ironbadge

Hello everyone,

I used to fly some RC planes, mostly trainer. I was out of this hobby for few years due to some difficulties. Now I'm back, just a little, because difficulties are still there but I love working with and flying RC aircraft. I've never flown a chopper before. Honestly, I prefer planes, but choppers need less space. Now my son and I have an Axe CP (being fixed) and a HBK2 (being setup).

I believe a flight sim would be useful for us. There are Esky ($20), Greatplanes ($200), and Hangar 9 ($100) flight sims. I watched some videos and I see that the Hangar 9 flight sim looks realistic and the price seems right too.

I'm sure many of you tried these. Please discuss which one is decent for me.

Thanks a lot!

Happy flying!

Simages

Welcome back ironbadge -

I left the RC hobby ten years ago leaving behind all my RC related planes, equipment, tools and gadgets that I owned. It was a sad day for me made easier by a friend who I left everything with. You see he just started into the hobby and the look of delight on his face well, I never looked back……….

That said; I returned to the hobby 2 years ago however; never having owned helicopters, my fiancé bought me a Falcon 3D from Hobby-Lobby that was the hook…… now the old "pucker factor" feeling creeps back from the days of my first Airplane solo.

Back then a Flight Sim helped me to solo the plank, but the heli is much different (harder) and IMO a simulator is even more of a must! I will say this first; ask ten folks and you’re probably going to get ten different answers.......

As you know, there are many sims on the market and priced from FREE to a few hundred dollars. I guess the first thing to determine is Price, how old is your computer and do you need a controller. Then what quality or realism do you want or expect. While starting out it's a great tool because it helps to develop the stick movements or "muscle memory". It helps me to curb the desire to go fly too!

I will say that Clearview is very realistic and a Personal License is still - $39.95. Besides Stefans' support is fantastic as well! I use to fly Realflight G2/G3/G3.5, AeroFly Pro, Clearview but since PhoenixRC I never look back. However; you need a controller for PhoenixRC.

To help with your research and decision, I have some Simulator links created in [link=http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/gallery/56746/?script=Simulator]My Gallery HERE[/link]
Hope this helps -

Simages

Just saw this posted by AJ Clark in another thread; You can still get [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXNYN1]Realflight G3.5 from tower hobbies for $119.98[/link], plus another $10.00 off with their ad number discount.

mr. ilikehelp

i bought clearview and really enjoy it. it has a lot of options and the spaces look real but the helis close up look bad(kinda) but for the money its great.

ironbadge

Hi guys,
Thanks a lot for your inputs.
I spent some times watching the videos [link=http://www.fsone.com/Features/Gallery.aspx#sites]here[/link] of the FS One. It looks very realistic. I also downloaded the Realflight G3.5 and G4.0 and played with them and they also look really great. Both the Clearview and PhoenixRC sims will need a controller, which is a little complicated for a newbie like me. I think I will need a little more study to consider.
Again, thanks a lot!
Happy flying!

Ken4

I've tried Aerofly Professional Deluxe, Realflight G3.5 and Reflex XTR. I recommend Reflex XTR, most realistic for helis. Additional helis, scenerys available here:

http://www.rc-sim.de/dl_engine/index...8c887de9a3fa39

ironbadge

Hi Ken4,
Thanks a lot for your advice.
Is there a demo for the Reflex XTR sim? I could not find a full description for it therefore I don't know its features. I checked the link you gave but I can't read German.
There is a review [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=813]here[/link] in RCU and one RCU member said there is no English manual for this sim. He also provided a link for the [link=http://www.emptynestgames.com/rc_sim_chart.html]flight sims comparison chart[/link].

I have a core 2 dual, 2 GB mem, 512 MB video card pc so it can handle the G4. However, G3.5 and FS One fit my budget. There are a lot of add-ons for G3.5 but the FS One is said more realistic. Hard to decide

Jamming

Buy the 3.5 from tower hobbies, It's a great sim with much better support than most and is expandable.

ironbadge

Honestly I'm considering the G3.5 because it seems to be widely supported. I am a little reluctant because it looks a little "gaming." The G4 is superb but its price is almost double [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I've used Real Flight G4 and Fsone, I like them both but just couldn't spring the exta $ for my own copy of G4 so Mrs Claus brought me Fsone for Christmas. If money was no concern I'd get the G4, but I think FSone is a better value considering what you get for the money. Not sure about G4 but I know you can also use your own transmitter if you want with FSone.

ironbadge

Hi Simages,
Thanks a lot. I decided to buy the G3.5 and ordered it last minute last night to take advantage of the promotion plus free shipping. The final cost was $109 something.
The G4 is definitely sexier and works fine with my Thinkpad X61 but for some reasons it crashes in my Dell XPS 400 (which is much more powerful than my laptop).

Hi hugger-4641,
Thanks a lot for your input. You're lucky 'cause Mrs. Claus is around I don't have a chance to try FS One but yes I have the feeling that FS One looks more realistic. Since you've worked with both of them, can you make a comparison? What you like and don't like about them? Also, have you found any source(s) for extra stuff such as airfields and aircraft for FS One? I cannot find any add-ons source for FS One but there is [link=http://knifeedge.com/forums/downloads.php]a mine of add-ons for G3.5[/link] and that hooked me with G3.5.
Well, I might need to find my Mrs. Claus. She's around, but I need to find a way to explain why I need two of these... and why she does not need two gold bracelets on her hand...

