Microsoft Flight Sim

[russainred95]

Anybody have any experience with microsoft flight sim?

Questions:
Is it any good for learning to fly?
has anybody managed to connect their real radio to it?
is it worth buying or is it just a game?
how realistic is it?

link to the software:
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7247972&style=games&cart=668691301

thanks,

Ryan

[jimklein]

MS Flight sim is wonderful for pretending you're a 747 jumbo jet pilot and going across the country.

It is not however good at fast reacting r/c type learning.

[russainred95]

yeah flying an airplane isnt to hard on a sim but im looking to practice flying the heli. do you know anything about the helis?

[archiebald]

Jimklein, I disagree.

You can get USB cables and software that will allow you to use your Tx as a four axis joystick.

In MSFS, you set you viewing position in the tower, or at the runway edge.

You then choose a Cessna and increase the rate of the sim slightly. That used to be possible but I don't know if it still is.

You can do the same thing with a heli.

Before I bough AFDP and then Phoenix, I used to tinker around with MSFS in this way.

It may not be perfect but it helps with learning orientation and landings for a newbie and saves buying an expensive piece of software.

I wouldn't recommend buying MSFS just for this purpose, but if you already have it - then why not try?

[jimklein]

I wouldn't say the MSFS doesn't work - but using FMS freeware & hooking in your transmitter probably would provide better R/C results.

[russainred95]

yeah i have tried fms. but how do i set everything up? i dont even know what half of the controls mean. one button throws my heli into the air the other makes it fall. its a pain to set the controls. i dont see how throwing my heli up an down in the air will help me with the real thing