Asking for advice on where to start and good tutorial

[Terzi]

Hello,

I have purchased the Apache with summer sale. I would like to ask for advice about good tutorials and advice on how to learn it. I have studied a bit but got a bit overwhelmed with all the buttons for CPG. I am looking for a fresh start step by step. Thanks.

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

4 hours ago, Terzi said:

Hello,

I have purchased the Apache with summer sale. I would like to ask for advice about good tutorials and advice on how to learn it. I have studied a bit but got a bit overwhelmed with all the buttons for CPG. I am looking for a fresh start step by step. Thanks.

The Apache was my first DCS helo. I did not go by the read-the-manual approach. I basically:
1a. Watched DCS Apache YouTube tutorials, compiled here.
1b. Watched real world helo educational videos, compiled here. They were interesting and helped me understand concepts like VRS, mast bumping, swash plate movement, etc. You can skip this if already familiar.
2. Mapped my hotas for pilot and CPG on the fly in a custom target rich mission, to see what each command did. 
3. For more details/clarification, I word searched Chuck's PDF manual using keywords of topics that needed clarification, or asked questions in this forum. (You can word search the forums here as many questions and issues you may have would probably have been discussed and answered.)

Have fun!
 

Edited July 20, 2023 by GrEaSeLiTeNiN

[Terzi]

Thanks!

[corbu1]

Also take a closer look into Brad‘s AH-64D flightschool thread

or visit his youtube channel:

https://youtube.com/@bradmicksflightrelatedthings

[SharpeXB]

I also got the AH-64 on the summer sale

And yeah despite being very adept at DCS modules, this one is a new challenge. Everyone learns differently but I find with this one I need to read the manual first before even doing any practice missions or watching videos. I need to know why I’m doing things and not just following along. A good methodical approach of just sitting down with the manual and the module on active pause and for example just going through MFD pages and such will make it stick. Passively watching or reading just doesn’t for me. 
I keep gravitating to thinking this is an A-10 with rotors it’s just different. 
The training missions are more like practice missions where you need to know things before doing them. Just the gun tutorial requires you to know the TSD and George and how to use the TADS which, if you’re going at it totally cold it’s a bit too much. So again it’s like I’d need to read all those manual sections first before doing that. Other modules didn’t seem that way for me. 
The TEDAC controls are of course quite a challenge. As with any other module my first step is to map everything on the HOTAS (HOCAS) first. The TEDAC pretty much requires an Xbox style controller in order to get everything assigned and that takes some work. There are a few examples out there but I ended up making my own scheme in order to actually get all the controls on it. Committing the buttons to memory is an important step before trying any missions or tutorials. 
Hey I was looking for something totally new and challenging and this fits the bill! Funny I’m favoring it over the F-15E because that’s just another 4th gen fast jet and I’ve got those already. The Apache is like a crazy warbird with it’s wonky flying plus it’s got MFDs to play with.