RC Flight Sim Information
RC flight simulators on your home computer have revolutionized model flight!
Piper J-3 Cub on floats - believe it or not, this is a computer rendered image from the RealFlight RC sim
Practice "knife edge" flight on your home computer RC flight sim
A lot of truly amazing things have happened over the past ten years in the world of radio control model airplanes. But perhaps nothing is as far reaching as the introduction of a practical RC flight sim for use on your home computer.
Marrying the power of today's computers; the convenience of USB connections; a user-friendly computer interface; and absolutely realistic, life like images - today's RC flight sim will change forever how you learn and improve you RC model aircraft piloting skills.
RealFlight RC flight sim on home computer, with InterLink controller
I highly recommend the RealFlight RC flight sim for your home computer, available from Tower Hobbies. The RealFlight program is very simple to set up and use, and provides an incredibly realistic and fun model flying experience.
At left, you can see the actual view of the computer screen on my desk. The InterLink controller, lower right, is designed to closely mimic the normal transmitter used for radio control flight. The joystick on the left controls throttle and rudder, and the joystick on the right controls elevator and aileron. These are all matched perfectly to the various airplane models flown on the RC flight sim. These computer flight sims are especially useful for learning to fly four channel helicopters like the Proto Max.
Electric park flyer ready for a grass takeoff in the RC flight sim
The power of today's home computers offer the ability to produce realistic flying scenes as shown at right. The model airplane is on the runway, engine ticking over, waiting for takeoff. A perfect method to avoid model airplane crashes at the flying field.
You simply increase the throttle, and the RC flight sim airplane starts accelerating on takeoff. The engine sounds completely realistic, and the model moves to every flight input you direct from the "transmitter," or InterLink controller in the case of the RC flight sim. It truly is amazing.
Neuiport biplane waiting for takeoff on RealFlight RC sim
The RC flight sim gives you a chance to "fly" a wide variety of models, from ParkZone aircraft electric powered park flyers to turbine powered jets. The software does a remarkable job simulating the flight characteristics of these various models, providing a true feel as to how the actual aircraft perform.
Using an RC flight sim allows one to practice flight maneuvers without fear of crashing. This works great with RTF micro 3D flyers such as the E-flite 4-Site. Beginners can work on basic flight skills such as orientation, and more advanced flyers can work on everything from practicing inverted flight to hovers.
RC flight sim InterLink controller, which works and feels just like an RC transmitter
The InterLink controller can be used with the RealFlight program, and is a "must have" for the full simulator experience. The InterLink controller has the normal two joysticks for throttle, rudder, aileron and rudder control. In addition, there are full flight trims for each control function, and well as switches at the top of the device used for dual rate functions and such additional functions as gear retraction.
Note that the controller connects to your computer by a simple USB plug. The red button on the lower left of the controller is a handy feature that, when pressed, automatically resets your RC flight sim aircraft to the end of the runway, ready for another takeoff.
L-30 jet trainer
There are a wide variety of aircraft that can be added to the basic RealFlight program via a CD. Everything from electric powered foam aerobats to twin engine war birds to radio control helicopter Razor can be flown on your computer.
F-86 Sabre
RealFlight gives you extensive capabilities to customize the aircraft to mirror different flight characteristics. You can change the wingspan, modify airfoils, and even swap between glow and electric powered engines.
Foam flyer hovering
Test flying your new model - such as the ParkZone aircraft Sukhoi RTF micro indoor flyer - in the RealFlight RC flight sim can make that first actual flight a whole lot more relaxing!
RC Flight Sim