Regarding Tail Wheel Lock versus Unlock.

[dburne]

Is it just me that finds taxiing the Apache to be much easier with the tail wheel locked ? I know you are supposed to taxi with it unlocked but it just seems to me to be much easier to control during taxi with it locked. Unlocked and I feel I am constantly chasing my tail.

Anyone else think this?

[ddc196]

I have noticed your tail can definitely swing out of control if you're not easy on the rudder. I try to moderate how much collective I'm pulling with gentile rudder input.

[dburne]

56 minutes ago, ddc196 said:

I have noticed your tail can definitely swing out of control if you're not easy on the rudder. I try to moderate how much collective I'm pulling with gentile rudder input.

 

I will focus on giving that a try thanks.

[PlainSight]

I always have the wheel locked. Apply forward cyclic to unload the weight off it and taxi around. Unlocked wheel is horrible. Way too sensitive.

[dburne]

6 minutes ago, PlainSight said:

I always have the wheel locked. Apply forward cyclic to unload the weight off it and taxi around. Unlocked wheel is horrible. Way too sensitive.

I gave it a try and did somewhat ok but had to taxi really slow.

Think I will go back to using it locked as well.

[launchpad72]

I had it unlocked today at it was all over the place!! A helicopter is not hard to taxi at all but DCS made even a little rudder and she is spinning almost 90 degrees which is so unrealistic.....

With all controls full down it still spins around like a top which is 100% unrealistic.

[Rhinozherous]

Also have the feeling that unlocked tailwheel is way oversensitive, it feels like there is no tailwheel at all (zero friction, zero weight on the tailwheel)

[LooseSeal]

Surely you should only be unlocking it for corners, then re-locking when going straight? Personally not having that much trouble with it unlocked for taxiing round corners, just needs practice.

If you think you need subtle pedal movements for hovering, for taxiing you should take those subtle movements and divide them by 10.

2 hours ago, launchpad72 said:

With all controls full down it still spins around like a top which is 100% unrealistic.

I would honestly say you're either doing something wrong or there's something amiss with your bindings/controls. It shouldn't be behaving like that.

2 hours ago, Rhinozherous said:

Also have the feeling that unlocked tailwheel is way oversensitive, it feels like there is no tailwheel at all (zero friction, zero weight on the tailwheel)

I'm not convinced there should be much friction/weight on it. Anyone who's used a WWII aircraft knows just how light and squirrely a tailwheel can be. The majority of an Apache's weight is probably centred towards the front of the aircraft. As soon as collective is increased, the first part of the aircraft to lift off the ground is the tailwheel, so it makes sense to me that isn't much of a weight sensation there.

[Nevyn]

3 hours ago, LooseSeal said:

Surely you should only be unlocking it for corners, then re-locking when going straight?

Yeah that works for me.

[bradmick]

I taxi with it locked on straight aways all the time. I unlock it prior to turns. You don’t have to have it unlocked when ground taxiing. It’s at the discretion of the pilot, do what works and makes sense for the situation. Just remember to unlock it prior to a turn, re-lock it after the turn.

Edited March 28, 2022 by bradmick

[Coole28]

I’m shocked, every post in this thread is dead wrong.  The REAL solution to having taxi problems is to not taxi in the first place.  You’re in a helicopter for Christ’ sake, just takeoff from where you spawn in!

 

 

I jest, the marked solution is definitely the easiest way to taxi.  Bind the wheel lock button to something you can press w/o having to look down for super EZ taxi mode.

[S. Low]

Casmo talked a bit about the tail wheel in a recent stream. Said part of the issue in the sim is not being able to actually feel the aircraft wheels interacting with the ground. So just take it easy and be gentle on the controls

[mdamstel]

I have the problem that when I unlock the tail wheel, and can not lock it again. The button on the left keeps saying unlocked, while in the middle it says that it is locked?

[Raptor9]

Very simple explanation:
The light on the TAIL WHEEL button indicates whether it is physically locked or not; whereas the EUFD message indicates which state you have commanded the locking pin be in, or what state you have "selected", which is why it says "SEL" at the end of the EUFD message.

The wheel is free-swiveling, meaning the only way for it to be locked is to move the tail in such a way the locking mechanism is aligned, so the tail wheel locking pin can drop into the hole and physically lock. When this happens, the "UNLOCK" light on the TAIL WHEEL button will extinguish.

[mdamstel]

10 hours ago, Raptor9 said:

Very simple explanation:
The light on the TAIL WHEEL button indicates whether it is physically locked or not; whereas the EUFD message indicates which state you have commanded the locking pin be in, or what state you have "selected", which is why it says "SEL" at the end of the EUFD message.

The wheel is free-swiveling, meaning the only way for it to be locked is to move the tail in such a way the locking mechanism is aligned, so the tail wheel locking pin can drop into the hole and physically lock. When this happens, the "UNLOCK" light on the TAIL WHEEL button will extinguish.

Ah great insight! I suppose I then will have to taxi straight for some meters so that the tail wheel will align and then can be locked automatically while the EUFD says lock sel ?

[Swift.]

1 minute ago, mdamstel said:

Ah great insight! I suppose I then will have to taxi straight for some meters so that the tail wheel will align and then can be locked automatically while the EUFD says lock sel ?

Indeed, but the friction modelling in DCS is a bit off. So you will often see the tail just sliding sideways as you try to drag it forwards to recentre.

The best technique I've found, which is super gamey, is to just lift the tail wheel ever so slightly. It doesn't even need to fully leave the ground for it to pop back into line.

Alternatively, you might be able to drag the wheel sideways as intended and then dump the collective to suddenly drop pressure onto the wheels and increase the friction again. But thata also super gamey.

[mdamstel]

10 minutes ago, Swift. said:

Indeed, but the friction modelling in DCS is a bit off. So you will often see the tail just sliding sideways as you try to drag it forwards to recentre.

The best technique I've found, which is super gamey, is to just lift the tail wheel ever so slightly. It doesn't even need to fully leave the ground for it to pop back into line.

Alternatively, you might be able to drag the wheel sideways as intended and then dump the collective to suddenly drop pressure onto the wheels and increase the friction again. But thata also super gamey.

Wow. Will try!