Thanks in advance for you response.

I have read many of the Posts here and have read about the merrits, positives and negatives of most of the popular sims mentioned here.

What Simulator do you guys feel might be best for my situation.

1. My PC hardware/software OS will run them all - Not an issue here!
2. I have a Hobbico Hobbistar .60 MKIII ARF w/ Super Tigre .90 Engine (not yet complete)
3. I have a Futaba 9C Super Radio

4. I just purchased all this gear and have not yet flown.

I will be using an Instructor at my local Field and Club for actual Flight Training when I complete my Plane.

Before I take to the Skies, I would like to Use a Sim for many hours of actual pre-flight on my PC and use a SIM Application that "Most Closely" simulates/models my Trainer Aircraft flight characteristics.

Most of these Sims mentioned here, seem to have targeted more advanced aircraft models, so I am a little confused on which one to select that might be best for a beginner.

Thanks!

Herb L

If you would have used the search engine, you would have seen that these discussions have been done a lot of times already and they lead to the very precise decision that you should buy any of the known simulators any they all have advantages and disandvantages.

What will start in a few minutes is the usual "mine is better than anything else"-discussion and at the end you have as much information as you have now - just enlarged by a number of oppinions, good informations, wrong informations - but you can't say and see what is what.

It's a little like: I would like to get married. What type of girl should I select?

I forgot: if you wait long enough, you will also hear the people saying that no simulator will do the job, you may as well invest the time and go out flying - so just sit back and relax.

Stay as far away from AeroFly Pro as possible.

The simulator includes a special cable to interface with your radio. While the simulator itself is, imo, the best on the market, it MUST HAVE THAT CABLE.

Now, why is this a problem? Simple...should you misplace your cable, they will not replace it under any circumstance.

The cable is, obviously, their protection against duplication of the software. This is certainly understandable. However, to deny their legitamate customers access to a component that needs to be replaced in the event of loss is absolutely ludicrous.

It's sad that one of the top products has such poor customer support, but there you go.

In that case, stay far away from any commercial simulator as they do it all in the same way. If you loose your property, please don't expect other to compensate for your fault. That's the message behind it. You may as well stay far away from buying a tv, computer, car ...

I forgot about this variety but please add it to my list above. See what I mean? It's getting exited now. In a short time, some G3 and Reflex customers will pop up and tell a similar story. Soon after, a guy proposing FMS and some other will show up because that problem doesn't exist in FMS.

Kurt,

I get, understand your response and main points, however,

In fact, I did read most of the Posts that compare and expain the available Sims, positives and negatives, however, I did not see (maybe I missed them) any that focused on my specific question. Let me rephrase my 2 main points of interest.

1. What Sim is better geared to "Raw Beginners" and
2. What Sim "Might" come closest to the Hobbica 60 Trainer or Trainer Style Aircraft.

I understand your point that there will be many different opinions on what is the best sim, best graphics, etc., etc. and recognize that some may not feel that sims are usefull for learning etc. I also realize that there probably is not any best SIM "In General" terms

I don't really care if someone thinks thats SIMS have no useful purpose, or which one has the absoulute best graphics etc. I have already answered these questions for myself.

Again, Which SIM, if any, of those available now, come closest to being more suited to Beginners. Most of the SIMS I have seen/researched seem to be weighted toward intermediate and advanced aircraft.

What am I missing here?

Thanks!

Kurt,

I'm not sure you intended to make my point quite as well as you did, but...umm...thanks.

You draw an alnalogy to tv's, computers, cars. Fine. Should i lose a remote, a monitor cable, or a set of keys, I'm not told that the manufacturer refuses to replace them. Certainly, I may have to provide proof of ownership in the case of the latter (cars) before having a key remade, and I will certainly have to pay for that service...but I hardly have to go buy another car.

I'm not asking anyone to "compensate" me for losing my property. I'm clearly willing to provide extensive proof of purchase, and pay to replace the hardware I have lost.

I'm a software developer myself. I COMPLETELY understand Ikarus wanting to protect their work and intellectual property. There are, however, a few dozen ways to do so without, essentially, hanging their customers out to dry for a simple human error.

Along those lines, why couldn't Ikarus pursue any/all of the following?

