Newbies

[Spence]

Hi All, Like Clarky been away with work but good to see the thread giving some sound advise, i bought a sim the other day and although the graphics are not great it does give an idea of flying, and taking off etc.
Just how realsitic are they? Does it give an accurate idea of flying? Im really enjoying it though and i also have a choice of planes and heli's!!! Andrew well done on your maiden flight, i crashed my plane on its first flight....heartbreaking. Gonna practice with sim then buy an Arising star.
Have a good week, and safe flying at weeken.
Spence.

[Andrew Gardiner]

thanks spence
they are o.k only problem i find is depth perception and the fact the plane disappears very quickly and i find it difficult to land with it.
a few of the guys at the club have commented on difficulties using them but after all they are only a learning tool to give the basic idea of flight and to try out new moves etc i wouldnt totaly rely on them as after all it is a computer controled environment and you can never recreate natural conditions in a virtual world.

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Spence, I will say that if you stick to basic trainers and circuits and landings then even the cheaper simulators are excellent. I am a big advocate of the RealityCraft PlaneMaster as I have used it, and it responds really quickly to control inputs, the FMS software is very sluggish and to be honest I didn't get on with it. To give you an idea of how I got on, I flew 25 years ago, I was never really very good, always preferring to build than to fly. I could do a roll and a loop, but if the loop wasn't straight over the top I couldn't correct. I could do a few seconds of inverted flight but little more. To be honest I think I was frightned LOL. I bought the sim and set it up on the spare PC at home and every time I made a coffee I would fly a circuit while waiting for the kettle to boil. After a month or so I could fly inverted all day, and land exactly on the dotted line down the middle of the runway every time. I passed my "A" after 4 flights with an instructor who never had to intervene. I was out flying my Formosa last night flyinf inverted circuits at 10 feet. It has changed my flying dramattically. I am also flying a tiny 28" Tucanno that is soooo sensitive many flyers simply cannot handle it. I am not wishing to blow my own trumpet but I put it all down to the simulator. I have no idea whether they are accurate for 3-d as that isn't my scene, but for making inputs instinctive which is how they should be, then they are great. If you have to think prop the dropping wing up on approach, you need more time on the sim, it should be instinctive LOL - Sorry to go on, but this is a subject I am very keen on and am so impresed with technology, it would have saved me many a model when I flew years ago.

[Andrew Gardiner]

hi danney i to have the reality craft plane master it is good and has helped no end in giving me a sense of control before flying i can fly inverted on a sim no prob and do all kinds of aerobatics but my point is we shouldnt hype these things up to much as it may install a false sense of confidence and abillity in a new pilot and have them belive they can do things on the field because they can do it on the sim when they just plain cant and before you know it models are match wood and people give up we need to remember these are just computer games at the end of the day and you cant replace flying at the field and feeling the effects wind etc has on a plane.
i agree they are a wonderfull learning tool for trying new things without risking models but you can never replace getting the plane up and doing it for real.

[Danny Fenton]

I am not sure I totally agree Andrew, as at the end of the day confidence plays a big part. If you can do it on the sim then you stand a chance of doing it for real. I have found the difference between doing it on a Wot 4 IC and the Formosa is the Formosa can be flown close so you can see whats happening. The IC models tend to fly faster and higher, you also have never got the certainty that power is going to come in when you need it.
The other thing that cannot be simulated is the ability to judge speed, and develop feel for an airframe, when does it look right when does it feel right. I have flown with people who never have acquired the ability to feel how a model is flying, just aas there a better drivers than others there are better flyers. The simulators give you the chance to develop instinctive inputs, you are right the thing they don't cater for is sloppy servo linkages, buffeting, and sick engines but the stick responses are the same.

[Spence]

I understand all of your comments and they are greatfully recieved, your right Andrew you cannot get a "real" feel for it without feeling the wind in your face etc.....

I bought an E-sky sim, it gets damn addictive though, every night i try and do the perfect loop!!!!

[Andrew Gardiner]

i agree with you danny and you've hit the nail on the head with what i was trying to say the sim will only do what you tell it to do and does not cater for natural wind and airframes etc etc thats why i dont totally depend on it to learn i found the differnce between the sim and my arising star my model reacted slightly differently to the sim and caught me out a couple of times and the instructer had to save it.
i dont contest they are a valuable tool when learning to fly and when you've learnt but remember your plane will in most cases behave differantly to the sim so be wary.

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Andrew, all models behave differently Andrew thats why we build different models isn't it? I dare say there is a model out there that will fly just like the trainer in a sim, the trick is to feel the model, whether it be virtual or whether real. For example if you can fly the reality Craft 4 channel trainer spot on, then try the Me-109 it tip stalls like a brute, but can be mastered by keeping a bit more speed on they all fly differently and take a little while to adjust to, just like the models. My Tucano is closer to the 109, you don't so much flare as aim it! LOL I am only expressing my feelings Andrew, it worked brilliantly for me, but I have been flying full size since I was very young so maybe I do have a natural feel, and only neede the external co-ordination, I don't know.

