Collective resistance.. How much is needed???

[seldridge1960]

Hey, for some of the real time helicopter pilots out there.....

 

I recently installed a collective control in my sim pit for the Huey. It takes a fair amount of pressure to lift and depress the rod. What is considered "normal" resistance for the real collective for the Huey?

[AlphaOneSix]

Being generous I'd say 2 pounds...maybe a little less. I could probably get a spring scale and check, but it's hot out and I'm too lazy to hook up the hydraulics. ;)

 

EDIT: This is with the trim release button pressed.

 

EDIT #2: Duh, you said collective, so no trim button. In the case of the collective, it depends on what you've set the friction to. Somewhere between "it falls on it's own when you let go of it due to gravity" all the way up to "the AFCS check fails because it can't overcome the friction".

 

EDIT #3: Bad day for me, of course this version doesn't have AFCS. But you can tighten the friction on the collective all the way to the point where you won't be able to move it without some serious adrenaline. Most pilots set it somewhere in between based on preference. Usually just enough so it stays put when they let go of it, but they can still move it fairly easily and precisely without hamfisting it.

Edited July 8, 2013 by AlphaOneSix

[HuggyBear]

In the H model the collective shouldn't fall with the friction fully wound off.

 

The maintainers use a spring gauge to ensure 8-10 lbs of force is required to move the collective with friction wound off.

 

Do you have a fishing scale handy? :)

 

- Bear

[AlphaOneSix]

In the H model the collective shouldn't fall with the friction fully wound off.

 

The maintainers use a spring gauge to ensure 8-10 lbs of force is required to move the collective with friction wound off.

 

Do you have a fishing scale handy? :)

 

- Bear

 

I wonder if the collective on the 412 works the same? I don't have any experience on Hueys except for the 412, but I do know that if you loosen it all the way, it sometimes droops down on its own, so our pilots add friction, then leave the friction on during the AFCS check, which promptly fails because it can't move the collective.

[HuggyBear]

In theory it's the same, though I can't remember the exact amount of breakout force for the 412.

 

In practice... I've been civilian for the last three years and no two 412 collectives have felt the same. :)

 

Also our AFCS has no collective input so maybe that's also a reason for any difference. Amount of force doesn't have to be as exact if you're not involving AFCS actuators, just the ham-fisted monkeys in front. :)

 

- Bear

[AlphaOneSix]

My company operates the only two 412's ever built with a 4-axis autopilot (so they say, I have a feeling there are a couple more out there, but not many, for sure). Just adds maintenance if you ask me.

[seldridge1960]

Sounds like I need to loosen up the friction a bit then. It takes about 25 - 35 pounds to move it at all. Good for bicep workout, but bad for long flights.

[HuggyBear]

You could use that friction setting for hydraulics off. :)

 

- Bear