Pavespawn

That’s brilliant the way you place key pads around the pit. Nicely done!

Certainly a task to code all this. I wouldn't begin to know even where to start. But if AI can be a RIO, AI can also perform FE tasks. It was a 6 person crew but in the end only one person has their hands on the controls.

To be a good Mi-8 pilot you need to be versed in multiple types of approach profiles. Steep approach, pinnacle landings, low approach, quick stops (don't let the word quick fool you), high altitude/high gross weight etc. Use that vibration to your advantage. We called it "the burble" and it is an excellent indicator that you are going through translift. You can make any angle approach you want as long as you can ride the burble to the ground. Same with takeoffs and transition maneuvers. Try hover maneuvers where you start in a stable hover then slide left or right while doing a pedal turn. Complete a 360* turn then reverse it. Pick a point on the ground like a taxi light and pedal turn the nose around it. Then the main gearbox. Then the tail. This airframe takes a long time to master but I'll say it has a lot in common with other heavy helos like the 53.

Reasons to make a MH-53M Pave Low I mean there are many helicopters that could be produced, but I certainly have a bias. Here are a few reasons to make a Pave Low for DCS. First, we were multi-role. Even though we specialized in special operations, we also excelled at CSAR. We were also all sling load qualified. It took 6 crew members to fly her. Two pilots, two flight engineers, and two aerial gunners. That's a lot of mulitcrew positions! Three in cockpit like the Mi-8 but the FE up there stayed super busy! 240 ft of hoist cable in the right door, plus you have three gun positions in the back with a mix of the minigun or .50 cal! Systems! Systems! Systems! The Pave Low had a multitude of advanced systems especially for a helicopter. There was a triple redundant nav system with INS, doppler, and GPS inputs. Integrated defensive systems with DIRCM, jammers, chaff/flare dispensers including forward firing containers, MWS, and ALR-69. Multiple radios including SATCOM, UHF, VHF & FM SINGARS, PLS (CSAR radio), and HF. The MATT system allowed you to receive near real time threat or survivor update that go directly to the color moving map display. Finally, the heart of the aircraft is the Pave Low system itself which is a terrain following/terrain avoidance radar paired with a FLIR and hover coupler that allowed you to fly anywhere and then land even in 0/0 weather. The main mission was special operations so that included infiltration of vehicles. We did a lot of air refueling! We all had to maintain deck qualifications! Ok, maybe I am way biased but I spent a decade on Pave Low and it was great. There is a lot more to the aircraft than I can cover here!

I’m a former MH-53 guy so I’m kinda biased but that would be a good platform for those who want a lot of technical depth. Multi crew aircraft play would make it fun as well. Plus you can do helicopter air refueling. You also get a helicopter with the navigation, threat warning, and communications that are better than most fighters. Plus terrain following/terrain avoidance radar. I know AH-1S and Mi-24 (I forget the version) are in develop and that’s likely more popular with most.

Yes!

Nice!

Can’t wait buddy. You have the best profiles available! I have been working off of a poor excuse of a profile that I cobbled together.

I have my radios dual coded for the A-10, Huey, and Hip. Some code is exactly the same for multiple modules and some is different but you can include it and it will work.

Man that looks amazing. Any new progress? I love seeing you progress.

Gotcha. Well if you choose the DCS-BIOS route you have plenty of help here and for switches it is as easy as cut & paste of commands and insert a pin. Pretty darn easy. I mean I figured it out lol.

If you are going to use DCS-BIOS to connect it doesn’t have to be On-On. It only is looking for the “on”side if you will. I have tried to get as many milspec type switches as I can but in reality you don’t need them (they tend to cost more). I have use cheaper switches and then I will swap them out for the actual ones as I find good deals. What I did was go through Deadman’s switch list (since I am building an A-10) and find either the actual switch or a suitable substitute. EDIT: I realized you said bodner boards. That should also be fine. I have found DCS-BIOS and Arduino pretty simple when it comes to just switches. Plus you have the ability to do other stuff like digital readouts or CDU displays.

I wish that would happen but I’m afraid it won’t workout that way. The differences are too great. Like an F-15C and an F-15E, they look similar but they are whole other animals. Pave Lows had two motors and 6 blades while Es have three motors with different horsepower than the Pave and 7 blades. The airframes are not the same either. The E is bigger and has a canted tail pylon. I don’t know how they could do it but then again I also don’t know how these models are created.

