doing that for real for a year. Think I'll spring for the Phoenix or Real Flight since it's still too cold to do much of anything outside now anyway.

opjose thanks, I think I'll see what RCKen has to say too.

The Great Planes 5.5 has helped me a bunch .  I set up 5 MPH. wind with  turbulance at 10% and try cross wind landings.

i say go for the sim.... it's useful in keeping you thumbs "sharp", it's like a honing tool



ive mastered flying almost 20 years ago, and i find it useful in practicing 3d

++ on the sim. They help a lot with new, crazy maneuvers, and fixing crashes takes 5 seconds!<div>
</div><div>The pucker factor flying the real thing is much different as you'll see, but you'll have an easier time of it with some sim experience.</div>

I think that sims are a good investment for anyone that enjoys this hobby, newbie or old veteran alike.

I use RF to practice on, and setup a 10 MPH crosswind, which really helps, a LOT!  Once you get the hang of bringing it in with those settings, the real ones arent so bad, but the main difference between the sim and real flying is perspective, you dont have it on the sim, so landings will actually come easier to you with the real plane since you can see the runway while focused on the plane.  That is the one thing the sim just cant get right.

Try it on a large flat screen TV with wireless 3D shutter glasses....

It's pretty good...

The sim gets it right, the problem is that we don't have the hardware to display the results.