Simulators are a very important part of radio control flying. You need to have one; you need to be able to use it every day when you are just beginning to fly. It is very effective for learning to fly, and when you are able to fly, it is a great way to improve your skills and keep them sharp.
With the simulator you can try various types of airplanes and helicopters and you can change the characteristics of each aircraft so that you can get an idea how they operate.
The flight simulator could also be very important for a person to work out what kind of aircraft that they want to model. I find that they can concentrate on a particular kind of model aircraft. Some people like to fly scale and you could get the different characteristics of scale or planes like a Piper Cub or F-16 Falcon. You can try the airplane in different sizes and you can create different conditions.
You can learn to fly scale models in a scale-like manner. Other people like to fly 3-D. Here you can have tremendous savings, as you can learn the whole process without smashing up an airplane.
Simulators are very good to use to work out and perfect your routines and different airplane setups. Then you can also practice maneuvers you want to incorporate into your routines and you can do this all in the safety of your computer. When you have it perfected to the point where you are happy with it and want to put it into practice with your radio control model airplane, you will be ready.
A simulator is the best way of learning to fly a helicopter because the stakes are high, and it can keep you from damaging a very expensive helicopter while learning the basics.
Work mostly with the simulator and the safety of your computer until you get very comfortable. This is very important, but still you must be able to fly your helicopter at the flying field, so once you are comfortable using the simulator, you now have an opportunity to do it in real life without causing a great catastrophe. There is no better way to learn to auto-rotate a helicopter than with a flight simulator. It can be a maneuver of last resort to try and save your helicopter in the event of a power failure. Having practiced on the simulator you’re not doing it for the first time ever when emergency occurs. You must, however, practice auto-rotations at the flying field with the help of an instructor.
While any form of learning is important, it is also a great source of amusement. But you must get out and actually practice with a model airplane or helicopter. Get some real-time experience with your model airplane and it is great to be able to use a combination of simulated and real time flight.