topol-m Posted June 14, 2014 Posted June 14, 2014 (edited) Good point. Thanks again for the insight and for your time, I'll ask more questions if anything else comes to mind. The Apache is an amazing machine, one can always learn more about it :) I'm also trying to read most of the stuff they release as news on the Future Vertical Lift program. The JMR-Medium would face a lot of challenges in order for it to become a decent Apache replacement. I hope this program won't get canceled like many others and will bring some interesting innovations and new capabilities. Edited June 14, 2014 by topol-m [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Nightmare515 Posted June 14, 2014 Posted June 14, 2014 Good point. Thanks again for the insight and for your time, I'll ask more questions if anything else comes to mind. The Apache is an amazing machine, one can always learn more about it :) I'm also trying to read most of the stuff they release as news on the Future Vertical Lift program. The JMR-Medium would face a lot of challenges in order for it to become a decent Apache replacement. I hope this program won't get canceled like many others and will bring some interesting innovations and new capabilities. It would be decades before the JMR medium replaces the Apache if it even does so at all. The E model Apaches are just coming out to extend the life of the aircraft and give it more of a multirole purpose as far as scouting and attack. Not to be bias but the Apache itself is almost a perfect aircraft for what its designed to do. The only real draw back is what plagues all helicopters and thats the limited fuel quantity. If engineers can ever figure out how to make helicopters more fuel efficient then I honestly believe the Apache would the last attack helicopter we'd ever need. Unless of course we want to try the stealth approach again. Due to the limited range of helicopters we have to limit our time on station and also have rearming and refueling points that virtually follow the aircraft around the battlefield. Our definition of "deep attack" missions aren't the same as for our fixed wing counterparts. Those guys have a much greater range and payload than we do but their roles are also different. Id personally much rather engineers research alternate fuel options or more fuel efficient options for rotary wing aircraft rather than trying to create new airframes. The aircraft we have now are fine we just need to figure out how to keep them in the air longer. 1
topol-m Posted June 14, 2014 Posted June 14, 2014 (edited) You're right, but the FVL helicopters are expected to have significantly longer range and combat radius. The FATE engine program is to provide that fuel efficiency, I remember reading somewhere that the V-280 would have twice the range of the UH-60 for instance, which is quite an upgrade. We can assume similar figures for the attack FVL version. Those numbers, even if it is too early to take them as granted, are close to and even exceeding those of say an F-16 both in the combat radius and range category. Edited June 14, 2014 by topol-m [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Invader ZIM Posted June 15, 2014 Posted June 15, 2014 (edited) Regarding more fuel for the Apache. I wonder if this was ever implemented: http://www.meggitt.com/?OBH=108&ID=685&OP=Y AH-64 APACHE 30mm 12-PAK magazine/Combo-PAK One PAK, many configurations Rounds from dual bay magazines are merged into a single chute serving the Apache’s M230 30mm cannon. Fully loaded, the AH-64 can carry1200 rounds—known colloquially as a 12-PAK. This gives considerable combat persistence in a battle zone. After early service, the US Army found that 300-400 rounds were frequently sufficient for a typical sortie. This meant that the space taken up by the mostly-empty magazines was not being efficiently utilised. Meggitt therefore developed a hybrid magazine/fuel tank known as the Combo-PAK containing 250 rounds plus 100 US gallons of fuel, giving the helicopter additional range. PDF of the system showing images of its layout, etc. http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a394834.pdf Mentioned a 40 minutes of extra flight time without any external tanks. And says it was available in 2002. Edited June 15, 2014 by Invader ZIM
ED Team Raptor9 Posted June 15, 2014 ED Team Posted June 15, 2014 Regarding more fuel for the Apache. I wonder if this was ever implemented: http://www.meggitt.com/?OBH=108&ID=685&OP=Y PDF of the system showing images of its layout, etc. http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a394834.pdf Mentioned a 40 minutes of extra flight time without any external tanks. And says it was available in 2002. It's been in use pretty much since it became available, in fact it's almost standard nowadays in -64's. Blackhawks and Chinooks can carry internal aux tanks as well at the sacrifice of room for cargo or people, but the Chinook has plenty of room to spare anyways. If you manage your airspeed properly, crews can easily get several hours worth of flight time using the combo pak in addition to the normal fuel capacity. Afterburners are for wussies...hang around the battlefield and dodge tracers like a man. DCS Rotor-Head
Invader ZIM Posted June 15, 2014 Posted June 15, 2014 Thanks for that info raptor9, good to know it's a real usable system that helps out with operations.
