Learning the Basics with a Flight Simulator!

[bunnygirl80]

There are lots of flight simulators out there and more and more are now adding multi rotors to their featured aircrafts. I';m a firm believer in flight sims as they';ve helped me tremendously over the years in learning the basics for complex aeroplane maneuvers like prop hangs and knife edges. So, when I noticed my Pheonix simulator had a quad copter option, I was keen to find out. Here';s what it looks like... 

Flight Sims

[Gaza07]

I agree Phoenix flight simulator is well worth the investment I also learnt a lot using it for planes and helicopters, its been a while since I';ve loaded it though 

[guest325]

I agree that it is good for learning certain things but not that you can really learn to fly with it. I had Phoenix and could do lots of things on it that didn';t translate that well to the real world, perhaps it was just me, but I have heard quite a few people say the same thing.
At the end of the day if you find it works for you then you go for it.

[bunnygirl80]

Yes, I agree it certainly doesn';t teach you how to fly properly, but I think it does teach you the basics. i.e. What makes the copter move to the left, right, forward, backwards and how sensitive some of the controls can be. It is also good for learning how things differ when the copter is traveling towards and away from you.

I was wondering, what simulators do people use and are there any cheaper ones out there that people can try out?

[Balders]

I use Phoenix...had it for a few years, bought it when learning to fly heli';s and to that end has been worth it';s weight in gold.  I dread to think how much it';s saved me in crashes over the years.

I';ve not flown my heli';s for a few months so when the weather picks up, I';ll certainly get on to phoenix for a few sessions, kick the dust off.

I did have a quick go at the "free flight" or fpv option whatever it';s called.  It';s pretty basic but does give you a vague idea of what';s involved, if you';ve never flown fpv before and are worried about trying it in real life.

[paulcobra]

Another one for phoenix, but not much selection quad wise, also you carnt beat throwing caution to the wind and just fly it. The sim gives way too much confidence with the magic brand new model when you crash.

[benchmark]

I use AerosimRC , it has numerous multi-rotors in different configurations. It even has FPV in different camera angles.

[maddog7]

I think any sim helps because with enough time it teaches you to react. The other things it does are just a bonus.
the one thing it can';t do is remove nerves, I think that';s where most people fall.

I used a truflite when sims were in their infancy years ago and I progressed much faster than my peers (all down to the sim)

Use Phoenix now, it';s awesome.
D

[Flyinegypt]

Interesting reading that folk are using Phoenix for practice with quads. However my experience with it so far is that I cannot get the quad trimmed out. It rotates in yaw and drifts off to left or right no matter how much I try to trim it. Never had this problem trimming a fixed wing or a heli. The result is I quickly lose orientation because it was unstable.

Any hints or tips on how to set up and trim out  any of the quad options available would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Gaza07]

When learning with multi rotors its often a good idea to have a ball at the front so you can always easily see which way around the copter is, or wire different coloured leds up front and back 
If you have a lot of yawing some thing maybe wrong what flight controller you using ?

[Flyinegypt]

Sorry, maybe I was not clear in my post. I was referring to my experience within Phoenix Flight Sim, not the real world hardware. That I will get on my next visit back to the UK in April.
I am just trying to get as much sim time before I actually commit aviation with  multi rotor for the first time.

I am considering buying some of those 5050 LED strips in red and white to hang on opposite ends to aid orientation

[Gaza07]

oops I can see that now ive re-read it  :embarrassed  its been a long time since ive used phoenix and back then there was only 1 quad and that was very unrealistic, maybe I should reload it and see what its like now 

[Flyinegypt]

No problem 
I use Phoenix through the summer when it is too hot to fly...or do much at all at 45C+ during the day! I stop flying when it gets above 35C just to protect the electronics.
I believe Phoenix was originally developed by heli people so I am surprised that the quads seem so unrealistic.

[Gaza07]

Yea Phoenix is more for heli flyers and as a heli sim its second to non, if you practice flying the helicopters it will help towards  flying multi rotors as they fly similar the heli is a little more difficult 

[Biffa]

I use Phoenix through the summer when it is too hot to fly...

Too hot to fly, if only we had that problem over here

[Flyinegypt]

Yea Phoenix is more for heli flyers and as a heli sim its second to non, if you practice flying the helicopters it will help towards  flying multi rotors as they fly similar the heli is a little more difficult 

Sounds like a plan