Just in case none of your have noticed, MS has decided to included an R22 in this version of FS. It would appear to possibly have a true flight model of a piston engine helicopter as well, i can't wait to see screenshots. Any thoughts? I thought for sure this forum would have been buzzing.Brent

Buzzing? About what? An R22? Not likely.What I wanna know is if they've rewritten the helicopter flight model at least enough to get rid of the Cessna connection. The announcement makes no mention of this. If they haven't... oh well. Disappointed for the 3rd time.Calhover long and prosper

i would prefer 2 engines helicopter in FS2004.

Why? How would two engines enhance the helicopter experience?Calhover long and prosper

Cal,In my opinion, if they enhance the aircraft failure module then a twin engine helicopter model would be nice. Imagine that you are flying placidly along, 1500AGL and suddenly your No.2 eng flames out. What do you do? Obviously, adjust airspeed to single engine airspeed, worry about weight etc... What about a torque split?The answer for me would be to make it "As real as it gets." The R22 is okay, but I too would like to see a twin helicopter. Sorry Cal.Regards,Crash

I sometimes forget the most important aspect of helo flying for most people is (as you say) "flying placidly along". The helo is used primarily for STOL operations and flying from point-to-point. From that standpoint, what you want is reasonable, just as is all the things others have demanded in the past.Personally, I believe the most important part of helicopter flying is hovering. It is what a helicopter was designed for and is responsible for it's continued existance (in the real world). There are some anomolies with the FS helo that have existed (unchanged) since it came out in FS98 that really detract from what is otherwise pretty realistic hovering characteristics (at full realism). I think they should take care of these kinds of basic shortcomings before going on to adding embellishments. However, I think I'm in a very small minority.I sure hope the R22 isn't just a modified Jet Ranger as is the case with all the current addons.Interesting times ahead.Calhover long and prosper

Ok I understand how having two engines will effect realism, but how would having a piston engine change things? I asume it would mostly effect the flight dynamics, but would it be a similer diffrence as a turbo prop compared to a pistoned engine aircraft?Having FunGrey_Wolf

I would like to see MS allow us to set separate controls and realism for helos vs the fixed wing craft plus do whatever they need to do to improve or enhance the flight models for different copters. Unless user response is spectacular, I intend to wait for the next version of FS. Especially since I am STILL trying to master the hover! I'm getting better, Cal -- I can enable crash detection and land without getting set back to square one. The hover at liftoff is getting easier but transitioning to a hover from forward flight then touchdown still provides me with plenty of challenge. At this stage I don't need to re-learn a flight sim on top of it all. :-lol -Lindy :-rotor:-wave

What I did to teach myself to transition from forward flight in to a hover, was to just make the transition. Flying over airports for the landmarks/ refrences. At first I was paying too much attention to where I would end up hovering. After I just concentrated on making the transition, over and over soon I was able to estimate where I would end forward flight and stop in a hover. Then after that I aimed for a target landing zone. Soon I learned to try to end up in a hover a bit short of my LZ, it was easier to slowly hover taxi to my LZ than to try and bleed off a lot of speed real fast. My current fustration is a good corodinated turn with out gaining or loosing altitude, for me this has been a lot harder than it sounds..Having FunGrey_Wolf

Interesting post. Grey Wolf, I too do similar things as far as choosing a spot before my LZ to get the speed down to bring it in at a nice pace, always works for me. Cal seeing as I have never piloted a real helo (PAX only), I can't see your point on the hover characteristics, but I do appreciate it since I really enjoy that aspect of FS helo flying. If the flight model does inded improve, I can only imagine how great it will be to fly helos then, and the options it might open up since all aiffiles are based on the 206 from what I have gathered.And Lindy, yes, it would great if you could have seperate controls for fix wing and then helos! we'll have to wait and see! Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpg

Looking at the new screenshots on the AVSIM link, there is one of the R22 "auxiliary panel" which includes the center console (including mixture and "carb heat" controls) a collective with a twist grip throttle (at least it appears that way) and even the switch on the end of the collective for the governer (I probably just spelled that wrong). It just might be that they've developed something different for the piston helo this time around...

I'm probably being overly optimistic here, unless MS has significantly revamped the helicopter flight modeling, but here are some of the things I want to see in the new R22:- very rapid response to control inputs - the real thing is what I'd call "twitchy"- ability to have manual throttle control, so that raising the collective with the Guv "off" results in rotor rpm decay if add'l throttle is not applied. (I plan to either buy or build a collective someday that has a twist axis for throttle/fuel flow control)- reasonably accurate autorotation characteristics - e.g. requirement to carefully monitor rotor rpm and make *appropriate* collective correction as necessaryd to keep it in the green/yellow - carb heat modeling- sprag clutch modeling- anti-torque effect modeling, such as the difficulty in hovering with a quartering tailwind- modeling of vortex ring effect/settling with powerI realize I'm sorta asking for the moon here, but with FSCoF modeling what is probably the most common training helicopter, I think that MS needs to do at least a reasonable job at emulating the real aircraft's basic flight characteristics.Don't get me wrong - I'm reeeally looking forward to CoF no matter what - the wx/ATC/etc. enhancements in other areas are all things that I've been wishing for, for quite a while.Dave Blevins

Well, who does not have these things on the wishlist? :)I definitely agree with your list, especially with a more realistic RRPM behaviour (also when flaring in normal flight), control input and the vortex ring!Also I'd like to have the inflow roll and the effects of tail rotor input on the power making collective adjustments necessary.... well, the dreaming :) (And how about ultra-realistic panels :)Let's see what will be implemented in the final FS9 at the end, already nice things in the preview but I hope like all of you that we rotorheads have been recognized by the FS team with our demands, hoping and hoping ...... :)Robert:-rotorEDCJMetro Helicopterswww.metrohelo.org