Easy Helicopter in FS9

Hello,

Is there an easy helicopter I can download and just hop in and fly.

For years I have tried to fly these things and I have failed each time.

I know you need this and that in the way of controllers but all I want to do is

have fun with choppers without all the frustration.

Flying a helicopter is just a little different from flying fixed winged aircraft. I suggest that you practice firsrt by e.g. placing a marble in the middle of a glass plate and by then trying to keep the marble in it's middle.

Happy landings.

Hans

Hello,

Is there an easy helicopter I can download and just hop in and fly.

For years I have tried to fly these things and I have failed each time.

I know you need this and that in the way of controllers but all I want to do is

have fun with choppers without all the frustration.

Haha, I know what you mean! I had a quick play with helicopters not long ago. The default R22 flys well and is easy to control. It does work really well.

Despite all the tips and advice on the net, I just found other helicopters don't fly like this. However, there is one big tip which makes a big difference, turn all your realism settings down and absolutely turn ON auto rudder!

From memory auto rudder makes the impossible to fly helicopters manageable. For me, it did kill the feeling of realism I think. I kinda left it all there to give them another go in the future.

If you come across anything like the R22, please post back. I'd also be interested. If they all flew like the R22, I would've downloaded an extensive helicopter collection over the years.

I fly the helios with nothing more than a 'twist grip' joystick so you don't 'need' rudder pedals (myth). Put realism to MEDIUM (long story why) as it effects all other aircraft and is not really any help (myth) for flying helicopters. I do have a 10 Keypad to left of keyboard (see specs below) for throttle control that comes in VERY handy for those small increase/decrease of throttle. It affords me tons of added 'control' when flying helicopters so I love it. $15? Here is pic of 10 key.

Chuck B

Napamule

Edit: I NEVER use 'auto-coordination' for rudder. Never! Even for jets, props, race cars, ufo's, etc. But when learning to fly helicopter I DID turn off 'crash detection' (I KNOW when if and when I crash! - Ha!).

A little more serious this time but the first thing any new chopper pilot needs to learn is the way the collective pitch, the cyclic pitch and the tail rotor, interact with each other during forward flight and during the transition to and from hover positions.

Hovering remains the most difficult, especially at very low AGL altitudes, predominantly due to the ground effect.

My advice therefore is to, practice, practice and practice even more, especially with hovering at very low altitudes and be sure to use only very small and gentle steering inputs.

Only after fully mastering your hovering skills should you attempt forward flight from an initial hover position, which is initiated by very gently pointing the nose down a few degrees and then keeping a delicate balance between collective and cyclic pitch, until you reach your desired forward speed and altitude.

Slowing down and descending is a question of decreasing collective pitch, together with pointing the nose up a few degrees until a hover position has been established. During hover, heading changes are performed via rudder pedals which can also assist in turns during forward flight.

This all sounds rather easy but I can asure you that it's not and needs a lot of practice.

Good luck.

Hans

In answer to OP's question, search the file library for "md500e.zip". This one of the first helicopters I downloaded many years ago. It includes tools that help you too visualize what your inputs are doing.

Doug

I agree with Hans in that there is no easy helicopters and mostly it just takes lots and lots and lots more practice. Then it takes more practice practice practice. Only way.

Chuck B

Napamule

Haha, I know what you mean! I had a quick play with helicopters not long ago. The default R22 flys well and is easy to control. It does work really well.

Despite all the tips and advice on the net, I just found other helicopters don't fly like this. However, there is one big tip which makes a big difference, turn all your realism settings down and absolutely turn ON auto rudder!

From memory auto rudder makes the impossible to fly helicopters manageable. For me, it did kill the feeling of realism I think. I kinda left it all there to give them another go in the future.

If you come across anything like the R22, please post back. I'd also be interested. If they all flew like the R22, I would've downloaded an extensive helicopter collection over the years.

There's a another nice Hughes in Virtavia's freeware section that's fairly docile and the price is right. :cool:

Look for "ALPHA_Hughes_MD500_FS9.zip" at http://www.virtavia.com/Freeware/ and give it a try.

