Volk.

@Raptor9 Nice summary. Just an addition, the Airfield PVI steerpoints are only used if your heli has been 'snapped' to a FARP/Airfield somewhere. If it's just been placed ground hot/ground cold but happens to be parked on a FARP/airfield it'll count be added as a Waypoint instead. Interestingly enough Gator on the Rise has reference to the ABRIS/KABRIS also being able to affect the autopilots, i.e. steer the airframe. So possibly-maybe some versions did integrate the ABRIS more completely than just the Nav Target Points.

For what it's worth the docs I've seen, they just straight up increased those weight limits for the Ka-52 (base one, not naval version - that's different) which has the same airframe/structure/rotors/wings. So that 10800 weight limit is (a little) less about the structural issues. But yeah, 10.8 tonnes is chonky, and you're not supposed to be doing a vertical hover takeoff from that, but rather a rolling/IGE takeoff for heavier weights. The rocket pods way loads, especially the OFP2 or S-13s, so I often dump a bit of fuel if I'm taking off with those and don't need to fly for hours. Having the bird closer to 10.4 tonnes or less makes it remarkably more agile. As for the altitudes/adverse conditions - mainly look at that outlet compressor gas gauge on the front right wall - ideally you're in Cruise (below the lowest yellow chevron) rather than hover or takeoff power notches. The EEG's will limit your output regardless to keep your temps in check, though I'm sure IRL they'd prefer it not to by in the higher regimes for long for maintenance / longevity. If you don't care about those "real life" concerns, you can absolutely redline it well over 11 tonnes and you won't experience failures because of it.

that black airwolf vs black airwolf is one of the most confusing dogfights they had on that show.

Huh. That Gsh thread went...sideways & then some. The 30mm especially HE should make for a very bad day inside a tank. Think I read the 2A42 (on BMPs) would use the HE/HEI rounds vs. tanks, as it couldn't penetrate most angles with those steel AP rounds, but the high ex would strip away the eRA, wreck sensors etc. That said it did score mobility/firepower kills from I think 1km (can't quite recall the number. Check out Sovietarmourblog/Tangograd). In general wouldn't expect the AP rounds to do much vs. tanks - from the rear sure, but not effectively. Not sure about the pressure/sound waves on the crew, might be negligible - I don't know. But that's digressing. vs. IFVs only rated for 7.62/12.7mm from level angles when you're firing slightly higher up, I'd expect the 30mm rounds to aerate it nicely. Given what its hi-ex does to reinforced concrete, I'd thank that too would (at least on direct hits) make it a bad day. I haven't toyed much with M113/Bradleys. But the Strykers I found to be just shy of an MBT in armour in DCS when last I tested maybe 2020. Impervious to 30mm from the front basically. The one exception was the turreted version, you could get super damage vs. the turret, even from the front, and kill it that way. I don't know much about the Strykers protection, where the plates are, angles, layers, etc., but that's what I last found in DCS. And yes, the rounds are different between the Warthog, Hind/Su-25T and Shark. PGU-14 rounds are fired at a high velocity (and fire rate), and have a high quality DU round. Very high penetration for a 30mm. The 2A42 AP rounds only use a steel core (some 3rd party manufacturers make Tungsten ones that have a lot better stated performance), and less velocty. Unlike the other two here, it of course has articulation so more rounds should land on target unless the pilot flew the perfect angle, and all the rounds used would be AP instead of a likely combat mix, though not quite at the same rate of fire. The Hind's Gsh rounds have slightly worse stats, in also it has less velocity, and the Su-25's version of the cannon even less velocity. Yeah it woulda been used vs. IFVs. All the above rounds are about same length, though the Gau-8 rounds pack a bit more propellant/payload. I have a vid on all the details I could find on the differences of these cannons: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjdQx_590XQ&feature=youtu.be>. Not much on specifics of penetration vs. e.g. western IFV/APCs though.

Some of the Ka-52 footage you can see they have a pipper ~30 degrees up which they pull into. I.e. that avionics set gives them an aiming point for that calculated loft/range. And yeah, DCS no frag or morale/suppression effect and trees have stallinium leaves, so the more extreme lofting isn't that magical since even if executed perfectly, added distance makes for a wider dispersion and less likely kills. Has uses, just not that common in DCS. @Baltic Dude adding to what zerO-crash said, target points are good for slewing & distance. In your vid you set it up as a waypoint. If you use a target point, you'll see the distance appear on your HUD as well. So even without laser ranging, you have an indicator on your HUD for distance, so no need to look down at the PVI/HSI. When you say "HE rockets" are you meaning the OFP2?

