FARP landing procedure?

[coolts]

I can fly, I can fight. I can do a cold start and I can navigate, hit my objectives and sometimes even come back to base with a wingman but I have one have one very very embarrassing problem.

I can’t land at a FARP for shit!

I flail about around 4-7m off the deck wafting and spinning until I eventually drop the collective out of desperation and flop to the ground with all the grace and style of an elephant dump.

I can almost hear the crew chiefs laughter when they see me coming over the horizon after a mission. “Here comes dumbo dump!” It takes the shine off my otherwise mostly successful debriefings.

Are there any FARP landing tutorials about? Or a procedure I can follow?

 

Here i go again...wheeeeeee, flutterflutterflutter, THUD, SPROINGGG :noexpression:

(another landing gear out of my wages)

[msalama]

:D I stink at it myself, but I've found out that opening the CP door gives you an extra visual cue which may sometimes be helpful. But other than that, just take it easy and slow and THINK what you're about to do before actually doing it!

 

My apologies for giving no _real_ advice, but simple as it sounds this really is how I've at least managed to survive my FARP landings :joystick:

[CarneyUK]

I always set myself up into wind and then approach at 100kts losing height at about 300 ft/min. IIRC the FARP will give you wind direction when you call them. I have the view slightly out the left window (better view of the farp) and slowly side slip in. As I approach I am slowly loosing speed so by the time I am 50ft and almost on top of the farp I am down to a crawl. Normally then turn it into wind to make it easier.

 

It's just a case then of slowing it up for that last few feet and touch down!

 

Main thing is PRACTICE :D The more you do it the better you will get. You could always set up a mission with a FARP and no enemys or anything else just to practice FARP landings. Just keep doing circuits with touch 'n' go's until you are happy with how you can do it.

[GuntiNDDS]

this is a thread i made earlier this year about the same issue. some very good advice in there aswell as a track file. maybe it helps:

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=823966#post823966

[HiJack]

Yes Fazer is a real wiz in choppers. Don't miss the important button press in the beginning of the track! Either land with "Heading hold" off or set "Directors mode" on, or do both.

 

(HJ)

[Heli Shed]

Hey Coolts. Jump on lets do some Trg, i`ll have you landing on a sixpence in no time.........

 

;-)

[159_Archer]

One way that I found was pretty good; start by doing rolling-landings on runways, and as soon as you can do these easily (not difficult) then start to 'aim' for a particular touch-down point on the RW (such as the threashold markings) and keep practicing to touch-down on these, and come to a stop when doing so.

 

I found that eventually I could be pretty accurate with my aim, and then instantly found that when I used the same approach glide when nearing FARPs, it worked equally well. Problem solved!

[Heli Shed]

Like i said, jump on.

[Yuya6104]

me have bad english. i try explain how landing FARP best can.. ^^

 

when landing FARP if you little high you must fly around FARP while decending when low enough come in very slow while doing so speed must be at 20 to 25Km/h use so little inputs an use little rudder keep hud niddle stright while landing best way pick a refecence point where going land on FARP for example 50 meters away FARP an use the lights on FARP as a refence soon get near H speed maintain 0 to 2km/h correct an use new refecence so stay in FARP like cricle an decend slowing advoid falling by stall.. keep makeing little adjustments an an trim helicopter keep neddle center an 0 should be ok..

 

not know if is help but what me learn me was in JGSDF long time ago me had do me 3 year service term by goverment law..

 

maybe be diffeant you learn..

 

anyway sooy my english terrable ^^

[CarneyUK]

anyway sooy my english terrable ^^

 

But it's a LOT better than my Japaneese!! :thumbup: I have to learn another language!

[Bucic]

I'd take Tyger's limited offer, if I were you :)

 

 

Pattern:

AFAIK a complete traffic approach description is missing in the manual. On the other hand you get your "description" alright when you contact FARP APC few kilometers out from FARP. Just follow the instructions.

 

People without any real aviation experience usually don't know that the big white T sign indicates the final approach direction. IMO this info should be included in every single multiplayer mission briefing to avoid people flying over one another.

 

 

I don't know how DCS FARP ATC comply to aviation regulations but if conditions change so that the final approach direction has to be altered, the direction of the T sign should be altered too, accordingly.

 

 

Final approach and touchdown:

As many told you befroe, you should approach with left sideslip to get a better view. No brainer. Few additional comments:

- when you don't see the FARP landing platform in your side windows while sitting straight you are FAR too high to decrese collective and sit the thing down

- when you loose the chosen FARP platform from your sight at any point during final approach abort the approach and go around! You may have already passed the platform and just about to land on a maintenance truck.

- play a track with a proper landing and take an in-cockpit screenshot (and keep it) at the moment when wheels just touched the platform. Memorize angles and characteristic geometries in relation to cockpit frame.

[coolts]

Cheers for all the helpful advice guys.

 

I've got a pretty decent Hog BS profile now that suits me, (http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1048663&postcount=42 - plug plug), i just need to polish my rough edges and precise slow speed manouverings are deffo a rough edge of mine ;)

 

HiJack - HDG hold off and DM on? hmmm. I hadn't thought of that.

 

TYGER - I will take you up on that, but i'm off up north to the wilds of newcastle for xmas so wont have broadband for a fortnight, sigh.

 

Bucic - so thats what the 'big T is for'

 

Ive been ignoring the wind as well. Its one of those tactile things missing from sims. You cant hear it or feel it so you have to go on ATC advice. A windsock at the FARP would be nice.

