landing on helipad

[asparagin]

do you use the auto hover option when landing on helipad? maybe someone who "get's it all the time" could make a brief description?

thanks.

[Chillspider]

that is one option you can come to a hover and use decent mode. I personally slow down and turn off heading hold and just come in nice and easy line up with the pad and keep a lil speed and slowly descend and manually hover and set her down.

[roei]

How do you access descend mode? what key?

[Mnemonic]

I'm not using auto hover option.

 

Approaching helipad - I'm slowdown heli and then hover at speed 15-20 km/h in direction to helipad. Always check your altitude and vertical speed.

 

When you near helipad - less than 50 m. (visually) - slow down to ~5 km/h (you must be maybe at 5-10 meters above helipad), slowly move Ka-50 to center of helipad - and accurately touch down.

 

Don't forget to trim Ka-50, and always look at your vertical speed!

There's nothing hard here, just training and training!

[Chillspider]

Just hold the D key to use descend mode when in Auto Hover. I dont use auto hover either its just an option.

[CE_Mikemonster]

The manual is a bit skimpy on landing, but I personally find that the easiest way to land is;

 

1) Remember wind direction ATC gives when clearing you to land.

2) Approach helipad from directly downwind (flying into the wind), at a good altitude (~250m).

3) Set yourself up from a long way out, and trim so that the only thing you have to worry about is descent rate (nose aligned with helipad and no sideways drift).

4) Set up a steady descent rate (~3m/s) from well outside the helipad vicinity.

5) Continue descending directly towards helipad in a straight line, and gradually pull back on cyclic to bleed speed (nose up).

6) When almost on the helipad, and trimmed and stable, perform one last gradual flare so that the helicopter is barely moving forward, then ease off the collective and settle down like a fat goose.

 

Like when you drive a car, look where you want to go. If you're very low and slow there's almost no point looking in the instruments, use objects as 'reference points' (for instance the corner of a building in relation to the windscreen wiper).

 

Probably not the textbook correct approach procedure! But the way I see it, hanging around in a hover over the helipad can end up in disaster because it's a pain in the arse and mostly improvised. If you properly plan and set up an approach it's a lot easier, and I reckon that sort of attitude is a lot more important than being able to hover for 3hrs.

 

I'm no expert and still learning every time I fly, but I hope you pick up some points there. If anyone notices any bad tips please tell me, I don't want to be developing bad habits!

Edited February 1, 2009 by CE_Mikemonster

[Frederf]

Downwind does not mean into the wind ><. Downwind means flying with the wind. You want to land upwind (into).

 

But you do want to start high and fast and end low and slow. 300m and 200kmph and end up at 0m and 0kmph.

 

300m / 200 kmph

200m / 133 kmph

100m / 67 kmph

50m / 33 kmph

10m / 3 kmph

0m / 0 kmph

 

When you are very close to landing it's best not to focus on the landing pad itself, look at the horizon. This gives you the best feeling for stable hover. Try it yourself standing on one foot while looking at your foot then try looking at the horizon. Your balance is much better looking out far than down near.

 

Also the AP Descent mode is pretty useless for landing as it cuts out a (4m?) some altitude above zero. You don't want to land straight down anyway. You can't see where you're going!

[CE_Mikemonster]

Hahaha cheers Frederf, editing post to remove bold.

 

I meant approach from downwind of the pad, towards the pad (advancing upwind) lol.

[Zorrin]

1) Remember wind direction ATC gives when clearing you to land.

 

The PVI will also give you this information. If you click the button green button under the Keypad 0 this will give you wind direction and speed on the PVI display.

[CE_Mikemonster]

Brilliant, many thanks Z

[159th_Viper]

Don't rush..........Your VVI is your best friend here. At sub-10m AGL you want a descent rate of no more than 2m/s.

 

Anticipate the Helo and you'll be putting her down on a dime in no time :thumbup:

[beers]

great pointers all around. If you are still having trouble I recommend trying the "HUD Only" view (LAlt + F1). With that you can SEE the ground come up to you.

