On 8/1/2025 at 2:20 PM, stefaandk said:

Been contemplating picking up a more in depth but still somewhat retro helicopter for 2024 as it has great scenery to fly low and slow, the Taog ones seem to review and given they're on sale on on flightsim.to atm I might just add one or two to my hangar.  It states compatible with 2024 but I'd be keen to hear people's thoughts on these, do you fly them in 2024, any caveats, shortcomings, preferences?

Thanks

Of their 2020 helos, I only have the Huey. I haven't had any problems with it in 2024 and while different from the other UH-1's I own, it's quite enjoyable.

I do have the OH-6 and it is WONDERFUL. One of the few addons where I was both willing to pay full price AND it turned out to be entirely worth full price 🙂

I'm still considering the Lama. I have the simply excellent one in XP, and I love flying it there. Very similar type of flying to the OH-6A, and the view out the canopy is MUCH better in the Lama. So not sure I should get it again for MSFS as it's kinda redundant...

But, I'm also a sucker for a sale, and the Taog's Lama has gotten consistently good reviews, so I may just go for it! 😁

p.s.: the Lama holds the world altitude record, something like FL040!!!, so that's something else to keep in mind - if you like flying around Everest and such 🙂

On 8/1/2025 at 7:59 PM, Gulf76 said:

Completely agree about Cowansim! He’ll never see another dime of my money. 

Yeah, his lack of action on XP updates, and slow/no updates in MSFS have basically cut him out of consideration for the time being.

As well, the S76 doesn't seem to have been made to v2024 standards. And for the life of me, I could swear the nose is improperly modeled vs IRL photos.

I'd consider the S76 if it were getting rave reviews, or a bunch of IRL pilots said its great. But there's just no buzz around this bird. If I want that type of flight, I'm still satisfied with the HPG 145.

Edited August 9, 2025Aug 9 by UrgentSiesta

14 minutes ago, Gulf76 said:

??? The Flyinside 206 has been updated for 2024 compatibility. It flies wonderfully in 2024. 

Yes I know it's been updated.

That makes it compatible and yes it flies well.

That does not mean it takes full advantage of everything 2024 has to offer when made specifically for 2024

 

 

1 minute ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

Yes I know it's been updated.

That makes it compatible and yes it flies well.

That does not mean it takes full advantage of everything 2024 has to offer when made specifically for 2024

 

 

True and most likely never will have those features. They don’t use any MSFS code in it, only scenery generation. Rick is very proud that it has all been coded outside the sim. 

39 minutes ago, Gulf76 said:

Rick is very proud that it has all been coded outside the sim. 

a la A2A

Got all 3 of them in the mean time, enjoying them all but as per usual I probably should have just picked one to start with but I'm sure they'll get all their well deserved air time as I tend to impose a limit on myself of flying GA aircraft in certain parts of the world only as that way you also get the enjoyment of seeing other areas.

I'm pretty happy with my purchase, they are all a joy to fly and are not frustratingly difficult, hopefully the 500 will become available outside of the MP at some stage.  Not familiar with the fly inside birds, I might just check them out once I feel the need for something new which might be a while coz I'm suffering from a serious case of AAS (Aircraft Acquisition Syndrome).

 

I tried to get reacquainted with the Lama but I couldn't get the throttle to work on an axis. Tried all the options. The result was when starting the engine I got full throttle while the lever was immovable even with the mouse! Consequently revs went through the roof and a black screen which eventually cleared to see me at 2000' 35 miles away from my airport. Gave up and loaded the B-206. A relief! 

I take it no one else has issues with the Lama. 

I forgot to mention this is in 2024. (I've long forgotten 2020)

Edited August 24, 2025Aug 24 by Ron Attwood

38 minutes ago, Ron Attwood said:

I tried to get reacquainted with the Lama but I couldn't get the throttle to work on an axis. Tried all the options. The result was when starting the engine I got full throttle while the lever was immovable even with the mouse! Consequently revs went through the roof and a black screen which eventually cleared to see me at 2000' 35 miles away from my airport. Gave up and loaded the B-206. A relief! 

I take it no one else has issues with the Lama. 

I forgot to mention this is in 2024. (I've long forgotten 2020)

The default helis let you get away with airplane controls, but you really need custom helicopter controls.  What you want on your main "throttle" is the collective axis.  Helicopters have a throttle too, but it isn't the same.  

Instead of stick, throttle, rudder, it is cyclic, collective and antitorque pedals.  You also want some helicopter trim mappings.  

The good thing is helicopters have a custom control config, so you won't mess with your airplanes.  

It has taken me time and effort to "unlearn" airplanes when learning helicopters.  It is a challenge, but really rewarding.  

There's many other videos on how to fly.  I recommend belatu42 (a real heli pilot and 2024 pilot).  P Gatcomb (a real world pilot with lots of "sim" tutorials).  

The Lama definitely works fine in 2024, I fly it all the time.  I'm betting it is the control mappings.  You might even have conflicts as MSFS tries to "guess" what it thinks you want (probably poorly).  

 

Thanks for making the effort. I'm fairly comfortably with helicopter controls and all my settings previously worked fine in 2020. However, all but the throttle work as expected in 2024. The throttle in the Lama doesn't respond...At all! 

Flyinsides helicopters, both of them, work as they should with the same settings.

A thought. Maybe the Lama was updated for 2024 and I missed it. I'll check.

Taog insists on Asobo controls so I've regretfully binned it!

It's sad even the old freeware Airland FS flies rotary better than the CowanSim products.

Its always this assumption users aren't using "gentle control inputs or efficient hardware sensitivity settings"

NO....the flight physics are simply flawed with alot of CowanSim products.

Never again!

On 8/2/2025 at 1:44 AM, Gulf76 said:

He only released it through the MP because he is planning to integrate it into Career Mode and MS has declared that only products sold through the MP will be able to be used in Career Mode. Not everyone is happy about that, but I understand the rationale. 

Yeah I’ll never buy anything through the market place. It’s a good way to never see an update for what you bought ever again.