ourobouros2k2
Heliman
Location: okc area, Oklahoma
| limited experienceI have only two that I have tried, realflight 3.5 and FMS packaged with a crappy 4ch usb controller.
I totally credit my ability not to stuff my birds on the constant practice I get on realflight. Graphics are great and the flight models are awesome. Basically it taught me to fly in absence of an instructor or mentor. Transitioning to real life is a bit different, as sweaty palms and nervous jitters abound in the absence of a red reset button. I have got to play with g4, and while much of it remains the same, the included controller is much better and I love the graphics (beautiful rotor disk, lighting engine, etc...).
I bought the Century Helicopters bundle pack for FMS. I figured that since my laptop in my patrol car didn't dream of running 3.5, I needed something that it would run. Nothing like being able to practice heli flying at 5am when nothing is about, lol. Anyway, FMS is a lot harder to get going, in fact, you have to use a program which emulated a serial port just to get it initialized (at least the program was bundled with the pack, as were a bunch of extra planes, landscapes, and helis). The controller bundled with the pack leaves little to be desired, but it is functional for the role that it was designed for. At 39 bucks, I wasn't expecting realflight, but there were a few problems I had with the FMS package...
1. Graphics are nowhere near on par with realflight. I expected this, so it was an easy workaround.
2. No idle up options or throttle cut. No way to practice autos, and such. You can still do stunts, because the flight models of most of the included helis are already in stunt mode with a fair amount of negative pitch. My thing was that I wanted to practice autos the same way I would on g3.5 but no dice.
3. Flying areas are much more cramped. Again this is a smaller program than 3.5 and something that I decided I could live with given the lower system requirements of FMS.
4. No way to define amount of expo on a particular channel. Only an "expo" checkbox.
5. Sound kinda sucks...but that falls into the get what you pay for category
6. Hovering is way to easy in the FMS program. Way to easy, in fact,
I would say it is definately doing a disservice to people wanting to practice on a computer. If FMS was the only experience you had, you would be highly surprised when it came time to hover the real thing.
One good thing is that the FMS program itself is free and if you have a PS2 controller with analog sticks you should be able to make it work sans cost.
All in all, if you are serious go with G3.5 or G4, or even with reflex or phoenix, or something else clearly designed to be an immersive sim experience and not simply a game. The game-like quality of FMS really makes it only a good orientation trainer with little benefit in any other area. Only exception is possibly planes, I found their models to closely emulate the realflight models.
Find one you like, go to your lhs they usually have a version of realflight or FSone available for you to try out. Money spent on a real sim is money well invested. Best of luck...
Andy T-rex 450sa, Axe CP |
IMO 
