Cloud, Fog, Zero visibility. Tips and Help Needed.

[Svetlano]

Hello Pilots,

a rookie here needs sone tips on how to fly this beast on zero visibility.

I'm doing the deployment campaign, third mission, but when passing through mountains and the dense clouds surrond the helo, i'm having really hard time keeping the bird stable.:joystick:

I'm trying to use only instruments.

There's something i need to know on how to fly on zero visibility that could help me out ? Could you give me some tips ?

 

Thanks :pilotfly:

[Eddie]

Only thing I can say is trust your instruments, and don't over think things. Often in these situations people over correct and get into pilot induced occilations as they don't have the ground as a reference. Keep control inputs small, trust your instruments (I know I've already said that but it's important).

 

But above all, practice and then practice some more. Real pilots often have trouble flying in poor visibility, that's why such things are so heavily trained for. Just make yourself a simple mission in the editor with just one Ka-50 for you to fly, and simple flight plan over various terrain and turn up the fog/cloud and just fly. Without the distractions of an objective or possible threats you'll soon find you still level increases to a point where doing the same thing on a combat mission is almost easy.

[Napa]

Check your radio altimeter every 3 secs and make sure you're on the right flight path.

 

To make sure your in the right flight path, enable auto-route with 'R' key and trim the blades for a steady speed, I'd say around 180-200 kph. If you're climbing, lower the speed, its important or the heli will not climb at all and you'll face the invisible mountain on your forehead.

 

Do this and you should be fine. It works for me.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Innerloop

[Booger]

For that mission, my advice would be....

 

1. Get up to about 1600 ASL before WPT 1, and maintain that altitude.

 

2. Just before WPT 2, start increasing altitude (eventually to 2200 ASL, you won't need to be any higher).

 

This way you can maintain the 200 kts per the mission brief (you won't have to slow down to optimize your climb (180), but you will have to do a 90 degree "blind" turn at WPT 2.

 

Echoing what was previously mentioned, make your imputs small. At WPT 2 don't do a hard turn, round it off (turn slightly early) so you end up on the route line as you level off.

[Stretch]

Hah, I remember doing that yesterday. It's all about the scan. My scan was simple: radar altimeter -> bank indicator -> heading indicator. Those three instruments are all you need. And since they're all on the HUD, the scan is simple. Just keep looking between those three instruments. Look at one: if it's fine, move on. If it's not fine, make a corrective input to fix it, then move on. Don't fixate on it waiting for your corrective input to take effect; move to the next instrument and you can verify your corrective input when you come back around again. Keep your eyes moving.

 

EDIT: And this should go without saying, make sure you've got the autopilot pitch, yaw, and bank dampeners enabled to ease your workload.

[BluesmanSF]

Heh, I just started the campaign yesterday and have been totally hooked by it! :joystick: Coincidentally, I just completed that foggy mission an hour ago and I was really thrilled by the athmosphere, great thinking of the campaign makers, as even the logistic-part of that mission was hair-rising! =D

 

Anyways, for me, scanning between the situation indicator, radar alitmeter and airspeed, and now and then vertical speed indicator was the thing. I have some experience in fixed wing instrument flying, but this was completely new experience, and I sensed a real accomplishment after that one. Got my hands so sweaty I should probably do some IFR-training in that wasp as someone suggested :thumbup:

 

6S_Blues

[Svetlano]

Well i tried all yesterday with no major benefical effect.

I was just losing the bird at some point, always ending in a crash, my perfect loogbok now has some deaths, ..

 

@Innerloop

With Radio altimeter u mean radar altimeter or i'm missing something ?

 

 

Today i have still to try that mission out because i just bought a X52 and i'm messing setting it up, but the mouse device on the throttle is broken , goes automatically always up; tried everything also on a different pc: always the same, must give it back to shop, but it was the last one, damn: i'll see what Gamestop plans to do..

I must roll back to my STK aviator but i tried a free mission on the shark with thex52 with it and it's great so sad i have to give it back ..

[Frederf]

Ja, radio altimeter -- radar altimeter, same thing.

[Svetlano]

Well , with the sweet accuracy of the trimming controls on the x52, even if not properly configured and with the broken mouse button (that i managed to disable from devices ) i did the mission just watching instruments and correcting slightly just when needed.

Ty all, now i must say goodbye to the bloody sweet controller. I start repacking it hoping the shop founds a fast solution to replace it. Damn. :doh:

[BluesmanSF]

Well , with the sweet accuracy of the trimming controls on the x52, even if not properly configured and with the broken mouse button (that i managed to disable from devices ) i did the mission just watching instruments and correcting slightly just when needed.

Ty all, now i must say goodbye to the bloody sweet controller. I start repacking it hoping the shop founds a fast solution to replace it. Damn. :doh:

 

Heh, great that you got around it pal, and sorry to hear of the broken X52. If you have some cash to spent, I REALLY recommend CH-products as they are really top notch in every aspect, that said I'm perfectly happy with a X45 throttle, CH-fighter stick and brake & gas pedals taken from MOMO steering wheel :smilewink: ...until I can spare a coin for the CH throttle! ...or pedals :P

 

6S_Blues

[Svetlano]

Heh, great that you got around it pal, and sorry to hear of the broken X52. If you have some cash to spent, I REALLY recommend CH-products as they are really top notch in every aspect, that said I'm perfectly happy with a X45 throttle, CH-fighter stick and brake & gas pedals taken from MOMO steering wheel :smilewink: ...until I can spare a coin for the CH throttle! ...or pedals :P

 

6S_Blues

What CH stands for ?

Could i have a look at it ?

[Booger]

http://www.chproducts.com/retail/

[manne]

Somehow they always look so cheap

[Frederf]

CH Products are solid but "unsophisticated" in aesthetics. Logitech and similar companies put shiny plastic and complex shapes but can be flimsy underneath. Don't be too put off by their simple shapes.

[Slayer]

Fog in the mountains is definately a scary thing....Don't forget your deicing and trust your instruments. I remember that from when I first purchased DCS:BS , the disorientation and crashing and not having enough power to get over the hill in zero visibility....definately some white knuckle sim fun.

[Stalevar]

My flying in the mountains usually goes like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C6bo9sz9uQ

Sometimes i'm not that lucky.

[Svetlano]

My flying in the mountains usually goes like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C6bo9sz9uQ

Sometimes i'm not that lucky.

 

That was close, lucky pilot and lucky passengers.

[BluesmanSF]

My flying in the mountains usually goes like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C6bo9sz9uQ

Sometimes i'm not that lucky.

 

Holy moly, that's really scary stuff, hopefully those pilots learned something, if they'll ever go piloting people around... :no_sad:

 

6S_Blues

[Frederf]

When encountering some IMC in DCS:BS my first instinct was... well, then I'm going to climb above it! Pick a nice area with no mountains and climb through the clouds. Travel on top (or at least at an altitude where you're at least 500m above the tallest thing for 100nm around) and then come down in a safe spot. Coming down through clouds is the scariest thing ever, even if the map says you should be fine*.

 

*Never done it in real life, it would be illegal, just FSX or similar.

[Nate--IRL--]

Coming down through clouds is the scariest thing ever, even if the map says you should be fine*.

 

I must admit I had very sweaty palms for that mission. That's one of the best missions I flew in any sim.

 

Nate

[Booger]

Coming down through clouds is the scariest thing ever, even if the map says you should be fine

 

Yeah, good call on that one. I too had a bit of anxiety on that descent.

Edited April 10, 2010 by Booger
fix a typo