Getting started
RC flight simulators
By Paul Walsh Last reviewed
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A simulator is the cheapest training you'll ever buy. Every crash is free, you can practise at night or in the rain, and you can repeat the hardest moments a hundred times. For collective pitch helicopters especially, simulator time is the difference between learning and giving up.
How these were chosen. Based on features, platform support and reputation among UK pilots; prices checked October 2026.
Our picks
Pick 1
RealFlight Evolution
Horizon Hobby
About £99 software only at Access Models, checked Oct 2026
The most popular RC flight simulator: hundreds of planes and helicopters. This is the software only, for use with a Spektrum transmitter or a USB radio; if you have neither, a bundle with the InterLink DX controller is also sold.
The main simulators
| Simulator | Best for | Platforms | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|
| RealFlight Evolution | All-round planes and helicopters | Windows (Steam) | about £99 to £110 software; about £210 with InterLink controller |
| Heli-X | Helicopters, especially 3D | Windows, Mac, Linux | about €73 (free demo) |
| AccuRC 2 | Helicopters, realistic physics | Windows (Steam) | about £40 |
| ClearView | Budget all-rounder | Windows, browser | about $40 after free trial |
| PicaSim | Gliders and basic planes | Windows, Android, iOS | Free |
RealFlight Evolution. Horizon Hobby's simulator, released in October 2022, with hundreds of aircraft and dozens of flying sites (Steam). It's the default choice if you want one simulator for both planes and helicopters. (There is no "RealFlight 10": Evolution replaced RealFlight 9.5.)
Heli-X. Highly regarded for helicopters, with version 11 released in April 2025 and a free demo (Heli-X).
AccuRC 2. Strongly helicopter-focused, using real manufacturers' designs (Steam).
PicaSim. Free, simple and good for slope soaring and basic flying (PicaSim).
Connecting your transmitter
The best practice uses the radio you'll actually fly with:
- EdgeTX radios (RadioMaster and others) appear as a USB joystick when plugged into a computer (EdgeTX manual).
- Spektrum radios connect through a wireless dongle (WS2000) or USB on some models.
- Others may need a USB adapter or dongle.
- The InterLink controller sold with RealFlight is fine to start with.
Choosing a radio that works with simulators is covered in RC transmitters explained.
How to practise so it carries over
- Pick a similar model to the one you'll fly, with similar rates.
- Do the real drills: hover tail-in, then side-in and nose-in (the drills in how to hover an RC helicopter work just as well on a simulator); circuits; landings.
- Short, regular sessions beat occasional marathons.
- Practise recovering: let the model get into trouble and get it back.
- Use the same mode (Mode 1 or Mode 2) you'll fly.
For helicopters, the drills are in how to fly an RC helicopter; for planes, how to fly an RC plane.
Back to Getting started.
Frequently asked questions
Do RC flight simulators really help?
Yes, especially for helicopters. Orientation, hovering and recovery can all be practised for free, and crashes cost nothing.
Can I use my own transmitter with a simulator?
Usually. Many radios, including EdgeTX radios like the RadioMaster range, work as a USB joystick. Spektrum radios can connect through a wireless dongle or USB.
Is there a free RC flight simulator?
PicaSim is free on Windows, Android and iOS, and is good for gliders and basic plane flying. Paid simulators are better for helicopters.
Related guides
RC helicopters
How to fly an RC helicopter
A practical, step-by-step way to learn to fly an RC helicopter: setting up, your first hover, orientation, forward flight and the mistakes to avoid.
RC planes
How to fly an RC plane
Range check, take-off, trimming, circuits and landing: a practical sequence for your first RC plane flights, and the mistakes that end most of them early.
Electronics
RC transmitters explained
Protocols, channels, model memory and the features that matter for helicopters, planes and cars, and how to choose a radio that will grow with you.