helicopter control

[Conan Edogawa]

Well, I got the highest realistic settings possible and I think the default Bell 206 is very easy to fly. I recommend you to try the Fs2004 Bell 206B Megapack, which you can find here:

http://www.simviation.com/fs2004helicopters31.htm

I love flying it, believe me, it's very easy. You just have to feel it.

[supernova45849850l]

Ok
After reading this post earlier on, I was determined to give a helo a try, Here is what I found out. Taking off is easy by adding like 70-80% torque and to level out, bring the torque down slightly. Pitching forward to speed up I sort of have the hang of, but while the machine is moving at about 100kts with level flight (after adjusting torque), it tends to move from side to side. As reading before, I counteracted this with opposite rudder which seemed to work fine, but then the machine moves too far in the direction you rudder to, then I centre rudder and it goes the other way. This was continued untill I reached my destination. I found a place to land and set my sights on it, also used the overhead map to see it. Slowing the machine down to a stop was a knightmare, I pitched up and torqued down until I was about -200 FPM and above where I wanted to land. I was slowly decending and thought that was it and then the thing spins violently from side to side (as in rudder not bank) to a point where ruddering out of it could not be done.

I carshed into the ground or maybe a building I dont know

And thats my helicopter story, I'll stick to planes I think. I would be interested to hear from one of the helo pros on here as to why my flight went so wrong.

[swordfish1227]

when you slowed down for landing you actually started going bakwards and because fs is not the best helo simulator you went into the uncontrollable tailslide i mentioned in another post. after you get into that there is no way out except slewing. DON'T GO BACKWARDS it is very bad.

[Conan Edogawa]

I'll try to film one of my short flight sequence. I'll add upload it to YouTube until it's done (hope my PC is going to make it)...

[Conan Edogawa]

Sorry, can't do it. When I start FRAPS, flying is like watching 1 picture in 1 second... >:( >:( >:(

[wji]

"flying is like watching 1 picture in 1 second..."
I'm sorry to hear that . . . I like a man who's willing to put "his money where his mouth is."
We see so many posts on these forum claiming this-that-and-the-other-thing but never any screenshots nor videos-to-prove-it.

That is however, consistant with the flying world as a whole: "A pilots as good as he talks," is the way we used to state it; of course, after he runs the machine into something, it all goes out the window, doesn't it?

FRAPS is a great program but (as a registered user of FRAPS), I've learned its (apparently) video-driver-specific; that is, different releases of FRAPS only work properly with the video-drivers FRAPS was designed to work with.

Case-in-point: I tried the demo-version and it worked great and after registering (read that: paying for) the new, updated version ran just like yours -- a slide show. FRAPS sent me a registered version of the demo-version and I'm a happy camper. Yes, I have the videos-to-prove it  :o

[supernova45849850l]

I am slowly getting to grips with the bell helicopter as per my description of my first flight above, its fun any very different, I enjoy it. The main problem now is Landing the machine, I always land too hard (resulting in a crash) or enter the dreaded tailslide because I end up going backwards! Whats the best way to come to a complete stop to hover above a certain point so that you can decrease the torque gradually and land without too much -VS?

Any advice greatfully received.

[ashaman]

when you slowed down for landing you actually started going bakwards and because fs is not the best helo simulator you went into the uncontrollable tailslide i mentioned in another post. after you get into that there is no way out except slewing. DON'T GO BACKWARDS it is very bad.

Exactly this I want to underscore. Thing that doesn't happens in other sims, negative speeds make FS(nomatterthenumber) go crazy. Even a hover MUST be inside the slow advancing crawl... or ELSE... [smiley=engel017.gif]

Have to try on X-plane, when I'll be able to mount the HD on which I have it installed.

[pepper_airborne]

You can safely fly backwards, i have done it a dozen times, you can do any manouvre you like, just stay inside the flight envelope and follow the checklist carefully, those spins are caused by yourself and not by the sim or the chopper.

[ashaman]

Never managed it. With the default Bell the engine stops and the rotor locks way before even a simple (figure of speech) hover, making you a... falling duck, the Robinson is just too unstable and those few addons that are stable and not stupid like the default Bell I've tried simply went insane trying a backstep.

[supernova45849850l]

OK now I am confused! Go backwards, dont go backwards.....

I tried going backwards anyway in the Bell and forget it, tailslide...
How do Other land the Bell? stop to a hover and decrease torque gradually? I just cant land the thing, any tips would be handy!

[pepper_airborne]

You can easily go backwards, use little adjustments and dont exceed 20IAS.

Make sure the realism settings are full except the general slider, this one causes the 206 to become unrealisticly uncontrollable. just kick it a few notches down, i got it a few notches up from the middle.

Also, if you want a realistic chopper then you should get the Advanced 206BIII from dodosim(dodosim.com).

[supernova45849850l]

Moving backwards is not the issue, I am looking for advuce on Landing the Bell

[swordfish1227]

landing is easiest if you have the auto hover gauge, but seeing as you are wondering about the default that doesn't matter.

When coming in for landing pull back on the stick to about 25 degrees nose up, reducing power slightly. when you get below 30 kias, ease forward to about 10-15 degrees nose up. when you get below 15 kias, ease to about 0-5 degrees nose up and begin to try and staty in one place. holding a hover slowly ease off the power until you hit ground. landing complete.

if you have the auto hover gauge, slow down to 40 kias and start to level out while engaging the auto hover system. let it level you out and then move the altitude selecter to 10 ft. stop at 10 ft. and disengage the auto hover. ease the throttle back until you touchdown. landing complete.

[pepper_airborne]

Yeah, but best would be to time your approach, so your just decending with 200FPM and then enter slowly a hover, this way oyu dont need to stress the aircraft and risk a boom strike when your going 100IAS and pull het 25 DEG back. Try focusing on a object on the horizon and make corrections on that.