I have a very sensitive joystick. Very! So I set my realism to Medium. Works good with all aircraft, including helicoters. So you should take in consideration how sensitive your joy (yoke/pedals) is (are). If they are sluggish then you INCREASE realism because you WANT sensitive controllers for helicopter flying with COMPLETE CONTROL at all times. Reducing sensitivity does NOT make helicopters magically easier to fly. And you can't fly anything if you are only getting 10 fps .... especially helicopters!!!! Reality sucks!

Chuck B

Napamule

Edit: I found a Huey here at FSCom library that is for FSX (ported) so it should work in FS9 too. It's 'bell_h1.zip'.

There's a another nice Hughes in Virtavia's freeware section that's fairly docile and the price is right. :cool:

 

Look for "ALPHA_Hughes_MD500_FS9.zip" at http://www.virtavia.com/Freeware/ and give it a try.

Thanks Bob! I just loaded it up and took a real quick spin. Looks potentially manageable. I may have to try a little of this "practice" thingy people keep talking about to see if it works. lol

Helicopters are quite fun and a good change of pace from what I normally do in FS.

Thanks for the Huey help gents, I'll get on to that one too!

Well then, if you like MD500 try this one?: is_hughesmd500.zip, 25,817789 kb, 07-24-2011. Alphasim freeware model. by Ingo Schwan. It's here at FlSimCom library. Cheers. practice practice practice

Chuck B

Napamule

Well then, if you like MD500 try this one?: is_hughesmd500.zip, 25,817789 kb, 07-24-2011. Alphasim freeware model. by Ingo Schwan. It's here at FlSimCom library. Cheers. practice practice practice

Chuck B

Napamule

Haha, thanks.

Thanks Bob! I just loaded it up and took a real quick spin. Looks potentially manageable. I may have to try a little of this "practice" thingy people keep talking about to see if it works. lol

Helicopters are quite fun and a good change of pace from what I normally do in FS.

 

Thanks for the Huey help gents, I'll get on to that one too!

No problem, its why we're here. :pilot:

Take my advice with a grain of salt, I still run FS2002 and half the battle is finding FS9 stuff I can convert back. :cool:

You might want to edit the contact points for the landing gear at first, the MD's have tall skids. :p

Just widen out each skid by a foot or two.

That still won't help with the big problem- landing where you intended even in a cross wind. :eek:

The biggest hint to flying helo's in FS is learning how NOT to over-correct with the stick and throttle. It just takes time to get the feel.

BTW, if you're looking for a new FS challenge go back to that Virtavia freeware page and grab the old Alphasim B-52G/H package. :cool:

Forget the "easy" flight dynamics and do the edits for the more-complicated dynamics. Its one of those cases where you may as well get used to the beast in all its glory right from the start. :D

Use your first couple of sessions learning how to get it running and then plan on a couple of hours just learning how to taxi. You'll also want to learn how to taxi in a cross wind, they call it The Elephant Walk for a very good reason. The plane tends to go where it wants to go. :rolleyes: BTW, its actually easier to start out in the B-52G than the H. The G has less thrust than the H which makes some things harder but you'll have more time to stay ahead of the curve.

After that, things don't get easier. I'm still torn if having a lot of FS experience is good or bad with this plane. It tends to do everything mostly the same only different. BTW, the dynamics are outstanding. If you're cruising along in level flight and the nose is pointed down- don't panic. You're doing it right.

I've been doing the FS thing since the mid-90's and the B-52 took me the better part of a couple of years to figure out and then get it right. Its meant to be a seat-of-the-pants experience. With an auto pilot. :confused: Which you'll NEVER use once the gear and flaps are down. :eek:

If that's not enough :pilot: , go over to Airnav and check out the "knock" tacan approach for Fairchild AFB (KSKA). Its a 15 mile diameter circle and its their normal pattern. If you wind up landing at KGEG, you owe the wing a beer (its happened for real in the past, especially at night).