Hi Guys,

I'm considering purchasing a flight sim and want to get one that will best suit pattern flying.

Which one do you guys use and what makes it good for pattern?

Advice appreciated.

Thanks
Scott

I currently have Aerofly RC7 and Real Fight 7, had the previous version of the same sims, from Aerofly Pro Deluxe and the Realflight3.5 and on, also had the Phoenix and sold it. i could not stand the fact the CG of the Integral in Phoenix had to be in the L.E. Of the horizontal stabilizer.

The first two are the best, either one, very similar in beviour, both with great graphics, but, for F3A , the RC7 is the sim, it is actually the only Sim wich includes F3A planes and grid, it has the Amethyst, Spark and Visa, there are other in both sims but this are the only models I fly, mostly the Amethyst, It now has aircraft trace, something I used a lot in the AFPD! And now it's back in the RC7, in simulation is very difficult to check simetry and trace is the function with wich you can see what you have been doing.

I highly recomend you the Aerofly RC7 for F3A training.

best regards

Alejandro P.

Thanks for the info Alejandro.

A few of us use Phoenix. You can go online and fly pattern with some of the guys on here with Phoenix, with comments and stuff from each other. It's a decent sim. I don't know what's come out in the past 2 years but out of the few that I've tried, I like it. I used an older version of Aerofly and liked that too. I did not like Realflight for pattern flying.

Phoenix comes with a few pattern planes. You can pretty well edit all the flight characteristics. As long as the plane 'feels' right the setting numbers it shouldn't matter too much.

Thanks Joe.

I ordered the Aerofly RC7 Ultimate last night.

I think that should be good.

I have Aerofly 5.7 - are you saying this version does not have "trace"? i never heard of it before but it sounds great.

I had to download the grids from the forum, but they are very helpful.

I use the Spark, but I had to modify it because there was hardly any drag. I think it's in Edit Model > AirFrame > Fuselage > Fuselage Aero. Experiment with higher numbers and it works great!

Hello,

Unless they included the function in a new update, the trace was on AFPD but removed on AF5.x, they included the function back in RC7, the grid is ok, but to fit all the maneuvers in the grid makes the airplane really small, but the trace makes more sense, you can "see" the maneuver geometry, and it is what matters to me.

Best regards

Alejandro P.

I have RF7 transmitter interface version, so I'm using it with one of my old JR 11Xs since I'm using the XG11 for flying these days. I've always been impressed with the user interface, physics, and adjustability of the model parameters in Real Flight. The AJ Spark Evo II edited makes a wonderful flying airplane. I almost bought AeroFly as I loved it when I had it before, but living in Champaign next door to Hobbico, RF7 was the more convenient choice. I will probably get AF7 when I move home because I do love that simulator and the variety of models that it offers.

Phoenix simulator flat out sucks. Everything about it is bad. I can't see how anybody flies it. For helicopters, it's not terrible, but it's the worst airplane simulator I've ever flown.

Aerofly 7 simply the best....

Alejandro,

Didn't notice that the grid makes the planes small, but this is the grid that is an add on - are you saying it is included in RC7?

I installed grids for 3 fields (Neuberg/Donau is the best). Flying at 150m makes the plane quite small but I compensate for it by a) wearing glasses & b) narrowing the field of view. Can't amke the field of view too narrow, though, or you can't see the centerline soon enough when approach from the ends of the field. This is one reason why I think the new scale plane size in RC7 sounds quite interesting. I am definitely considering an upgrade.

Bill