how to get through translational lift transition?

[wolle]

Have been trying out DCS Huey.

 

By far the most difficult thing for me is how to deal with the enormous vibrations that occur as one transits into or out-of the translational lift regime (e.g. during landing or take-off). Are there any tricks to that? I always lose control of the bird, especially during landings as I slow down to less than about 40 kts. Help please!

[wess24m]

Have been trying out DCS Huey.

 

By far the most difficult thing for me is how to deal with the enormous vibrations that occur as one transits into or out-of the translational lift regime (e.g. during landing or take-off). Are there any tricks to that? I always lose control of the bird, especially during landings as I slow down to less than about 40 kts. Help please!

 

Gradually, If you watch my landing video and look at my control movements you'll notice that when i'm transitioning out of ETL that I start giving it left rudder and increasing collective before things start going south. I'm learning with these kinda things you have to be ahead of the next step, i.e. applying slight left pressure before you need it.

 

What helped me a lot was leaving the gun reticle on so you can maintain a visual reference with something in front of you indicating your pitch.

[wolle]

Gradually, If you watch my landing video and look at my control movements you'll notice that when i'm transitioning out of ETL that I start giving it left rudder and increasing collective before things start going south. I'm learning with these kinda things you have to be ahead of the next step, i.e. applying slight left pressure before you need it.

 

What helped me a lot was leaving the gun reticle on so you can maintain a visual reference with something in front of you indicating your pitch.

 

Thanks Wess,

 

That helped a lot: continuously adjusting the collective as you approach ETL and transit through the transition is absolutely critical.

[mmaruda]

I had the same problem and eventually I learned to pay close attention to the instruments. Keep an eye on the artificial horizon all the time, it's a more precise reference than the gun reticle.

 

As for shaking - just ignore it, the sooner you learn to treat it as an eye candy effect, rather than the indication of something going wrong the better. What you should be worried about is your VVI. Once you slow down, you will lose lift and that needle will start dropping, that is when you need to use your collective to keep it 0. If it goes down below 5, chances are it will plummet down rapidly and you will enter a vortex ring.

 

It's basically the same principles as in the Shark, only you have no HUD to tell what is going on. But you have instruments - your best friend in flight.

[Razor5-1]

The vibration is actually caused by transverse flow effect not translational lift which people assume because they happen so close to one another.

 

Transverse flow effect happens just before effective translational lift on takeoff and just after when landing.

 

People might find it interesting to know hopefully.

[cichlidfan]

I am just glad to know it is normal. :)

[Watari]

Keep in mind u cant simply stop and move down like an elevator.

For the beginning ist easier think a bit like a fixed wing approach.

 

come in low, decrease speed slightly and under 25ft u get the ground effect and u can land softly.

 

i didnt notive aground effect on carriers btw, thats a nice challenge :joystick:

[WildBillKelsoe]

the trick to landing the huey with a hover is to anticipate the gradual increase in collective, with the anticipated rudder correction as a result, while at the same time maintaining a 1:5 ratio of kt:ft. The real trickery behind the aggressive slowing down, is to have enough forward momentum for clean air to recycle the stagnant air over the main rotor, but that means you'll move forward, and this requires a perfect hold and VERY slight adjustments to the cyclic from the above 1:5 position.

[ScottishMartialArts]

I've found that keeping your rate of horizontal deceleration to as slow as feasible really helps. The faster you come up on the translational lift threshold, the faster you have to make adjustments, and thus the more likely you miscalculate and throw off your glide path. Particularly once you get below 60KIAS, you want to ease off on the cyclic back pressure so you have more time to anticipate and compensate for the transition out of translational lift. This of course won't always be feasible in combat, but right now my main concern is landing the bloody thing reliably without killing everyone on board.

[todd022]

I think I was getting really freaked-out by the shaking, and thought I was doing something wrong at first. Now, I've been cruising through transitional lift with the mantra..."Embrace the shake (it's OK)!"

[cichlidfan]

I think I was getting really freaked-out by the shaking, and thought I was doing something wrong at first. Now, I've been cruising through transitional lift with the mantra..."Embrace the shake (it's OK)!"

 

Indeed. Every time it happened I was looking at everything trying to figure out what I screwed up, then it would stop and I didn't have clue what I did.

 

I must admit, it is an attention getting effect.

[Zentaos]

You fixed wing guys :megalol:

 

Rotor heads know when things stop shaking, you should worry!

[todd022]

You fixed wing guys :megalol:

 

Rotor heads know when things stop shaking, you should worry!

 

Haha! Guilty as charged!!

[cichlidfan]

Indeed. I am significantly more comfortable when I can look out through the canopy and see my wings sitting there nice, unmoving and solidly attached as opposed to twirling around over my head. :P

[Vlerkies]

As someone on the forum said that his instructor told him, 'Ride the Rumble'.

[rabid_monkey]

I had the same problem and eventually I learned to pay close attention to the instruments. Keep an eye on the artificial horizon all the time, it's a more precise reference than the gun reticle.

 

As for shaking - just ignore it, the sooner you learn to treat it as an eye candy effect, rather than the indication of something going wrong the better. What you should be worried about is your VVI. Once you slow down, you will lose lift and that needle will start dropping, that is when you need to use your collective to keep it 0. If it goes down below 5, chances are it will plummet down rapidly and you will enter a vortex ring.

 

It's basically the same principles as in the Shark, only you have no HUD to tell what is going on. But you have instruments - your best friend in flight.

 

Stop paying so much attention to the instruments and get your eyes out the window. It will help.