[Andrew Gardiner]

i might have a go with that 109 just for a laugh lets see how many times i can turn it to match wood i have had success with the spitfire on the sim rolls like a dream really nice to fly

[Danny Fenton]

Oh I agree the spit flies so nice, undercarriage is a little narrow makes ground handling and crosswind landings a little iffy, but half throttle lazy chandelles are my sort of flying. I am not sure if a 109 would fly that badly, I think an overweight one would LOL so maybe it is a good test for those that don't build light models :)

[Andrew Gardiner]

yeah but the me 109 is even worse for that as wings arnt strong enough to take the landing gear so it got a narrow track. i like a little venom in a model thats why i got a sc 46A in my trainer goes like stink at full bore

[Darren Kirmond]

Hi all,
I just wanted to plead the virtues of FMS as a simulator. The beauty of it is that it gets better all the time. With it being in the public domain, there are alot of talented people out there providing some tasty aircraft and other addons for FMS. Anybody that purchased E - Sky can take advantage of this. There are some excellent links on the FMS website and all the downloads are free. The other sims are slicker, but you can't beat FMS for value.

There are some great planes here:
http://lotus49b.hp.infoseek.co.jp/download.html

Mustangs, Spits, all sorts....but no Sea Fury. If anyone knows of a Sea Fury for FMS.................
Cheers all

[Matthew Gray]

Hi guys. Iv been up to my local club twice and had a buddy flight. I really enjoyed it an i am joining the club in the next few weeks. I am also buying a trainer soon as well. I havnt got a model flight sim but i love microsoft flight simulators- they really help

[Matthew Gray]

I am getting a ripmax trainer 40 deal from www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk. Good value for money. Get everything u need

[Danny Fenton]

Welcome Matthew, and yes the package you are looking at does give good value, let us know how it goes?

[Spence]

Hi Darren, thanks for the link, but how do you download the planes? Its all in chinese and i cant seem to save the planes anywhere.....any ideas please.?Do i download to disc, save to desk top? I ahve an fms e-sky sim by the way.

[Darren Kirmond]

Hi Spence,
Have you got a program called WinRar? It's freely available for down load ( if you haven't got it you'll find loads of links for it on Google). What I do is save these .rar files to a folder on my desktop and then unzip the lot in one go. I copy these to the Planes folder in the root directory...C:\Program Files\FMS\Model typically. If you still have trouble with this I'll be glad to lend a hand. Do you have a bit torrent client?

[Spence]

Cheers Darren, Dunnit!! Some great planes available, liking the jets alot!!!

Many thanks for the help, gotta go as too many planes to fly!!!!!!!1

[Matthew Gray]

Hi danny. Will let you know when i have my first flight. Does anyone have a recomendation for a model flight sim or know where i can get hold of one?

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Matthew I used RC PLaneMaster by Realitycraft which is available from most good model shops, I know Clive at the Model Factory in Stonnal (Midlands) has loads in stock both mode 1 and 2. There are many on the market, even some free ones. There are several threads on this site extolling the virtues of each. Have a rummage, if you are still struggling let me know

[Danny Fenton]

Cured the engine problems in my WOT 4, fitted an 800 watt electric motor and 6 x A123 cells - no more deadsticks for me :)

[Myron Beaumont]

Darren
Thanks for the info on FMS. Have just downloaded plus WinRar and extra models from the Japanese site. Still prefer Realitycraft but will give it a go

[David Pymm]

Hello everyone, cannot believe how much this thread has grown since I was last on here, Have been doing the dreaded W word offshore for 3 weeks, then I went away on holiday so no flying over the last month, however before I went away I subscribed to RCM&E and had the Picoo Z mini helicopter waiting for me when I got back. Now I am not shfting my allegence to helicopters, and I know its only a "toy" but its a good laugh flying the little heli, and trying to get it go somewhere near where you are pointing it. I keep trying to convince myself that is valuable "stick time" being had while its raining outside.

[Andrew Gardiner]

hi all had some stick time on sat but had to shoot early as had to visit family but instructor had me practiceing landing approachs having probs with fuel and had to do a dead stick landing for REAL!!!!!!
instructor shouted dead stick then said u land it i was shaking never landed with power let alone without but managed it just about even if i did over shoot the runway by quite afew feet.
the other guy who is learning with me who has been a member longer cant belive how well i'm doing he cant understand how i'm doing loops and rolls and even pulled off a split s with a half roll from inverted flight told him it's the sim but he thinks the instructor is doing it not me as he cant do it and has been flying longer but when i get that a b4 him and do it with out a buddy lead may be then he'll belive me rained off today and looks like it will be the same tomorrow
keep you posted

[Andrew Gardiner]

also i'm looking for my next model but want to build from kit any ideas must have a engine size of .61 2 stroke .91 4 stroke or under due to club rules thanks guys
NO WOT 4'S AS I HATE THEM UGLY LOOKING THINGS THEY ARE