PicaSim: Flight simulator

The Rowlhouse

About this game

PicaSim is a flight simulator for radio controlled aircraft. You can use it to learn how to fly, to practise aerobatics, or just to have fun flying around on a rainy day.

This is the full version - so if you've tried the free version (which contains most of what's here) and you enjoy it enough that you would like to support its past or future development (or just say thanks!), buy this to make a contribution.

If it helps, this includes some extras that aren't in the free version of the simulator:

- A variety of races - F3F-style and cross-country (the free version has just one race).

- Limbo (slope and powered) and thermal duration challenges.

- Planes: Two discus launched gliders (including the Ypsi Notos), GeeBee R2, Tigger (2.9m F3F slope racer), ASW15, "The Plank", magpie, and an electric version of the Neoslope. Also a quadcopter/drone and a very fast/aerobatic control-line plane, the Peacemaker.

- Terrains: Panoramic version of the "Mountains Dynamic Soaring" scene, plus a "Snowy Hills" scene (3D and panoramic) and two more panoramic scenes (flat field and slope).

Over time it will acquire additional planes/terrains.

There's now a forum for posting bugs, suggestions and general discussion at http://picasim.freeforums.org

The complete list of planes included is:

Gliders/sailplanes: ASW15, Banana, Canard, Discus, trainer, Neoslope, Genie, Icarus (DLG), Jart, Kato, Le Fish (standard & ultralight), Magpie, Notos (DLG), Phase 6, Plank (wing), Tigger (F3F), Trapeze, Weasel.

Electric gliders: Neoslope, trainer

Powered R/C planes: AcroBat, Extra (3D, normal and large size), F18, GeeBee R2, RT Eraser Five, High-wing trainer, twin-propeller delta.

Control-line: Extra, Peacemaker.

Other: Wasp (quadcopter), Moyes XS 142 (hang glider).

If your device is Android 3 or above and supports USB OTG, you can probably use an external USB gamepad or joystick, or even your R/C Transmitter (via an interface), using a USB OTG cable/adapter (very cheap). Its definitely worth trying. Make sure you connect the controller before running PicaSim, and then set it up in the settings->joystick menu. Here's a video walking through the setup: http://youtu.be/HnM0YDfVArs

Permissions: PicaSim saves settings to the SD card, mainly because it supports using user-generated content. It needs the "Phone calls" permission for Marmalade - and to handle interruption by incoming calls properly. PicaSim does not access any personal data on the device.

Ratings and reviews

Nice low tech looking glider and powered model simulator, but with so many customisable variables that I'm kinda afraid to touch them! (Possibly not as many as Pool Break, but that would be hard.) You can set camera viewpoint, terrain updrafts, lift coeffients, and on and on. But, at the end of the day it's about cruising around although I did take the F15 for an altitude record - got to about 10kms and still didn't run out of sky. You need to pay for the extra planes but it't worth it.

Great simulator, been using it for about 10 years now. However there's been a bug where the controls intermittently go full roll/elevator causing loss of control

My favourite plane game. Everything is very realistic. I have been playing for a couple years and have never got bored. To improve the game, add runways which you can actually land on, add audio vario in every glider, even motor gliders, and add retractable undercarriage in some gliders and more powered planes. Also, you could possibly add customisable failures to the game.

What's new

• Add Litermonthalle Nalbach indoor scenery by Detlef Jacobi.
• Improve object editing.
• Improve plane scaling.
• Graphical improvements. If upgrading on a low-end device, you may need to disable "Separate Specular" in the options if this causes too much slowdown.
• Reduce the wind strength in front of slopes slightly.

Please contact [e-mail] with bug reports and questions.