AH64D -- X56 Flight Stick (Steam version and open Beta) controller issue.

[Floyd1212]

21 minutes ago, AH64D said:

Jeez just flying the thing is so difficult. how do they manage combat.

That is why there are two seats in the helo.  The pilot in the back can focus on flying, and the gunner in the front can focus on targets and threats. (More or less.)

[Baldrick33]

16 minutes ago, AH64D said:

Yeah I think rudder pedals are probably required. Because when I start flying to the right, I twist the stick and it don't seem to be working. 

You probably need to assign the twist axis to the rudder in axis assign. Just go into the axis assign screen and double click on the box against rudder and your joystick and then twist the joystick and it should register the axis. When done you should see a bar move in the box as you twist the joystick.

[Raptor9]

33 minutes ago, AH64D said:

But from my research it seems AH64D pilots are constantly adjusting the controls. 

Jeez just flying the thing is so difficult. how do they manage combat.

As mentioned in the posts above, there's a dedicated pilot because just flying through or just above the trees (especially at night) is a full time job. The second crewmember focuses on targeting and running the fight.

Having said that, there is a lot more to it than just wiggling the sticks and shooting the weapons. But that's also why the AH-64 is the longest helicopter course in the US Army Aviation flight training. It's a complex job. You have student pilots that spend around 5 months of flight training before they even start flying the Apache. So it's not something that people get skilled at overnight.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Raptor9

[Mausar]

I have X-56 and I use rotary top button on throttle for rudder and works beautifully. I don't recommend twist axis because your wrist won't hold all the time. I have pedals but I don't use them.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Mausar

[Zap921]

Pedals are the best option, not the only though, but I can't see using a twist grip and trying to finesse the Apache to do what you want with the cyclic.  I use an X56 with saitek pro pedals.  @AH64D your comparing flying a jet to a helicopter, you need to start from the beginning with helicopter flight and not worry about shooting things up till you can reasonably manage the aircraft and boy did you pick a complex one to start with.  Try to use a rotary button as @Mausarsuggests or get some pedals. Left pedal input when you start to pull pitch and right pedal when you reduce pitch (collective).  Good luck and plenty of practice along with watching some helicopter training videos.

[Baldrick33]

I would highly recommend this mission for getting to grips with helicopters.

Agility Training for all Helicopters (Apache, Huey, Gazelle, Mi-8, Mi-24P, KA-50)

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3309227/

Just fly around where you want, land on FARP & buildings, weave in an out of obstacles, fly in and out of hangars etc.

[Kazmaniac]

I am using the x56 with the Apache - I need to preset some left stick and about 1/4 left rudder to lift off controlled.  After that trim it out.  It does wag back and forth a bit - if I hit CTRL + enter + enter you can see the rotors rebound past center, which I haven't been able to figure out how to stop.  Now working on the axis curve - around 25 now but bumping it a couple at a time to find the balance.  I use the twist stick function to control the tail until I get my pedals.

As long as you learn to put small inputs in the chopper flies fine for me as a novice.

[DonZorro]

On 6/27/2022 at 5:41 AM, Kazmaniac said:

I am using the x56 with the Apache - I need to preset some left stick and about 1/4 left rudder to lift off controlled.  After that trim it out.  It does wag back and forth a bit - if I hit CTRL + enter + enter you can see the rotors rebound past center, which I haven't been able to figure out how to stop.  Now working on the axis curve - around 25 now but bumping it a couple at a time to find the balance.  I use the twist stick function to control the tail until I get my pedals.

As long as you learn to put small inputs in the chopper flies fine for me as a novice.

Could You show or send your X56 PROFILE for me?

[Kazmaniac]

On 7/15/2022 at 3:40 PM, DonZorro said:

Could You show or send your X56 PROFILE for me?

Sure thing - this is where I'm at right now:  https://youtu.be/lpxIv3GJBA4

I preload the lift off - the vid is with the default loadout, but with full hellfire racks and heavy missiles you have to add a bit more.  I inverted the collective, as it makes sense from a helicopter perspective.  I'm not using the stick any more for rudder, my foot pedals are inverted as well as I always use them as a steering wheel.   I am now using the green spring as for me movement seems to be more controlled.

Here is a hover:  https://youtu.be/OvNAjIk2US0

Look at the inputs I add plus the helo (gray boxes).  Note that as you add more power you will overcome the limit of the tail and need to add more left input.

Then its hundreds of hours of practice.  Learn to fly first - follow a road or the coastline for 100+ miles.  Next add tree top level flight without the nannies on (level flight).  Then learn how to orbit around an object to keep the weapons on it. 

Here is a vid of doing a road follow, I'm slouching a bit, but you can see the stick and rudder inputs:  https://youtu.be/afUE0VTDFbk

I'm making errors, yes.  Lots of youtube and forum studying to correct.  Hope this helps a little.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Kazmaniac

[DonZorro]

On 2022. 07. 16. at 7:21, Kazmaniac said:

Egy biztos – most itt tartok:  https://youtu.be/lpxIv3GJBA4

Előtöltöttem a liftet - a videó az alapértelmezett betöltési móddal van, de a teljes hellfire állványokhoz és a nehéz rakétákhoz egy kicsit többet kell hozzátenni. Megfordítottam a kollektívát, mivel ez helikopter szemszögéből logikus. Kormányra már nem használom a botot, a lábpedáljaim fel vannak fordítva, és mindig kormánynak használom. A sárga rugó benne van, lehet, hogy átvált a kékre.

Itt van egy lebegés:   https://youtu.be/OvNAjIk2US0

Nézd meg az általam hozzáadott bemeneteket és a helo-t (szürke dobozok). Vegye figyelembe, hogy ha több energiát ad hozzá, akkor túllépi a korlátot, és több bal oldali bemenetet kell hozzáadnia.

Aztán több száz óra gyakorlás. Tanuljon meg először repülni – kövesse az utat vagy a partvonalat több mint 100 mérföldön keresztül. Következő lépésként adja hozzá a fa tetején lévő repülést a dadusok nélkül (level repülés). Ezután tanulja meg, hogyan keringsen egy tárgy körül, hogy rajta tartsa a fegyvereket. 

Íme egy videó az útkövetésről, kicsit görnyedek, de láthatod a bot és a kormány bemeneteit:  https://youtu.be/afUE0VTDFbk

Hibákat követek el, igen. Rengeteg youtube és fórum tanulmányozza a javítást. Remélem ez segít egy kicsit.

 

Nice! Are you only programming within the options? Not within the windows program?

[Kazmaniac]

On 7/27/2022 at 12:13 AM, DonZorro said:

Nice! Are you only programming within the options? Not within the windows program?

Correct - wasn't having any issues with the Options.