What Sim Do You Use?

[Aros]

I've used Real Flight for years. Absolutely love it, and I owe that sim the credit for being the flyer I am today. I am running 7.5 and looking forward to 8 whenever it comes out. The physics are outstanding. I've heard good things about other sims but this is the one I've always used. What about you?

[boomer108]

I've used Clear Flight since getting back into rc, but it's limited in content. I'm looking a getting the newest Real Flight from Motion. I've heard good things about it.

Roy B.

[Aros]

Yeah you really can't go wrong with Real Flight. I've heard good things about Phoenix and Aerofly as well but I have no experience with them.

[Alpha]

I use both Real Flight and Phoenix. Both are great in my opinion. Chevy and Ford, some people really love one or the other, but I've seen that most like both just the same.

[fhhuber]

You can learn something from any flight sim.

For a long time I used Microsoft Flight Sim ver 4 (that's OLD) mostly flying the Cessna from tower view. I found that turning off the damage due to G forces allowed my to fly the 737 like a Pattern aerobatic airplane :p

FMS is free and decent for learning basics.

None of the sims are great for teaching depth perception and it can be really hard to land on the runway without use of multiple inset windows. The newer versions of Real Flight and the other commercial RC flight sims are getting better here.

Wind effects, especially over obstructions near the runway is another place the sims have trouble being realistic.

[doctormike]

I don't know about Real Flight, but I've used a Phoenix for years. It's very close to realistic flying, but a little too easy for an experienced pilot. I've tried boosting the experience level, but it's still not quite like flying a real model. It has great options as far as wind speed, direction, gust, etc. Doc

[Aros]

I've found it depends on the model. Some stock and add-ons can be really unrealistic while others are incredibly realistic.

[Shirty]

I use Phoenix too. I've found if I play around with the advanced settings, I can get it somewhere remotely resembling the real deal. :)

[Konrad]

Phoenix is also my sim of choice. It has the most realistic physics engine and one can manipulate it to get the best possible match to ones "real world" model. Some sims fly like model has a heavily gained gyro. The interaction of mass and aerodynamic forces are not well matched with some of the other well known sims. The Phoenix sim excels when dealing with helis as this mass and aerodynamic engine are well modeled. The core value of a sim is how realistic the model reacts, not how nice the photos and flying fields look.

Disclaimer; I haven't bought a sims in about 5 years.

All the best,
Konrad

[Pauly]

I've never really tried the Phoenix. I have seen it's a big supporter with Eflite. I've only used Real Flight 7.5 and only have good things to say about it. The graphics are the best and really has some neat things from the challenges and FPV. I give a two thumbs for Real Flight (and would be more if I had more thumbs.)

[doctormike]

I like your avatar. I soloed in a J3 in 1963. What a fun plane. Doc

[F106DeltaDart]

I also use Phoenix. Great for helis, for sure. I bought it to practice flying helis and never really messed much with airplanes on the sim. Would be nice to see them do more fully 3D modeled environments instead of the old wrapped picture backdrops. Depth perception can be very difficult with the picture-type environments.

[Shirty]

A lot of the guys in Europe that use Phoenix make their own flying sites you can download. I have over 100 sites in my version, some of them are very good and modelled quite well. Others arnt though, it is pretty hit and miss when you try sites made by others for Phoenix.

[Aros]

Real Flight has some really nice stock photo sites...Some of the add-ons from customers are pretty bad...Once in awhile a customer will offer up a nice quality photo site with high resolution. Same with the planes. Some very nice stock models and add-ons.

[martmichals]

I'm quite cheap, so I use a free flight sim with limited models and not-so-great physics, but I still love playing around on it, learning 3D maneuvers and whatnot. It's called PicaSim. It really is great, I've never had problems with it. Btw, sick avatar, Aros.

[Aros]

...Btw, sick avatar, Aros.

Why thank ya, thank ya very much. :D

[dobent4@yahoo.com]

I very used the Real Flight for a long time, I think my latest upgrade is 5.5 ? I just love the thing. Dependable as a stone and does a fine job in simulation.

[Dewey H Lee]

I had been flying Phoenix until my son had a friend to work on my computer. It was great. Then my son's friend done a wipe of my computer to fix a sd card reader problem and now it runs jerky. Was going to get a new laptop but they all come with Windows 10 and I've found through research that it is very difficult to get it to run with that.

[Shirty]

You can back the program up (prob a bit late to tell you that I know sorry), and reload it. I've had to do it myself. Not sure about Windows ten I'm still reluctant to use it.

[Dewey H Lee]

Thanks Shirty..
My son and the computer geeks shop have even worked on it. Spent 140 bucks for them to relax everything and they still can't get it right. Bought the Phoenix simm less than a year ago from my favorite LHS.