Landing choppers and flying backwards

[FalconAF 213]

I had difficulty landing the choppers in FS until I came across the Hovercontrol site and read some of the stuff there (they are an online helicoptor training site for flightsim users).The most important thing I read and incorporated from their site was the need to eliminate ALL null zones from your controller calibrations. Flying a helicoptor involves constant SMALL adjustments with the controls, and this becomes impossible if you have null zones on your controller. You end up over-correcting as you chase your inputs through the null zones on your controller, resulting in the "Pilot Induced Oscillations" mentioned in a post above. At first, it seems very "twitchy" using your controllers with no null zones, but after a short while you get used to it and can input very small and precise control inputs. This makes flying and especially landing the choppers easy in the long run.The other thing I discovered from their site was a great idea to use the Spot View while learning. Set a Spot View to the side of your chopper, then practice hovering. The slightest controller inputs will show the actual reaction of the helicoptor. You may be surprised to see just how "reactive" the helicopter is to your forward and backward inputs from your controller. After doing this for about 20 minutes, I completely eliminated my tendancy to "fly backwards" during approaches and hovers to landing. I had been pulling back on the controller way too much, causing the helicopter to go "nose up" and initiate a backwards thrust vector. Then I would "push forward", and the nose would drop a lot more than I thought it was, starting those PIO's. When watching the relationship between my controller inputs to chopper reactions in Spot View, it became apparant that I was really over-controlling the thing. Try it...it will help you out a lot.

[Guest fsxmissionguy]

There aren't many chopper missions in FSX, unfortunately. Acceleration helped, but a lot of those missions are in the EH101 and involve lifting and hoisting, but not a lot of tough landings.Head on over to http://www.flightsimulatorxmissions.com where there are quite a lot of freeware missions that will help you practice landing the choppers.The mission that I did called "Boston Skyscraper Fire" was specifically designed to allow you to practice ground helipad operations, rooftop landings and raised helipad landings in view-obstructed situations (plus having to dodge other aircraft.)You can download Boston Skyscraper Fire free here:http://www.flightsimulatorxmissions.com/mo...ddetails&lid=14A mission I did called "Palm 90" is an excellent mission for practicing hovering and slow-maneuvering in poor sight conditions where your visual cues are usually 90 degrees to your forward view (probably the most difficult kind of helo flying, I think).You can download Palm 90 free here:http://www.flightsimulatorxmissions.com/mo...ddetails&lid=29Once you're able to finish these two missions confidently, there's nowhere you won't be able to land or fly.Cheers,

[barryward12345 0]

Thanks FalconYesterday, I discovered this myself - although I haven't had a lot of time to practice it yet. But your confirmation of my thoughts leads me to think that this is the correct path to go down. I do have small null zones - so will get rid of them. Barry

[Guest fsxmissionguy]

That's definitely a good idea.Another key to flying the helos is small control inputs (this requires staying ahead of the aircraft and planning well in advance).If you have null zones in your joystick, you are going to experience "pilot induced oscillations" where you're constantly overcompensating trying to fight your controller.Lots of less experienced helo pilots experience this - even in real life. Here's a wiki on it:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot-induced_oscillationIn a lot of ways, this is a real as it gets.Cheers,

[Guest Shalomar]

A tip to get your control of your controller is to enter slew mode and spend a few minutes moving around an airport using your joystick and pedals if you have them. This gives you instant gratification as to how sensitive your controller is, and the different rates of movement that can be achieved. I discovered this by accident when I was flying a glider. I almost always overcontroled and snapped the towline before I wanted to part company with the Maul. Then once in a multiplayer seesion I spawned in a parking spot and had to slew to the runway. I then proceeded to perform a flawless following of the tow aircraft before it stalled out at 20,000 feet. (OT, but I think w/o Acceleration the tow line automatically snaps at 10.) The reason? I was able to relate the speed of the change of pitch of my aircraft and all the other axis to the movement of my controller.Give it a try sometime, you might be surprised...FLYing? It's cool. Trillions of birds and insects can't be wrong.