Phoenix - How Close Is It To Real Flight

[fatmantom]

I used to get what I called "sim" moments when I'd forget I wasn't in the sim

often get that aswell rich! and it always results in me having the heli where i dont know how to control it...and CRASHH!

its ok on the sim because it will be flying again in 2 secounds... but wen u enter sim mode on real life you gotta wait a week for the thing to be flying again!

cheers,

[moyesboy]

There is that split second after the crash where you realise its real life and its going to be a long while before you get your next go!
I think I need another .50 to pull out of the car on these occasions!

[jamiem]

I used to get what I called "sim" moments when I'd forget I wasn't in the sim

I got that a little at DMHC, it really doesnt help that the default scenery is in fact DMHC's field! i kept looking at various trees thinking "ive hit that tree soooo many times in the sim....oh crap im actually flying for real!"

[adwb]

any1 have a pic of it and know what it is called?

cheers - matty

Yup it's the called " The Old Glass,Servo and Ball Bearing Thingy"

Has any one ever actually built one??
Alistair

[jboweruk]

I had a go on one while I was still at school, overseen by an RAF heli pilot. It's harder to do than poxy Flight Sim 9's helis, and that's saying something. Don't know what it's called though sorry.

[DemonJim]

When you've mastered the basics in Phoenix I recommend turning on some light wind as soon as poss for a much more authentic feel (with a variable direction and speed, and some turbulence). Turn on the wind-sock render too so you learn how to fly with wind prior to flying for real (as it's seriously rare you get those really calm days like the sim).

Without wind it's all too pure and things like nose-in are really easy, but with turbulent wind it will teach you to do those micro-corrections that are always needed, and means flying for real on a windy day is nowhere near as difficult.

Phoenix is amazing -- it truly pays for itself (it's only the cost of one set of V blades). Free updates and online play make it an essential purchase, it got me confident to do basic 3D on my 600N way before I would've done without it.

[jboweruk]

Aye, I can attest that, it's saved me I reckon 40K already, give or take. I would never have had that kind of money IRL though, but has let me get used to my little Blade CX2 without having so many crashes. Now I can fly that in the sim without a single mishap, unless I do silly things like threading through Stonehenge, but that's another story. I can't wait now to fly my real CX2 outside or somewhere with some serious room.

[TraumaJunkie]

Hi All,
If any of you want a go on one of those "old ball bearing thingys" there's one at the Museum of Army Flying (Middle Wallop).
They have also got the newer version which is computer based, you have to keep the white dot in the circle using cyclic, collective and pedals whilst the computer tries to force the dot out.
They used to use it as part of the aptitude tests when I did Flying Grading at Biggin Hill.