Yeah,I know. Thats why I have aligned +28C to 0m (take-off at sea lvl). But that also gives me an optimum crz lvl of 0m…
(See pic above)
(Brilliant video on the C160 Jaydee:wink:
)
1 Like
Yup! That works!!
It was point 4 I didn’t get. Brilliant explanation, and tnx for the help and what you do for the community!
Love the Alouette (and the C160 I just bought) 
Thanks for your kind words.
Kind Regards
1 Like
I’m bumping just to thank you for the explanation of the Alouette computer, once again your description is perfectly clear. Thanks JayDee!
1 Like
Unfortunatly, you got it wrong.
You only change the exterior wheel to match the temp/altitude as your condition change during your flight.
Then you adapte the inner wheel to match the reading from the exteriror wheel to see if you have/will have enough range collective for the flight you are planning especially with the mass you plan to use.
The first step is right
From your 1. pict example (20deg at 500m), you can read that the Zkm optimum cruise is around 0,5. So you adapte your inner wheel to match 0,5 on the zkm graduation.
From this setting, you you can see that your PAS Rotor maximum range is up to +/- .7,750. So to have effective torque, you should not raise your collective above this limit.
From this setting also,you can read that with a maximum PAS Rotor of .7,750, you can lift around 2100kg
But of course this reading is right at 20deg at 500m.
From your 4th pict, You can see that at 0deg around 3000m, your zKm is around 3 which means your pas Rotor should not go above .9. You can also see tha at this level, you can lift max 1950kg!
The highest you go with high temperture, the less you can carry.
2 Likes
First thanks for your insights. I have to recheck the whole thing, maybe I dont get the meaning of “optimum cruise altitude” right. According to your procedure that would mean, that the optimum cruise altitude decreases with decreasing air temp, but shouldn´t that be the other way around. Colder Air is more dense and should bring A) more power and B) more lift?
Similar thing said in different manner
1 Like
What he said is clear, but that doesn´t correspond with the outer ring. The outer ring would show you a higher optimum cruize alt, the higher the temp is.
Yes, but in this case, you won’t be able to carry much. The goal of tool doesn’t show you at what altiude you should go. It shows the max pas rotor/collective you can use according temp, altitude and weight.
Imagine you take off from Grenoble, you go to chamonix to take some heavy tools and have to make stationary above pic du midi and go back to Grenoble. With this tool, you can every time know if you are in safe condition to fly, even if the climate changes (and in mountains, it does often).m and take the right amount of fuel accordingly. In the alouette, you have thermometer just in front of you so you can move the wheel every time you need. .
2 Likes
Ok, thanks. Then I think I really missinterpreted the purpose of this gauge. Do you by any chance know, what the small triangle on the outer scale means?
How can the optimum criuse be 0,5km (ie 500m) when departs at 500m? Same you will get optimum cruise of 0m if you depart at 0m with that method…?
Here is another interesting video in english but it doesn’t include the weight
it is on Lama xplane but it works the same way!
I do not know what is the the little indicator but here is the manual in french I found on xplane forum
4 Likes
Thanks for the Video. I did understand how it was explained there. What for most of us might be just confusing, is the term “optimum cruise altitude”. If I understand now correctly, it just is the Air Density Altitude. And then it makes sense. The Warmer - the higher the actual density altitude is.
So you only determin the max. pitch you can pull (equals the max power/torque) at a certain height.
-
Match the Outside Temp with the actual Flying Altitude - Pic 1: 5°C at 2.000 m (~6.000 ft)
-
Read the Density Altitude from the “optimum cruise altitude scale” and match the inner triangle to that density altitude on the inner “Z km” scale - Pic2: Density Altitude = 1.500 m (~ 4.500 ft)
-
During flight - don´t pull a higher pitch then the triangle shows. Means the needle must not exceed the triangle - PIC3: Limit ~ 0.76 = 76 % Power.
-
Max weight for these condition can be read on the "masses - weight Scale. PIC4 - max. weight ~ 1.900 kg
So we could pull max 76% power and weight 1.900 kg at 2.000 m (6.000) ft at 5°C.
Is this now correct?
Cheers
2 Likes
Rough English translation:
USE OF THE CALCULATOR
Turn the computer crown so as to bring the ambient temperature to the pressure altitude (1).
to establish:
DENSITY ALTITUDE
read in front of the index (2)
Mentally transfer this value to the density altitude scale of the pitch indicator dial (3).
Read next:
GENERAL MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE PITCH (4) (power)
valid for current atmospheric conditions.
Mentally transfer this value to the pitch scale engraved on the upper part of the crown (5)
Read below:
THE MAXIMUM ADMISSIBLE MASS WHEN STATIONARY (6)
valid for the atmospheric conditions of the moment
In hover, one can also determine the mass of the helicopter by simply consulting the computer; knowing the fuel consumption, as well as the temperature and altitude of the place of destination; the pilot is then able to check in advance whether the [aircraft] will be able to hold the hover on arrival.
These precise determinations, excluding any subjective assessment, are only possible with the Alouette 3 and the LAMA.
We are required to qualify the maximum general pitch as admissible, because the [aircraft] has a huge reserve of power which, in most cases of use, leaves a large margin of pitch.
Example: the pilot reads on the dial:
13 C at a pressure altitude of 3000 m
Density altitude of 3700 m
General maximum admissible 93%
Maximum stationary mass 1940 kg
5 Likes
Thanks for that explanation, it helps me understand many of my recent virtual helicopter deaths. Turns out it wasn’t the machine, it was me 
1 Like
Anybody got a list of events for the Alouette? Started to build a SPAD profile last night.
Must say, finding it easier to fly than the H145 even with no SAS.
1 Like
This is now one of my favorite heli’s. Flies great and has lots of features including fantastic sounds. If I could change anything, it would be to tame the high pitch whine of the turbine inside the cockpit. Putting on the “headphones” in msfs “sound” settings solves the whine, but also quiets the rest of the sounds that I would like to keep. All in all, a lot of fun, especially in vr with all that visibility.
4 Likes
Please let us xboxers fly this birdie now!
7 Likes
Try reducing ‘engine sound’ in settings. That should cut the turbine whine down but keep the very nice rotor sounds.
Hey thanks! I’ll try that and see how it works for me. I actually like the whine, but it would be nice to tone it down a bit. I normally keep my sounds a little louder because I use a seat bass shaker that moves in direct relation to the volume. Love this bird though.
2 Likes