Avsim's Senior Staff Reviewer Steve "Bearracing" Cartwright has pulled out all the stops and written an extensive tutorial on flying helicopters in Fs2004. After many hours of practice, Steve has managed to conquer the art of flying rotary-wing aircraft.Knowing the time and effort it takes to learn to fly them, Steve has written a tutorial based on his experiences to try and help others master the skill of flying these inherently unstable machines. He has also included a highly detailed series of screenshots to accompany this tutorial which really captures some of the excitement which goes with flying these beasts. You can read the full tutorial here http://www.avsim.com/pages/0604/heli/helitutorial.htm

Hi,I have read the tutorial and suggest that every pilot who haven't master the Helis yet should try this.I learned the Heli flying the harder way and use the 100% realism setting, but I know how many times I stop trying to learn flying a helicopter in FS2002 AND FS2004. I learned the flying technic with another 'program' called 'Search and Rescue 4' where I learn how to control the movement of the helicopter.Recently I tried my skills in FS2004, after I read some nice posts here, and found that they improved very well. After some hours of training I'm now aible to land at the 'H', taxi over big airfields and hover even in bad weather conditions.Currently I only flying Helicopters and suggest every one who didn't tried it: Take the tutorial and try it!

I also think Steve did a good job with his tutorial. I've been flying the 'eggbeaters' exclusively for over a year now. My own efforts at learning to hover (or even land without crashing) have been... uh... interesting, to say the least. :-roll I did eventually reach a point where I can pretty much do what I want with the FS helicopters.So if you've ever even thought about wanting to give the helis in FS a try, go ahead .... it's a simulator -- what have you got to lose? When you CAN finally hover, it's a wonderful sense of accomplishment.And when you finish with Steve's techniques, you can come on over to Hovercontrol and get additional training (if needed) for your virtual Certified Pilot stripes. Ya did good, Steve! :-jumpy :-sun1-Lindy :-rotor:-wave

I don't think alot of people like flying helos in fs9. IMOP theyare torque ridden. Slow and to sensitive! Just lifting off the groundis a big deal. The aircraft is all over the place, a little rudder action cause the aircraft to spin out of control. NoboruTake the helicopters out fs9 put then in their own sim program !

Noboru,If you don't like helicopters then why are you here in the helicopter forum trolling for responses (doh!)?At any rate, go back to your seized-wing "flying" and miss out on a challenging yet rewarding skill.Please.Dave Blevins

Well said Dave!It is the challenge of taming the beasts that is most rewarding. Then there is the opportunity that we have of being able to fly around IN the scenery, not just above it!.........and the list goes on.Dave

Love the chopper. Hoovering on top of the big buildings in you CBD area or along the street where you live!!!Awesome.

I have only recently started trying my hand at the heli's. The response from these "beasts" are quite something. Well, it is like they say, not all boys play with the same toys.

Having being a long time addicted to fixed wing, I am becoming increasingly interested in flying helicopters.One of the guys at our flightsim club has grafted a longer stick to his joystick (Now postioned on the floor, he uses the throttle acting as the collective of his CH Yoke) and has given him much more control over the standard length. The longer the stick the more sensitivity. I am going to pick up a cheap joystick and do the same.

It is a well known fact that setting the realism settings in FS9 to full makes the helos unrealistically unstable and uncontrollable. Even real world pilots have said that.It's something to do with the coding so what they suggest is setting the realism setting back from one notch to 3/4, this will give a more realistic experience.I like both fixed wing(planks) and helos, I have many payware addons for fixed wing and ony one payware helo and that's because there is only one add on worth purchasing when it comes to Helos for me.The DODO Bell206. The FS9 Bell is okay but doesn't have the characterisitics of a a real Bell 206. After using the DODO, I've had to totally change the way I fly Helos, I suggest giving it a try if you want to experience how real helos behave in the air.