This add-on is one of the latest additions to Just Flight’s fantastic Flying Club package of GA Aircraft. The R44 can be used in either FS2004 or FSX, but for the purposes of this review I used FSX as I believe the helicopters are a little easier to handle in FSX. The package is available as a download from Just Flight’s website and the download size is a relatively modest 98mb, but will take up 1GB on your hard disk. The R44 is compatible with the Acceleration add-on and SP2 so you will have no problem operating it which ever version of FS9 or FSX you are running.

When you are parked on the ground with the engine off and the ‘park’ icon checked (from within the cockpit), the pilot and the passengers are removed, the manoeuvring wheels are put in place on the skids and the main rotors are tied down, which then gently bob up and down in the wind.

The installation progress is very easy, download the file and run the .exe file, verify your copy and everything else is done automatically. After the R44 has installed, take time to read through the manual; it’s relatively short at 33 pages and contains lots of useful information about how to set up the realism on your system to get the most out of the add-on. There is also a tutorial included in the manual which takes you on a scenic tour around Hawaii, a great place to get to grips with the R44 due to the number of mountains in the area. I flew the tutorial and found it was useful, but I would have preferred it to have included more information about which settings to use in each phase of flight. This is the part I have found hardest about flying helicopters as you think you have them set up right, next thing you are plummeting to the ground. Over time though I did begin to get a feel for how the aircraft handled and became better at anticipating what was going to happen next.

The R44 is best flown from the virtual cockpit as this gives you a greater field of vision, and combined with the TrackIR Headset (also available from Just Flight), flying this helicopter was a lot of fun. The gauges are very easy to read and update super smoothly without any lag. The VC is fully functional so you really have no need to revert to the 2D cockpit. Starting her up is very easy too and if you forget the next step, there is a checklist which you can bring up on screen in the cockpit which has all the relevant info you need to get going. Once you get the rotors spinning the sound set is very good and really does give the impression that you are sat in a cockpit with rotors whirring above you. These sounds have just been updated with the second service pack, so Just Flight are developing this add-on all the time.

If you are new to helicopters then don’t be put off by your first efforts as they will be poor, it takes a lot of time and patience to be able to fly them well. I have practiced for many hours in the R44 and am still no expert. I find slowing down the R44 and coming down in a gradual decent for landing the hard part. I am getting better at it but still have a long way to go before I will be happy. The main thing to remember is that you need to practice and keep practicing, you will learn eventually but you just need to work at it.

Once on the ground it’s time to step out of the cockpit and admire the exterior model, which as I’m sure you can tell from the pictures, is fantastic. The only problem with the exterior model compared to a fixed wing aircraft is that it is very difficult to admire it during flight! You need to be constantly on the controls and keeping an eye on things in the cockpit. I switched to spot mode many times and then back to the cockpit and I had gone totally off course or changed my altitude!

I found that I got the most enjoyment from the R44 when flying in areas where I have detailed VFR scenery, such as Just Flight’s Real Scenery, as I was able to inspect the scenery more closely than in a fixed wing aircraft. When flying around the Yorkshire region, instead of having to do endless circuits around an area to get a look at it, I could just hover and look; it was fun trying to land on the Needles Lighthouse at the Isle of Wight!

Overall this is a very good package from Just Flight, and priced at only £14.99/€22.95/$29.99 is well worth the investment if you are willing to persevere until you are proficient at flying it. I have had a lot of enjoyment from this add-on and combined with some VFR scenery and the Track IR headset, if your wallet will allow it, makes for some great VFR flights.

Check out some screenshots on this slideshow:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v508/rob16584/Flying%20Club%20R44/?albumview=slideshow