FlyInside or Cowansim ?

I finally found videos of both.

Noticed for instance that Torque appears to be more like RL in the Cowan version, but OTOH a user says it feels a bit too easy to control compared to what the FlyInside using their management console allows to tune.

I really would like to get one of the two, just not both - too expensive...

EDIT: Well this video helps 🙂

Microsoft Flight Simulator Bell 206b3 Times Two!! - YouTube

Edited December 27, 20223 yr by cagarini

Difficult doesn't mean realistic.  These things are not falling out of the sky on a regular basisi!

LouP

Well,

since I already owned their Bell 47G I gave a go to the FlyInside version.

Didn't have much time to test it. It started with configuring the controllers and:

- I was not able to assign the new ( SU11 ) cyclic axis and had to use aileron and elevator instead;

- I was not able to assign the new ( SU11 ) collective axis and throttle and had to use Throttle and Prop axis instead...

First couple flights appeared to suggest some lack of ETL? May require further testing.

I feel I have to give the Cowan a go too, but hack, it's going to be expensive - two 206s  🙂

 

I do like the FlyInside 206.

However it does eat FPS. The 407 on my system is 30-40 FPS, the FI 206 25-32, with the same settings on my old system.

I reduced settings a bit and got 30-40 on the FI 206. Turned off ground shadows lowered a few others. This works great for me.

You also really need to "tune" your settings to make it comfortable with your controllers. Don't be shy to turn setting s to easier, it is silly to fight a heli. As you get more familiar you can change settings to where you feel good about it.

This is a hard heli to fly at all realistic settings compared to 407 and Hype 145. But it is really fun to fly. And I love the analog instruments and VOR navigation. I ignore the GPS, just use Navigraph on an iPad.

I fly with 4 monitors, one is a touch screen running AirManager. I am working on making all the gauges work correctly. I have a home made collective with throttle and it works great, but I have a Virpil collective on order. I also use a TM Hotas warthog with a 12" extension for cyclic, this works very well.

So far the FI 206 is my favorite heli in FS2020...

 

(Copied from another thread.)

I have had the Flyinside version for a short while and after reading these posts I bought the Cowan version.

For VR simmers get the Cowan, better FPS Due to the looser tolerance on the model edges in the cabin, though the model is not as polished as the FI version the FPS increase helps for tree trimming sorties, and is not a deal breaker.

Also I appreciate having passengers which you get with the Cowan and plenty of other toys to bolt on, nothing worse for me than flying a ghost ship.

Another big plus for the Cowan is the camera views within VR, so many developers do not bother doing this, which really is taking a P Bob (UK peeps may remember that!)

The only downside is the Asobo flight model, I get a constant pitch up attitude which will not trim out, this I found with the 407 previous.

 

The downside with FI for me is the extreme lag (B47) I get which makes it extremely difficult to fly.  I'm always three steps behind.  There are others that complain about this, so I know I'm not the only one.   I don't understand why it only effects some though.  My guess is that my set-up doesn't work well with their exterior flight modeling program.  Having no issues with the CS model though.

LouP

I hummed and hawwed over this choice myself.  Went with the CowanSim 206. 

I like the look of the Cowan better.  The graphics are much more polished overall and it comes with a TON of liveries, plus attachments like wire cutters, floats, search light, etc.  But the non-superficial difference between these two is that FI is using their custom plugin flight model, whereas Cowan is using the native heli support.  I see pretty mixed reviews about the FI flight model (in its current state), but MSFS native helis are also immature and there are problems with systems that Asobo needs to sort out....therefore the progress of the Cowan 206 will be chained to Asobo's development. 

It flies nicely enough, although I had to create a new profile with different curves than I use with the 407 and Cabri.  The Cowan 206's responsiveness and stability is very different from the stock 407 but it does suffer from some of the same issues (e.g. pitching and rolling with collective changes, stabilizers do nothing) so that comes down to the current state of the sim.  Overall it is totally flyable and flies by the numbers (except for TOT...that is a known issue).

It will be using the 206 as my benchmark for sim updates as the helicopter stuff matures.  Cowan has promised regular updates and I have no doubt he will deliver (good track record with his XPlane lineup). 

