I have been using x-plane designed my Austin Meyer for quite some time now and I have found that it makes an excellent flight simulator for model aircraft. The neat thing about x-plane is that it figures out how a plane will fly based on its shape and not a set variable which causes this flight simulator to be extremely realistic. The program comes with plane and airfoil making tools and 60gigabytes of world terrain on 5 DVDs's. Austin is constantly coming out with new free updates, for example in version 8.4 Jet engine windmilling drag is more accurate. This simulator is for full size aircraft but works well with models which it comes with and more can be downloaded or you can make your own experimental models. Your standard radio to computer connection will work or you can use a joystick or game-pad. Like I mentioned earlier this simulator is based on realism and has been approved by the FAA for pilots to log flight time on this simulator but also looks great with 60gigs of real world terrain data. It costs 69.00 dollars so check it out
[link]http://x-plane.com/[/link]

thats not RC

Exactly. And this is why it's aces over MS Flight Sim. This is the same reason that AFPD is aces over G3. Ever wonder why G3 won't replicate gyrocopters? Because they didn't design the physics into the model. Whereas on AFPD no matter what you design is will fly based off the physics of the environment.

It is not for rc but it simulates rc well. You can connect your radio up like other rc simulators and download rc models, the only problem with it which is shared by all simulators is the perspective or not being able to see much except for the airplane. I learned how to fly my first helicopter with it and was successfull with the real thing do to the nature and difficulty of the simulator. Even if you do not use it for rc it is still an awsome simulator well worth the price.

I beg to disagree.
I have both G3 and AFPD. Although I like the way AFPD computes the flight characteristics based on the actual model shape - the planes just fly far too floaty and therefore unreal. The models also seem to have amazing response even when stalled - you can pirouette like a ballerina with zero airspeed. In real life and in G3, your model drops to the ground fast. I also dislike the wind modelling in AFPD - it does not toss and flip your models about but acts as a giant wind tunnel - making it far easier to control than in reality.

I have heard x-plane is indeed good for RC models aswell....
it might not be as perfect as G3 or others... But at least allows me (and others) to design a plane and try before make it
I am going to buy x-plane this week or next week...

and for the price it's ok to try I think

cheers,