[HiJack]

HiJack - HDG hold off and DM on? hmmm. I hadn't thought of that.

That works fine for me so I have used that for FARP approach for a while. But I never use the ATC before landn, should start doing that also.

What direction to the T should you land? Track with correct procedure anyone?

 

(HJ)

[Bucic]

What direction to the T should you land? Track with correct procedure anyone?

 

(HJ)

The direction is indicated as if the T were a badly drawn arrow :) i.e. the T's bar is the arrow head.

 

The track with presumably correct final approach has been posted by Frazer in the topic linked above. As for the whole pattern - follow ATC instructions. They are pretty straightforward.

[bogusheadbox]

there is a lot of good advice in here.

 

One bit of advice i can give is to take some time before you take off.

 

Just sit in the cockpit on the farp (which should have you positioned in the middle) and look straight ahead. Now take this picture and memorize where the farp's landing pad edges reach up the window in your peripherals and straight ahead.

 

Once you have this picture in your mind you will know what it should look like for you to land correctly at the farp.

 

I use this technique for night and day landings (especially for new/unfamiliar types) in real life.

 

To consolidate on others good points, i would also recommend the following.

 

1. Landing into wind - Definitely very helpful.

2. Spot run on landings on a runway. Try to reduce your roll out once you can hit your spot.

 

The biggest thing is you need to have confidence in your control ability to not only hover but to manouver the vehicle at slow speed where you want it. What i did (and it was a personal preference only) was to use the farp pad for hovering practice and landing practice together.

 

Use the farp pad as a "hover box". Approach the pad nose in first and maintaining constant direction slow hover around the periphery of the box.

 

Then try again but always keeping your nose aligned with the box edge. this will improve your sideways controllability.

 

The best thing is to find something that works for you and stick with it to improve it. I am sure with all the good tips mentioned here, you will be doing great in no time.

 

:-)

[Heli Shed]

Hi. The offer is there for when ever you want it mate, take that as gospel.

 

Bucic is absolutely correct with regards to the 'T'. Militarily speaking, and within NATO, it is referred to as the NATO T and on a FARP (not called that anymore but the correct term eludes me. A mate of mine is a Sqn Comd with 3AAC (Apache), so i could find out if your that interested). The NATO T can be made from Cylumes, High Vis Rollout, or stakes that can house IR and visibile light sources. The NATO T denotes the approach angle in accordance with wind direction and so it is very important it can be moved quickly.

 

'T'

[Bucic]

Tyger,

 

I just wanted to get you some more rookies by creating an impression that this is something time limited, special, yada yada yada - the regular marketing mantra :)

 

Where I used to land the T sign was made from something like regular bed sheets :D

[Heli Shed]

Tyger,

 

I just wanted to get you some more rookies by creating an impression that this is something time limited, special, yada yada yada - the regular marketing mantra :)

 

Where I used to land the T sign was made from something like regular bed sheets :D

 

hehehe. In a clearing once in Belize, we used the same for a casevac. Sheets that had been staked down! Should have seen the loadmasters face!

 

;-)

 

Merry Xmas!

 

'T'

[CarneyUK]

Bucic is absolutely correct with regards to the 'T'. Militarily speaking, and within NATO, it is referred to as the NATO T and on a FARP (not called that anymore but the correct term eludes me. A mate of mine is a Sqn Comd with 3AAC (Apache), so i could find out if your that interested). The NATO T can be made from Cylumes, High Vis Rollout, or stakes that can house IR and visibile light sources. The NATO T denotes the approach angle in accordance with wind direction and so it is very important it can be moved quickly.

 

'T'

 

Still called a FARP (Forward Arming and Refuelling Point) but also have the FOB (Forward Operating Base.)

 

Quick paint pic......but not sure if in Black Shark the T does actually line up with the wind unless the FARP is set in that direction?? Willtry when I get back from visiting family.

[Bucic]

but not sure if in Black Shark the T does actually line up with the wind unless the FARP is set in that direction??

AFAIK no. It's up to mission creator to line up the T sign with chosen wind direction. But even if it's not aligned sticking to the approach direction as per T greatly improves general safety on and around FARP. From my recent missions on 51st server I can say that, IIRC, neither T was aligned with wind direction nor initial helicopters headings after spawning were aligned with T.

[Heli Shed]

Still called a FARP (Forward Arming and Refuelling Point) but also have the FOB (Forward Operating Base.)

 

Quick paint pic......but not sure if in Black Shark the T does actually line up with the wind unless the FARP is set in that direction?? Willtry when I get back from visiting family.

 

:megalol:

[CarneyUK]

I hope you're not laughing at my picture.....it took me 2 hours with paint shop pro to make that work of art!! LOL :smilewink:

[Bucic]

it took me 2 hours with paint shop pro

:music_whistling:

 

[CLICK]

:thumbup:

[CarneyUK]

:music_whistling:

 

[CLICK]

:thumbup:

 

Bloody hell!!! That is some awesome stuff, I wouldn't know where to start.

[Bucic]

 

Bloody hell!!! That is some awesome stuff, I wouldn't know where to start.

That's the beauty of INKSCAPE - it allows artistically talentless people like me create awesome stuff and in terms of using it for drawing informative figures or as a scratch pad it's simply unbeatable. Did I mention it's multiplatform and free? :)

 

Plus of course all the (constantly underestimated and not known to many people) advantages that come from scalable vector graphics (SVG)

 

 

Edited December 29, 2010 by Bucic