I have a 2 year old copy of RealFlight; Is it worth upgrading to G2?

If I upgrade, is the new USB controller worth having over the old game port controller?

Thanks

Only if you want a big smile on your face while sitting at the computer while it's raining (like now for me <VBG>)

I'm still using the game port controller with no problems.

EXCAP232

I have found only two benefits for G2 that I use and like. First, the graphics are better on the G2 but other than the control surfaces actually move in G2 I don't see that difference. I with G2, you don't have to keep swapping CD's. Mine are packed away and I run all the planes on the first 3 add ons. (people tell me I can't do this!). Second (or third) is that when I fly, I have to be able to judge depth better because everything will cause a crash. I flew past a tree on approach and I hit the tree but not hard enough to crash, the plane was recovered but I almost bought the farm. Now when I approach the runway, I have to judge for the tree. This helps me a great deal.

If you are using it to try to learn to fly with I don't think it will make a lot of difference. Once you learn the basic stick movements, one flight at the field will teach you more than 3 weeks on the sim. You just can't get the large perspective at the field on a small computer screen. The easy ground handlying on the sim screen doesn't prepare you for steering on a rough grass field. What did help me was learning to turn back before I got the message that said "your plane has flown away"!

Thanks for the comments, good points.

I've come along way with G1, but still have a long way to go.

I still keep toggling between upgrading to G2, and not... I think I'll try to get in the real air first, then decide. The comment that one flight at the field will teach more than 3 weeks on the sim is interesting... I had wondered about that...

I have been assuming the most important thing right now is to get used to the stick functions, identifying airplane orientation, and the impact of orientation on stick functions.

I have a hard time lining up with the runway, and don't land very well. I've found I land the P51 better than the trainer...

Can anyone recommend a series of exercises to work on?

My first goal was general flight, and getting the plane back from way out.
I then worked on turning / flying an oval pattern, then progressed to figure eights, doing a loop and rolling it into a direction reversal, all at a distance...
Then I started flying low, in close, and throwing the plane around to build an instinct of "which way is out".
I've started working on landing. I generally fly with wind around 5-8, with gusts from 10-15, with the frequency of gusts fairly high.

I have not spent much time in planes other than the trainer, and have not varied the wind direction much.

Any suggestions appreciated.

I have both Classic and G2. Here are 2 more cents (MHO):

When starting out, an hour on the SIM equals a day at the field.
Once your reflexes are automatic (pushing the right stick the right direction with any orientation of the plane), the benefits diminish until you really fly, which puts the SIM into perspective.

On the SIM, I would suggest adding at least a 90 degree wind variation unless you live somewhere that has a constant, single-direction breeze.

Using RealFlight with the (automatic) zoom option does not teach a very important "real" flying skill, which is the need to keep the plane close enough to see. As previously mentioned, G2 has an option to "Look at Ground" that keeps the ground always in view, and stops the zoom feature. This option most closely simulates flying, and shows how quickly a plane can get too far away to determine orientation.

Along those same lines, G2 allows you to vary lighting conditions, which can be another lesson in visibility.

Some things are much easier on RF than in reality, like taking off, and some things are easier in reality than on RF - quite a few seasoned pilots in my club can't land anything on RF.

Here's a little story:
A new club member used RF G2 for an hour prior to his first day at the field a week ago. He flew fine, and did a couple of takeoffs. The plane he had was used and was previously set up. He then used RF for a few more hours last week. On Sunday, he was at the field with his plane, in which he had installed a new radio. I noticed his control surfaces were waaay off center. After speaking with him, he and I went over the entire plane and made everything right. Flight one, he took off, did a few passes, I landed. Flight two, he landed himself.

Moral of the story? There are things a SIM is great for. There are things a SIM cannot do. Learn stick movements with the SIM, then go to the field and learn a bunch more. G2 is way cooler. I love it and I'm glad I bought it, but I don't know that it's necessary.

Is there an upgrade that you can purchase that will upgrade the old Realflight versions to G2 without buying the entire package?

Your original question, Is G-2 worth it?

If your computer can "RUN" G-2 and you can afford it definetely go for it.

Not only have I seen a 5 year old learn how to fly and land using realflight, Cody could take off and fly at 5, but he had trouble setting up on the runway for landings, I could set it up for him and then give him the sticks and he'd land it, but it was the down, and cross leg that he'd lose it on. After working on realflight last winter, he was able to bring it in on his own. Now at 8, he's working on The BASIC Imac maneauvers on realflight and then taking that knowledge to the field. Yes there is a difference, but the inputs are the same. I recommend it to all of the new guys that want to learn. And no, I'm not affiliated with the companies at all. Realflight or ANY sim, will teach you left from right going and coming, it will help make things, (CONTROL INPUTS) automatic. And In my opinion if you can land a plane on the phony, hard to find,runways in realflight you can set a real R/C up for landing. The one thing I don't like about realflight is it does not give proper persective of the runway. And it does not give perspective of the ground in comparison to the sky. BUT, The guys who have taken the suggestion to try and really work with realflight have done far better, faster, with the real thing. I practice pattern and IMAC maneuvers on real flight before doing it with a real R/C plane. It helps in recovering from a "DUMBTHUMB". I downloaded the TORQUE rolling 232, I haven't been able to do a SUSTAINED roll yet, but When I got the 540 in the air and tried it, it felt totally the same way.

