HOTAS Throttle quadrant question?

[Kilo_60]

What's the concensus regarding the mapping of the Throttle quadrant in a HOTAS set up for "Collective".

 

Right now I have it set up similar to all my other flight sims where when you push throttle forward it increases thrust/power/collective.

 

Do any of you have the throttle mapped similar to an actual collective stick in that when you pull back on the throttle lever (collective) it increases power/thrust/collective?

 

Just thinking that maybe I should reverse the axis on my throttle quadrant.... :thumbup:

[MTFDarkEagle]

For me (x52), I just have the collective set to the big collective, and the throttle (both) to the slider, my top rotator to left throttle, and lower rotator to the right throttle.

[EtherealN]

Can of worms... This topic is going to attract the puritans. :P

 

I don't use a HOTAS and my Cyborg has upwards motion anyhow so I don't have to think about it. :P

 

MTFDarkEagle, the point he was asking about was the direction of movement to increase collective. On a "real" collective the logic is that you "pull" for power, not push like in a jet. This causes big debates among the puritans about what is the proper way to set up the controls. My view is that on most HOTAS that you haven't modded it doesn't matter - both ways will be equally bogus, since the logic is that there will be more movement in the direction you move the throttle/collective towards - so when you pull UP the helicopter rises, when you push down the helicopter descends. In a jet, when you push forwards you increase forward momentum and so on.

 

But most HOTAS - all I've seen - would require modification our pretty complex rigs to really do that right for helos, so it's an open question with lots of people thinking that theirs is the only way. :P

 

So to Kilo_60, I'd say go for what you feel comfortable with. It'll be equally unrealistic whichever way you do it, unless you either mod the HOTAS physically or arrange some complex mount.

[Smoky]

I reverse the throttle axis on my Cougar and use that for collective. It works and feels fine. It's a matter of suspension of disbelief. When you are flying jets, you are positioning your hand and thinking about the movement in a different way than when using it as a collective in a heli. Play in the dark, you'll feel like you are pulling up/pushing down instead of sliding forward/backwards.

 

Most HOTAS, like the Cougar's throttle, have quite an arc in the throw. Most modern jet fighters do not have this arc, and move along a plane. So IMHO the arc in the throw is a nice compromise to allow us to gain the feel for either heli or fast movers.

 

I have a heli collective I could use. But it is not well made, and would require modification to gain the "feel" of my anti-stiction'd Cougar, and this IMHO outweighs the "feel" I gain from the up/down motion of the collective.

 

Another point to consider about using "real" collective motion in a home cockpit... most folks do not have the space or ergonomics to use a proper collective with accurate amounts of travel. Usually the collective ends up too far below your seat, or too far away for comfortable up/down motion. You really have to build your seat frame around your collective or vice versa to get it "just right". This is another reason I opted to stick with my Cougar.

[Kilo_60]

I reverse the throttle axis on my Cougar and use that for collective. It works and feels fine. It's a matter of suspension of disbelief. When you are flying jets, you are positioning your hand and thinking about the movement in a different way than when using it as a collective in a heli. Play in the dark, you'll feel like you are pulling up/pushing down instead of sliding forward/backwards.

 

Most HOTAS, like the Cougar's throttle, have quite an arc in the throw. Most modern jet fighters do not have this arc, and move along a plane. So IMHO the arc in the throw is a nice compromise to allow us to gain the feel for either heli or fast movers.

 

I have a heli collective I could use. But it is not well made, and would require modification to gain the "feel" of my anti-stiction'd Cougar, and this IMHO outweighs the "feel" I gain from the up/down motion of the collective.

 

Another point to consider about using "real" collective motion in a home cockpit... most folks do not have the space or ergonomics to use a proper collective with accurate amounts of travel. Usually the collective ends up too far below your seat, or too far away for comfortable up/down motion. You really have to build your seat frame around your collective or vice versa to get it "just right". This is another reason I opted to stick with my Cougar.

 

 

Do you also prefer to put a slight "Curve" in the throttle/collective movement in the axis settings or is this just recommended for the "Cyclic"

[Smoky]

My throttle is linear. The Cougar has a long throw, and 3/4 travel will break the heli, so I don't want a curve ramping up on me at high pitch. The cyclic is curved. Although I have a question buried in a post somewhere requesting info on what curves should be set to mimic the real Ka-50 cyclic and collective feel and response rate. But those curves may react so variably to different controllers' pots that it may not be possible to make a recommendation unless a curve profile is offered for each controller type available (or at least widely in use).

[muamshai]

I have Saitek throttle Quadrant with X-52 Pro (stick and throttle unit).

Collective is attached with X-52 Pro throttle unit. Middle lever of Quadrant is for both rotators thrust. Left lever is for wheel brake pressure. Right lever is empty for now. The Quadrant also gives me 6 more buttons which I use for targetting system.