Simages

Cool...... can't beat that deal $109
For starters you have done the right thing so, start searching for file variant downloads and/or color schemes to add to the program. Keep in mind that many of them are made using the "add-on" packs which need to be installed in order for them to load....

[link=http://knifeedge.com/forums/downloads.php]Knife Edge Forum Swap Pages[/link]

Have fun and Practice Practice Practice!

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I think FSone is a little more realistic, especially the pano's, but I haven't found a lot of expansions or uprages for FSone. The ones I have found are @ hobbyzone.com, they also carry Real Flight. I'm still getting aquainted with FSone, so I'll post any significant differences I see as soon as I can! But I wouldn't stress Mrs claus unless you're just really into flying on simulator's, I'm just using mine to help practice aerobatics and pacify me when I can't fly for real!!!

ironbadge

Hi Simages,
It was the Swap Pages that convinced me to go with G3.5. Like Hugger-4641 said, I feel (cause I have not actually used) FS One is a little more realistic too. But I am pretty sure that with more add-ons, any flight sim would be more interesting for the long run. If FS One has a great support forum like G3.5's Swap Pages then I would definitely go with it. FS One is like a pretty woman, prettier than G3.5, but G3.5 is the one who has more things to explore with...

Hi Hugger-4641,
I flew fixed wing for 3 years and I used to think that a sim was nothing more than a toy because I did not actually fly anything thus I could not actually learn anything including setup, preflight check, precaution, carefulness, patience... Now I am trying heli and I can see how frustrating it is and I changed my mind. Partially because flying heli is very different from flying a plane: the first lesson is hovering and the heli almost stays in front of the pilot. I could say that a sim would be of great help for learning hovering and even flying a heli.

My son (11) loves his HBK2 (from me, not from Santa ). Problem is, he never touches a TX before let alone flying anything. This is where the sim would be useful. I may end up getting another set so we can fly together. Oh and yes, since the sims are getting more and more sophisticated, who knows which one is more fun: flying at the field or flying at the desk. If so, then I may need to talk to Mrs. Claus

Happy New Year and Happy flying!

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

OH I definitely agree that a simulator is not just a toy. I've used them to teach people with as well as help myself learn how to do Knife Edges and other manuevers that I was a little nervous trying to perform the first time on a real plane. I am also starting to get into Heli's and have been practicing that on the sim also. Your right, its harder than flying a plane, and the sim is a big help . I just meant that for me, as a somewhat skilled pilot, It doesn't replace getting outside and doing the real thing! So I was just saying that I personally wouldn't bother getting more than one simulator unless I just had the extra $ or had a particular purpose that couldn't be met by the one I had.!

Happy New Year and Happy flyin to everyone, hope your weather's been better than mine!

ironbadge

Hi Hugger-4641,

I agree with you that the sim is only an assisting/teaching tool and cannot substitute the real things and cannot provide us with all the feelings while on the real fields. However I think you would agree that simulator software have a long huge improvement step since the day we flew the DOS version Stealth F-117. As I know, now we can "fly" at online virtual fields with the Realflight sims. This would be real fun for rainy/snowy days though yeah nothing can compare with the real things at the real fields

You're right! It is impractical getting additional flight sims if not for additional purposes/functions. However I might get another G3.5 (or G4) for my son. We are both video/computer game junkies and he is now looking towards flying a chopper. He's 11 now - a little late though

My G3.5 is shipped out early this morning

Cheers!

bigireland

dang.. just ordered G4.5.. recommended by my brother.. i'm just hoping my lappy toppy can handle it even at the lowest setting..

ironbadge

What is the spec of your laptop?
G4.5 system requirements is posted [link=http://www.realflight.com/requirements/g45_system.html]here[/link].

bigireland

I think I meet the minimum.. 1.4ghz proc, 1gb ram, plenty of hdd space.. My only concern is that I don't have a dedicated video card.. Even so, if I remember correctly, the Intel chipset allocates 32mb to video.. So if I'm get by, it will be by just a hair..

ironbadge

My Thinkpad X61 has 2GB RAM installed but it doesn't have a dedicated video card. I tried G4 flawlessly. As I know, you can manually allocate the memory for the video card. RAM is cheap these days anyway.

DarkStarPDX

I'm pretty sure the integrated Intel video chipsets aren't compatible with 4.5. Once installed you could try downgrading to 4.0 and see if that works, but you would probably be better off getting a refund and finding 3.5 or an older version...

ironbadge

I tried G4 but I have not tried G4.5 so I don't know whether G4.5 works with my Thinkpad X61.
If it's not compatible then you should not open the CDs/DVD because most of the vendors/manufacturers do not accept return/refund for opened CDs/DVD.

bigireland

Well I won't see the package for at least another 12 days.. I'll let you know once I get it..

marg2

Guys friend game his g3.5 with radio but radio is damaged, his dog needed something to play with, i have a clearview with the control but teh g3.5 dont reconicze the interface even i put the radio serial, do I have to but another control for the g3.5? just wonder if these freebe will cost me money!
Thanks Mariano

Bugzilla

How much/what kind of damage? You may be able to contact tech support at knifeedge.com and tell them what happened, and they will give you advise for fixing it or sending it in to get it fixed or replaced. RealFlight will not work with any controller but the Interlink because it needs the programming in it to validate the software so it will run. Even when you use your own tx from a heli, you still have to have the interlink plugged in and the radio patched through it. Even if it costs you a little for shipping and stuff, you are still getting the sim cheaper than if you bought it outright, and no, they do not sell just the interlink, sucks I know, but that's the way they do it.