Do you use the VKB Gunfighter III with helicopters?

[potbellypig2000]

With the dry clutch and no springs, does it resemble a helicopter cyclic close enough?  I would guess that adding an extension would be even better.  Any experiences with this?  Thanks!

[Andurula]

An extension adds a ton of control improvement and makes helicopter control much more manageable.  I could never fly without an extension again.

 

I have the VKB Gunfighter III but I have the springs in there.  You feel it, and its tiring  on a long flight when you are pushed forward and hauling butt, but having no spring force and only a stiff dry clutch would feel ... weird... to me.  I think an absence of any force feedback would be worse than the cheesy feedback the springs provide.  I don't think there is any controller out there in the consumer level we are talking about that can provide "realistic" control feedback.

Edited May 25, 2021 by Andurula
more detail

[Fri13]

I have setup you ask. 

I removed from one the springs so it is "non-centering, no-FF" joystick with dry clutch enabled.

 

The dry clutch problem is that they are separate for both axis. So if you set them very tight then you will feel the double friction from both axis when moving diagonal. 

And that leads easily situation that you use joystick with just one axis at the time.

 

But to get to that, you must have clutches almost full, and it is annoyingly strong.

 

Tweaking and adjusting them properly you get them to keep joystick in place at any position. 

 

I think the best option is to have weakest springs to counter the stick gravity falling to sides, with some dry clutch to go against springs and hold joystick in place. 

 

I am considering to add Nygel 747 to the dry clutch surfaces, basically removing their capability to lock in place, in response to make them more smoother and dampened to be moved. And then maybe add spring force to counter gravity.

 

But I am not sure, as then later removing that stuff from clutch will be requiring dissembling gimbal to clean dry clutches....

 

I have own mod to be added to another that adds real trim function, just still needs little tinkering. As I don't care about FF anymore when you can have proper trimmer other ways.

 

I have as well 20 cm and 10 cm extensions, and I wouldn't take any joystick without any extension.

 

You can get far with a lowest default springs #10 and then keep dry clutch off. With 20 cm extension you will have very free movement so maybe #20 or #30 springs could add enough centering that you don't need to hold joystick from falling to edges, but simply hold joystick from centering.

 

Haven't tested that yet....

 

[admiki]

MCGU on 20 cm extension. I am running with single #20 spring on each axis, to help with grip from falling down once out of center. I have also wiped cleand factory grease, as it was sticking and add silicone grease. Will clean that too, once I receive Nyogel. Clutches are full tight and stick remains in place.

[Fri13]

6 minutes ago, admiki said:

MCGU on 20 cm extension. I am running with single #20 spring on each axis, to help with grip from falling down once out of center. I have also wiped cleand factory grease, as it was sticking and add silicone grease. Will clean that too, once I receive Nyogel. Clutches are full tight and stick remains in place.

 

Is the clutch easy to open, do you know? As adding nyogel there would make it smooth and nicely dampened, but eliminate the friction so that it doesn't hold so well (basically remove the tightness effect)... 

 

 

[admiki]

You need to take the gimbal out, but it's not hard. FYI, I put Nyogel and had to go from #20 to #10, so I'm thinking to open it again and clean the clutches.

[dburne]

I took the gimbal out but did not see a way to add Nyogel to clutches without some disassembly of them. I did not want to try going that far.

[fallout9]

Remove the PCB in front of the dry clutch, remove the bolt that's tightening the dry clutch and you'll have only the nylon pads hanging from one side. Push them back from the free side, they're elastic and will bend as much to allow squeezing something like a toothpick with a blob of Nyogel between the pad and metal barrel. Repeat a few times until there's a thin layer on the metal barrel; you don't need too much because the space is very tight and it will spill out when the pad will get back in position.