Just wondering who's used FMS and how realistic any of the planes are in flight characteristics. I imagine some are better than others, so recommendations of some realistic flying planes are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I have the FMS sim. The problem with it is that it doesn't do rudder turns. It will yaw and come around a little, then pretty much fly straight. Same on the ground. Graphics are not much.

If you are trying to learn to fly using ailerons, it's not bad. Rudder doesn't work too good wether on the ground or in the air. That is with the Cessna 182.

For the price it's not bad. Download it for free. If you have a JR radio, you can plug it into your sound card. If you have a futaba, you can get the pugs and solder a cord together to use it on the sound card.

If you have to buy it, hold on to your money and get the Realflight Sim.

I already have it, and have my Futaba 6EX plugged in through USB. Some of the planes seem to fly much more realistic than others (from what I imagine since I haven't really flown yet). The Hangar 9 Pulse I imagine is somewhat realistic, but some of the Extra 300's I am guessing are blown a little out of proportion with the aerobatic abilities you can roll incredibly fast on a perfect axis for minutes without losing any altitude, and even fly sideways without losing much, if any, altitude.

I like the program for the fact that I can learn orientation for free. I am just getting bored with all of the trainers and planes like the Pulse, and am wondering how realistic or not the other planes are.

I use it religiously, (Because I'm too cheap to shell out the bucks for Real Flight).

I find its in the air flight characteristics close enough for use as a casual flight sim, or for helping to master the basics. If you want to just play around and cant afford / don't want to spend the $$ for a good sim this one is great. Graphics aren't so great by todays standards but its passable. If you are looking for basic handling practice this is good for that as well, you get to learn coordination and reverse direction control using it. Just don't go trying to use it to learn to fly without an instructor, but then these kind folks here will tell you that about any flight sim.

I don't think its good enough to practice 3D stuff but then I am not good enough to consider that anyhow.

I am a student pilot, with 3 actually flights under my belt since my return to the hobby. (Quit 5+ years a go out of frustration before I ever made a landing)
I started using the FMS last fall, and now that I have been getting out on occasion, (Read 3 full flights under my belt) My instructor tells me I will be solo'ed in no time, I have my first landing down, not a grease the runway but no bounce to it. Only bad side of that landing was I was aiming for the paved runway and ended up 10 feet left on the grass strip that sidelines the paved runway for those who want grass to land on.

I fly the Pitts model that came with it, most of the trainers are 3Ch and my real trainer is 4. The Pitts is a squirrelly little devil of a Biplane that loves to tip stall, but I found it perfect for teaching me to react correctly to such things as tip stalls. It don't land so good, glides in using the whole runway up on approach from a mile out LOL! (But then I don't think you'll find a sim that is good at landing practice other than for basic line up practice.)

TURN OFF the FIX camera veiw. It's only available in the 2.85 version thou

Use NOTEPAD to open the .PAR file in the model's folder.
I keep all of my models folder seperate so i can retrieve it and identify it easier.
I don't even extract it in FMS. FMS can retrieve it from anywhere and run as long as the folder is not zip.

There's plenty of model and all have different perimeter settings
There's even a model .par edit software add on for the 2.85 version. it's in the Crogramfile/FMS....folder

But i just use NOTEPAD. There's english version of .par files. The perimeters numbers are on the right side.
i can crank the rudder to any model as much as i want and plenty of other perimeters.
Bascailly adjust it to what you think is right for you.
You can replace the sound .wav files if don't like those non nitro sound. There's a 2 stroke engine sound in the FMS folder.
or just copy and paste , then rename the .wav files you like accordingly.
There's models for FMS up the waazo..plenty that's set up to do 3D

TURN OFF the FOG and mipmapping in the graphic option when using PHOTOLICTIC sceneries.
You can only run photolistic sceneries in the 2.85 version thou
It's the same sceneries used in other sims...At least on mine .
Everyone of the photolistic scneries for FMS on RC-sim are wacked thou. They all have improper fisheye.

You can convert Heli-x's sceneries into FMS. it's just skyboxes coverted from equirectangular panorama.

If you want some photolistic sceneries like this for fms shoot me a PM. i have 100s of them

FMS is probably the least realistic (ie.. physics are not accurate) but it will help you learn orientation and muscle memory as far as stick control goes. FMS may not be all that much but it is better than nothing and will help.

I have tried FMS previously, now, I have the Realflight G3.5 (and have tried G4) in my opinion, G3.5 & G4 are over all better than FMS. G3.5 is just a absolute joy to fly on, I've been flying on it preparing for training in the spring. G4 is not a whole lot different than G3.5 except for the float flying & more fields, planes, better graphics.




TakingFlight96

Well, I disagree. While the G3 and up are more realistic perhaps, (No actual experience with them) Dollar for Dollar the FMS is the best because it works well enough and is FREE.

If you want to learn more advanced stuff, or just like the eye candy, then by all means spend that $200 or so for the "good stuff". ($200 less to spend on your Rc models but hey whatever)

It all amounts to what YOU feel is best for YOU. I happen to like FMS because it works and the price is right, but Im a poor boy and a penny pincher so I have little choice.

If we leave the price out, then of course FMS is no where near what you get with the G3 G4 series stuff, but you get waht you pay for, and for free FMS is EXCELLENT.

I have used only that Sim, (FMS) and roughly an hour, maybe two actual stick time to get where I am and Im practicing landings now.

Admittedly, I am a returnee to the hobby, and I do listen intently to what my instructor is telling me so he has likely brought me farther than I might have gotten with another.

I have had real flight G3.5 for a while and have been nothing but disappointed from day one.
On my PC I cant get it to act right for practicing hovering and torque rolls.
The manuafactur just blames my puter and I pretty much gave up in disgust.

Then a buddy told me about FMS. I downloaded it and many many planes, and it , to me, is superior in flying realistically over the real -flight sim. I dont need the control surfaces to move....... I dont need fancy backgrounds....... I need the dam thing to fly like a real model so I can get better at 3D![>:]

Note: The few planes that come with the sim are not so impressive. (the pitts is a dog!)
I wasnt impressed till I got some other planes loaded up.
Extra 300S
Giles
etc

You guys shouldnt comment about wether its good for 3D if your not doing 3D [8D]

The Katana is my favorite plane. It will rotate in midair on the axis of the center of the fuselage. It is kinda funny. When you can go from a hover to a spherical rotation, the realistic properties go right out the window. It's really only good for learning your stick directions and what they control, and the only sim that I think is worth purchasing. (since its free)

Pecapatch
I agree with what you're saying, I've learnt all 3D on FMS, Blenders, KE spins, harriers, rolling harriers and hovers and am now trying to perfect torque rolls with it, I can do hovers with canopy towards me and with gear towards me but looses it a torque roll when I go from gear towards back to canopy towards Gggggrrrrr but I'll get there !!!

The best planes are the Sebart Katana although I do think it's maybe a bit too forgiving and could lull you in to a false sense of security but the most realistic I've found is the e-flight Mini Funtana.

Why spend the same as a couple of airframes would cost you when FMS is free, personally I'd rather spend it on planes !!!

Where do you get the extra planes? I forget.

http://www.rc-sim.de/dl_engine_eng/i...9f28f72e80d8b2

I bought the sim. Package from tower hobbies it came with FMS and what looks and operates just like a real RC Tx plugs into a USB port it was $19.95.

You saying that the FMS is more realistic makes me wonder if you have actually flown a real one at all? The Katana defies the laws of physics its so fake. I can understand learning how to do the complex thumb and finger movements that it takes, but realistic it is not.