Steep turns and collective brake

I was wondering...

In a steep and level turn, say 45-degree bank, is it recommended to depress the collective brake to increase collective?

In a real Ka-50, does the collective brake jam the collective in place or it centers it like the cyclic trim? [EDIT: Of course, if it jams it, as I now know it does, the answer the first question is evident!]

My understanding is that it is like a friction lock which holds the collective lever in place. At least in the sim of course it also resets the ALT HOLD marker. I think idea is that the brake keeps the pilot from inadvertently bumping the collective while eating his sandwich and whatnot.

Collective brake could be a wind brake

If you go into the Mission Editor and create a strong wind with the Ka stationary (e.g. Shooting Range mission) hit F2 and you'll see the rotors blow up and down in quite extraordinary ways. Operate the cyclic and different rotors will raise and lower.

Now the point:

If you release the collective brake the rotors will start to rotate and soon will probably collide with each other, destroying themselves. Because the rotors aren't being rotated at speed by the engine, ie. there is no centrifugal force pushing them out and down, they're free to lift as high as they like in the wind.

It's therefore quite possible that the brake is there to protect the rotors in the event of wind gusts until such time as the rotors are tied down with ropes etc.

mbolan, they are talking about the collective brake, not the rotor brake.

In real life the collective cannot be moved while the collective brake is not depressed. It is second nature for Ka-50 pilots to squeeze in order to affect any collective change.

Are you talking about the rotor brake, by any chance?

Collective brake is the F key and is frequently used in flight, to hold the collective arm in place (my question is: with any degree of movement?) and at the same time sets the altitude to be held by the autopilot. :book:

Ooops. Apologies. I guess red wine and helicopters just don't mix

If altitude channel is off or trim button is held pressed, collective brake won't do any thing in game.

...so in answer to your question, yes, the collective brake "jams" the Collective in place..

However, you may still want to increase collective in a tight turn, as going off axis by 45 degrees will have a very real impact on your lift vector, and you will most likly start losing altitude (unless you are going quite fast).

Collective brake is the F key and is frequently used in flight, to hold the collective arm in place

It's the other way around, pressing "F" squeezes the collective brake allowing the collective to move. ALT hold is suspended while the collective brake is squeezed and the new altitude to hold is captured on relaxing the collective brake. There is no movement at all when the collective brake is not squeezed (unless you hit it with a sledgehammer maybe).

I don't see how it's "the other way around", but yes, I should have specified it sets Alt-Hold upon releasing the lever/button, hence setting the brake.

I thought the collective break handle ON the collective was only a safety mesure for when your hand is not on the collective and to lock it in place when you are leaving the helicopter.

In the sim, I never use it.

I thought the collective break handle ON the collective was only a safety mesure for when your hand is not on the collective and to lock it in place when you are leaving the helicopter.

 

In the sim, I never use it.

Oh! But you should!

Upon releasing the lever (F), it sets the altitude (baro or radar from a right-panel switch, near Flight Director) at which the autopilot Altitude Hold channel will try to maintain.

Similar to auto-hover, altitude hold works better (less oscillation) when your altitude is stable in trim.