Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / December 2006

Flight sim... is free too expensive :)

i use FMS, search google for it, totaly free, and pretty good, loads of
planes for it, people make their own, then host them on sites so you can
download the computer version of the plany you have in real life.

That's how i learnt to fly my planes, got a multiplex easystar, multiplex
are very good in that they made their own models for FMS of their planes,
and they fly very accurately to the real thing,
i spent a few weeks on the flight sim, then tried it for real, and never
looked back.

Of course you'll need a cable to connect your trnasmitter to the computer,
if you can solder you can make one up for a few quid, or you can buy a ready
made one for about 20 quid.

But the model flight sim is a very good thing to have, ok it's not exactly
like the real thing, you can move your head about, the computer dosent, so
you loose track of the ground on the sim, but it's a lot easier and cheaper
to try manouvers out on the computer than in real life to start with, get it
wrong on the computer, and you just re-start the sim, get it wrong in real
life and you have to re-build the plane.

I've tried FMS - which is free and OK to get you dealing with orientation
issues.

I bought Clearview (USD 30) - which is more realistic.

There are others, more expensive.

You will also need  a cable (or make one) to connect to your TX

Welcome to the sport!

The best advice to give any beginner is to find their local club and join
it. Go to www.bmfa.org.uk and find the closest club to you. You don't say
what part of the country you are in.
There you will find plenty of advice and experience and with any luck if it
is a club like mine, free instructors to teach you how to fly safely.
Don't forget your BMFA (British Model Flying Association) insurance.

Have a look at one of the monthly model plane mags, my favourite is Model
World from WH Smith or Henderson's etc. There you will find all sorts of
'deals' to complete your model.

RC flying is not difficult to do but is difficult to do well. Many beginners
model's end up in bits in the loft after a disastrous maiden flight. By
joining a club many simple errors can be caught.

Good luck

Ray
Luton & DMAS