This problem has plagued me for some years to be honest, but as I don't fly helicopters all that often, I've not been that motivated to get it sorted out. I just installed a new chopper however and having fiddled with the settings to no avail for two hours, wondered if anyone can help. It'd be good to know how to fix this.The main issue is that when I install a new helicopter, either I get no sound when I start the engines, or, if I manage to get sound, the rotors slow to a crawl when I apply thrust. Or, the engines start up with sound, but will not engage (like a jet after start engines, but before switching the fuel valve to 'run'. Or, yet again, the engines keep restarting by themselves, or restart every time you change views in FS9 - this latter problem is noted as a 'known issue' in the ReadMe file of the new helicopter I just tried to install. I have tried various sound files, downloaded from AVSIM or Hovercontrol, and I have fiddled with the "General Engine Data' settings in the aircraft.cfg file - changing the type between 1, 3 and 5 (2 or 4 seem pointless - 'None' or 'Rocket'. I have also made sure that the fuel valve switch is open.I have duplicated all the settings (sound files, panel, variables in aircraft.cfg) from the one or to helos that DO work on my system, but still the latest addition (uscghh65pack.zip from Hovercontrol) refuses to function.My inclination is just to uninstall it and go back to my beloved heavy jets. How many dozens of hours have I wasted on this over the past few years? But before I do, maybe someone knows what is going on and can give a solution? I never get this kind of problem except with helicopters..Thanks,Martin

Martin,Your first problem seems to be starting the engine(s) which evidently does not progress beyond the electrical start motor phase. There's evidently an electrical problem or a fuel supply problem, maybe even both. Try this, it usually works for me: Switch to the standard FS9 heli, switch on it's battery, generators and fuel supply systems. Then switch back to your "problem heli" and save the flight. When you then re-open this saved flight you should now be able to start your heli.What's the download file name of your heli and from where did you download it ? This info is necessary so that I can download it myself (unless it is payware) and see if I can replicate your problem.Hans

Flight Simulator has a limitation in the way helicopter controls are modeled. The throttle serves as the collective an the throttle. When you increase collective it automattically adds more throttle as well as blade pitch. The issue you are experiencing is caused by trying to take off buy increasing collective prior to having your rotor rpm in the operating range or "green". You are most probably switching to a helicopter from a fixed wing aircraft. If you allow time for the engine and rotor to spool up, you will be able to lift off. The sound will increase as it spools up.Hope this helps,Greg

Hi,The heli I downloaded is here:http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID...&DLID=42978but I must say that I think I have had this problem with every heli I have downloaded. Could well be connected to the fact that my default flight starts cold & dark, but I do get the electrical systems and fuel flow OK before I try tostart the engines: yes, it is certainly as you say that the rotors' rpm isn't sufficient, but no matter how long I wait, it never does become sufficient for take-off.I'll try your suggestion Hans, it should work, all things being equal: although I am able, as I say, to have the fuel and electrics set as they should be for engine start (either I have added a gauge or two to enable this to happen, or via keyboard shortcuts) there may be some reason why it is not working in my helicopters.I also don't understand why I have constant problems with the sound packages - most times there is no sound at all (never a problem with my jets/props) and I have to do an awful lot of trial and error tweaking to get any engine sounds. And, as I noted, engines often restart (with insufficient rpm for take-off even so) every time you switch views: the above package (AVSIM's most popular heli download apparently) notes this as a 'known issue', so it's not just me..Thanks again,Martin

Hans,Your workaround does allow the helicopter to start, with sound, but if I save the flight and shut down FS9, when I reload the saved flight I have the same problems as before - the engines start up, with sound noiw, but don't reach a stage where there are sufficient rpm to take-off. If I just sit and wait after a minute or two the engines cut off and restart .. ad nauseam. Also get the same cut off and restart whenever I change panel views.I'd be very interested to learn how anyone else fares with the same download..Martin

.. a few hours later: now it DOES work OK your way Hans. Totally bemused - I didn't change anything. When you have time, please do let me know what you find.M.

