I'm thinking about getting a flight sim and have NO clue where to start! I'd like to get a good one, but I'm also pretty close to being computer illiterate, so i don't want to get one that is too complicated for me either. Can anyone give me any suggestions as to what the best one out there is right now? How about the G2 that Tower is selling right now? Is it ok, or should I be looking elsewhere? Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Try FMS it's free and there and a lot of different models you can download!!!! If that wets your appetiate then go to something better.

Where to download it? Lost the link but I'm sure someone has it listed on one of these thread.

Brad

If your really computer Illiterate, G2 is probably the way to go.

Just install CD in it's drive and it should start loading by itself. After a few questions, your ready to go. If any problems, there's a web site and number to call and plenty of help in this forum.

It's expensive tho, about $200. Any of your friends, work mates or family members familiar with computers?

It may appear a bit daunting but it's real easy.

Make sure before you buy that your computer has the correct video card, memory, power, etc; to load the program so it works properly once it's loaded.

call Tower, ask for their Customer Service Dept., tell them what you got and they should be able to help you.

Thanks for the info. Hey there Crawler, what is FMS? What kind of quality is it? The price sure sounds good!

Here is the link:
http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html

It is very good. It is also free.

If you are not to bad with a soldering iron (actually, I'm am pretty bad and I made it), you can make an interface to your transmitter's buddy box hookup to use your transmitter to run it. Or you can buy one from various sources $30 - $50 or so).

FMS will teach you the basics of flying and give you a feel for how certain models fly.

G2 is really good, is a bit more expensive than free, and has multiplayer support. I think it is a bit easier to customize planes and fields for G2.

Planes taxi good on G2, not so good on FMS.

The sound of balsa breaking into little pieces is more realistic in G2.

Thanks GooberVa! I think I'll give this a try! I really don't care about multiplayer, just want to hone the old flying skills (and pass the time) during the winter months. Thanks again!

FMS is crap, sure its free but the flight physics models are extremely unreal. Realflight G2 is the way to go!!!! If you want a simulator that will actually SIMULATE real life I would grab G2, I wouldnt use anything else

Hello RAZORBACK58,
I like my RF G2 hers why....
(1) install is easy
(2) update are free, like different planes with different paint scemes
(3) GreatPlanes thecnition are great to work with and stand by that they sell, If theres a defect in the product they will replace it free.
(4)Multiplayer is great,you get to meet alot of great people on line that will help you learn any manuver you want to learn.
(5)the add on volums cost under $30.00 if you want they. The designers of the Vol. 4 asked G2 users what they wanted in the Vol.4 and added what we wanted.Not what they wanted to add.
(6)G2 interlink alows you to use your own Xt or the G2 TX
(7)You down have to be a compuer wiz to run RF, Just chick on the Icon on your desk top and It starts to run after loading.
(8)You can set up a plane to your real RC plane and fly it on G2 and can get use to how it flys before you fly you brand new RC plan.
(9)G2 has a reset button where your real TX doesn't
(10)RF G2 may cost alot but you will get your moneys worth.
Those are my top 10, hope you make the right choice.
NEDYOB

I'm a RealFlight G2 fan. I shopped around and Tower had the best deal. They have (had?) a $20 off special and threw in Add-on #1. To sweeten the deal they allowed me to make payments with NO interest! Check out their 'Easy Pay' 3 month plan. I'm not sure if they still have these offers...

I was going to go for FMS but I didn't feel comfortable making a cable to plug my transmitter into; what if I fried my TX? RealFlight G2 has a TX (if you don't have one already) and the graphics, response time and features are amazing. I love it. The 3 month pay plan took some of the sting out of the $200 price. There is another option; RealFlight G2 Lite is only $129, also at Tower but I don't think you get the $20 off or the 3 month.

One word of advice though, you need to have a decent PC. Check out the requirements before you buy.

www.realflight.com

What is the main difference between G2 and G2 Lite? I want to have the closests thing that I can get to real flying. I want to practice 3D, plus have something to do on those dreary rainy Sunday afternoons. I'm not looking for a video game, but something that I can hone my skills with.

Here is a link to a comparison:
http://www.realflight.com/comparison.html

I have both FMS and G2. SInce you are looking for honing 3D skills, I think G2 definatly fits your needs more than FMS. For rainy day flying, FMS would probably do ya.

Features wise, Lite vs Full. I really like being able to customize G2 to fit as close as possible to my real plane. The customizations to do this are not there in the lite version. For example, I was able to customize the Dazzler to fly real real close to my SOmething Extra. And I was able to customize the ElectroStreak to match my KwikE. I use these customizations to practice in a crash-safe environment . To me, this is the biggest limitation of Lite vs Full.

I also use the Flight Recorder, not present in Lite. This is more a personal choice on my part since I am writing a program to analyse the recording files to use for pattern flying analysis.

One of the reasons I purchased RealFlight was that I got a chance to test drive it at my local hobby shop. HobbyPeople here in Fountain Valley CA have it set up in their store. I actually tried it out in the store 4 or 5 times before I bought it. Maybe a shop near you has it set up as well. Couldn't hurt to make a couple of calls and ask.

I have the FMS and have flown it for about 6 months it is a good place to start. I bought Realflight from someone here on RCU for $125.00. The Realflight is a lot more realistic if you have the money to spend. Real flight is the cost of a kit but it could save you the cost of replacing several planes.
Just my $.02 KCFlyBoy

Razorback58,

Here is an excerpt of another post I replied to. This should help you decide:

...I also purchased the Interlink upgrade and love it. It beat the cost of the transmitter interface - I now run my 8U Super with model memory setting for several of my practice planes. Just make sure that you take your RF module out. This greatly reduces TX battery drain and there is no chance of stepping on the occasional yahoo that might be in my area and not a the field.

For those of you wondering about G2 Lite -vs- G2, I definitely recommend G2. I have measured many of my plans and created very realistic flying versions of my own aircraft. It takes some time to get all the data in, but well worth the effort. The price is a little higher, but if you fly R/C it's the way to go. I have recommended G2 to several of my friends and they all love it.

For 3d lite is not as good for the single reason of not being able to download peoples modified aircraft which are far more cabable than the stock ones...

If you're using G2 to help learn RC flying on the PT trainer, enter the engine menu and make the engine about 40% less powerful than the default value. Then you will learn to gain speed and not depend on high power. It WILL stall & spin on a premature takeoff if you do this.