how to land the BS!! HELP!

[GGTharos]

Fair enough, disengage the DNS and the auto hover system at <4m, but why all of the stabilisation channels too? I just find it odd, I'm not saying its modeled incorrectly.

 

Because you don't know what (potentially erroneous) inputs the stabilization channels are attempting to hold now.

 

 

True, but the KA-50 is not Dynamically stable without the Stabilisation channels engaged. Manually bring the shark to a hover then disengage all of the stabilisation channels and see what happens.

 

Nate

 

Not the most stable, but pretty predictable.

[WynnTTr]

Would you trust an autopilot at 4m or less? Or would you rather trust your own skill.

 

If you're flying an attack chopper, there's an assumption that you can fly a heli pretty well.

[David A Sell]

I used to have a hard time kepping the shark where I wanted after touchdown, espesically in high winds...

 

Now the second I touch down I drop the thottles down all the way (page down twice) and I have no probs, can refuel rearm ect, and just pop em back into auto position for takeoff, try that I bet It helps you

[nemises]

^^ Munny, it will also help to keep her still if you reset trim (a small cheat as no such control exists in the real shark) ... the default trim position is for when the shark is on the ground.

come takeoff time, you'll need / want to trim her forward a bit again.

[Chelco]

My landings have improved a lot since I started watching out from the cockpit. Before I was too glued to the instruments/HUD.

 

Cheers,

[Frederf]

Yes, you definitely want to keep your eyes on the horizon while trying to hover. It's tempting to focus inside the cockpit or very near to you on the ground but this makes for a very nervous sense of balance.

 

Try it with your own body, standing on one leg and trying to keep balance first with your eyes looking at your feet and then looking at the horizon. It's a lot harder to keep your balance with your visual focus near.

[S D]

Try standing on one leg, then close your eye's :thumbup:

 

Good old pysio workouts. lol

[mrbinkels]

I would like to add that hovering is like balancing a broom stick on your index finger. In "real life", the cyclic is always moving in minute movements at a hover. A lot of people tend to get squirrely(sic) as they get closer to the ground and start over controlling (including myself).

 

You must look at the horizon, as well as all around, as said previously or you will roll over on the tarmac.

 

 

Hope this helps.

[Skydoc]

My instructor always had me focus on an object (not just the horizon) in the middle distance (a taller tree or building is good) becasue it helps with drift as well.

 

We unfortunately lose a key assistant when hovering to land on on most PCs...peripheral vision. :-(

[LukeFF]

Also make sure there is no lateral drift. If you are sliding sideways and touch down with out countering this first, you could have problems.

 

This is my biggest problem at the moment. It seems like every time I attempt to land I end up off-course, and then I over-correct and end up spinning all over the place. What types of things should I be doing to maintain the correct approach course?

[EtherealN]

LukeFF, depends on what's causing the problem, but if I understood what's happening correctly it might simply be a case of correcting for the wind blowing you off course. If the wind is coming in perpendicular to your direction of flight, you would have to have your nose turned slightly into the wind to fly true to your approach.

 

This can have pretty dramatic effects even on normal days. I fly gliders at a club, and last year I had a few occasions where during a 100km/h approach, I had to start the final (at ~50-80ish meters AGL) with a close to 45 degree nose-off in order to fly "straight". And that wasn't a particularly windy day, it was just a day with an almost 90 degree sidewind component relative to the airfield. The strength then of course diminished as I got closer to the ground, causing me to have a gentle right-pedal pressure through the whole final as I continually sought to keep myself adjusted for the sidewind.

 

Basically, do make sure that you are aware of the wind. Radio for landing clearance, always, since they'll tell you where the wind is coming from and how strong it is, that way you can prepare yourself for any sidewind ahead of time.

 

EDIT:

Though, if your problem is more oriented towards the exact moment of touch-down, I suspect you might be flying too fast. It is possible to land the Ka-50 at really high speeds, but from a safety perspective the best for even a rolling landing is around 30-50km/h IAS on the moment of touchdown. The less forward speed on touchdown, the less momentum able to throw you off balance. (But also bigger risk of entering a vortex ring state...)

Edited May 14, 2009 by EtherealN

[LukeFF]

LukeFF, depends on what's causing the problem, but if I understood what's happening correctly it might simply be a case of correcting for the wind blowing you off course. If the wind is coming in perpendicular to your direction of flight, you would have to have your nose turned slightly into the wind to fly true to your approach.

 

Basically, do make sure that you are aware of the wind. Radio for landing clearance, always, since they'll tell you where the wind is coming from and how strong it is, that way you can prepare yourself for any sidewind ahead of time.

 

EDIT:

Though, if your problem is more oriented towards the exact moment of touch-down, I suspect you might be flying too fast. It is possible to land the Ka-50 at really high speeds, but from a safety perspective the best for even a rolling landing is around 30-50km/h IAS on the moment of touchdown. The less forward speed on touchdown, the less momentum able to throw you off balance. (But also bigger risk of entering a vortex ring state...)

 

Thanks. This is the "flying a traffic pattern" training mission with which I am having a problem. Maybe I'm not remembering things correctly, but I don't think the ATC gives wind direction/speed in that one. Nonetheless, it is likely I just need to compensate more for the effects of the wind.

