I have wanted a decent RC sim for my iPad, but the selection was limited to games that are sorta like flying RC but cartoonish. Every now and then I search again, and today, payday! I found this little gem called Absolute RC Heli Sim, a misnomer since it also includes planks, by Happy Bytes. The app is free and comes with a coaxial Blade CX heli and an Apprentice. For $2.99 each you can add other aircraft, and after seeing about 3 secs of flying the Blade coaxial I immediately bought the Trex 500. I have never understood how people sit with games for hours on their iPads, but now I see. I cannot put this thing down!
Those of you familiar with the Clearview RC flight sim will find the look of this basic sim familiar. This one has only simple adjustments, like low, medium and high rates, mode, but once you get used to the sim, it is a whole lot of fun to while away time! I wish there was a way to screenshot video, but you can download it for free from iTunes and enjoy the stock aircraft. Here are a few stills!
Here's where it starts. I in-app purchased this Trex 500. As you skim next or previous the in app available aircraft go buy, all seem to be $2.99.
The simple settings menu. Unfortunately when you close the app it starts over and doesn't save your last settings. This isn't more than a minor annoyance. It does nicely reset to your current settings when you crash.
The wind setting allows you to set a whole gang of, well, wind!
This is where it takes you when you start your aircraft. A tap on the edge of the large gray Help notes disappears them.
And so this is what it looks like to fly. I found the controls responsive and tight.
The heli flies nice. Nothing fancy, but I think it does neg pitch and in high rates you can invert it, but its still great for working on reflexes, orientation and basic skills.
The apprentice flies nice, very easy actually, but the throttle is fast and I flew it at about 1/4.
Aerobatics were easy and true, and flying was fun if not a bit snappy.
All in all I really like this sim and have no doubt I will spend hours tooling around with the Trex 500. I am a fish-head, but they do offer several scale helis. I will likely pick up the Trex 700, but for now I am pretty happy with the 500! I very highly recommend this fun app!
UPDATE (1/12/13): I had to contact tech support to get help downloading the in-app purchased Trex 700 (got into a loop where it can't download), and the help link took me to, Clearview! Clearview was my first RC sim and I still strongly recommend it as a lower cost option. When I needed tech support for the Clearview sim (changing computers it was installed on required tech resets) the owner was quick and effective, so I expect I will have the same experience. Now I know why this is such a good app!
- They got back to me almost immediately. They are having problems with in-app purchases and are working to fix it. Anything I purchase, they assure me, will be remembered and downloaded in the fix. I'm good with that!
UPDATE (1/14/13): They are having server issues and are changing ISPs. Bear with them, its totally worth it!
Update (1/15/13): And they fixed it. I uninstalled then reinstalled the app this morning and reset all previous pruchase. All of my previous purchase popped up immediately and the graphics are all the. I ordered the Trex 450 and it instantly downloaded. Psych!
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