Q8SABRE

My Feedback: (3)

How realistic are RC simulators? and do they help you when you go fly?

ftomteen4cat

Erm.. using RealFlight, from my point of view, the simulator feels like the real thing, but the real thing does not feel like the simulator. I hope that makes sense. Maybe it's the adrenaline.

It think it helps. Especially when in situations where you're fumble-fingered, or learning to use the rudder better. You can practice things you would have to think about until they come naturally without digging holes in your flying field. It's done a lot for my rolling circles here in the freezing off-season. I've found it a little easier to concentrate on what I'm doing with the sticks because I can relax more. I also crash a lot more with it, because I can.

I'd buy it again.

Regards

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

I must say yes here. I learned to fly planes before I knew of sims, but when I got into heli's I got one, in the 4+ years of flying and in the last couple doing 3D stuff, I have not crashed to pilot error. I am a firm believer if you get a good sim it will help. My brother, was 14 at the time, I let him have my old sim, he cant fly planes or heli's, he used the sim, got pretty good at the planes so I let him fly a model, he could do it. He practiced flying the heli and got the hang of it a little, let him try my LMH100+, he actually got to hovering it in a shorter amount of time than it took me years ago!

And it good to brush up on flying in bad weather and what not.

danielfd

i learned to fly with real flight im 14 years old and i have placed 3rd in basic and 1st in intermediate so that will prolly answer ur question

PylonWorld

After flying RealFlight for a while, I soloed my first day back at the flying field after 25 years away from the hobby. I knew how to fly somewhat back then, but it was with a different transmitter configuration (mode 1).

My 7 year old son has been flying with it for over a year and a half. We tried the buddy cord during the summer of 2000, but he didn't have much sim experience at that time, and he was overwhelmed. As I've watched his progress on the sim, I could tell when he "had it". So we took my aileron equiped Lite Stik out in the yard and he soloed after 4-5 sessions with the buddy cord.

We're putting him a 40 sized trainer together this weekend, and I don't expect him to have a problem with takeoff and flying. Landing I don't know about, yet. He's still learning about minimum controllable airspeed.

In my opinion they help a lot. It's still good to get an experienced R/C flier to watch you and guide you on the simulator occasionally if possible.

danielfd

i learned to fly with rf i never used a trainer i learned with my dad skybolt using trainer cord the only problems i had were with landing

gubbs3

My Feedback: (1)

You better believe it! I myself just got a Sim, but I talked to a heli guy at the field who was doing 3-D stuff with his heli. He said it was only his second time flying, ever. He had spent the entire winter on a sim, and when spring came, he could do every move in the book.

FCC

I disagree with you guys. Sims can only let you learn the basics of flight characteristics and in actual situations there is lot of difference.

Also spending too much time on sims can also be dangerous as this will adapt your subconscious controls according to the sim and when you actually fly a real model then it will be a bit difficult to adapt to actual flight characteristics and sometimes end to a crash blamming radio or other stuff.

Regarding the price of todays sims are not worth while and if you are a biggenner then try FMS free Sim to become femiliar with basic controls.

shmo46

I use Real flight. For the most part, the fun fly planes fly like fun flys. the Extra type planes tip stall if you push the elevator rates too far just like the real ones. There are also a million settings available like CG, airfoil type, washout, wing size, weight and engine settings such that if a certain plane doesn't fly like your expectations, just make some adjustments. Don't like the fact that the trainer has unlimited vertical? make it heavyer, drop the engine torque and there you have it, a more realistic trainer. too much dihedral effect for you? change it. don't like the airfoil? no problem. What to try some cross wind landings with gusts? guess what?.........

The main value in sims is you can get to know the sticks really well, and fast, in the matter of a couple weeks you can get the equivalent of a years RC experience. Even the worst sim available will train those clumsy thumbs to fly without the pain of dumb thumbing a dozen planes into the ground. a lot of guys at my club are still struggling with the sticks after several months somtimes even years into the sport, while others are buzzing the runway upside down and doing rolling circles. Show me a man who does rolling circles after only a few months, and i will show you a man who has a sim.

They are SIMply marvelous!

RC_Junky

My Feedback: (1)

Ditto that shmo46

I learned to fly on a sim and still practice on it daily.

