Steelman93

Hello,

I am relatively new to the hobby and would like to use a simulator to improve my nascent skills. I own Real Flight Basic with controller from about 10 years ago, but no longer have a computer with cd drive so if I am going to use this I need to try to install off a flash.

I have three questions for the community:
1) Is this worth doing for 13 YO software?
2) Should I instead purchase a spektrum dongle and use my actual transmitter (Spektrum DX8)
3) If I go route #2 which software do you recommend and why

I know cheapest route is #1. But not sure if that is best and my time is not free so I am willing to spend some money. I am more interested in the best solution

TIA!

tedsander

1. Maybe not. Depends on what old version, and configuration of the PC you have. They can usually be made to work, but there is that cost in time that may need to be spent. Latest version of RF is only available via download from Steam.
Horizon, who now owns RF, is/was intending to take down their license servers, so it may be problematic getting older registered so it can function. Doesn't impact old installs, but might be a big issue with fresh ones. If so, maybe a call to Horizon can help get it going.
2. Must have the RF box for any version before 8. Besides wear and tear, not all functions for RF 9.5 can be controlled from the dongle. Basic flight controls, yes. But there are several additional handy ones that their dedicated new box does that a TX can't. Your DX8 will be a "dumb" 8 ch transmitter - gets complicated trying to create different models in the TX for each different RF model you want to fly. Better to use one generic, and let the software handle rates, mixing, modes, etc.
3. RF is the most comprehensive around, and a great value for what you pay.
FSOne is a good FREE alternative, just not as full featured. Can accept any USB device as a controller, but with some initial joystick emulation complications.

Both have had issues with non-Nvidia graphics drivers. Both resolved, but it may take some work to find the information as to the right drivers to be installed....

Steelman93

So what I am hearing is spend the money and buy RF 9.5 with the transmitters. Do I read you?

if I could get the other one to work is 9.5 still worth it to upgrade?

tedsander

Depends on how far you want to go with it. FSOne offers a moderate variety of aircraft, and some flying fields. RF has a much greater variety, and thousands more with the user created ones.
FSOne if free, so little risk to try it out for a while.
You'll note that most advanced instruction (3D, etc.) on YouTube uses recordings from Real Flight to aid in showing how things are done.
Either will get you familiar with basic flight and greatly aid in developing the critical eye-hand coordination, given the constraints of simulators. RealFlight offers a much wider range of options and things to do, so may serve to keep you using it longer or in more depth. But then FSOne is free....
Things learned in FSOne will easily transfer to RealFlight later.
RealFlight is capable of VR if you have a headset, although not at a high level of quality. That combo can give you close to 100% the "at the filed" experience...even with its lower graphics in that mode.
I've used RealFlight since it first came out, have been flying for 55 years, and still use it frequently to work on skills or fly when the weather is bad.
I've made copies of my real models, which behave in the Sim just like the original - bad behavior and all. Then used it's Aircraft Editor to figure out what adjustments need to be made to make them fly better. So one can go deeper with that program, if inclined.
But if you're at all hesitant, FSOne, even with it's reduced feature set, is worthwhile to work with.

rgburrill

Buy an external CD/DVD drive and install it off that. You can find a lot of software that is on CDs.

Steelman93

Thanks for the reply!

if I try FSOne I would need a dongle for my transmitter, would I not? Or are you saying I should by an interlink simulator transmitter, use it with FSOne and then later buy the RF software if I desire?

thanks for the detailed reply…this is super helpful

tedsander

FSOne can use anything that shows up in Windows as a Gamepad/Joystick, so as long as your old Interlink uses USB (and not the really old parallel port!) it will work. For either connection, it does require the addition of two additional (free) programs to remap/scale the Inputs from Windows into something useable by FSOne. They give full "how to" instructions. Those of us using OpenTX/Edge (and probably Ethos) radio systems don't need the two remapping programs as we can pre-configure our radios.

sadatoni

RealFlight 9.5S is installed via steam, no DVD drive required.