I don't need GPS as the Helo usually decided where I am going to land. 🤣

Its rarely where I want to land. 🫢

I am getting better though.

This is the only time where I think rudder pedals are not only worthwhile but necessary.

The TAOG H500C is also my favorite. Its great for flying manual in VFR.

 

 

11 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

Finally the TDS is far too bright at night and is in dire need of emissive coding in his xml file.

That was on my to do list, you saved me some time!

I've been picking up helicopter flying (another fan of the Taog's Hanger M500C!) and it is fun and challenging for sure.  I mean, of course I'm going to put on the Magnum PI paint and fly around Hawaii.  

I use a Winwing stick for my normal flying, not a yoke, so that helps (need something that I can move in a hurry if I have to do actual work on my PC).  

I'm not able to land very accurately but can at least usually hit a runway, but not an exact spot like a pad.  I'm getting better with practice.  

My biggest challenge seems to be taxiing a few feet off the ground.  I either get too high or too fast.  The small adjustments just seem to be too precise for my setup.  I can fly stable in cruise, but low and slow along the ground is just rough.  

Still fun to try and master.  Not sure if I'll ever get there.  I fear I really need some of those fancy helicopter controls.  

11 hours ago, UrgentSiesta said:

I agree with you  

But it gave me an excuse to buy the CS S-76 for IFR, soooo…. 😎

This post reminds me to check it again buuuut I actually had some similar issues with Josh's S76 with the GNS 530s and the HSI.needles not working, nor was the LPV GP working.  This was during su4 beta.  Josh has told me it was working in su3 and was broken.

Unfortunately I bought it during su4 beta, then wrote up my findings on his discord and he fairly rudely told me to stop spamming his discord with bug reports.  I found that be odd even though it was su4 beta, most devs I've been testing with have also been running the beta to get ahead of things.  I did not seek out a refund and figured maybe he was having a bad day.  I haven't flown the heli since but do need to check it again.

Question, at least about Bell 407:  why is it the rotors never stop completely when turning off the engine and even applying the rotor brake?  When applying the brake the rotor will stop, but the reverse directions and start turning again.  Also, on descent, it takes so long to come down to the ground surely that is not how they work in the RW!

On 1/24/2026 at 5:14 AM, tttocs said:

This is what has always stopped me.  I know a realistic experience will require at least somewhat proper controls, and I've not been able to justify getting appropriate controls not knowing how much I'll really get into it.

It does look like a lot of fun, though.

Too many hobbies - not enough time or money!

 

Scott

https://meridiangmt.com/products/x-ray-handheld-flightdeck/

Try this one

the bottom part has dual rockers for rudder pedal

it has been developed for Helicopters simming  from the ground up

I just wish MSFS 2024 didn’t completely mangle the joystick settings. I wish there was a way to select 2020 like you can with other settings like key commands. It just baffles me why they even changed the key commands after all these years.

2 hours ago, kerosene31 said:

I've been picking up helicopter flying (another fan of the Taog's Hanger M500C!) and it is fun and challenging for sure.  I mean, of course I'm going to put on the Magnum PI paint and fly around Hawaii.  

I use a Winwing stick for my normal flying, not a yoke, so that helps (need something that I can move in a hurry if I have to do actual work on my PC).  

I'm not able to land very accurately but can at least usually hit a runway, but not an exact spot like a pad.  I'm getting better with practice.  

My biggest challenge seems to be taxiing a few feet off the ground.  I either get too high or too fast.  The small adjustments just seem to be too precise for my setup.  I can fly stable in cruise, but low and slow along the ground is just rough.  

Still fun to try and master.  Not sure if I'll ever get there.  I fear I really need some of those fancy helicopter controls.  

See my previous post for some control settings changes that will make it MUCH easier to handle (Force Trim is VERY important, esp in the hover).

the key with hover taxi is to keep it REALLY slow (less than 15 kts). 
As you pass through 20kts, a whole bunch of whirlybird aerodynamics start happening and the handling gets very “busy” until you’re up over 60 or so. 🤙

just keep practicing. Most guys (myself included) were utterly terrible at first. But after perhaps a total of an hour or so of focus on basics, it just “clicks” and suddenly you can handle it. 
Lots more practice after that to really smooth things out, but it’s easy street. 