 

These helos are tricky, I tell ya! :D

[redberon2003]

It is possible to land the Ka-50 at really high speeds, but from a safety perspective the best for even a rolling landing is around 30-50km/h IAS on the moment of touchdown. The less forward speed on touchdown, the less momentum able to throw you off balance. (But also bigger risk of entering a vortex ring state...)

 

 

Dude, you're Not joking in the least....

 

My personal Experience;

 

I'm a Private Pilot, got my license in February, 2 flights before my Checkride I found myself on the - Scariest - Landing I'd ever done.......

 

 

172SP Touched down at 70~ Knots, Was the last landing of the day, Instructor asked me to approach High and then Slip down to the approach path, So I did....sort of.....I came in much too high and couldnt Slip enough to get low, I figured well this sucks...but I was in a position i could still "Touch" The Markers....So I kept my descent with 10 flaps and made it down Nose low into ground effect, Held the nose level and "Worked" to hit the 1000 foot markers......I got them! :joystick::D

 

Now the bad part - at 70 knots a 172SP in ground effect, Still Wants to Fly....a Lot....The landing was Soft but firm, so we didn't bounce, instead we were Slightly un-aligned with the runway, so I had to correct......the Small inputs I made were Absolutely terrifying to myself, it felt like sitting in a Very High Center of Gravity SUV on the Freeway, Swerving Like a madman because your controls are playing funny with you.......Last time I'll ever touchdown fast in a 172, Next Time I'm going Around.

 

 

with the Kamov, I can only imagine this is Worse for these speeds, mainly because your rotor in Ground effect already makes the thing wanna fly a little.....*you know how its bouncing around and light on its feet at startup?* the Speed Does Not help you What-so-ever. you're just adding more Lift.

 

Generally when making a Rolling landing in the KA-50, I go no more then 20-40 KM/h, i've done fine keeping those speeds. for a Hover *which I prefer actually* just Toss the stick around *slightly* to stay level and ease the collective Back for a nice smooth descent, and then once the ground effect kicks in and kills your ability to descend at the collective setting, drop the collective just a Slight tad more, and......Picture perfect Helicopter landing :juggle:

[EtherealN]

Totally agree on preferring vertical landing from a stable hover. I tend to work with something aking to 5km/h and a slight sideslip if I'm landing on a crowded FARP though (since there's a better view out the left window). The velocity is pretty much guessed at though, since it's too slow for IAS and I don't really want to look at the HUD. When you're two meters above the ground it's the ground you want to care about anyway. :P

 

On coming in high and fast though, I have to agree with you. I did my first official flight with an SF-25 TMG last tuesday, and came in waaaay high. (I had actually been cleared by the tower to go directly in, but I wanted to do a full cirquit to see how the plane behaved.) As we came over the start of the 600 meter strip we have right next to the airport runway, and I was still doing 110km/h at some 100 meters AGL with full airbrakes, my instructor just pressed the radio button and told the tower "Going Around for another try". I felt like such an inept little loser. :P

 

But that's what you get for being used to gliders equipped with Shemmp-Hirth airbrakes. Pull full airbrake on those and you're falling like a rock. :D (No surprise, since it's basically deploying two barn-doors on either side of both wings... :P )

[redberon2003]

hmm yeah, generally when I land I'll Zoom out - this gives me the best "Peripheral" View around the cockpit, cant see gauges so well but who cares, you can see the sides of the cockpit as well as infront of you, it's a great visual Reference setup just to zoom out while looking through the HUD.

 

 

As far as First flight - Congratulations. Landings.....they're Hit or miss, I've got about 250~ or so logged in the 172.....and I still **** them up sometimes :doh:. Every Pilot has off landings, Every New pilot is about Good enough to kill himself on the first go. I wouldnt trade my experience in the 172 for anything.....Okay maybe I would, but the trade would be for some sort of Bigger more Powerfull airplane :pilotfly:

[EtherealN]

A trade I'd love to do: one of the guys at my club is currently in the States doing conversion to the P51D... THE ENVY! :D

 

(I also have an acquaintance - friend-of-a-friend - at a neighboring club who flies JAS 39 Gripen for a living... Bastard...)

 

Anyways, the mods will soon slap our fingers for being off-topic, I think. :P

[Scrape]

This is my biggest problem at the moment. It seems like every time I attempt to land I end up off-course, and then I over-correct and end up spinning all over the place. What types of things should I be doing to maintain the correct approach course?

 

 

When approching a base or FARP find a reference point. Something you can point the nose at to keep you aligned as you turn on final. Next DONT RUSH. Most people try to rush the landing doing grand flares and quick drops. Give yourself time to correct mistakes. Flare early and drift to the landing zone at 30km or even 20km. This will allow your nose to remain low enough to see the landing area. Be patient and remember Smooth Is Fast. Also keep in mind that you can not practice speed. Speed is a by product of technique. When you become good at it then you'll automatically be fast. If you mess it up then go around. Don't try and save a boched landing, you'll only teach yourself bad habits. Practice touch and go's to get your weight up. Pilots never stop doing these drills.

 

On another note:

 

A sudden unexpected roll on landing could be due to the nose wheel suddenly turning full left or right upon landing; this makes the BS very sensitive to side inputs to the collective. Pausing the game mid roll and checking via outside camera will confirm this. If you have several devices plugged in like I do there is the possiblity that they might be conflicting even if they are not assigned the same function. I had this problem my self and a yahoo search turned up a fix for it. Two joysticks, throttle, wheel, pedals, and shifter. About 40 assigned buttons for the BS.