Being hit in the rudder and YAW control

[skypirate]

Several times I've been hit by SAM and the tail section just gets blown away.

The helicopter continues to fly and I still have YAW control (a bit degraded) with the rudder pedals despite (in outside view) the missing tail plate.

 

So my question is - is it possible to maintain control of the yaw even though the rudder section is not there - e.g. having helicopter yaw control through the blades pitch mechanism? I know it sounds unrealistic but still with coaxial rotor helis many thins are possible.

 

If not then is it just something that needs to be fixed in the next patch?

[DarkWanderer]

So my question is - is it possible to maintain control of the yaw even though the rudder section is not there - e.g. having helicopter yaw control through the blades pitch mechanism?

How do you think you can turn while hovering?

[EtherealN]

It's not unrealistic to have yaw control through the blade pitch mechanism.

 

It's how it's done.

 

The rudder is just there to help out in forward flight, it's not the only mechanism for yaw control.

[Sid6dot7]

...having helicopter yaw control through the blades pitch mechanism? I know it sounds unrealistic...

 

It doesn't sound unrealistic.

Helicopters are mainly controlled by variations of the main and tail rotor blades angles of attack. With different techniques on actuating the blades you can roll, pitch (cyclic control), yaw and change height (collective control). In "normal" helicopters you yaw via the tail rotor, in the KA-50 via the main rotors (variation of torsional moment [torque] between the upper and lower disc; should also be collective control here (?)).

So thats why it is possible to fly without the tail section, because its for stabilising the heli in forward flight only. What you will experience if you fly faster without your tail. ;)

Edited March 22, 2009 by Sid6dot7
some addition; spelling correction

[ZaltysZ]

Ka-50 has coaxial rotor mechanism. Yaw is controlled by differently varying pitch of both rotors. Right pedal increases pitch for lower rotor and decreases pitch for upper one, left pedal does the same just in opposite. At high speeds such yaw control is ineffective so that is why Ka-50 has tail rudder which comes handy as speed increases. Rotor and tail rudder yaw mechanisms are addition to each other.

[Distiler]

Already answered!

Edited March 22, 2009 by Distiler

[Frakin Toasters]

Good lord how many people need to basically say the same thing?

[skypirate]

Thanks for the excellent answers!

 

Well, the above explains why the helicopter with blown tail is still controllable at 0 or low airspeed. And higher the speed worse the control and oscillations... At 250 km/h you end up constantly fighting with the controls :joystick: