Learn how to hover in one spot, about 4 feet off the ground. When you master that, you are about 50% there. 

One thing I’ll add is be sure to map the new rotor lateral/longitudinal trim buttons to a joystick or whatever you’re flying with.  It won’t help you take off or land, but it will make the aircraft easier to fly in a straight line/constant altitude once you’re up and going.

10 hours ago, MauBen said:

you will realize that all you really needed were countless hours of practice

Amen to that!

On 11/26/2022 at 11:52 PM, cianpars said:

I'm learning to fly helicopters, specifically the Bell and whilst I can now take off, hover, ascend and fly using the cyclic and collective to control pitch, speed and altitude, I seem to be having difficulty with landing, i.e. I need a large landing area and don't have the accuracy to descend over a helipad, hover then land. Is there a normal procedure or can anyone provide any tips as to the best way to tackle the approach, hover and landing phase.

Thanks

 

Hi,

As a RL helicopter instructor I can only agree with the comments so far, in that it takes practice. In a real helicopter, it's almost magic how you go from not being able to maintain a stable to hover to being able to do so. It usually happens when the student thinks, 'I'm never going to get this', then bam!

Good news for sim pilots is that no helicopter in home simulation comes remotely close to replicating the real thing, and is MUCH easier to master.

My advice is to have fun practicing, set the controls to max sensitivity, get a head tracking system if you don't have one (you must be able to look down and up quickly to judge decent and spatial awareness) and don't be too hard on yourself!

It's ok to have some forward movement when landing. It's never ok to have any sideways or rearward movement. This will tip the helicopter over, or cause a tail strike.

 

 

 

12 hours ago, MauBen said:

 

Contrary to all the advice I received at the beginning, I made a lot of progress by picking the hardest landings places,  

Starting the hard way or an easier way is a perennial question. I would say that that the landing area is not the main issue. It is the wind. From my own newbie experience I would advise to start in a no-wind situation to feel the raw play of the forces without any "static" and then add the wind when you understand how the machine ticks.

Now, if you want a challenging place to train to land, rooftops are passé 😉. Try the terrace of Castello di Miramare 6 nm west of LIQI (Prosecco-Contovello). Beautiul landing but not easy. 

57 minutes ago, Solar Plato said:

 It's never ok to have any sideways or rearward movement. This will tip the helicopter over, or cause a tail strike.

An interesting remark. Landing backward was something I couldn't really get rid of in past simulations, even with good payware. I do not have this issue with the Cabri, I have the feeling the terminal phase is better simulated. I still crash, mind you 😁, becausse of excessive velocity (it seems that the Cabri crashes from -600fpm when touching ground)

On 11/27/2022 at 7:52 AM, Soul Rebel said:

I highly recommend this free book:

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/helicopter_flying_handbook

at least:

• Chapter 09: Basic Flight Maneuvers 
• Chapter 10: Advanced Flight Maneuvers

an as said by @Dominique_K always try to land headwind, I don't know if Vortex Ring State is well simulated in MSFS but if It is and you land tailwind you can get in serious problems.

I'd recommend reading Chickenhawk. It describes the learning process very well. Also, it's a great story. I flew rotary wing for 17 years and the initial learning process is a challenge so don't give up. I learned back in the 1970s on the Bell 47G2 (with balsa wood blades - I kid you not). Full on autos were entertaining in it. The first experience trying to fly the thing without hydraulics on was beyond frustrating and humbling. I couldn't stay in a football field the first time. The next day I could do it fine. Don't know what happened overnight except maybe a couple of cool ones and a nice lady...... I find the Sims a pain to fly helicopters in, but it can be done. Others are aces at it. Your mileage may vary. You will eventually love it.

20 hours ago, dbw1 said:

You will eventually love it.

I am no ace, far from it, but the  Cabri is a ton of fun, even to learn, and MSFS an ideal sim for it. You can make pleasant 15/20 minutes flights and the  slow and low motion makes you enjoy the topography in detail and how the humans made the most of it. Lessons in flying and geography. A lovely combo. Less obvious in an aircraft, even slow, because of the restricted visibility. Worth the initial frustration.