supposedly coming along, but not any time soon I think, so I'd join now. You
do need a reasonably good computer and a top class joystick to get the best
out of it though.

Alistair Wright

Just a follow-up to Alistair's comment:

You don't need a fancy joystick, just a good quality one. Its easy to
go overboard with fancy controls; but you only need a few buttons (and
I recommend a joystick with a "throttle" that you can use for spoiler
control). Rudder pedals are a big help and a much better solution
than a "twist" joystick - but they do tend to be a bit expensive ($100
- $200 in the USA).

As with any realistic simulator, it takes time to set up and tune
things. Its not a game, so don't expect to just "jump in" and play.
Your first few flights you will need to get a feel for the controls
and you may need to adjust various settings to make it work well for
you (starting "in-air" instead of on a tow can help with this process
- as winch launches and aero-tows require good controls). Your
joystick may be overly sensitive, or your graphics card may require
the detail to be turned down. Don't get discouraged if the sim
doesn't feel "right" the first few times you use it - make adjustments
to the graphics and controls as-needed so that the aircraft becomes
more controllable.

Also, Condor is a very comprehensive tool for both learning and flying
assigned tasks/competitions. There are a TON of options and screens
you can poke around in. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed the first
couple of times you load it up - just take things a little piece at a
time. Its actually very straightforward once you've used the program
a few times.

Enjoy!

--Noel