Max Auto-Hover Altitude

[Avio]

Would like to know, what is the maximum Auto hovering altitude for the Ka-50? Thanks.

[Flagrum]

Would like to know, what is the maximum Auto hovering altitude for the Ka-50? Thanks.

Depends on temperature, aircraft weight, barometric air pressure, etc.

 

But a rough figgure can be found in the manual, p. 2-9.

 

edit:

"auto hovering altitude"? It does not matter if you have hover mode engage or if you keep the helo in a hover by yourself - it 's the physical circumstances that are important.

[Avio]

Thanks Flagrum. The figure is 4000m which I believe is the manual hover.

 

What I meant was, if I would like to use the AUTO hover mode (which needs the radar altimeter), what is the max altitude that the radar altimeter would still work well to give proper auto-hover.

[Flagrum]

Thanks Flagrum. The figure is 4000m which I believe is the manual hover.

 

What I meant was, if I would like to use the AUTO hover mode (which needs the radar altimeter), what is the max altitude that the radar altimeter would still work well to give proper auto-hover.

The hover mode needs the altimeter - but the altimeter can be switched between baro alt, radar alt and a mix of both (radar up to xxx meters and then baro). So the hover mode does not exactly rely on the max altitude the radar altimeter can be used for.

 

But to (almost) answer your question about how much "xxx" actually is, the max altitude the radar altimeter can measure, refer to the manual section "Radar Altimeter" (p. 6-24) :D

[Avio]

Thanks again Flagrum. Awesome!

[nickexists]

Isn't the Doppler navigation system needed for auto hover? I would imagine that this probably has a max altitude, but it may not modeled in dcs.

[Flagrum]

Isn't the Doppler navigation system needed for auto hover? I would imagine that this probably has a max altitude, but it may not modeled in dcs.

Good point ... and the manual even mentions "Hover stabilization using data from the ground speed and Doppler drift angle system and the radar altimeter".

 

But besides the fact that the PNK-800 nav system can also use other methods to determine the drift angle (with varying precision), I could not find much about the doppler system - especially not anything about it's operational limits.

 

But a quick test showed at least that in fact it is possible to enter hover mode at any altitude and the system still tries to stabilize the aircraft position over the ground.

[Isegrim]

Arent you talking about atitude hold? Altitude hold works from 10-5500m, Autohover works from 10-4000m.

 

The only difference between using radar altimeter and barometric altimeter

is that the Helicopter will climp and descent by itself over obstacles if you fly with radar alt hold (Does not work at high speeds and very low altitudes).

Edited October 12, 2014 by Isegrim

[Flagrum]

Arent you talking about atitude hold? Altitude hold works from 10-5500m, Autohover works from 10-4000m.

 

The only difference between using radar altimeter and barometric altimeter

is that the Helicopter will climp and descent by itself over obstacles if you fly with radar alt hold (Does not work at high speeds and very low altitudes).

That is well understood. The question at hand is atm, how the helo keeps it's position over the ground, how it compensates for drift. The manual speaks about the doppler system - which makes quite some sense. But at what height is that system reliable? It seems, auto hover mode is able to keep prevent drift at any height - does that mean, the doppler does indeed work at any height - unlike the radar altimeter which is only operational up to 300 m AGL?

[Isegrim]

As far as i know the Doppler only gives the Altitude below 300m and the PVI 800 uses Internal Navigation Unit (INU)

 

The Autopilot system (Routemode etc.) uses the INU system.

Im sure the Hover autopilot is using the INU system also which is exact enough and makes sense because the GPS can be corrupted in wartimes.

 

EDIT: The GPS system has nothing to do with the PVI 800 or Autopilot system, exept INU Backup procedure for the PVI 800.

Edited October 12, 2014 by Isegrim

[Flagrum]

Arent you talking about atitude hold? Altitude hold works from 10-5500m, Autohover works from 10-4000m.

Ahhhh ... now I understand your puzzlement.

 

Yes, I mixed up something - no idea how I came to that idea. Auto hover has nothing to do with altitude or the altimeters. Auto hover only cares about the position (horizontally /laterally) over the ground, not the height over ground.

 

Height over ground is taken care of by the altitude hold channel of the AP, but that is not necessary for hover.

[Isegrim]

Correct Altitude hold is just also engaged when Autohover is engaged but they are different Ap Systems.

[BitMaster]

Practically seen, it can hover as high as it's turbines will take it in my experience.

 

Usually you want to do that well armed and not feather light. So I see the limit rather in pitch angle of the blades and available turbine power as I remember being fairly at the limit of both while hovering. I don't recall exactly how high it was but I had 12 Vikhrs and full fuel, that somehow limits it to I guess not above 3000m. I might be wrong with the exact numbers but

I know that I couldn't hover any higher cause my engines were already spitting flames and nuts 'n' bolts.

 

Bit