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Helicopter Simulator


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Hi,

 

I am new to helicopters and would like to get a simulator to use at home while I do my certificates. I will be training in R22 and R44s.

 

1. What is the most realistic flight simulator out there? (I was thinking of getting the Microsoft flight simulator x)

 

2. What would be good to get for controls that would make the simulation more realistic? (I don't mind spending up to the $300US for this.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Greg

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If you search this, the JH forum, and PPRUNE, you'll get the whole range of opinions, but for the most part, none of them are that great for learning the basic controls (IFR procedures are a different story). I've tried the helicopter models on several of the MS FS versions (including X), and I think they're awful. For IFR, you can get by just fine with the Cessna or Mooney IFR panels in MS 2004 and a rumblepad.

 

Start working on your ground school--your flying will soon outpace your ground, and this bites most guys' butts when their flight skills are check-ride ready, but they still have ground to get through.

 

If you're committed to the simulator route, contact Whistlerpilot (?). He's used it before for his students.

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MS Flight Sim X is kind of neat as far as learning the general radio calls in controlled airspace, but I would avoid flying any of their helicopters like the plague. Go fly around in a basic VFR airplane, or load up an F-18 and have a blast. It's just not suitable for really learning the controls on a helicopter.

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I beg to differ. I used Microsoft's FS2004 while I was working on my helicopter rating and found it very useful. I highly recommend you head over to Hovercontrol.com.

 

I built my own controls so I had a separate collective, anti-torque pedals and cyclic stick. I modified the R-22 config file to have much touchier controls and used it to help me learn to hover as well as fly around.

 

I strongly believe that it helped me a great deal.

 

Kandace

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I agree with Kandace...

 

The MS flight sim X with the throttle reversed and tipped down a bit, with foot pedals and with a joystick made hovering the real thing pretty easy. Just use the 'interior views (there are two) rather than using the exterior view offered. And don't spend time on the courses, just practice hovering and patterns.

 

Tom

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I agree with Kandace too. I used MS flightsim 2004 with the Dodosim download Jet Ranger. I did 2 real helicopter intro flights then bought the simulator and learned how to fly on it. My third real flight a few months later I could hover an R22 after 15 minutes. Probably did 50 hours on the sim and it really payed off. Could do all the basic maneuvers right away. Don't use it that much anymore because it gets boring but have around 150 hours.

 

hovercontrol.com is a good source of info. I use the Saitek X-50 controls with pedals. Reverse the setting on the airplane throttle and it works like a collective.

 

It takes quite a bit of tweaking to get the sim as realistic as it can be. It also takes a lot of discipline to learn how to fly properly and not mess around or build bad habits. The reading and ground school that you do is much more important than the sim.

 

As an instructor I have had varied success using the sim as a training aid. It seems many students are looking for a shortcut and flightsim is not a shortcut because you will have to put many hours and much effort into it. As an extra tool though it rocks.

 

I thought the standard R22 promoted over controlling. The Hughes 500 and Bell 47 fly the smoothest. I like the Bell 412 because its harder to hover but doesn't need to be over controlled. The Jet Ranger near gross weight is what I did 90% of the hours with. The Dodosim Jet Ranger is what you need.

 

Happy living room flying.

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Hello,

All this info has been rehashed before... lol..

 

Anywho, IMHO the MS 02' is best. Fly It Simulators uses the Pro 02' version and are FAA approved. Next, MS 04' for the only reason of using the R22 that I am posting a link too. The download will work with 02' or 04' and really reacts like the real R22, if you setup the sim proper. Install the R22 download first. Then download and install the gauge patch per the included instructions.

 

You will need to set the sim to Hard and adjust the aileron/elevator sensitivities to about 75 to 80%, add just a touch of null on each approx 10-15%, set throttle sens to about 75%, you want the max MP to go just over redline you may need to play with the settings a little to get this, set pedal sens to 100% with 0% null. That should be close to get you started. Set your fuel load to get a MP of 19-21% in a hover, you can play around with that some too. You can set the crash sens to very low when you first start flying then set it to max after you get the hang of flying it.

 

I have been flying this version since 04' ish and love it. It helped me shave my learning curve to hover way down. It is not a good representive of many inflight situations. But, far as pickups/setdowns, pedal turns, hover and air taxi, hover around a point, flying around the pattern, normal take off/ landings, steep approaches, practice level flight by the gauges, compass turns, confined IF you set the crash sensitivity to max and locate a good hole to land into. Other than not having the "feel" of the aircraft moving with the control inputs, its really close to the real thing.

 

Don't: No autos, quickstops, retreating blade stall's etc... this sim just won't do them. Don't use the MS R22 Bets's, they are horrible. Don't try "Tricks" stay with basic manuvers.

With all that said, you prob should get a few hours in a "Real" R22 so you can setup the Realism and Sensitivity as close as possible to the real thing. I fly using the Saitek CyBorg EVO and CH Pro Pedals. Many of us remove the joystick centering spring so you don't get accustomed to having it help you find center. The real heli doesn't have one.

 

Links:

Hovercontrol, Gilles Arlove R22.

Hovercontrol, Gilles Arlove R22 gauge patch.