Hans, Simply amazing brother. And to have an actual 186 is even better. You have inspired me to learn more about how to code. In fact my Arduino how-to book showed up today and I hope I can use it to help me do my own. I really enjoy watching your build and I can’t tell you how appreciative I am for the assistance you have given me on my own.

I have been working for the last 9 hours on getting my CDU display to work. Admittedly the majority of that time was just getting it to fit in the panel the right way but I managed to sort that out. My real issue is getting my screen to display something. I tried to write my own sketch, nothing. I loaded up the sketch I found on here that Tekkx wrote ( Super awesome Tekkx Sketch) and nothing. I know the screen is wired up correctly because I can load the graphics test sketch in the Adifruit library and it works like a charm. Perhaps I could get some advice as to what I am missing? Oh, also when I load the sketch I get an error on this line: UTFTGLUE myGLCD(0x9341,A2,A1,A3,A4,A0); The error tells me the integer is too large but it compiles and loads anyway. I followed these instructions and wired it to a mega: Adafruit 8-bit wiring and test I am using the Adafruit 320x480 screen used in the instructions. Thanks for any assistance. My brother is coming in from out of town and I wanted to have the screen working to show it off. :thumbup:

Capt Zeen created a lua that will blank the ingame screens. I think it is on his website. Just google Capt Zeen.

DM, I’ll look around for those. Nothing beats the look of an actual gauge. I’ll also try to grab some engine instruments as well. If nothing else I can adapt a stepper motor to drive it. Seems like a fun but frustrating project.

DM, I already have a touchscreen with Helios but I prefer the real deal. I will move away from the screens for gauges as much as possible. Really it comes down to the actual gauge or one that I build myself. My only limiting factors are my limited working knowledge of Arduino/DCS-BIOS and how much I’m willing to spend on hardware. Take the HSI for example; how reasonable is it to think I can afford an original? How possible is it to get a replica HSI? Are actual gauges something that can be converted reasonably or is building my own a better choice/more feasible? PS: Still hoping for an accurate knob for my CMSP! :smilewink: Gary

Wow, maybe I’ll head over to take a looksee. I have always heard gauges are a pain which is why I was going to wait until I have the rest built and usable.

Yup Paves aren’t known for their sling loading abilities :lol:. I would love to see the TF/TA though. Especially with the integrated moving map and defensive systems.

I am far enough along on my pit to start thinking about gauges. I really like the look and feel of real gauges but I have to think that simulated ones are easier to implement. I’d like to hear from the real experts about the pros and cons of each. Also where do you get simulated gauge faces and needles? I don’t have a CNC or anything and I’m not likely to get one. I’d also like to ask about primary instruments like ADI, HSI, VVI, etc. I’d love a real HSI but could never afford it unless I win the lottery :lol:

Hans, I wanted to let you know that your TACAN fix was genius. I used it on my TACAN and it worked the very first try! I truly don’t know what I would do without you! PS I had a different timer library than you and got that sorted out as well. I’m working on my CDU today!

I tell you Hans, I wish I had have the working knowledge of this code that you have. Very impressive! When I get home I’d like to try this on mine. Excellent work!

Looks great! I’m about to put a CDU together myself!

:doh:Ok, you are a genius. I don't want to every hear you say you don't really know much about Arduino :lol:. I now have a working TACAN but I have the same issue that you have. I cannot go past 9. What mine does is when I flip it to 10, it jumps to 12 and sticks there until I roll all the way back down to around 4 and then flip the knob in the game itself and it will roll back down. I'll tell you that as frustrating as this can be, it is pretty fun to try and figure it out. Of course I don't speak fluent Arduino like you do. Ok so looking at the code I think the reason 8-12 wouldn't work is the fact that I get into a new port and the low would start over in the first (or last) position depending on how it gets wired (and 12 is back on port A which would conflict I suppose. Thanks for all the assistance. I was hoping to figure something out on the 10-12 to pay you back for all the assistance you have given me. I'll keep plugging at it as I get time. I am going out of town for a few days soon so I won't be able to work on it for a while. Gary