I really want to get a SIM and I have been reading posts and reviews on this website for about two weeks now. I am an intermediate fixed wing pilot mostly into electric power planes. Picking a SIM is all about physics to me and graphics second as a bonus. I want a SIM that has a good feel in the air. I'm learning pattern flying and soon may get into 3D. I feel I have narrowed my preferences to FS One and AFPD. I know AFPD is older so the graphics aren't as good as FS One but the plane selection is much better. However when I watch videos of AFPD the planes look like they just sort of "stay" in the air. Maybe the videos were done by awesome pilots, but something just doesn't "look" right to me. To me when I watch videos of FS One they seem to react more real in the air. I do not have a hobby shop anywhere near me so there is no chance of trying either one out anytime in the future.

Can someone tell me what they think of the two SIMs I listed and tell me their impressions. If anyone has owned both SIMs how do they compare in your opinion? Also, am I missing or leaving out other SIMs that I should take a second look at? I know of G3.5 and Phoenix, but I don't want to use my own transmitter as the controller so that puts Phoenix back and I just have never been a fan of Real Flight.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Why not use your own TX which is what you will use at the field?

part of the realism for me is the switch config, stick length and spring tension of the tx. something you will never get right using dummy TX's so phoenix is worth a second look. take a look round the forums and make sure you have all the FACTS about all the sims (quite hard to do sometimes due to unfair and excessive moderation on some of them, to a point where they edit out links to their own reviews...)

Ade

There are some recent reviews of FS One here:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=832

http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=7&ID=170

http://www.modelairplanenews.com/reviews/flightsims.asp

Michael

same for phoenix

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/announcement.asp?id=247

http://www.trextuning.com/phoenix.php

Ade

I ended up ordering FS One and recieved it yesterday. I am very pleased with it. The planes feel very good and the instructional videos are great. I love the initial selection of aircraft and look forward to more planes being available in the near future. I installed the software and downloaded patch 1.05 without any problems. The menus are intuitive and it's very easy to make a copy of a plane and adjust aircraft parameters. I haven't tried the helocopters but I haven't flown an RC helocopter so I wouldn't be able to say how they fly in comparison to their real world versions.

I have a cap 232 and although I haven't flown it in a couple years the one simulated flies pretty much like I remember mine flying after I made a few adjustments to the CG. My dad recently started flying with me and he has been flying my old Slo-V. I let him try it in the simulator and he said it felt just like it did in real life. The Slo-V is slightly tail heavy and has little power especially in a slight breeze. I put a slight breeze in the simulator and it flew so close to real life it wasn't even funny.

I used the included TacCon controller and my own JR transmitter and didn't have a problem with either. The calibration process was simple with both. The controller felt very good compared to my transmitter and I have no complaints.

I think the flight physics are great and I am very impressed with the dynamic feel to the simulation. Although I consider myself an intermediate pilot and my dad a beginner the software was great for both my dad and me. Bottom line it actually feels very realistic and I am very pleased with my purchase. If anyone else out there is considering buying a simulator in the near future I recommend FS One.

One note, I was able to try both AFPD and RF G3.5 at a fellow club members house a couple days ago. I only spent an hour with each, so I don't have a lot of experience with them, but I am very glad I decided on FS One it just has a better feel.