Next Up from Dreamfoil....S300CBi coming to a Heliport near you :smile: 

 

 

Awesome. Can't wait to fly this - will be a day one purchase for sure!

 

I was going to fly something fixed wing tonight, but I think I'll take the R22 for a spin instead. :smile:

I own all of Dreamfoil's helicopters and they are outstanding, even the dated Bell 206. Looking forward to getting this

Yeah,L@@king forward to this little Bird....Looks like lots of FUN!!!! :smile: 

That digital camo looks pretty darn spiffy. :smile:

Have also been waiting for this chopper.

The XP aircraft market has really improved and gotten some life into it which is great to see. Will br buying this one as their previous have been excellent, some of my favorite birds.

If I had proper controls I would purchase more helos in XP

If I had proper controls I would purchase more helos in XP

 

I hear you - although it's completely possible to fly the helicopters in XP with a regular joystick, there's just something about the experience that makes you think it would be far more fun (and likely easier) if you had a proper cyclic and collective.

 

I've been considering a set for some time now, may take the plunge on it this fall.

If I had proper controls I would purchase more helos in XP

 

What controls do you have now? If you're flying with a yoke and rudder pedals, then all you need is a joystick. If you only have a joystick (with maybe a throttle roller?) then all you need is rudder pedals, which are handy for flying fixed wing anyway. It's great to have a full HOTAS set with a throttle quadrant for cyclic, but the pedals are the main thing. 

 

The only thing I wouldn't recommend is a twist joystick, which makes flying helos harder because you're trying to control cyclic and tail rotor with just one hand. It's hard enough flying with a standard joystick as cyclic, because the handle's too short. That's why some helo fanatics use handle extensions for smoother control). 

 

I keep thinking about modding an extension handle joystick setup one of these days, but my desktop isn't really set up for it. I'm pretty happy with my Thrustmaster Warthog stick and throttle, and Saitek Combat Pro rudder pedals. I performed a mainspring-ectomy on the stick so it's floppy, which is better for flying helos than the default tight action, and it still works fine for flying fixed wing.

 

 

It's hard enough flying with a standard joystick as cyclic, because the handle's too short.

 

I've tried an extension handle, and it's still not the best - my issue with an extension handle was that you effectively are increasing the travel of the joystick grip, more of course, with the greater of extension that you have. The result is that you end up not being able to fully utilize the full range of the joystick (although you get very precise control over the range that you can use).  And if you map the usable range to the simulator, then you are in effect turning down the sensitivity of the stick.

 

A mid length extension was an okay compromise, but then I found it even more difficult to integrate comfortably into my sim pit - at least a full length extension could incorporate a bend to allow for the chair (and your knees).

 

For now, I make do with a regular joystick, and have eyes on a proper cyclic. :wink:

So I went looking for the source of the pics posted above, and wound up on DF's facebook page (facebook pages are annoying these days when you don't have a facebook login).

 

Quoted from the page:

 

Hello Guys,

Some new pics from interior, I've used the delays to improve it even further, I made the whole cockpit alive, it's filled with movement like headphone cable moving even with wind on doors open, needles jumping, compass shaking, I believe that immersion on this model will be great even if it looks like a simple helicopter.

I have also created a custom algorithm for cylinder head temperature so it will have a realistic behavior, people will must be careful on hovering it for too long on hot days

 

My gosh... If I wasn't excited about this before (I was), I sure am now!!

Great stuff. Some neat little details in that video, regarding animations whatnot. Like the keys moving when the key is turned, or the friction lock on the mixture control moving in and out when the mixture is adjusted.  Sounds seem more than excellent, of course.

 

One of the reasons why I like the R22 so much is that the level of immersion is quite high, and this would seem to be a whole step more immersive yet. Very excited!

This is pretty darn cool:
 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YCD0s9aI9Jc

 

Edit. No idea how to post a youtube video. :smile: