ericinexile

After months of pleasant Black Shark flying I decided to do a clean Vista reinstall as a drastic step to resolve a joystick issue (resolved). No hardware changes have been made and the OS (vista 64) is the same. Before wiping out the old install I deactivated DCS. After getting Vista and all the drivers up and running I installed a fresh download of DCS. I then started Black Shark but the "box" for the openning screen hanged. I say box because the GUI graphic never loaded, just a transparent box titled "Black Shark". I let it continue untouched for 10 minutes (oddly I could hear the GUI music) before closing and got an "Not Responding" prompt. Thinking this was an activation issue I ran the DCS "Protect" executable and reactivated. No joy. Also oddly, Multiplayer loads fine and I can get into the pit. But of course without the single-player GUI I can't set up the stick or graphics or, well, anything. Even though MP worked I still thought perhaps I DL'd a corrupted file so I deactivated again, uninstalled, and started all over with fresh Setup and Data1 files. Reactivated but have the same problem. I'm stuck on this one and grateful for any help. Regards, Smokin' Hole Vista Ultimate 64 Dual Zeon Quad 2.8 4 Gig RAM NVidia 8800GT TrackIR 4 X52

Yep. You got it!

You won't notice a significant difference unless you really compare complex manuevers with FD on and OFF. ZaltysZ is correct in his observation. Try two level, constant speed, constant bank, Coordinated 360 turns--one turn with FD on and one with FD off. Remember two things: 1) FD On = Autopilot off (except dampening functions), 2) FD Off with trim held is essentially the same as FD On but with no cyclic neutral point--which makes it a little less precise then flying with FD on. Smokin' Hole

I'm halfway through Chapter 3. Can't say there has been a lot of variety so far but that's to be expected as this helicopter has a fairly narrowly defined job description. The more interesting CAS missions are the ones where you must defend friendlies from either arty or advancing armor. Would like to have seen more weather and seasonal changes.

You'll get a lot of "well I find"(s)...Here's mine: Well I find that Autohover works best when I am already established in a decent hands-and-feet off hover with zero vertical velocity. Once that's done, engage. After changing heading, keep stabilized two seconds before trimming. The nose will 'hunt' for a few seconds before the Autohover accepts the new heading. Smokin' Hole

Sorry if a repeat. Wingy often calls a target but said target doesn't DL. Later, player can send wingy on a 1km recon in friendly territory and immediately a "watch Ecran" and DL follows (target in position of previous call). I ignored this for a long time because I though it had to do with terrain or lost comms. But it happens even when I have line of sight with the wingy. Thanks.

Thanks. The next string of days that occur pc-frustration free I'll try it just to keep life interesting.

Can someone explain any advantages to upgrading? My profiles are in .dat format which means reprogramming everything to .pro if I understand correctly. I am currently running 6.2.2.4 on Vista 64 and haven't had any problems. Thanks. Smokin' Hole

I'm in my Mac at the moment but I believe its in: Ka50/Black Shark/data/scripts/logbook/player.lua Sorry but that's probably not exactly right and therefore not much help. If you do find the logbook lua you can scroll down to you current campaign and get the entire mission history. You will also find a Stage with only a mission file and no other data. that is your next mission. You can change it with Notebook++. In the end, it is still easier to just play each mission from the editor.

Ok, since I'm now at risk of looking like Rokoskowksy, the guy on the RWS thread a few weeks ago, I'm done. If the DCS:Ka50 matches the real Ka50, I'll use FD. If the DCS:Ka50 doesn't match the real Ka50, I'll........use the FD. Thanks everyone for your ideas and input. Smokin' Hole

Man! You could not have more greatly missed my point. My fault probably--sometimes I use 20 words where 3 would suffice. A16 and EB have both stated that they believed that, in general, the autopilots in many Russian helicopters ceased control input when pilot input was sensed and they further implied that perhaps the Ka50 used the same philosophy. That is definitely not what is happening in the sim. I personally think AlphaOneSix's assumptions intuitively sound right. (I will add that neither A16 nor EvilBivol ever stated that the game was inaccurate in this respect.) Again my point is only that what I've observed in the sim does not match their descriptions found on the Trim and AP stickies.

OK

I find that HUD information is always pretty minimal and kept to essentials on RU airplanes (as simulated by ED...my only source ;-) I like it that way. The hud displays INS (or is it dopplar) groundspeed. The skhval and A/S indicator display IAS. Next to the HUD where it should be is the VVI. All the info the pilot needs is in his field of view and only targeting info is in the HUD--Nice and clean.

There is an amazing amount of irony in this statement (although it is true)! Using the FD means NOT using autopilot. So, by definition FD SHOULD be harder. the fact that use of the autopilot is harder speaks volumes. Something is not right. Smokin' Hole

If this is true, and I don't have the knowledge to dispute it, then it really needs to be explicitly explained by ED. Because what you are talking about is not simply one of the autopilot is on or off depending on whether or not the FD is engaged. You are talking about two unique sets of flight control laws dependent on the status of the Flight Director. Assuming AlphaOneSix and EvilBivol are incorrect regarding cyclic stick pressure "unlatching" the autopilot, and you and others who've posted convinced that the ED modeled Ka50 FCS is as accurate as possible are correct, then I'd say the real Ka50 is flown in a manner which is in conflict with what we have been told is correct. Because if the real pilot is flying in a situation where constant maneuvering is required then he will almost certainly need to press and hold the trim to quickly repoint his helicopter. But we have been told that real Ka50 pilots do not normally press and hold the trim. So I am just as convinced as ever that we have either been misinformed about the proper use of trim and/or FD, or we have a simulated Ka50 with some errors in the flight control logic that extend beyond the limitations of desktop joysticks. Smokin' Hole

If the real Ka50 works as I suggest in this thread, then the purpose of FD makes perfect sense. The FD gives the pilot the option of flying with the AP off regardless of whether or not he is moving the stick. Because this increases workload somewhat, command guidance is displayed on the HUD. There is little compelling reason to normally fly in FD other than that sometimes pilots like to hand-fly--and sometimes autopilots fail.

As I understand it, 1 and 2 should not be different. That's really my only point.

Great question. Let's first agree on levels of automation: 1) All blue buttons off = no attitude/heading hold and no dampening. 2) FD ON = all axis dampening but still no attitude/heading hold. 3) FD OFF = dampening plus attitude/heading hold. To keep things simple, let's forget "1" plus let's forget the option to press and hold trim to remove AP holds and neutral springs. That leaves us with AP or FD. According to AlphaOneSix, any pilot cyclic input without FD will remove AP hold input. In other words, when the pilot makes an input the Ka50 behaves exactly as if the FD had been turned on. The AP relatches only once control pressures are romoved. Now with that knowledge, fly straight and level at a stable speed and turn. Note the amount of cyclic and ruddur input required to hold your desired bank angle and turn rate. (for the sake of comparison dont hold trim). Now, under identical conditions, do this again with FD ON and again note required amount of control input. Should be identical, right? Well the are not. That's my only point. I'm not looking for flying advice. I know the FD works and I know holding the trim works. I'm just convinced that the DCS Ka50 can more closely mirror the Real Ka50 without all the creative workaround some of us have discovered.

Slight left or right cyclic really helps with nosewheel steering. Also, good technique might be to roll straight a couple of feet prior to setting brakes.

I think any sense of out-manuevering an inbound is something of an illusion, unless the missile was low E due to being fired at extreme distance. Try to imagine a missile's manuever cone with a helo in the middle of that cone. There is little that a 270kph brick can do to vacate that cone. Beam, flares, terrain (and my poor decoy wingy) are the only things I've found which buy me a chance of survival. Smokin' Hole

Exactly! Everyone posting seems covinced that the AP unlatches at pilot input exactly as AlphaOneSix describes. I'm starting to think I downloaded DCS v0.90. SH

I'm guessing LP is refering to the dopplar hover hold feature of many SAR helos.

LP, Why the hostility? I'm only asking that the FCS work the same way the FCS has been described to work on the Ka50. If nothing changes then I'm still happy as a lark that I have on my Mac the greatest sim ever made. Yes, I do have the FD mapped to my Saitek and, no, its not really a problem to use. I just see an easier way. If my opinion has no validity then don't respond and this thread will die a much deserved death in obscurity in a day or two. SH

Fly fast but the faster you fly (above 280 indicated) the more gently you should apply control input--especially right rudder and right cyclic. The lower the rotor rpm, the more likely flapping will get extreme enough for rotor intersection. When in doubt--lower collective.

News to me. Trim works fine anyway but if they rework the autoflight I'll do my best Gilda Radner "Never Mind!" SH