Great Planes Realflight G5 Flight Simulator Mode 2

I really like this. I am a pilot, but not an RC pilot and I find it simply to be fun. However, it is obvious that it can also be a powerful and flexible for the advanced RC user. Get it, for $200 you won't regret it.

I've been wanting to do aerial photography from a remote controlled helicopter. Unfortunately, what I want to do requires lots of very expensive equipment and I hesitate because of the likelihood of crashing, given that I have little RC experience. Still, I am both a photographer and a licensed pilot (airplanes though, not helicopters), so I'm not scared to try - I just want a safe way to practice without every flight putting thousands of dollars at risk.The Great Planes simulator seemed like a great way to learn these skills, and sure enough, I've probably crashed hundreds of times already in ways that would have likely totally destroyed any aircraft. In this way, it's paid for itself many times over already.The installation went smoothly - and I run the software in an unusual environment: a 27" i7 iMac using VMware Fusion and Windows 7 64-bit. Even with all these layers of virtualization, I find the program to work fine, the controls to be responsive and the video to be very smooth. Even at full 2560x1440 resolution, the product reports over 100 frames/sec, which is more than adequate. It doesn't even bog down the iMac, and I can smoothly shift between Realflight G5 and other Mac applications whenever I need to without crashing anything. This honestly impressed me - I didn't expect it to work so well.There are a great range of both helicopters and airplanes in the package, and you have a good choice of locations and weather conditions to fly in. My only gripe is that sometimes it's a bit difficult to tell the orientation of the aircraft in flight, but I suppose this is part of the learning process. I wish there were something like an aircraft's artificial horizon - or even a simple turn coordinator - but again, I suppose this is part of the challenge.Highly recommended!

Works well on Vista 64 bit, which was a concern for me. It keeps my skills honed until I can get out on the field again.

very good software for those who want to start practice R/C. You can practice before go for rea life avoiding crash your models....Very realistic !

I bought this in late December 2009 (no through Amazon), ran the install and thought it was great. In early February the trim control for the ailerons quit working and made using the controller virtually worthless. A real run around from GreatPlanes - I need to send the controller back, they'll inspect it, try to repair it and then if they can't fix it - will send me a new one. Would be good customer support if they would send a replacement controller out to replace the defective one, and the customer returned the defective device in the box the replacement controller arrived in. This would take alot of the uncertainty and "what ifs" out of the equation - like, how long will it take to ship, inspect, try to repair, ship back, etc..This is what you could expect if warranty was needed:To get your defective RealFlight USB Interlink Controller serviced under the product warranty agreement, you will need to send your USB Interlink Controller to the following address:Hobby Services3002 North Apollo DrSuite # 1Champaign, IL 61822Please remember to include a brief letter describing why you are sending in your USB Interlink Controller, in this case, to have the defective device repaired or replaced under the warranty agreement. Once your package arrives, we will repair or replace your defective USB Interlink Controller for you and ship the device back to you, all at no cost to you, as this is a covered service under the product warranty. Also include in the letter your name, address, and phone number in case we need to contact you for any reason regarding your request. Normally we don't. Additionally, please remember to ship your package to us with a tracking number and/or return receipt from the shipping company you use. This will give you the means to follow up on what happened to your package should it not arrive. We are not responsible for your package until it arrives here for processing.

I bought this for my husband, who has older versions of the simulator. He loves it! The graphics are great, there are new airfields to fly and the ability to shoot!

Real Flight G5 is a great sim.. I really like the new controller which allows menu controls. This feature allows me to control menu options form the controller a very handy feature when connecting my laptop to a big screen TV.. The teaming of Knife Edge forums [...] and Real Flight opens discussions, support, additional aircraft and flying fields etc.. Overall a super great deal..

Although this was a used unit disguised as a "collectible" it performs perfectly—much better that the pilot (me).