Distance to helipad/base?

[yonyz]

Hi,

 

The DCS BS manual says that, when about to land, 400-500 meters from the base, at 60-70m altitude, airspeed should be smoothly reduced, progressively.

 

How do I know the distance from my current position to the helipad or base I am approaching toward?

 

I was thinking about aiming the laser designator at the helipad using the Shkval, but I wonder if there are other ways, WITHOUT setting the base as the steerpoint.

[Distiler]

Pilot judgement XD rly!

[msalama]

Trudat, just do it ;) Aaaaaand no, this wasn't me being a smart4rse either, it will come to you automatically when you get more experience!

 

EDIT, though: one good way of practicing would be to reduce your airspeed when you're still far out and approach the runway / helipad quite slowly just to get the hang of it - I think.

Edited February 14, 2011 by msalama

[yonyz]

My real problem is reducing airspeed without increasing altitude. I never do it perfectly, always gain a few dozen meters.

[CAT_101st]

If you are returning to your home base/FARP you can select in the PVI-800 Airbase 1 then hit the DTA/DH button on the botom of the PVI-800 to show heading, time to and distance. Start slowing down about .5K out if around 100knots if above that start slowing around 1K out. I usaly trim my nose up at 10* on the hud ladder. It is enough to slow you down with out a bunch of extra lift.

[yonyz]

Thanks CAT, that should be useful.

As for trimming, I never use it, it makes my Ka-50 "bump" after set (with the Center stick option enabled) and it doesn't stay the way I set it. That is, it changes the heading of my helo.

[KosPilot]

Hi,

 

The DCS BS manual says that, when about to land, 400-500 meters from the base, at 60-70m altitude, airspeed should be smoothly reduced, progressively.

 

How do I know the distance from my current position to the helipad or base I am approaching toward?

 

I was thinking about aiming the laser designator at the helipad using the Shkval, but I wonder if there are other ways, WITHOUT setting the base as the steerpoint.

 

If you want to do this correctly, you need to set yourself up in a familiar pattern every time you land. That is one of the main reasons for flying a (L/H or R/H turn) circuit as preparation for landing. Your exact height and distance from the pad is not that important (in simulation). What is important is that you stick like glue to your glide angle. The glide angle described in the manual is rather shallow, but we'll stick with it for now.

1. Downwind leg, cruice speed 180-200 kmh @ 250-300m. Spot your landing site. Continue until you are about 1km downwind from your landing site.

2. Base leg, 90 deg turn, 30-45 deg bank angle. During turn lower your collective and gradually reduce speed to BROC (Best Rate Of Climb) 130 kmh, height 150m.

3. Final, begin 90 deg turn towards your landing site so that you are facing your landing site DIRECTLY upwind once the turn is over. Find you glide angle and gradually bleed off IAS and height. The landing pad should from now on appear stationary and only grow bigger as you get closer. Adjust your power (collective) as your IAS reduces, you will need more power as you slow down. Maintain IAS>55kmh until you are 30m above ground.

Adjust power further as you go through ETL (Effective Translational Lift) (IAS<30kmh) and maintain your glide angle.

If done correctly you are now in a hover 1m directly above your landing spot.

 

As you get better, shorten the legs of the circuit.

 

As a combat pilot you may be required to come in fast, do a 270 deg turn bleed off your IAS and land directly.

 

Good luck, and switch off the AP channels; Real pilots don't use training wheels!

[Eddie]

Good luck, and switch off the AP channels; Real pilots don't use training wheels!

 

No!!!!!

 

The AP stability channel should NOT be turned off at any point, the same goes for real world Ka-50 pilots. They are not "training wheels" they are there to stabilise the aircraft and make it more controllable, their use is compulsory in the real world and there is no reason not to use them in the sim.

[CAT_101st]

I am with eddie on this one. They were instaled on the Ka-50 for a reason. The AP system takes alot of the work load off the pilot so he can do the work of what shuld be the work of two pilots. Yes the trim system is not perfict in the sim but it does have good fuctionnal purpose whin used proper is a great tool to have making thigs easer to manage.

[msalama]

Always use the stab channels. ALWAYS. The bird is controllable without them in an emergency, but deliberately leaving them off doesn't serve any meaningful purpose whatsoever!

 

There's been a couple of times when I've forgotten to switch them on in a scramble and just took off without. And let me tell you, you should only do that if you're wearing brown pants already :D

[KosPilot]

No!!!!!

 

The AP stability channel should NOT be turned off at any point, the same goes for real world Ka-50 pilots. They are not "training wheels" they are there to stabilise the aircraft and make it more controllable, their use is compulsory in the real world and there is no reason not to use them in the sim.

 

...And to all the others that praise the use of AP.

 

The AP channels are used to stabilize the Shark so that the pilot may allocate resources and attention to other tasks, mainly to achieve a stable weapons platform during target acquisition. During normal flight and combat manoeuvres the AP is counteracting command input as well as uncommanded tendencies. This makes the flight profile unpredictable and the helicopter slow to respond. Come to the Australian TOG DCS server, and I'll give you all a demonstration!

With AP channels switched OFF, you may work WITH the inherent instabilities and use them to your advantage instead of fighting the helicopters natural tendencies.

 

Besides:

1. How do you control the helicopter if your hydraulics fail? This will disable AP. Being able to safely control the helicopter and complete your mission without AP is the very basic of airmanship, not an emergency procedure.

2. If "Real world Ka-50 pilots" are required to always use AP, why the AP buttons? :doh: If correct, I am sure that decision was purely bureaucratic and at the dismay of the very same "Real world Ka-50 pilots". We should ask one!

3. The cyclic has an Emergency AP Disengage button. The idea of pressing it is to save crew and aircraft, not an excuse to eject.

4. The Schweitzer 300, Robinson 22/44 and most other small commercial helicopters are more unstable than the Ka-50 w/o AP, yet they come without AP. A student pilot in Australia may have the first solo flight in a S300 or R22 after only 25hrs, so say again; What was your impression of the capabilities of "Real world Ka-50 pilots"?

 

-Release the beast, disengage AP ;)

Edited February 22, 2011 by KosPilot
Adding arguments