topol-m Posted June 27, 2014 Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) A photo i just spotted, showing stuff on the MFCDs: Too bad on most photos I've seen the MFCDs are turned off. Edited June 27, 2014 by topol-m [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
topol-m Posted June 28, 2014 Posted June 28, 2014 Ain't it purty ;) It's awesome! Btw have you heard if they plan on changing those mfcds to F-35-like ones at any point in the future? I've read about Boing fitting such on the "Ultra" Hornet, so why not put them on the Apache too. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Mike Busutil Posted June 28, 2014 Posted June 28, 2014 [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Checkout my user files here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/filter/user-is-Mike Busutil/apply/
topol-m Posted June 28, 2014 Posted June 28, 2014 This might be interesting to watch, no music, no talking, just pure sound: It seems to be surprisingly quiet at a distance but when it passes just above your head the roar is awesome! [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Nightmare515 Posted June 29, 2014 Posted June 29, 2014 It's awesome! Btw have you heard if they plan on changing those mfcds to F-35-like ones at any point in the future? I've read about Boing fitting such on the "Ultra" Hornet, so why not put them on the Apache too. No I haven't heard anything about that. The E model has the same setup as the D model pretty much so they might do it for the Block IV if they ever make one.
topol-m Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 Nightmare, are you guys already using DAGR or APKWS rockets? Or they are not fielded yet? To me these are one of the biggest capability improvements that the Apache can get. Next huge one would be JAGM but that one is probably at least a couple of years away. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Nightmare515 Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 No we aren't currently using any laser guided rockets and I haven't heard of any plans for them any time soon. I actually just learned about laser guided rockets by reading this forum. The article i read about them said that the tested them from an Apache last month but I don't know of any units that are currently fielding them yet. I would personally love to see the system implemented. Unguided rockets can be a bit tricky to accurately fire.
Nightmare515 Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 This is what we think about the rest of the "helicopters" in the world lol ;)
Plagi_Arism Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 This is what we think about the rest of the "helicopters" in the world lol ;) Bada$$ :lol: May the THRUST be with you
topol-m Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 This is what we think about the rest of the "helicopters" in the world lol ;) :megalol: [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Devrim Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 Great video. Hey guys, do you know what that "swinging" at 3:31? Intel i7-14700@5.6GHz | MSI RTX4080 SuperSuprimX | Corsair V. 64GB@6400MHz. | Samsung 1TB 990 PRO SSD (Win10Homex64) Samsung G5 32" + Samsung 18" + 2x8"TFT Displays | TM Warthog Stick w/AVA Base | VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle | TM MFD Cougars | Logitech G13, G230, G510, PZ55 & Farming Sim Panel | TIR5 & M.Quest3 VR >>MY MODS<< | Discord: Devrim#1068
Milli Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 Great video. Hey guys, do you know what that "swinging" at 3:31? Its the gunners head.
Devrim Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 No, I mean helicopter is swinging left<>right way. What causes to that? Intel i7-14700@5.6GHz | MSI RTX4080 SuperSuprimX | Corsair V. 64GB@6400MHz. | Samsung 1TB 990 PRO SSD (Win10Homex64) Samsung G5 32" + Samsung 18" + 2x8"TFT Displays | TM Warthog Stick w/AVA Base | VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle | TM MFD Cougars | Logitech G13, G230, G510, PZ55 & Farming Sim Panel | TIR5 & M.Quest3 VR >>MY MODS<< | Discord: Devrim#1068
Flagrum Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 No, I mean helicopter is swinging left<>right way. What causes to that? I think, it was just the pilot grabbing the cyclic "more firmly" and (unintentionally) moveing it a bit. Because soon after he gets light on the wheels and starts to taxi.
Nightmare515 Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 No, I mean helicopter is swinging left<>right way. What causes to that? Whenever you sit the aircraft down you have to get it level before taking the power out or it will sit crooked on the ground because one of the struts is more compressed than the other. Many people don't bother compressing both struts evenly before shutting it down so it sits on the ground crooked with one side being higher than the other. So what you see in the video is the pilot decompressing the struts to make the helicopter level before taxiing. 1
Nightmare515 Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 After watching that video again I noticed something funny. That's at Ft. Rucker and I flew that exact aircraft a few times while in flight school. Tail number 5088.
Devrim Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 Thanks for the replies guys. Intel i7-14700@5.6GHz | MSI RTX4080 SuperSuprimX | Corsair V. 64GB@6400MHz. | Samsung 1TB 990 PRO SSD (Win10Homex64) Samsung G5 32" + Samsung 18" + 2x8"TFT Displays | TM Warthog Stick w/AVA Base | VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle | TM MFD Cougars | Logitech G13, G230, G510, PZ55 & Farming Sim Panel | TIR5 & M.Quest3 VR >>MY MODS<< | Discord: Devrim#1068
AlphaOneSix Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 I dunno, if you look at the tail wheel before he hits the pedals, it really looks like they have some inadvertent "extra" left pedal in there, and at 3:31, they take that pedal out and straighten it up. Also, re: 5088, did Rucker also have a 5086 that you remember? 5086 was mine for almost 6 years, before it became a D-model (it was 84-24234 as an A-model previously).
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