 

I have both.   The CowanSim has had about 3 hours use.  The Flyinside has closer to 23.   The CowanSim will probably never come out of the hangar again.  Flyinside's 206 just flys so much better than any Asobo FM based heli and is in a different league to the HPG FM.   

It's heavy on the FPS and it's looks are far from the best out there (both of which will be improved over time i hope)  but it's just unbeatable to fly.  Easily one of the best sim helis i've flown.

22 minutes ago, The Moose said:

I have both.   The CowanSim has had about 3 hours use.  The Flyinside has closer to 23.   The CowanSim will probably never come out of the hangar again.  Flyinside's 206 just flys so much better than any Asobo FM based heli and is in a different league to the HPG FM.   

It's heavy on the FPS and its looks are far from the best out there (both of which will be improved over time i hope)  but it's just unbeatable to fly.  Easily one of the best sim helis i've flown.

There was a review of 206 pilot that states FI have problem especially in hover. 

Well, I'm gonna wait at least awhile longer as the primary reviewers I depend on for helo reviews haven't yet weighed in on the CowanSim.

Esp since the Cabri is quite a nice little helo for getting around. (Too bad about the B407...hopefully that receives the substantial updates it needs).

I'm definitely leaning away from Fly Inside, based on reviewers who consider flight model paramount, also that the FI addon is especially FPS hungry (attributed to external flight engine).

At least a couple reviewers have mentioned that there is a noticeable lag in responsiveness that creates trouble for keeping a helo steady/stable. That's also attributed to the external flight engine.

I've seen that FI seems to "jump" off the ground rather than a controllable lift off, and there seems to be difficulty keeping it from severely pitching back and forth on touch down.

Finally, there are comments about ETL not being modeled well enough.

All enough to keep me from investing in either for now. So, back to the Cabri once again!

 

Helisimer review 

https://www.helisimmer.com/reviews/flyinside-bell-206-microsoft-flight-simulator

It's now being a few days and already 2 updates. 

FlyInside is really doing their best to fine tune and correct the few quirks with the initial release.

They've fixed axis assignments and we can now use the default SU11 cyclic and collective axis.

The performance is very good in my Ryzen 5600x + RTX 3060 Ti.

Flight Dynamics look nice too!

 

14 hours ago, UrgentSiesta said:

 

At least a couple reviewers have mentioned that there is a noticeable lag in responsiveness that creates trouble for keeping a helo steady/stable. That's also attributed to the external flight engine.

I've seen that FI seems to "jump" off the ground rather than a controllable lift off, and there seems to be difficulty keeping it from severely pitching back and forth on touch down.

 

 

No lag here.  No problem with smooth, controlled lift off. No problem with holding a steady hover. No problem with anything you mentioned to be honest.  It just took a few hours of practice... it's now fully under my control and doe's what it should when it should. (Realistic settings/linear control profile)   Sorry to say it, but nearly everything you mentioned is pilot error or a controls issue.

This whole "external flight engine" is a complete red herring as well.   They are doing nothing that a large amount of developers are doing.. using WASM to do custom stuff.   Their Heli Manager does nothing but authentication and settings and can be turned off as soon as you start your flight, it has zero effect on FPS/Lag

I've watched reviews from people who clearly hardly ever fly helis. I've seen reviews from people trying to fly it at 20FPS on their potatoes and wondering why it flys horribly. I've seen 206 pilots who say it's wrong and i've seen 206 pilots who say it's excellent.   This is why I take no notice of reviewers or real world pilots  😉

Just to add, their post launch support has been fantastic.  Mentioned an issue I was having on their forum and 3 hours later there's a DM waiting for me with a new beta to test (issue appears resolved)  Top quality support!

Moose, you take all the fun out of complaining. 😒

(P.S. Are you flying in stealth mode? I've been chasing you around the globe)

2 minutes ago, Ron Attwood said:

(P.S. Are you flying in stealth mode? I've been chasing you around the globe)

Ohh... labels have been turned off for a while..  been completely focused on learning this bird.  Sorry if you've been harassing me without response!  Cant say I've noticed any helis close by though.   Will turn labels on and check the map before flights from now on!