2 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

This post reminds me to check it again buuuut I actually had some similar issues with Josh's S76 with the GNS 530s and the HSI.needles not working, nor was the LPV GP working.  This was during su4 beta.  Josh has told me it was working in su3 and was broken.

Unfortunately I bought it during su4 beta, then wrote up my findings on his discord and he fairly rudely told me to stop spamming his discord with bug reports.  I found that be odd even though it was su4 beta, most devs I've been testing with have also been running the beta to get ahead of things.  I did not seek out a refund and figured maybe he was having a bad day.  I haven't flown the heli since but do need to check it again.

Oh - well that ain’t great!

I think he bungled the launch of this helo, quite frankly, and he’s probably quite touchy about even well-deserved constructive criticism, even if it came about from an SU…

I waited quite awhile to buy it until the reviews improved and it was on sale (last Black Friday). Don’t think I’ve flown it since then…

1 hour ago, Noel said:

Question, at least about Bell 407:  why is it the rotors never stop completely when turning off the engine and even applying the rotor brake?  When applying the brake the rotor will stop, but the reverse directions and start turning again.  Also, on descent, it takes so long to come down to the ground surely that is not how they work in the RW!

The 407 isn’t a good addon. It’s better than it was, but still below average. 

for Default helos, stick with the Cabri or the R66 and you’ll be a lot more satisfied with handling and such. 

10 minutes ago, Bdub22 said:

I just wish MSFS 2024 didn’t completely mangle the joystick settings. I wish there was a way to select 2020 like you can with other settings like key commands. It just baffles me why they even changed the key commands after all these years.

TBH, though the new control assignments take some getting used to, I’d never go back to 2020’s version even if it were an option. 

what we have now offers a tremendous amount of fine grained control for each aircraft (or type of aircraft) while also allowing us to easily apply standardized control sets to all addons. 

3 hours ago, stefti said:

Try this one

the bottom part has dual rockers for rudder pedal

it has been developed for Helicopters simming  from the ground up

Thanks!  I appreciate the pointer to the controller as I hadn't see this, but...

I do have rudder pedals, the issue for me is that my other primary controls are Honeycomb Alpha and Bravo yoke and throttle quadrant.  I believe (as others have suggested) that I could probably live with configuring the quadrant to handle throttle and collective - at least well enough for me to decide if I enjoyed flying heli's so much that I needed to invest in a more realistic throttle/collective device.  It's the yoke that keeps me on the sideline, as... 

What I'm lacking is a stick.  If I ever decide to get a decent stick that would be enough to get me going.  I did appreciate the honesty of the company, as the first line in their description reads: "Let’s be honest, no controller is going to replace a proper flight stick, and we’re not pretending this will."  I wish more companies marketed with this kind of honest approach.  I know some enjoy hand-held controllers, but it's something that's just not for me.

But again - the suggestion IS appreciated.

Scott

6 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

This post reminds me to check it again buuuut I actually had some similar issues with Josh's S76 with the GNS 530s and the HSI.needles not working, nor was the LPV GP working.  This was during su4 beta.  Josh has told me it was working in su3 and was broken.

Unfortunately I bought it during su4 beta, then wrote up my findings on his discord and he fairly rudely told me to stop spamming his discord with bug reports.  I found that be odd even though it was su4 beta, most devs I've been testing with have also been running the beta to get ahead of things.  I did not seek out a refund and figured maybe he was having a bad day.  I haven't flown the heli since but do need to check it again.

Yes, he has form for treating customer feedback quite poorly... The thing I find janky with Cowan Sim heli's is the torque logic. It is quite unrealistic in the way it fluctuates with 'normal' collective input. The Taog machines (and Milviz) are much better in this regard.  

Edited January 26Jan 26 by VH-MOD

1 hour ago, VH-MOD said:

Yes, he has form for treating customer feedback quite poorly... The thing I find janky with Cowan Sim heli's is the torque logic. It is quite unrealistic in the way it fluctuates with 'normal' collective input. The Taog machines (and Milviz) are much better in this regard.  

I've found this in all his helicopters thought it was just me.  I do have some noise in my axis though (which I try to dampen with a curve) - im hoping to upgrade to a nicer throttle/collective some day.

I'm thinking I need a better quality controller for use with helicopters. 

I've been looking at the VKB Gladiator premium which can be configured to not centre the grip. Is anyone using this set up for choppers , and thoughts thanks before I jump.....