And one other thing, IT SURE WON"T HURT ANYTHING TO GIVE IT A TRY!!


DESERT RATT

Re your first question, I'd say if you have the extra cash and the computing horsepower, the G2 looks nicer, and has a VERY slightly better engine/flight sim.

As far as what to try, I learned on Realflight & then went out and did it. You're on the right track, the only thing I'd suggest is learn how to fly upside down, and learn to plant it on the runway EVERY time you land. Take crashes seriously to, decide what you did wrong before you fly again, and try not to let it happen. It's very easy to go in to video game mode, and then have this translate in to a crash at the field. When you go to the field, you'll have the perception that everything happens quicker, and if there's one thing that's not very realistic (for basic flight) on the sim, it's the landings. It's very difficult on the sim to get a feel for the depth perception you will experience with flying at the field. I'd say though that if, on the sim, you can control it well enough to do laps, loops, rolls and inverted flight, and land on the runway everytime, you'll have no troubles flying at the field. The other apsects that the sim can't prepare you for though, such as tuning, set-up & maintenance, fuel selection, club idiosyncracies, etc. will be a hole new ball game. Good luck!

Thanks again for all the comments...

I went to the hobby store to buy G2, but they didn't have it in stock...

Well... I walked out of the shop with an electric foam wedge airplane.... It's a superfly (http://www.discounthobbies.net).

I know I'm OT.... sorry. If I can get somebody to help trim it out, I'm going to give it a go... maybe tomorrow. I thought this would be cheap and hard to break... well, by the time I got extra battery, charger, servos, receiver, mixer (my futaba doesn't mix), I think I blew it on cheap... I'm hoping my second criteria point, hard-to-break will prevail however.

I'm still going to get G2, I'm in this for the long haul. I'm encourage maybe my 4 year old can start when he is 5 (or sooner)... Dessert Ratt has encouraged me here... My wife will start to endorse it if I drag my son into this!

Thanks again

You are looking to UPGRADE right? Not buy the whole package. I think it is considerably less expensive to upgrade. You may want to check out tower hobbies on line if you LHS doesn't have it in stock.

C.P.

Well, I was looking to upgrade... But I'm not sure that I can... The only problem is I run RF on my old computer. My latest model computer with the better video card etc... is running win2K. I downloaded the upgrades for RF, but it still wouldn't install on win2k (works fine on 98). My understanding is the upgrade requires the original verstion to be on the system (makes sense).

I emailed tech support, and followed their upgrade instructions, same thing...

I suppose the perk to spending $200 vs $70 is I get the USB dummy radio; although if I could do it for $70 that would be my first choice.

Thanks,

Is it not installing at all, or just not functioning after the install?

If the original version is not installing at all, RealFlight will do a free swap of the full G2 version if you send them the CDs for both the original and the G2 upgrade. I believe that is written on their FAQs page. If not, you can email them to verify.


If it is installing but not functioning, the upgrade requires the original version to be installed on the system, but it does not have to function. I believe the website says to install, but not run, the original version prior to installing the G2 upgrade.

I recently rebuilt the PC I have G2 on. It had Win98. I installed Windows XP Professional. I installed RF Classic. I then installed the G2 upgrade. Then I started G2 using the CD, which gives you the update option. After downloading the updates, I finally started RealFlight and it worked flawlessly.

I had a LOT of issues with G2 the first few times I installed it (last year), one of which ended with a complete system rebuild. In the end, installing both versions and updating BEFORE running is the recipe that has worked consistently for me.

Thanks for the comments Backafter20,

I can't remember the error, but I get a windows type error, and never actually even start the install.

RF originally didn't support win2K, but I made a cd with the updates as recomended by tech support, and there was no improvement. I have not taken time to try again, it could be operator error here...

I'll check their faq, if I can swap rf plus the upgrade for a straight up G2 that should fix it.

Thanks again,

I was running the original Realflight on Windows 98, I recently got a new pc with Windows XP, and got Realflight to run on that...(after a little bit of work it runs fine).....will I be able to upgrade to G2 with no problems?

Glowplug,
From what I read you should be able to upgrade fine.

My problem is I have not got RF working on win2k yet. The original version has to be present on the machine for the upgrade to work.

I plan to try again this weekend.... I'll post back to this thread to close the loop.

Here's what Tower Hobbies had to say about it:

If a customer wants to go from RealFlight Classic or Deluxe to
RealFLight G2, they MUST purhcase the full version of
RealFlight G2 or G2 Lite with the USB Interlink Controller.
* Because both RealFlight Classic and Deluxe have been
discontinued for more than an year, we no longer offer any
"upgrades" to RealFlight G2 for these outdated software
titles. ATS 12/11/02


Is there a way to get a hold of it or did I miss the opportunity to upgrade from RF Classic to RF G2 without buying the entire G2 package?

upgrade