Aaaaaaah! Next day, same flight, now it's not working. (So what changed whilst the computer was switched off?!). Now the helicopter never gets the engines running fast enough to take off (always in electrical start up phase), and this spool up process just loops, repeating over and over every 45" or so. If during this I switch the a/c to a working heli and then back to the Dolphin, the engines are running fine and I can lift off.Is there an error in the heli? Seems unlikely, (it's AVSIM's most downloaded) as I have had this problem over and over in the past with most of the helis I have tried to install, as I say. No idea why the few helicopters I have installed prior to the current one work fine but this one not.I'll leave this post now till someone can report back their findings. Thanks again,Martin

Martin,I could not download your "problem" heli because the AVSIM library is (temporarily) down. However, I already have that heli with a number of different paints in my FS9 and I must say that it's my favorite one and is used very much to view newly installed (airport) sceneries, etc. It works fine on all fronts and it can be started from "cold and dark" without problems. I've tried different panels in the past but my now active panel seems to be the original one, judging by some of the instrument names used in the panel.cfg file. See the picture.If this is the same panel as yours then:Shift + 3 will open the "control stick" at the bottom left of the panel.At the bottom of this stick you will find "Open throttle" and if you click on a position just under the "Idle Rel" knob you can set the maximum throttle opening. Do this a number of times until it is set to maximum, however, it's sometimes very sluggish. I do this directly via my separate Saitek throttle quadrant, Propeller pitch set to "FINE" ....... the blue handle.Switch the white avionics and the red master switches down at the bottom of the panel to "ON".Switch on the "Fuel pump" under the annunciator panel by clicking on it. It should light up.Click once on the red engine start/stop latch at the bottom right of the panel. The engine should now start but give it some time to spool up with the manual throttle on your flight stick or yolk set to minimum. Wait for the rotor RPM instrument needle to stop within the green zone. Sometimes it helps to throttle up a little to speed this up.If you have no sound even although the engine has spooled up then you should check the contents of this heli's sound folder. There should be a number of WAV files in there together with a "Sound.cfg" entry but it could also, like I have done, be alisased to another heli's sound file. If so then check if that sound file is not aliased again.That should do it.Good luck.Hans

Hi again,I'll look at this, thanks - I have an HUD panel (though I don't see how that would affect the startup).One other 'clue': when the engines are struggling (and failing) to start properly, if I hit my keybaoard shortcut for 'Reload User Aircraft' the engines immediately come on ready for take-off. "Curiouser and curiouser"!M.

This isn't the same panel that comes with the Dolphin heli, so I can't repeat your instructions I'm afraid.I did of course check the contents of the sound folder - all wavs present & correct, with sound.cfg file ..M.

Martin,It could be a problem with the panel itself, especially if you cannot directly influence the maximum throttle opening and/or the fuel supply on it.I would suggest that you search for a panel like the one I'm using, you have the picture. There are many heli panels available at FlightSim.com and Hover Control.Good luckHans

Hiya,Well, I love the HUD panel I use and since it works fine with all the other helis I have installed (albeit after a lot of fiddling originally - that may or may not be the panel's fault), I'd rather ditch the new chopper than the panel to be honest. Also, I have tweaked it so that I can bring up a mini-panel (non HUD), with starter switches, fuel cutoffs etc.)..That said, I'd still like to try to see what happens with the panel you have in your screenshots, if you can tell me at some stage where you downloaded it and the file name (i you remember of course!) ??Thanks again,Martin

Martin,I searched through the FlightSim.com panels, Simviation panels and Hover Control panels but could not find the specific panel which I'm using. It was most probably included in one of my old complete heli packages but could also have survived the transition from Fs2002 to Fs2004. Frankly, I have no idea where my panel came from, so I will not be able to help you any further.Good luckHans

OK, not to worry. Thanks for looking..Martin