1) Copy protect the software itself.
2) Code the cable to a specific serial number.
3) Require registration of the software before it will function
4) Require a regular 'validation check' via an internet connection

No, none of these things are foolproof...all of them CAN be broken. It's a sad fact of life that people will blatantly STEAL from software makers without a second thought.

However, their current method is no different. Someone has and/or will reverse engineer their cable.

Bottom line...why choose a method of protecting your work that, despite being no more effective than any of the methods above, punishes your EXISTING customer base?

Seems pretty silly to me.

Its real simple IMO. If your primarily interested in Heli flight go with Reflex XtR, if your more interested in learning aircraft basics or more advanced (3D) stuff go with AFPD, if you want multiplayer functionality go with G3 (though for many multiplay is broken in G3, including myself).

But if you lose the car engine you'll have to buy a new engine, that is comparing apples to apples because the cable supplied with AFPD is much more then just a key.

Herbl

I would suggest FMS as your first simulator, although I know it is not the best.

- FMS is a great basic training aid. It is most likely the most used sim of all.
- All the other sims are great, but will not improve your flying skills more than compared with FMS during your training period.
- Software is freeware. Download it [link=http://fms.pathbot.com/]here[/link].
- Interfaces are available worldwide. Here are some links to [link=http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer/interface.htm]vendors[/link].
- Thousands of models available. Here is a good [link=http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer/fms_related.htm]trainer[/link].

When your flying skills improve, and you want to start flying more advanced manouvers, you can always upgrade to one of the commercial sims.

[quote]ORIGINAL: STLPilot

LOL. YOU'RE the one that made the initial comparison, Dion.

Either way, this has degenerated to a useless back and forth, which isn't helping the original poster at all, and thus should be dropped.

FMS is all you need, its free. thou it might not look as pretty, it works for its purpose: get new pilot familiar with the stick movement ASAP at almost no cost

I would agree with the FMS statement. The fact that it's free does help alot but do bare in mind that it's physics just plane sucks. If you really just want to get a feel for things heck you can even look for SSS (Slope Soaring Sim) which is also a freeware program where you can slope soar by only using the mouse. Note that SSS's physics is actually pretty good for a slope sim. But if you really want to get into flying and honing skills then you need to look at something like Aerofly Pro Deluxe. I find it very helpfull and still use it every night. It might be easier to do things on the simulator and your flying skills in real life will be less than what you have on the sim but the simulator will burn the basic what to do next steps in for everything and any given situation. It's really helped me get out of some akward situations without even realising.

It's imperative though that you get a sim which will do it all. If you are into aircraft you need Aerofly Pro...The experts say that if you are into helis you need Reflex!

Now I have some real life experience that has really added a huge hunk of proof that simulators DO WORK! I have been using Aerofly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe for about 2-3 years now and have always played with both the helis and the aeroplanes through all this. Always trying out new 3D moves on the planes and then just messing with the helis for kicks. A couple of weeks back my buddy reckons it's time for me to try flying a heli (And no I can not and have not ever flown one in real life as I can't afford it). So they reckon I'll be able to do it and give me a chance. I took the heli off...did some hovering to feel things out and then took her for a ride which included 2 horizontal rolls and non assisted landings/approaches everything! Now I was flying this heli completely solo as it was setup on a JR 10X which doesn't have buddy box functions. Last weekend I get a heli shoved in my hands again (YIPEE!) and we do it again. This time we throw in some nose in hovering...loops...inverted circuits and to finish it all a textbook landing again. Now if this is not proof that simulators work then I don't know what will ever do it!!! Get a decent sim! It's an investment I will put my name on that statement!

I have Reflex XTR; however, I first used G2 for several hours which gave me enough confidence to fly on my own. I bought Reflex for several reasons 1. great graphics 2. ability to download planes and upgrades for free 3. ability to build my own plane. 4. ability to take pics of my air field and put in simulator. 5. you can buy new cables for different radios at a good price.

I think any of the big three would be great to learn on. Just keep in mind that as your skill increases you will want a simulator that can continue to challenge you.

mredican I own a reflex before I get hit by do you own search, Iam sorry or help me>> where are the best download sites and wow ?? put my field in how?