Topgun505

I DID print the manual (I over-estimated how many pages I would get out of my ink cartridges so I figured I could crank it out without too much difficulty, and I didn't take in to account how many screenshots there are of the ABRIS in it, which takes it up a huge amount of ink). Needless to say ... my advice is DON'T try it or you will spend like $100 in ink to print it. If you want a hard copy I would suggest you wait for them to release a hard copy and buy it. Or, if you don't want a black and white copy, take it to Kinkos to be printed or to lulu.com And I DID read the whole thing. IMHO you pretty much HAVE to if you intend to get the most out of it. Granted some parts you don't need to read in depth. For example if you have no intention of changing ABRIS routes mid-flight you can kinda glaze over it. For the most part, however, you will need to read through it eventually. This is a MAXIMUM fidelity sim. It is going to require study and patience and lots of practice. You cannot simply expect to jump in this bird and get going with no effort. If you are already used to other complex flight sims that have fairly realistic physics modeling then once you get past learning the on-board systems it shouldn't be too bad. I read through the manual over a week or two, then developed my own startup checklist and only then did I try a few test hops getting a feel for the handling. Once I got the basics down I sat down and figured out the best control mapping for my stick and throttle, etc. After only about 5-10 hr of flight time fully set up I managed to land on the helipad of Oliver H Perry destroyer on my first attempt. The bottom line is you will find it a LOT easier and less frustrating if you have some patience and take your time to learn the systems, then learn how to handle the chopper, and only then start tackling the higher functions. As always ... post whatever questions you have on the forums as I'm sure everyone is more than willing to help. As for the AP ... leave all 3 autopilots (heading, pitch, attitude) on for now. Later you may want to start trying turns with heading hold off but right now you just need to be concerned with the basics.

When I first got BS I was rather intimidated by the startup process. I mean, I am used to a long start list due to Falcon Allied Force, but when I watched the 'accelerated startup' tutorial I was like "Holy **** this guy is going back and forth all over the place. So I decided to do an in depth checklist. I took a screen capture of the cockpit and imported it to word and drew a line outline around each panel 'area' (Left front panel, right from panel, etc etc). Then deleted the background cockpit just leaving the wire diagram. Saved it as the base and then colored in one section in light gray and saved it. Reloaded the non-filled diagram and filled in a different section. Repeat until there was a diagram where one of each panel is highlighted. Then took screen captures of the specific panels. Finally ... made a Word doc with the detailed checklist, included the screenshot of the specific control panel and for each step put a red circle around the control on the panel for that step and an arrow showing which way to set each switch on the panel, and for each step included the wire diagram with the appropriate area of the cockpit highlighted so you can see roughly where that panel is located in the cockpit. So the result ... a detailed step by step checklist with a picture of the panel so you know what it looks like, which control on the panel the step is talking about, which way to set it, and where that panel is in the cockpit. It took the better part of a week to make but it helped beyond measure. :)

I have been tinkering with all the various AP modes. FD on or off, Hdg hold on and off. And combinations thereof. I have noticed that when Hdg Hold is on and FD off that the system not only appears to attempt to hold the course, but if there is ANY rudder input at the time I hit the trim it snags that setting as well and pretty soon after a couple of trims it appears to build up and I'm practically flying along sideways unless I turn off Hdg Hold or hit Trim Cancel. Am I to assume the standard practice when using Hdg Hold and turning that when you finish the turn you level out and zero the rudder and IMMEDIATELY hit the trim before your helo has a chance to yaw very far off course? Or am I missing something?

There is a switch to the left of the Sensor Group Test selector. When you start up the switch is set to a neutral position, you need to make sure it is set to the Test position.

So after finishing the manual (though I am sure I am going to need to reread a lot of it) and going through the tutorials I started hammering out a control profile for my Saitek. With not having a Track IR (yet) I needed to map out a buncha controls in order to keep my hunt-clicking within the cockpit to a minimum so I don't lose situational awareness. I realized after a bit that I also have my trusty Nostromo N52 sitting on the sideline here and after looking at it I realized it has almost the exact same layout as the Ka50 Datalink pad. I would imagine there should be no problem using both the Nostromo and Saitek at the same time .. but figured I would ask before I head home tonight and try it and see if anyone has run in to any problems doing such a setup.

Step one, see where the attack is coming from. If below, then chances are it is a tank or TOW equipped vehicle. If above then it's probably an air threat. I would probably suggest: 1. Rotate (quickly!) using rudder to put the threat either directly in front or behind you in order to present the smallest possible target to your attacker. 2. Pitch to one side hard to slideslip in order to screw up the firing solution for a tank trying to get a bead on you. 3. At about the same time you start the sideslip pitch down, if you have the altitude, to accelerate and get outta dodge. You obviously got too close, you need to beat feet and get some distance to get out of main gun range.

Ram ... drop me a line sometime. Topgun505@hotmail.com or Topgun505 on yahoo. I don't have a Track IR yet and I just got BS a week or so ago so I am still learning all the systems but I'm working on it.

Make a bloody view control that will reset you back to the default view (the view when you first start in the aircraft). NONE of the dozens of view controls currently do this. This is a must for those of us who do not yet have TrackIR. Once this and the few other minor bugs are resolved .. THEN yes ... go ahead and add personnel. :)

Thank you Frederf. I just went through the process of mapping out my Saitek last night and I tried to tinker with the view settings and once I got away from the default view (when you first start the aircraft) I could not get back to it ... despite using every one of the litterally dozen or so controls that you would think would take you back to the default view ... or at least get you close to it. Nope. Every one of them either zoomed in on the controls (either too close, or you got close enough to the instruments but the display of the HUD looked so far away it looks like you need a telescope to see what was displayed on it, etc). Whoever designed all the view settings needs beaten. Your little workaround will be exactly what I was looking for. Will have to get home after work and try it.

This is a tough call. On one hand I would love to see a new version of the AH-64D Longbow ... but as that is a 2 person aircraft that would be a bit awkward in order to make it high fidelity sim ... having to swap seats back and forth for gunner / pilot stations. I also love the F-14 ... but that will have the same problem as above (not to mention the F-14 is now retired from front line service if I recall). So ... single seat aircraft.... hmmm .... Not the F-16. Falcon Allied Force is a great sim. I doubt anyone is going to improve much over that. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a new F-15 sim ... but only the C model .... not the strike eagle, as you again run in to the 2 seat problem. But the F-22 would also be a nice aircraft to model. On the Russian side of things I would be inclined to go for the Su-27/ 35. The aircraft can get a data feed from an AWACS, approach its target with its own radar off, use its IR Search & Track system to acquire the target, and blow it away with IR missiles. Unless the target is equipped with state of the art passive missile protection it would never know it is even under attack (aside from seeing the AWACS painting it on RWR) until he was going down in flames. That sounds fun. :)

Has anyone built a Saitek x52 profile as of yet? If so, I'd like to see what some people have come up with.