T28pilot

My Feedback: (2)

I use my Real Flight G2 Religiously!

what a great tool

mvigod

I love RealFlight G2...configured a whole new pc just to run the darn thing! I think it feels alot like the real thing. There will be some differences once you go to the field but for the most part it is amazingly accurate. The sim is a little bit easier so you must kick the wind up and gusts to get closer to reality.

It really helps orientation reflex. I am practicing hovering and knife edge in all kinds of directions and it's easier to get the connection made in the brain using the sim rather than risking your plane. I think it is a great tool and a lot of fun. If you are just learning it can put you way ahead from where you would be without it.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

I kinda agree, but, the sim is going to teach you to do it. I used it for heli's, and I have not crashed to pilot error yet, and do mild 3D. I thank the sim for all of it, and use it to brush up when I cant go to the field. Its not exactly the same as real flying. That is very true, but it will get you flying, and get you doing manuvers without crashing. I practice on the sim until I can do it without error, then do it for real, been working for a couple years now!

spaceace

You can try for yourself if you think RC Simulators work. You can search the web using www.google.com and type in FMS simulator and download a free version and see if you like it. The newest version has new graphics and more realistic aircraft. Or you can visit my info page about the FMS sim and download it free there as well.

www.fmscable.com/fms222.html

Happy Flying
Raymond Cervantes [email protected] www.fmscable.com

Scotty740

I'm a firm believer in flight sims. I spent all of last winter on Real Flight G2 as when I quit that fall I was just into fast forward flight. I practiced loops and rolls on the sim as well as stationary flips and rolls.

The first time out in the spring I couldn't wait any longer and tried a loop for real. Just like on the simulator I though. There was no stopping me then. I went on to do rolls and all the stationary stuff as well as some inverted hovering that I had been practicing. Once I did the first loop I knew that the real thing reacted just like the sim had and I could do anything I had done on the sim.

Blackbird-RCU

Yes! Flight sims are a excellent tool. IMO Real Flight G2 is by far the best. I practiced landings on G2 before I had actually landed my mighty trainer out at the field. When I did land my trainer at the field for the first time, I found that it was much easier to land than it was on G2. I landed my trainer and without hesitation applied full throttle and took off and landed 17 times in a row! I'm not trying to be a bragger here, I have a long way to go to even become a half-*****&@ pilot. But the reason I did land and take off seventeen times in a row was because of G2. On G2 it's harder to land because you cant just automatically look at your plane and then look down to the runway and judge distance, approach, and get a real feeling of depth perception like you can at the field (if that makes sense). I immediately realized this on my first real landing and laughed to myself, all I could think of is this is almost like cheating compared to how I was used to landing on G2. I think that may be the only downfall to G2 is that the landings aren't as realistic as landing out at the field, which in my case was a good thing. Other than that G2 seems extremely close if not dead on to real rc flying. This is not only my opinion but several of my flying friends feel the same way including an instructor who has over 20 years of real flying under his belt,man you should see what he can do with a high torque Cap on G2, he can do the same things at home as on the field. He also says the planes on G2 fly just like their real life counterparts. Anyway sorry if i got long winded on this topic but I really like what G2 has done for me.

JasonD

I was in the RC hobby about twelve years ago. I could do loops and basic landings and take offs. I am getting back into the hobby and am starting to purchase equipment again.

The first thing I purchased was a Dave Brown Simulator 2001. I am very impressed with the flight characteristics of the thing. It's just like I remember it. The take offs ect. I'm also imboldened to do things that I never would do like fly inverted ect. The great thing about Dave brown is that if you need support you can call directly and talk to the man imself, very nice guy.

I have no experience with Real Flight, FMS, Great Planes ect. But after using and talking to Dave Brown I don't think I'll ever switch. Plus he comes out with add on paks once in while for more planes.

For basic training, and intermediate acrobatics I would definately recommend Dave Brown 2001. With the great tech support he provides and the hardware fly box he gives you for 129.99 it is an incredible bargain.

Also you can fly helicopters, which I'm experimenting with.


Jason

Turbinator-inactive

Realflight G2 is pretty damn realistic. The helicopters has taught me to hover much better. Only the jets seems to be a little on unrealistic side

Peter

wood

My Feedback: (2)

We ran G2 till 4 AM on two different saturday nights before our trainers went up.

I watched him do it, and I think I heard him laugh!

G2 works for me too!