hey guys, I want to buy a flight simulator and I was wondering what would be the best one for me to purchase? also- do most of them come with a radio(controller)? thanks!

I'll bet this one gets some answers. Standby!

It depends on what you want to do. Do you want to fly helicopters, small airplanes, large airplanes, gliders etc? All sims can help you learn flight orientation, but beyond that each one has positive and negative aspects depending on what you want to do.

The best sims are the ones I have

I bought MRC's Reflex 5.04 sim and so far I'm disappointed with it as it doesn't have a printed manual with it and the only version I can access is in german! No sprecanzie doich.

I would go for Realflight G4. Although a bit exspensive you get about 60 planes, helicopters, gliders and some other stuff, and now they are releasing the addons for free!

Andrew

Folks,

I am in the same boat. I wish to buy a flight sim in the next couple months and run it on my iMac via Bootcamp & XP.

Physics is important to me that's up there on my priorities. I want the planes to behave as they would in real life. The most important characteristics are:
1) Flying aerobatic/3-D parkfliers (foamies and balsa)
2) Flying glow sport planes & scale planes
3) Physics . . . physics . . . physics . . . for these planes
4) Flying off of water is something I would like too, but can live without if physics for the planes is realistic and water is unavailable in the sims.

I fly electric park fliers, but would also like experience flying scale glow planes. I would like to save the batts on my transmitter, but I am willing to use it if necessary.

I would like training on water as I aim to add floats on my plane and fly off the Sacramento River on a dead calm day.

I am not the heli type, but my mind could be swayed by a sim

My goal is to spend $225 or less.

I am leaning towards RealFlight G4, because I have used it at my LHS a few times and they are releasing all 5 expansion packs for FREE for the people who buy G4.

I have referred to this comparison chart:
http://www.emptynestgames.com/rc_sim_chart.html

It's helpful.

I've heard that Ikarus Aerofly Delux Pro has better physics than RealFlight, but according to the chart above Hangar Nine's program (which is only $99) has the BEST physics.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Help.

Jeremy

For $99 it would be hard to walk past FSOne especially if you are concerned with Plane Physics.

Thank you. Is there a downside to FSOne? From what I can tell, there are less planes and options (such as water take-offs).

Let me also ask this, between all of the available high-end name brand sims do the physics they include equally help you improve as a pilot at the field?

Downside to any of the sims? Almost every one of them have large followings that feel their favorite has few or none. And they're probably right. For example, the fewer planes for the lesser supported sims don't seem to matter to those who use their favority to just practice with a model.

Noone I know who flies at my fields and also flies a sim has any complaints that their sim has incorrect physics. Truth is, the popular sims all improve your piloting skills. I practice inverted flat spins and such with my sim, and get the same results on the pc or at the field. Same stick movements give the same results at home or at the field. So if there is some other sim with better physics than the sims I got, I'll be darned if I know how it'd help me improve "better".

Thx da Rock.

I hear what you are saying loud and clear and I have seen the hardcore followings each sim does or does not have.

I guess it comes down to the options that I want. That's what I will look for.

Choices, choices, choices.

With $99 for FSOne you definitely don't get all the bells and whistles, but I am not sure that bells and whistles improves my piloting either. I would like a variety of 3D electric and sport glow planes though and water to practice on.

Jeremy