Look for a PickinthatBanjo vid on data link. I recall he did a small bit later in his vid on data linking to the AI. That said, sounds like you're doing the right thing. I don't have much faith in the AI actually DOING the attacking from the right parameters, though they have improved since what they did maybe 2 years ago where they wouldn't use Vikhrs at all. I think, and I'm not sure on this, that for the AI specifically you need to have them be in your flight. So don't just set up separate helicopters/groups, but place your helicopter set to player/client, then use the + button to add extra AI wingmen (set to some Average/Ace/etc skill level rather than player/client) to your icon/wing/group. In other words I think the AI needed you to be in the same group on the mission editor, rather than just on the same R-800 radio frequency. They should at least confirm receipt of the order - just might not execute it perfectly.

What Joker said. Very capable machine. Most things modeled. Notable exceptions I can think of would be INU degrading/drift & flight control boost during hydraulic pressure loss, but as you can guess those are more fringe/rare things. Other elements would be the laser always having 100% ranging accuracy and the contrast lock being abstracted rather than purely image-based, but that's in general across all DCS modules. Compared to the newer modules, the exterior is good, but could do with an upgrade which is coming with BS3. The interior cockpit look/textures is one of the best, and otherwise everything's modeled from data links, searching airports, plotting obstacles and elevations in your route, selecting more manual aiming solutions etc.

There's definitely some bug relating to a Right transmission oil pressure warning staying on the Ekran, even though the pressure has stabilised on the right wall gauges. Though it's uncommon/rare, and I've never paid attention when it happens to confirm what led up to it. Maybe it's having the throttles not be on idle during startup - unsure. Don't believe it's related to that instant action mission specifically, or damage. Might be from Win+Home starts, but again, can't quite recall. I've heard of quite a few people running into it from time to time, but regrettably that's all the detail I have.

Don't know on the JTAC/AFAC options unfortunately, but maybe below helps. It doesn't take you all the way there - lets you see MGRS on your ABRIS, though only to 2 digits. You'll need to guestimate 10ths for more precision if it's given.

Bort 24 is the current BS2 module, with the laser designator upgrade & thus ability to guide in Kh-25s. BS3 is based off Bort 25. If you look in the ED manual you'll see a bunch of charts and other details. In terms of public information, everything seems to check out on it's capabilities. You'll find the occasional IRL vid where the HUD behaved differently, but that might also be a different software version. It also goes into details on splitting every blade into 6 elements and handling it's aerodynamics, models a bunch of systems and effects. Some stuff isn't modeled like the electrical fuses & the IFF codes, but that gets more classified. Some of those KABRIS system pages get really in depth and obscure and doesn't appear to be guesswork. I think they had SMEs back when saying it was a good representation, just that's almost 15 years ago, and likely those few pilots weren't as prevalent online.

Rocket runs are definitely a skill. Though if you're getting a a solid hover without any AP channels I'd imagine they just need a little bit of practice. Just remember to dial in the ballistic setting to the type of rocket you're firing, and give yourself enough time to line up.

How have you found that to be the case? Or are you referring to using Alt hold while flying NOE and then going too fast for it up too steep a hill/across buildings in radalt?

Like Razo+r said, lase, correct ballistic setting, and pull nose up. You might not get a full 30 degree nose-up before the reticule goes off the HUD, so you'll need to see what still works. Rockets are inherently not that accurate, so best done with e.g. OFP2s vs infantry or S-13s vs a big building. Closer you get = more hits, unless you absolutely need to vent that ordinance to suppress rather than destroy and can't risk getting any closer.

Bit of a late reply - but if you have a track file of it, maybe post it under bugs. I've also seen that happen. Always Right Transmission Oil pressure warning. Usually for me it was only the warning itself that stays on the Ekran, even after your engines have spooled up, so I do still have power/pressure/etc. Other than damage, I can't think why the right transmission should be having issues. If the engine was started normally, it should be almost identical to the left side in performance. All you can really do is forget the throttle for that one side (which I think the oil pressure should normalise even on idle throttles), and you can forget to turn on the electronic engine governor for one side, which would lead to it not capping the output of that engine and actually producing more power until it melts down.

