How do I fly helicotpers?

[Jarhead0331]

OK...so I know helicopters are very difficult to fly, but really, it CAN'T possibly be this hard! I can barely get them off the ground and its extremely frustrating to go through the start procedure only to crash and burn before even being able to break 10 feet.

 

I suspect the problem is one with my control settings. I have an X55 Rhino system. I have the throttle set for collective and the stick set for cyclic pitch and control. What else is there that could be screwy? Trim settings? What is causing my helicopter to totally spin out of control? I've tried applying collectively slowly and quickly and none of it makes much difference. I try applying rudder to counteract the turn, but nothing works. Fixed wing aircraft function fine more or less, so I know its not a hardware problem.

 

What am I doing wrong? The problem is extremely severe with the Gazelle and pretty bad with the Huey too. Last time I tried, I was able to get the MI-8 off the ground and fly around, but I was pretty much like a barely controlled brick.

 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Sryan]

you need to counteract torque (from the main rotor) with pedal inputs. Every time you touch the collective you should expect to need to adjust your pedals. This is realistic. You can work with the twisty stick of your x55. You could assign one of the rotaries. Preferably one of the two you can work with your thumb on the stick. The best solution would be to get a pair of pedals. If you get a pair with toebrakes they are also very useful for your fixed wing aircraft.

 

While I have only just gotten the gazelle. The Huey is easier to hover if you trim it slightly downwards and to the left.

[Jarhead0331]

you need to counteract torque (from the main rotor) with pedal inputs. Every time you touch the collective you should expect to need to adjust your pedals. This is realistic. You can work with the twisty stick of your x55. You could assign one of the rotaries. Preferably one of the two you can work with your thumb on the stick. The best solution would be to get a pair of pedals. If you get a pair with toebrakes they are also very useful for your fixed wing aircraft.

 

While I have only just gotten the gazelle. The Huey is easier to hover if you trim it slightly downwards and to the left.

 

I have my RZ axis on the stick set to rudder, and as I mention in the OP, I apply it to try to counteract the spin. It doesn't help.

[Eight Ball]

Have you checked if there isn't any conflict with your axis settings ?

Could you provide a track of you trying to t/o in the huey (on the caucasus map, in 2.0 tracks are borked) ?

[Vitesse2l]

I'd be looking to see if the control inputs actually do what they're supposed to. Cntl+Enter to bring up the display and check.

 

That should show up any conflicts/wrong assignments.

[grunf]

Check the controls overlay (RCtrl-Enter) to see if your rudder is working properly. Then adjust the curves until you find a setting that works for you.

IMO, in order to fully enjoy the helicopters, you'll have to get some decent rudder pedals.

[Jarhead0331]

I put the control overlay up and everything appears to be functioning as intended. Still, whenever I apply enough collective to get off of the ground, the helo begins spinning uncontrollably and my efforts to correct it only seem to make it worse.

 

I'll try to record a huey track per 8 Ball's suggestion.

[ricktoberfest]

Just in case you don't know, at take off the yaw (or rudder if it were fixed wing) required is quite significant on the Huey. The Mi8 too but it has a heading stability/autopilot that sort of compensates

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slowhand]

Take a look around YT Here's a start:thumbup: [ame]

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[Yurgon]

It does indeed sound like there might be a controller conflict.

 

But even if there isn't: Flying helicopters is incredibly difficult.

 

I've read from professional and military pilots who thought during pilot training that they'd never be able to control the damn thing and that they just weren't cut out for it - and that was with an instructor pilot holding their hands during the first 20 or 40 or so hours.

 

And then, at some point, it "clicked" and suddenly their hands and feet started to work in the right way and they got more and more proficient.

 

For the beginning, it's important to know what's going to happen. You have to be very conscious about the required control inputs. They might not be perfect and you might only be able to hover over something the size of a football field, but you have to know what's supposed to happen and how you're supposed to counteract it.

 

Just hopping into a chopper and expecting to take off because after all it's just another chunk of metal with airfoils - that's a recipe for disaster and, notwithstanding controller conflicts, sounds pretty much like what's happening to you. ;)

 

There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of videos describing helicopter fundamentals on YouTube, many of them specifically for the DCS Ka-50, UH-1H and Mi-8MTV2, and I expect many will appear on the Gazelle shortly.

 

I would consider watching at least half a dozen of them your homework before you even step to a DCS chopper again. ;)

 

Besides, the Gazelle is very nimble and easy to lose control in - I've got maybe an hour or a little more in it and my muscle memory isn't there yet, and I can't yet anticipate what the chopper's going to do in this or that situation. From the outside, it looks as if I've never flown a chopper before - that's how difficult it is to learn to fly a new chopper, with hundreds of hours in the other DCS types under one's belt. Oh, and I absolutely love it. :D

 

Final note: If multi-crew cockpit worked with any of the choppers yet, someone with a bit of experience could join you and show you the ropes, explain a few things, and tell you where you go wrong. Man it would be great if that feature became available... :thumbup:

[Eight Ball]

I quickly made this, hope it helps (just uploaded, still processing, have to wait a lil bit for full mega super HD)

 

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[Jarhead0331]

Final note: If multi-crew cockpit worked with any of the choppers yet, someone with a bit of experience could join you and show you the ropes, explain a few things, and tell you where you go wrong. Man it would be great if that feature became available... :thumbup:

 

Man...that would be an awesome way to learn and a heck of a lot of fun too!

 

Thanks for all the tips so far.

 

By way of an update, I just tried out the Huey in 1.5.3 again and I was able to take off, manage a circuit around the airport and land again safely on the runway. It wasn't pretty, but I did it and caused no damage to the airframe. I need a lot of practice, but I didn't feel anything was "off". The issue I'm having appears to be related solely to the Gazelle in the alpha.

[Lucifah]

What else is there that could be screwy? Trim settings?

 

I'd have a look at the axis tuning settings. For me personally (everybody's mileage varies!) slight curves for roll and pitch work better for the Huey. And also you will have to trim like a champion, even more so with curves assigned.

 

Now for the Gazelle... don't start with that. I think it's way too sensitive at the moment (much like the Huey was during beta). Seems to be all over the place, but have only spent half an hour in it, so I might just be doing something wrong :music_whistling:

 

In any case, landing and hovering is one of the most difficult excercises in a chopper. We have all suffered from a lot of crashes at first... I think. (or maybe just me)

 

Save time with the startup procedure if you crash often. Usually there's a key combination (LWin+Home?) under "Cheats" that gets the engine up in no time. Or just use mission editor and place a chopper on an empty airfield and choose "start from parking hot" from the waypoint section. You can do proper procedures once you are certain that you don't break the chopper straight after hover check clearance :D

[SFC Tako]

Flying choppers is the worst and most demanding of any flying discipline. Chin up and keep comin' back :)

[strick9]

I bought the Ka-50 module and learned how to start up, fly, and land it over night. I plan to get the Huey hoping its more challenging. Is it? I also have the X55. THe huey looks like so much fun. So do the missions. Does anyone have a link to a Saitek Hotas profile for the Huey?

[Fish]

Black shark is best IMH. You might find this useful. And if you fly fixed wing, you might set your connective to work like a throttle, i.e. pushing, increases, pulling decreases. Its more natural if youre using a joystick throttle'.

 

[Flamin_Squirrel]

I bought the Ka-50 module and learned how to start up, fly, and land it over night. I plan to get the Huey hoping its more challenging. Is it? I also have the X55. THe huey looks like so much fun. So do the missions. Does anyone have a link to a Saitek Hotas profile for the Huey?

 

I'd say so. You really have to fly it. The gazelle even more so.