NO-FEAR FLYING

Model Airplane News, Mar 2005 by Bell, Rick

With Great Planes' RealFlight G3

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, DRAMATIC ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE IN COMPUTER FLIGHT-SIMULATOR! TECHNOLOGY. Not only are there now hundreds of models to fly, but their flight dynamics are also amazingly close to those of an RC aircraft-close enough to be of real value to any RC pilot who wants to hone his skills. Aside from that, wringing out a model that you wouldn't dare to fly for real is-well, just plain fun.

I reviewed Great Planes' RealFlight Generation 2 (G2) in the November 2001 issue of Model Airplane News and was amazed by its capabilities. Since then, I've logged many hours on it and have increased my flying skills significantly. So when I heard that Great Planes' latest version, RealFlight Generation 3 (G3), was on the way, I was very intrigued to see which improvements had been made to an already great flight sim.

WHAT'S NEW?

G3 has a long list of features, and after using the sim, my overall impression is that it's very good; the more I use it, the more I like it and its versatility. Don't compare it with G2, though; it's an entirely new simulator. Note that RealFlight G2 is not compatible with G3. The flight model (physics) is a 100-percent rewrite and is completely different from G2. All of the RealFlight Add-Ons (numbers 1 through 5), however, are compatible with G3 and will work with it. Installing the program is super easy; insert disc 1 and follow the on-screen prompts. The system will tell you when to insert disc 2 to complete the installation.

REALPHYSICS 3D If you're familiar with G2, you'll be right at home with G3's looks and basic functions. But that's where the similarity ends. The new RealPhysics 3D has really transformed this flight sim. Its ability to re-create the characteristics of model flying is uncanny. In fact, topnotch pilots Jason Shulman, Frank Noll and Mike Cross had a hand in providing input to the physics engine to develop the onscreen feel.

TRUFLO WIND DYNAMICS Although it's difficult to model, wind impacts every aspect of RC flying. The new flight dynamics provides the most accurate simulation of wind at a flying site. And like just about everything else in G3, the wind strength may be varied. For slope flyers, G3 includes models and sites to develop soaring skills. It's pretty neat how a model "bumps" as it encounters an updraft or a thermal.

ACCUMODEL AIRCRAFT EDITOR This is one of the biggest changes to the flight sim. It's one of the most powerful, flexible editors on any RC flight sim. It allows you to change virtually every aspect of your model. Want to make a turbine-powered NexSTAR or add smoke to the wingtips? AccuModel makes it easy. G3 is a component-based physics system in which you can add, delete and modify the wing, fuselage, wheel, engine, etc. When you edit a model, you work on a wire-frame representation of it, and the area you're working on is highlighted. When you make a change, it's reflected on the screen and is ready to be reviewed and revised.

The sim also includes full-coverage collision detection, the FlexiField flying-site editor, split screens, VirtualRevolution sound technology, Virtual Flight instructor, NavGuides viewports, multiplayer capability and a host of other features-far too many to list here.

AT THE VIRTUAL FiELD

The new graphics are very impressive: leaves gently wave in a breeze, and the shadows cast by objects constantly change as you move about. The programmers did a nice job of making it easy to change and remove objects from the flying sites. The airport editor is simple and quite intuitive to use, and the graphics show a huge improvement (and I thought the graphics in G2 were pretty realistic!).

I didn't initially appreciate the flight model because I thought that little had been changed. But after using the sim for a few days, the flight model really grew on me; you need to use it for a while to appreciate it fully. The 3D physics are simply amazing. G3 comes with a Yak-54 that I have been flying and whose flight characteristics are almost on the money. I had only to make minor adjustments to the exponential and control throws to get the plane to handle like similar planes I've flown. G3 handles 3D maneuvers such as hovering, waterfalls and harriers very well.

Torque rolling is more difficult on G3 than on G2 and other flight sims; I thought they made the maneuver too easy to be realistic. Making it difficult to torque roll makes the sim more challenging; it makes you practice harder, and that should give you better results at the flying field.

I really like being able to adjust the G3's parameters. The features with the software radio are very cool; I was able to create custom multi-point mixes just as I would with a high-end computer radio. I created a mix to remove the pitch coupling on the Yak-54, and it's very close to what you need on a real RC model Yak. As far as I can tell, you can change just about every physical parameter on the planes with the AccuModel editor, so you can create and modify the sim models to match your RC planes.