That article...is not quite accurate. Wasn't 'standard terrain flight' at all - night flight acrobatics, 2nd flight he'd had in the Ka-50 after an 8 month gap, after doing a sortie the Mi-24. Apparently the maneuvers done weren't signed off by the Kamov team after modeling out the safety of those maneuvers. But yeah, both cases of extreme maneuvers even for a helo allowed to do loops etc. just can't do like that. So like you say physics. As for the descent - you need to corkscrew usually. As in enough pitch not to increase speed beyond the limits, with whatever descent rate you can (within main rotor rpm limits as Chump mentioned), then keep going lower in gradual circles. Biggest factor with rotor intersections is probably the collective. If you're going to be doing something super-stressful/acrobatic or touching the speed limits, lower collective, then do whatever you need to do gently.

if you still need help with this - posted this a whiles back. Timestamped the section on it:

If you started up correctly, and have the 3 main autopilots on like you mention, the getting into a hover and trimming should leave you in a good trim, with the autopilots on. If you then try to put on Auto Hover Mode, either below 4m AGL, or your doppler isn't ready yet after startup (you can see this by your ground speed not being top-left on your HUD if you haven't activated the Shkval or gun select), then it knocks out your autopilot channels. You'll need to either ascend/wait for the doppler and put the channels back on, or turn off Hover mode and then turn on the AP channels. Route mode will cancel/prevent Auto Hover mode. Finally if you're having issues with AP channels themselves, check your hydraulics and INU switch. Hope that helps.

I've had this happen too, on Caucasus. Your pilot is definitely still alive and F1-able, but can't recall if I could control the aircraft. Then again, it would be missing a massive chunk of avionics etc. Was a multiplayer session and a Mig got me. Not sure I'd find the trackfile now, but it's not just Marianas or AAA.

For target points, Edit mode in the PVI, Press Nav TGT pnt, lase up your target location, press number you wanna save, Uncage Shkval, Enter, then go into opp mode again. Data Link Targets are a bit quicker to save, though slightly slower to recall depending on how many you do. Just target type button and then SendMem. That vid I posted in the other link as the first in a playlist that deals with all these things in probably-too-much detail.

With the PVI-800 in Operational mode, just press the NAV TGT PNT button, then the number of the point you want to select. That should already change your HSI and HUD symbology to point you there. Then your next press of Uncage Shkval will go straight there. Data Link Targets set to DL Ingress can also do this. If you need to know more.

The tanks are self-sealing, so small arms fire is maybe unlikely to cause a significant leak. Also not sure if I've seen leaks in the Shark's fuel, rather than just death.

heh. the whole carwash vibe.

The one fuel tank takes 705kg fuel, and the other 745kg. So the one tank will likely always run out before the other. The cross-feed ("x feed" I think it's called, next to APU fuel) allows both tanks to feed both engines. So if you're running low fuel, switching that on prevents one engine dying earlier. No idea if that actually lets you keep flying longer, as you're powering both engines, but at least you still have the lift you're expecting.

From this https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/newsletters/newsletter14052021-p79vw4mquji2673nv61gfjpiu17pehuz.html newsletter and few others showing off the cool internal structure and 'beneath the hood' details: (a) can we have a static AI model based on the undamaged, covers-open model for static scenery of a Ka-50 undergoing maintenance? (b) maybe also see the suspended panels open when undergoing repairs from the F8 menu? Be a shame to only see those details when you take damage.

You don't need to reset after every shot. As Taz mentioned, it's one way to change the PRTz data-link panel's behaviour. If you've lased something, it assumes you're trying to save a target rather than recall an existing one. The other way is pressing one of the second row buttons first before the target type, which makes it 'change mode' so to speak and allow you to select existing targets. The other reason is that the less time your laser is firing, the longer it lasts before burning out. This may happen somewhere after the 24th Vikhr depending on use. But essentially once it happens - you lase or launch a Vikhr and the timer on your HUD only counts down from 2, ie. your missiles won't have much guidance. Since every Vikhr has the laser firing an extra 6-ish seconds, you can reset once it impacts. So not necessary, but could be savvy. That said, only do this if you have the concentration/focus/time available. Otherwise don't worry about it.