Hi everybody, I am new in this hobby but I have gained some experience flying 2 channel electric planes (Megatech Avion and a Wind Spirit). I have also worked hard with the Real Flght G4 and in that simulator I can takeoff and land easily any aircraft (even the L-39). I also understand the physics of flying which is important. I put some turbulence and some wind in the simulator and I can still land the trainers like the Nexstar, the LP-40, a big stick, a Cessna, a Piper Cub, etc. I feel I am good with the Real Flight G4. I want to know how much can this simulator help me at the time I want to make the transition to real nitro models. I just bought a Hangar 9 Alpha 40 and I haven´t flown it yet, but I want to fly it now with my instructor. Do you think I can fly the Alpha 40 knowing that I can do pretty well with my Real Flight G4? Can anyone tell me what is the similarity of this simulator vs the real flying. How can the simulator help me? Do you think I can be ready in a weekend of real flying?

Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

but I want to fly it now with my instructor.

That answers it all. Yes, with an instructor, you've got the best plan for learning to fly. All the sim time will absolutely help. But flying on a buddy box with an instructor is the way to insure your learning will be as safe as it can be.

They're good to use as a baseline, but you'll be surprised to see some of the 'what ifs' that you wont be ready for when you fly for real. It'll get you ahead in your training as far as flying towards you though.

Re: Weekend

It's quite possible if you have a lot of stick time, AND you spend the entire weekend flying with your instructor.

The sim is NOT:

- Going to teach you how to tune your engine
- Going to teach you how to correct fuel system problems
- Going to teach you how to set up your linkages
- Going to show you about lateral inbalance and surface warp
- Going to locate errors in assembly
- Going to teach you how to maiden a plane
- Going to trim out your plane
- Going to simulate other flyers at the field
- Going to blow a hard gust of air at your plane at just the wrong time
- Going to simulate that hard sink thermal just off the runway threshold, though doable in G4
- Going to have a bird come out and attack your plane in the air
- Going to give you the weak knees you'll get the first time you fly
- Going to throw a bug in your face and the sun glare in your eyes at the wrong time

The list goes on, and on, and on....

The sim WILL help reduce the number of training sessions you will need.

If you can fly a trainer upside down all the way around the airfield in the sim, you are just about ready to spend 4+ days of training at the field before certifying.

You have the right approach. Now all you need to do is follow through with an instructor. As opjose explained and for all those reasons, it's best to work with the instructor.

The sim is good, it allows you to make mistakes without destroying an expensive plane. But it is not the final word in learning to fly RC. It's a good start. But I would never recommend that you go directly from a sim to trying to fly RC by yourself. If you try that, the percentages of people that succeed is very low.

Go with the sim, but depend on your instructor to get you through all the finer points of the hobby.

CGr.

Only with an instructor.


The PT-40 in G4 flies identically to the Alpha 40.

I used the PT-40/G4 to train my daughter to fly her Alpha 40 before she went to the field the first time.

She was quite proficient in the sim, but she still needed 18 more trips out to certify.

Thanks a lot guys for that help. I guess I will stick to my instructor for several flights until I get ready to fly alone. I will avoid doing things fast: the wrong way.