Things I can't so far

[macedk]

1. Takeoff, all over the place. I'll add slow down and hover
2. Taxi, forget it
3. Controlled slowdown and land . 

I know it is a very sensitive control thing, every minute thing causes a change. 

It is about getting under control and why it might run away from me. 

I'm a missing a super trick either in control or my handeling ?  ( will provide a video or track) 

Disclaimer: On speed flying in the Hornet or any plane was something I had never giving a thought, got my head around that and not always a 3 wire but now I get it... 

Sound is a main thing, are we complete on the Apache sound ?

Love the challenge  

Edited May 7, 2022 by macedk

[Dozer1606688093]

Practise bro... Practise.

[tweet]

Dozer has a good point but the Apache has very sensitive controls. Once I adjusted all three axis to zero dead zone and set a curvature of 35 on the rudder and cyclic X and Y, the Apache became more controllable. Some people suggest slight reductions in saturation too. Play with the your controls until you find settings that work for you. I'd start about where I found the best for me. Most seem to find the sweet spot in that neighborhood. Then practice a lot. Forget weapons until you can fly the thing somewhat precisely. Then do the same at night.

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

Axis curves like 15-30 and saturation Y at 80-90 are commonly used for the Apache unless you have a good extension for the cyclic like in a real helo. I watched a YouTube vid of an ex Gazelle pilot fly DCS gazelle and he uses a saturation Y of 60. Reason he said is that a standard hotas stick is short and roll/pitch inputs are thus exaggerated when compared to a real cyclic stick which is long. But the (DCS) Apache is more unforgiving. I flew the sim Huey yesterday for the first time and found it noticeably easier to control - no sudden snap rolls or spinning. So give it time.

[Sacarino111]

1 hour ago, ApacheLongbow said:

3.1.1- Find the torque needed to hover at 10ft and don't touch the collective again. Focus on the stick and pedals handling.

Hi

Good tip on that matter, but to me the collective is so finnicky that I can't  keep a steady altitud. Might be my HOTAS, (old one and little jitter on the collective), but I find it ridiculously sensible. But good advise for sure.

Saludos.

Saca111

[macedk]

Thx
I will keep trying

[dburne]

2 hours ago, Sacarino111 said:

Hi

Good tip on that matter, but to me the collective is so finnicky that I can't  keep a steady altitud. Might be my HOTAS, (old one and little jitter on the collective), but I find it ridiculously sensible. But good advise for sure.

Saludos.

Saca111

It's not likely your throttle, yes it is very sensitive.

[Dozer1606688093]

The only problem i have with the Apache is that it feel a bit top heavy.

Easy to lay it on the side if you dont land on a flat surface. 

[Razor18]

On 5/8/2022 at 12:50 PM, Sacarino111 said:

Hi

Good tip on that matter, but to me the collective is so finnicky that I can't  keep a steady altitud. Might be my HOTAS, (old one and little jitter on the collective), but I find it ridiculously sensible. But good advise for sure.

Saludos.

Saca111

Don't chase the intended altitude with the throttle. The Apache tend to overshoot and oscillate around the "final" height in hover, but if you do not try to correct every overshoot with an opposite throttle input, you wil not induce any PIO. IF you want to hover a bit higher, then give a little throttle, then let go of the throttle (or don't move it) and wait until the helo settles on the new altitude. It will take 3-4 yo-yo up and down, but it  will settle eventually. It is a big pile of heavy steel with giant engines, so it has too much momentum due to ig mass.

[S. Low]

If you don’t have an extension on your flight stick it is reasonable and advisable to add curves or change saturation which mimicks having a longer stick. I have +15 curve on x and y axis of the stick, and +15 on the collective axis too.

Then it’s just practice. The practice part will give you knowledge of what the aircraft will do in response to what you do, meaning you can anticipate that and “stay ahead” of it

[Sacarino111]

2 hours ago, Razor18 said:

Don't chase the intended altitude with the throttle. The Apache tend to overshoot and oscillate around the "final" height in hover, but if you do not try to correct every overshoot with an opposite throttle input, you wil not induce any PIO. IF you want to hover a bit higher, then give a little throttle, then let go of the throttle (or don't move it) and wait until the helo settles on the new altitude. It will take 3-4 yo-yo up and down, but it  will settle eventually. It is a big pile of heavy steel with giant engines, so it has too much momentum due to ig mass.

Hi

It is not the target altitude, it is the fact that once in the altitude desired and in a hover, the thing starts a gentle climb/descend, and as I am focusing on staying steady for George, the helo starts accelerating up or down and before I can figure out, I am on a climbing/descending attitude, and my hand is not touching the collective (the throttle on my X52 Pro), so correcting it with the collective, and then yaw happens, so mmore pedal, so bank/vertical velocity changes and so on... interesting aircraft, no doubt. After some weeks of practicing, I m better at it, but took me some frustration and rage.

Saludos.

Saca111

[Floyd1212]

Are you using the ATT Hold while in your hover?  If not, give it a try.

This has done wonders for being able to manage the altitude manually, while we wait for ALT Hold to be implemented.  You can nudge the collective up and down to get it where you want and let the SCAC apply left and right pedal to keep your heading unchanged.

[Oldahpilot]

There's a lot of users being too hard on themselves in my opinion.

Unless you have a replica collective, cyclic and pedals, and VR, you're bound to be introducing PILOT INDUCED OCILLATIONS with desktop joysticks and throttles . particularly if your helicopter experience is limited. 

The Army pilot course is currently 200 hours spread over 2 years, then a further 50 hours flying and 76 hours simulator over a further 6 months to qualify on Apache,  just to get to a squadron and start learning.