[Vapour]

All of the above and the biggest tip of all....PRACTICE and plenty of it.

[asparagin]

thanks guys,

most of time i get it but it's like spin around the helipad, then go back, turn, and in the end i get on one of the 4 spots. i tried always without using autohover.

i'l keep your advices in mind. i didn't think that wind is that important.

somehow landing on the frigate was easier...

[Lobo_63]

 

1) Remember wind direction ATC gives when clearing you to land.

2) Approach helipad from directly downwind (flying into the wind), at a good altitude (~250m).

3) Set yourself up from a long way out, and trim so that the only thing you have to worry about is descent rate (nose aligned with helipad and no sideways drift).

4) Set up a steady descent rate (~3m/s) from well outside the helipad vicinity.

5) Continue descending directly towards helipad in a straight line, and gradually pull back on cyclic to bleed speed (nose up).

6) When almost on the helipad, and trimmed and stable, perform one last gradual flare so that the helicopter is barely moving forward, then ease off the collective and settle down like a fat goose.

 

 

 

I am doing pretty much the above. The only thing I would add is that when I am a couple metres above the ground, I shift my view towards the left door window. (the right door has much worse vis) This allows me to see the ground and judge my forward aft sideways movement much better and touch down with near zero velocity.

 

Not using auto hover for landings.

[Chillspider]

When you are very close to landing it's best not to focus on the landing pad itself, look at the horizon. This gives you the best feeling for stable hover. Try it yourself standing on one foot while looking at your foot then try looking at the horizon. Your balance is much better looking out far than down near.

 

This is great explanation i tried to use this theory to help people air refuel in Falcon 4.0. Before that they found themselves bobbing up and down .

[CE_Mikemonster]

This is great explanation i tried to use this theory to help people air refuel in Falcon 4.0. Before that they found themselves bobbing up and down .

 

Going to give that a go, thanks a lot mate!

 

When you are very close to landing it's best not to focus on the landing pad itself, look at the horizon.

 

Cheers Frederf, worked a treat. Takes a lot less concentration/feels more natural.

[connos]

I found out that by looking the other helos landed in the ground or by ordering your wingman to RTB when you are going for landing you can see the direction you have to approach the helipad.

[Tbag]

The PVI will also give you this information. If you click the button green button under the Keypad 0 this will give you wind direction and speed on the PVI display.

 

This is a good backup if the radio has failed or no ATC is available. But It is only correct if the wind hasn't changed since the PVI was programmed I guess.

[asparagin]

I found out that by looking the other helos landed in the ground or by ordering your wingman to RTB when you are going for landing you can see the direction you have to approach the helipad.

sounds good.

i hope the ai doesn't spin 3 times aroud the helipad when he lands :D like me.

[connos]

Their landing ability is very good. They don't spin at all and by doing that i am able to land with out any spins.

 

When i am above the helipad i auto hover, trim and then disable hover and land. Works every time with no issues.

[asparagin]

When i am above the helipad i auto hover, trim and then disable hover and land. Works every time with no issues.

.. so someone is really using autohover! i think what each one suits best i will also give it a try

[connos]

Don't try to land with auto hover on. At a low altitude around 5 it disables the auto pilots and then the Heli goes crazy. That is my experience. I auto hover wright above the helipad only to stabilize the heli and then i disable and with small corrections i touch down.

Edited February 3, 2009 by connos

[JDski]

Don't try to land with auto hover on. At a low altitude around 5 it disables the auto pilots and then the Heli goes crazy. That is my experience. I auto hover wright above the helipad only to stabilize the heli and then i disable and with small corrections i touch down.

 

I've landed with auto hover on in descent mode without problems. Yes it becomes disabled, but if your trimmed good for a hover without auto hover, it shouldn't go crazy.

I usually do most landings myself with flight director on and only the pitch, bank and heading channels activated now though.

[sobek]

Yes it becomes disabled, but if your trimmed good for a hover without auto hover, it shouldn't go crazy.

 

If you can trim well for a hover, why bother to use autohover in the first place? You can land faster and more accurate without autohover engaged.