Mission 1 - How to take off from Company HQ?

[unlikely_spider]

In mission 1 at Company HQ when they load the helicopter - I can't take off without either hitting trees or destroying the engine. Does anyone have tips?

[Lino_Germany]

Note the wind direction and take off into the wind.

[unlikely_spider]

2 minutes ago, Lino_Germany said:

Note the wind direction and take off into the wind.

Thanks. I'm pretty sure I tried that, by instinct. Are the windsocks accurate in DCS at the moment, in ob?

I'm not yet totally versed in managing the red line in the Huey I guess.

[Lino_Germany]

In addition to the windsocks, the wind direction is always included in the briefing.

If it is too difficult, you can also dump fuel before take off. This is set way too high for all missions in my opinion.

Edited February 6, 2022 by Lino_Germany

[unlikely_spider]

Ok, I was able to do this mission finally. I had to exceed EGT redline for quite a bit, though just for a few seconds until I could get above the trees. Is that normal to do when taking off while at high load?

Looks like this campaign is going to be quite challenging!

[Lino_Germany]

Source: Grim Reapers 

 

[Reflected]

@Lino_Germany I would strongly suggest NOT to change the fuel load in the missions. Yes, it's not needed for these short ones, but you'll defeat the purpose of this campaign: to fly the Huey in a realistic setting, like they did back in Vietnam. Flying overloaded Hueys was one of the biggest challenges that the pilots needed to learn to handle.

 

@unlikely_spider: Pull pitch until you reach the red line. Make sure it's ON the red line, not just near it. Then keep it in a perfect hover, that way you'll gain altitude feet by feet. If you mess up your hover, you'll slide off the air cushion. Once you have enough altitude, smoothly convert that altitude into forward speed. If you can, do it into the wind. If there is an obstacle, do it as close to the wind as you can.

Note that applying right pedal will give you more power because it makes the tail rotor spin slower. Also, you can exceed the first red line for a few seconds in the critical moments.

Practice makes perfect, you'll get used to it if you keep persisting.

[Lino_Germany]

7 hours ago, Reflected said:

@Lino_Germany I would strongly suggest NOT to change the fuel load in the missions. Yes, it's not needed for these short ones, but you'll defeat the purpose of this campaign: to fly the Huey in a realistic setting, like they did back in Vietnam. Flying overloaded Hueys was one of the biggest challenges that the pilots needed to learn to handle.

I fully agree. However, it would be a great pity if someone gets frustrated already in the 1st mission, as happened here, because the complicated processes to fly an overloaded Huey discourage to continue. 

[MMA01]

11 hours ago, Lino_Germany said:

if someone gets frustrated already in the 1st mission,

yes, thats the point... At least for the "mission one" in a campaing it had can be a bit "softer", just for Huey pilots which have not much flight hours or where Huey stands a while in garage.  It was not a problem for me and I assume we have lots of experienced Huey pilots which enjoy these nice campaing, but I can fully understand the point.

By the way: the mission is great ( spoiler: max-load situations will not be easier in next missions )

[Chipwich]

I've had good luck getting out the left corner, which is not too far off of the different wind directions, easing the collective just enough to clear obstacles, while building forward speed.  What I'd really like to know, how to blast off straight up like the AI do, as if they have booster rockets, LOL. 

[shagrat]

Am 8.2.2022 um 04:08 schrieb Chipwich:

I've had good luck getting out the left corner, which is not too far off of the different wind directions, easing the collective just enough to clear obstacles, while building forward speed.  What I'd really like to know, how to blast off straight up like the AI do, as if they have booster rockets, LOL. 

Be the AI with a simplified flight model that "bends" the laws of physics a little bit.

[skypickle]

I find it harder to land at the FOB than taking off from the HQ. Trying to land into the wind puts you into 'orange haze'. There are drafts as well that push you around. Finally there are the guns that could blow you to bits. I did not take the CO's advice (circling descent at 2-3 k feet/min) I just did a SLOOOW hovering descent with a bit of forward pitch at the end to glide me into the camp.

[shagrat]

Am 7.2.2022 um 00:22 schrieb Reflected:

@Lino_Germany I would strongly suggest NOT to change the fuel load in the missions. Yes, it's not needed for these short ones, but you'll defeat the purpose of this campaign: to fly the Huey in a realistic setting, like they did back in Vietnam. Flying overloaded Hueys was one of the biggest challenges that the pilots needed to learn to handle.

 

@unlikely_spider: Pull pitch until you reach the red line. Make sure it's ON the red line, not just near it. Then keep it in a perfect hover, that way you'll gain altitude feet by feet. If you mess up your hover, you'll slide off the air cushion. Once you have enough altitude, smoothly convert that altitude into forward speed. If you can, do it into the wind. If there is an obstacle, do it as close to the wind as you can.

Note that applying right pedal will give you more power because it makes the tail rotor spin slower. Also, you can exceed the first red line for a few seconds in the critical moments.

Practice makes perfect, you'll get used to it if you keep persisting.

Another realistic option is, to pull just enough torque to get into ground effect, then seek a free and mostly flat or declining corridor and pick up speed with the support of the ground effect. If possible turn into the wind and finally, shortly before the tree line pull collective and let the cyclic move back just enough to climb high over the trees, then immediately forward cyclic to convert height into speed and above translational lift.

If you have enough space to maneuver, you can even circle in ground effect, until you picked up enough speed, but I think most LZs in the campaign are a bit too tight for this...

vor 2 Minuten schrieb skypickle:

I find it harder to land at the FOB than taking off from the HQ. Trying to land into the wind puts you into 'orange haze'. There are drafts as well that push you around. Finally there are the guns that could blow you to bits. I did not take the CO's advice (circling descent at 2-3 k feet/min) I just did a SLOOOW hovering descent with a bit of forward pitch at the end to glide me into the camp.

Mind the approach direction, pass around the hill make a smooth 180 to approach west to east and keep north of the guns. That worked pretty well for me.

 

[Coastiejeff]

 Using the thick colored smoke to mark locations is great and helpful, but putting the smoke right inside the extremely tight landing areas in the jungle make it nearly impossible to see any obstacles while descending into the wind/smoke while trying to land. (I’ve noticed this problem in other campaigns. 
 

Until ED modifies the smoke thickness or makes the thickness adjustable, maybe offsetting the smoke slightly from the intended landing area might be something to consider? 
 

Fun campaign, for sure. Keep up the great work!

[Reflected]

It is already slightly offset, not obscuring the landing area. Exactly for the reason you described.