If you can fly a rc plane really well on one of the more popular simulators (aerofly pro deluxe, phoenix, real flight..) can you fly the real thing just as well? This is assuming all else is equal ( the model is built professionally and properly balanced, the engine is tuned right etc).

I wouldn't say that you would be able to fly right away... but yes your learning curve would be alot more faster that any person who has not used a simulator in the past ...

Reasons :

1. Actual orientation of the plane in the air is something that one needs to get used to ....
2. Pressure builds up on a person when the plane is in the air as compared to a simulator ( crash and you loose money versus just a reset button )
3. Distance from ground to plane is very different on a sim as compared to actual flying.....

Best of luck in your endevour

Ah yes orientation and unforeseen turbulence is what i was thinking too. Thank you

Quote from: divay99 on February 29, 2012, 01:50:59 AM
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3. Distance from ground to plane is very different on a sim as compared to actual flying.....

Exactly. And in a sim you don't have to move around with your head tilted up.

In a sim the sun doesn't get into your eyes, birds don't chase your plane and there are no large crowds to distract you. And you don't have to worry about your younger brother trying to pull the tx away from you while your GF is shrieking with excitement after a crazy maneuver...

And (this happened today), in a sim, you can't do a fly-by near a pack of dogs and watch them scamper around howling! 

Hi,

Yes one more important consideration is, on sim Plane/Heli Power may differ from your real heli/plane

Learning flying on a sim and actually flying a model are two completely different things. Trust me, I had started this route when I did not know any 'seniors' or 'instructors' in my area when I started this journey. So I built my stuff, launched it in the air with whatever I had learned on a sim, but the final result was always the same - CRASH. Sim simply doesn't have the same effect because you can always start all over again in case of a crash, but the actual model may not survive a crash. On my part I have lost quite a few.

It was only when I had a chance meeting with Divay, that I was actually able to fly. I have not mastered the art yet. Whenever I go to the field (which is not very often), I am still looking forward to his support of that of the others on the field.

So bottom line, get hold of an 'instructor' to help you out to learn flying. Probably once you have learned enough, then you can practice pattern flying on the sim before trying on your own.

regards
Pankaj