Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 568 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 6:30 pm Post subject: Flight Simulator Test Results
Test Results Of Four Of The Most Popular Flight Simulators.
I have decided to conduct a survey, using my own very limited pilot skills, to test each of the four helicopter simulator, to find out which one is the best.
As I am using the same controller and same skill level on each, I think this is a fair test, but have included video evidence of the results.
But please note any simulator will, be of benefit to you as become more competent using the controller. As this is the key to flying a helicopter.
Helicopter controllability, needs to have a high score, going on the theory if its to easy to fly you are not learning as fast.
Scoring System (1) = very poor (10) = excellent
AeroFly Professional Deluxe (Total Score 45)
Price £50 - $80
Value For Money 9
Most Realistic helicopter 9
Most Realistic Landscape 9
Most Realistic Crash 9
Helicopter Controllability 9
Website http://aerofly.com/
Flying Model Simulator (Total Score 32)
Price Free
Value For Money 10
Most Realistic helicopter 9
Most Realistic Landscape 6
Most Realistic Crash 1
Helicopter Controllability 6
Website http://www.heliguy.com/nexus/fms.html
Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 156 Location: Tucson, AZ
Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject:
Trev ... is it my computer or are the videos real choppy _________________ Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house.
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 568 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 8:08 pm Post subject:
No harleynhelis,
It’s not your computer the video are very choppy due to the conversion, they were only included as video evidence, but must admit would look better at full speed.
It's really nice to see that there are quite a lot of choices now. Just a few years ago there were only one or two and they are all costly.
I am a big fan of the RealFlight serie but it does come pretty expensive. But you do get what you pay for though. So if you were to ask me I'd give it a 6 or 7 in terms of value for money. But that's just me
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 568 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject:
Thank you Site Admin,
Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated;
I can understand your loyalty to RealFlight as visually it is the most impressive of them all, and this may be what we are paying for,
But you must agree flight simulators are just an aid for us to formularise ourselves with the controller and to visually see how a helicopter would fly in real life,
Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 156 Location: Tucson, AZ
Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 8:36 pm Post subject:
RealFlight is a great sim. The only drawback in my opinion is the computer requirements. I almost went out and bought a new computer just for G4.5, but decided instead of doing that, I focused more on Clearview, which I use faithfully now. _________________ Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house.
Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 212 Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 9:48 pm Post subject:
Great test TREV, very informative. The only problem for a noob like myself is that all of the sims except G4 require you to have a transmitter and the only transmitter I have came with the MCX and will not work. After looking at quite a few sims, it was between Real Flight and FS One. I purchased FS One because it was $125.00 cheaper. I don't know how realistic it is because I have no basis for comparison(remember, I'm a noob) I can fly the CX2 in the sim fairly well and it seems real because it feels a lot like my MCX, just a lot quicker. The T-Rex 450 is a lot harder. The only thing I'm good at is the crash. The big problem with FS One is very few heli's and I haven't found a way to import them.
Like I suggested you will learn from any flight simulator,
but if they are to easy to fly you may be lead into a false sense of security, when flying the real thing
I would have thought it possible to import more helicopters into your FS One. If you don’t get a reply here I will check this out for you.
I would not dispute RealFlight is not a great sim,
all simulator have there own appeal, it’s all depends how much your willing to spend,
hopefully this post, may help the choice a little easer.
Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 3626 Location: Santo Estêvão, East Algarve, Portugal. 76, but still feels 18.
Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 12:55 am Post subject:
Great post Trev,
Pity the videos look like a series of screen shots, but as you say it's in the conversion and only there to give an impression. 10 out of 10 for effort and presentation on this one. _________________ Keep Smiling
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 568 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 6:22 am Post subject:
Hi Tombo,
Thank you for your comments,
and as harleynhelis and yourself pointed out the video conversion was not satisfactory, but thank you for your high score on presentation,
I have submitted a converted video, from FLV to PSP-MP4, If this is acceptable I will convert and upload the other three,
Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 3626 Location: Santo Estêvão, East Algarve, Portugal. 76, but still feels 18.
Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 5:59 pm Post subject:
Hi Trev,
That's a lot better but I think the way to look at it is to imagine that you are looking at a demo video of a sim that you want to buy. The question is "Would it make you think that this sim is the bees knees?" (Really Cool in US, Bonzer in Australia)
Any frame by frame per second video will give the impression that the programme is not up to production level. You really need at least 15 frames - all different - per second to give a realistic motion. It could be that the only ways out are to either tap into the video cards' output or point a frame syncronised camera at the screen.
It's a pity that these sims save their video in a series of model position coordinates and not as a "real" video. It would be very helpful to you in this project. Wish that I could be more helpful. _________________ Keep Smiling
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 568 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 5:37 pm Post subject:
Thank’s gentryaustin and tombo for you comments,
and your right tombo the videos look more like frame by frame model position,
But finally after trying several screen grabber programs I have found one that will work,
I will update the original video clips, with the new ones when complete,
What I will attempt to do, is fly each simulated helicopter exactly the same, To show how difficult some are compared to others,
Reinforcing, the theory if it’s to easy to fly you are not learning as fast. And may be fooled into a false sense of security when flying the real thing,
More experience pilots will find the hard to fly easy for them. But the intension is not to show of my limited flying ability, but to show the Flight Simulators capabilities.
I must join the others to thank you for your very good review of the different sims.
I am using Clearview and think it is good value for money. Spending 200 USD on a sim seems high. When for the same sum you can by parts or heli or a transmitter. $40 is a good deal for what Clearview provides. The new Clearview version has improved physics and behaves more realistically
There are some Free sims like HeliSimRC which is not bad. I wonder how you would rate HeliSimRC??
Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 156 Location: Tucson, AZ
Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject:
I'd love to see some screenshots of HeliSimRC before I download it. I looked on their website ... but ... nada. Oh well, I'll keep looking. _________________ Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house.
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The only drawback in my opinion is the computer requirements. 
I almost went out and bought a new computer just for G4.5, but decided instead of doing that, I focused more on Clearview, which I use faithfully now. 
