RC Flight simulators

There are three main Flight Sims for the RC Community. Aerofly Professional Deluxe - very good in all aspects

Realflight G3 from Great Planes- Has both good and bad reviews on RC Universe. Then there is the newcomer to the market Reflex XTR There also older versions of both the Great Plane's sim and the Aerofly sim. These can be had at a discount if you do not have to have the latest and greatest software. John

FMS isn't too bad, and it's free.

For electric models, you can't beat the price of CockpitMaster Backyard Edition. [Works with the FMS "PIC" serial interface cables.]

I just got back from the WRAM show where they had demos of all the RC flight sims, many on 42" plasma screens. There were maybe 6 different ones.

There were however only 2 that I spent any time on since the others were not as good- they were the Realflight G3 and the AeroflyPro Deluxe (AFP).

I have to say the physics of the G3 is the best in my hands as far as reproducing what a real RC plane will do. AFP has nicer background graphics if you're into that kind of stuff but the planes do not fly realistically. And AFP does not have the options the G3 does like multiple viewport and binocular view.

I presently have the G2 and yes, the G3 is a tad better but not enough to warrant the purchase. Unless someone wants to buy my G2...

I have RealFlight G2 and it is adequate for just about anything except

3D. G3 is supposed to be better at that but if you don't need it, see the post about G2 for auction.

Jim W

Links to all the ones mentioned:

(disclosure: This is my site)

Personally, I'm cheap, so FMS works for me. Maybe not the best out there, but free. Try to get a radio interface that will work with all of them, then you can make your choice at leisure.

Johan B, South Africa.

swede wrote:

Hi S, I have the Aerofly Pro Deluxe, the G2, and the G3. The G3 is definitely not ready. IMHO, RealFlight released a Beta so they could get it to the retailers before Christmas. The flight model is horrible, not at all realistic. The G2 is good for everything except 3D. I spend 99% of my time on the AFPD because it is the most realistic for 3D, it's the most fun, and photo realistic fields (3) are great. Many aircraft are available online, I downloaded the Funtana 40 as recommended by a buddy who flies both the 40 and 90. He says the AFPD Funtana flies just like the model. I've also been told by chopper types that the AFPD is a better chopper trainer. The only reason I don't sell the G3 is that I use it to demo all three to friends. I thought that RealFlight was going to release a *major* update to repair all the bugs but it seems that they are not going to modify the flight model.

My advice is forget the G3. You'll enjoy the G2 but why spend that kind of money when it doesn't do 3D well. The sim that does it all well and is the most fun to fly, is the AFPD. I'd like to try the MRC Reflex but I'm waaay over my sim budget :-0 Good luck -

I played with ReflexXTR at the WRAM show and bought it. I think it is basically good. The field looks as real as I want it and the airplanes are very real looking. Some of the parameters/planes need tweeking. So far only the planes have crashed and not the computer. 199 dollars. Helicopters , well i dont fly them so i dont have much to compare to. jim

I have RealFlight G2 and G3 and I also have AeroFly Pro Deluxe. G2 was fairly good but doesn't handle 3D at all well. G3 is junk, it was rushed to market long before it was ready. AeroFly beats them both and really excels in 3D.

Tom Moody

I agree fully. Although it may lack all the flash, chrome and fins that some of the commercial packages provide, it's really all I want of this type. If I'm a bit rusty, by the fact the weather has prevented me from getting out to the field and actually fly R/C, then I crank up FMS for a session. It helps me restore my hand eye coordination and responses. At least that's mostly what I want from an R/C simulator, anyway.

Olin McDaniel

If all you like to do is 3D, then get the AFPD. If you want a simulator that will show you how real RC planes fly, get the Realflight G3.

And if you think the 3D feature in AFPD is realistic, try doing it on a real RC plane. Won't happen.

AFPD is good for learning to simulate 3D. But real RC planes don't behave that way. 3D is a fad that will disappear pretty quickly, IMO.

I also predict that people will start building kits again once they get bored with ARFs.

m-m

snip The big kicker to is the support you get with AFPD also. Check out the fourm for flight sims over in RCU and see who is supporting what. AFPD leads the pack on the support. John

yessir and hundreds of free downloadable planes and dozens of sceneries.....and converters to allow conversion of other sceneries to incorporate into AFPD...

it's also pretty easy to put a photorealistic simulation of your own flying field into the simulator! very neat!

nice stuff!

cheers Papa Sharptooth

Bouncing about the living room, my then three year old grandson declared himself "a kangaroo". "If you're a Kangaroo, what is Grampie", I ask. His reply:  "you a dinosaur"

Fine, but all you can really do with it is learn simulated torque-rolls. A fun game with cool graphics but little practical value in learning RC.

m-m

I'm still waiting for Vaudeville to return...

Ed Cregger

Well, I recently saw Reflex XTR Flite Sim at the SoCal IMS Show, and based on how well it does things like Lomcevaks, snap rolls, etc, I rushed off to buy it before really investigating others- I gotta say, it does excellent "3d" stuff. It's possible to set up the model parameters so that it will do aerobatics almost exactly like the real plane, glides in dead stick just like the real ones. The one thing that does bug me however, is the fact that for some lame reason, they have the engine rotation reversed- yes, believe it or not! You actually have to hold LEFT rudder on takeoff, and it will snap to the right easier than left (reversal of reality). The helos are very cool, too, but I'm no judge as to how realistic they are... Paul

Spoken like a true troll who has never used the product.

Really? I was just about convinced that I was imagining the same effect. I wonder if it's a German thing. I seem to notice the same problem in AFPD.

That is the absolute first time I've ever been called a troll. I'm honored (?)

I spent over an hour on the AFPD this past weekend. It lacks many of the features of the G3 or even G2 like multiple viewports and binocular viewing (correct me if I'm wrong). And it just did not feel realistic in flight. The G3 did.

Just my opinion.

m-m