IMPORTANT and maybe overlooked setting for Virpil owners

[TZeer]

This is primarly for Virpil users, but it may be relevant for others as well. I don't know how how your software or sticks are.

Anyway, ALL Virpil devices come with a default Deadzone. Stick, collective, rudders, etc.

This can mess up your flying as you suddenly "lose" connection with the helicopter everytime you cross the deadzone area on the stick.

Examples:

Collective - This has a default DZ of 2% on each end. Thats why nothing happens when you start lifting your collective as you are about to take off. You can easily see this as you have to lift a little bit before you see the collective on the Apache actually starts moving. Not a very big deal.

Rudders - This has a 5% DZ in the middle. If you need to reset to center after trim, this is not very notable. But you can most likely decrease the DZ and get quicker respone when you move the pedals. If you have modified the pedals as I have, and dont need to recenter, this is VERY noticable every time you cross the centerpoint. As you will have a 5% gap where nothing happens as you move your rudders.

Cyclic - Yes, this one also has a 2% DZ in the middle of both axis. And again, if you need to recenter after trim, maybe not that noticable. But, you will have a small spot in the middle where nothing will happen when you try to do microadjustments trying to hover. If you also have a DZ set inside DCS, that will come on top the one that is already default in the VPC software.
If you have a WarBRD-D where you can use the clutch and have a cyclic that behaves as a real cyclic, you will have 2 DZ to deal with. One every time you pass the middlepoint of the roll and one when you pass the middlepoint of the pitch. This can really mess up your attempts to hold hover, as you are constantly moving around atleast one of those axis. Now imagine suddenly losing authority of the helicopter as you move through the DZ trying to hover. And with how small adjustments you need to correct and tune, this can really make the helicopter feel hard to control.

Happy flying, hope this helps some of you.

Edited June 5, 2023 by TZeer

[Turd Ferguson]

Thanks for the information @TZeer can it be removed in the VPC sotware? if so do you know how please?

[TZeer]

@Turd Ferguson

 

Yes, you can tune the setting in the VPC software. The easiest way is to change the interface to LITE from Pro, and just scroll to the right on the overview. There is a separate column showing deadzone. 

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Thanks @TZeer