 

Hovercontrol Add-ons for 98, 02 and 04, just for fun when you get bored of just practicing! :P

 

 

 

 

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Hello,

All this info has been rehashed before...

 

Yeah, but never in this level of detail. Out of the box the R22 model for FSX sucks, but I'm willing to give it another try with these modifications. Ever thought about putting this someplace where other noobs could access it when it comes up again? By now, you might have already seen that I have a website dedicated to disseminating info from those who've figured it out to those who haven't. Stuff like this belongs there.

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Hey Kodoz,

Was nice meeting you at the VR booth. Let me know what you think of this info when you try it. I feel confident you will see a big difference between the Arlove 22 and the MS 22. Keep in mind those settings are rough settings and could be off a little bit for your computer and controls, but should be close enough to see a big difference from default MS settings.

 

Feel free to repost this info on your site after you verify it.

 

Later,

mechanic

 

Proof of FS02' use in the Fly It Sim

 

Fly It Link

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  • 5 months later...

Hey,

I hope this info has helped some of you fine tune your sim setup.. I have a new twist. I got bored with my factory CH Pro USB pedal set and since it is way out of warranty I decided to play with it...

 

I disassembled the base, removed the centering springs and removed the potentiometers that operate the brakes in Plank Wing mode, lol.. Warning, doing this modification will void your warranty and prevent the brakes and accelerator pedals from working on car sim's and prevent brakes from working in airplane mode. I saved the brake potentiometers to maybe use if and when the main pot fails.

 

I then put the original pedals back on and tried this modification. It probably added about 10-15 percent more realism to the overall setup, my joystick also has the centering spring removed. I am going to try to come up with a simple/ inexpensive "Real Type" pedal mod to replace the car/airplane pedals. I will post this later.

 

The centering spring removal is fairly simple to do, just lots of small screws to remove and replace. I can give you some advice if you think you need it, for the CH Pro setup.

 

This mod made the sim alittle more of a challenge and FUN again.. In this tough economy and limited funds a good flight sim is key to keeping the rust knocked off your skills.

 

Mechanic

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi,

 

I am new to helicopters and would like to get a simulator to use at home while I do my certificates. I will be training in R22 and R44s.

 

1. What is the most realistic flight simulator out there? (I was thinking of getting the Microsoft flight simulator x)

 

2. What would be good to get for controls that would make the simulation more realistic? (I don't mind spending up to the $300US for this.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Greg

 

Microsoft Flight Sim is fun toy and can help you get better at approaches but for basic fight maneuvers it is soooooooo unrealistic. Even with the helicopter controls it is way out there. Flying microsoft flight sim will create bad habits and actually flying a helicopter in real life is easier. My flight school has 5 of them and i used to use it all the time to play around. On the game I tried doing a SI auto and on the flare at 50 ft I did a loop and landed upside down with normal control inputs. Another time I cut power and the main rotor stopped. If you are working on instruments or just want a toy then yea it is a great product but don't be surprised when you get in the real ship and it is not the same.

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Microsoft Flight Sim is fun toy and can help you get better at approaches but for basic fight maneuvers it is soooooooo unrealistic. Even with the helicopter controls it is way out there. Flying microsoft flight sim will create bad habits and actually flying a helicopter in real life is easier. My flight school has 5 of them and i used to use it all the time to play around. On the game I tried doing a SI auto and on the flare at 50 ft I did a loop and landed upside down with normal control inputs. Another time I cut power and the main rotor stopped. If you are working on instruments or just want a toy then yea it is a great product but don't be surprised when you get in the real ship and it is not the same.

 

 

MFS is not just a toy, FLY IT SIM's use it and that little setup costs 100 grand and is FAA approved for 7 hours of VFR training and 20 in IFR. If you use the MFS default settings, yes it is a long way from a real flight setup, esp the MFS R22. When setup proper it is about 90% as responsive as a R22 when using a certain R22 package, not the MFS R22 version. I use the MFS 02' version.

 

When you say your school has 5, do you mean 5 Fly It Sim's or 5 school put together sim's?? If they put there own packages together they need the Giles Arlove R22, it's the best I've ever tried in MFS. You can do ALL normal ops in this package. EP's are not realistic so do not try to do them in MFS. It is a limitation of MFS flight dynamics on the EP's.

 

I am living proof that MFS works for doing normal ops. I took a 7 month break from flying, but I did still keep up some hours on the MFS. My cfi could not believe I had not lost my skill set after that long of a break, I was at only about 10-15 hrs tt at the time.

 

I don't recommend using MFS a whole lot before taking some real dual flight instruction. 1, you don't know how the real R22 handles so you can't fine tune MFS's profile for the aircraft. 2, You don't even know the proper techn's to fly normal ops etc.. I did have about 100 hrs on MFS before I started training. Most of what I did was practice different types of hovering around things. I did hover an R22 in less than 2.0 hrs TT on all 3 controls in controlled flight within the training box in our practice area. My cfi commented that I was doing things in 5 hrs that she couldn't do half as good at 10 hrs. I contribute that to the time I spent on MFS. I am fairly coordinated though, but I am still biased to the MFS, I really believe it made the difference for me. I took the time spent very serious and was not just gooffin' off.

 

Regards

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