Hi Folks,
I have a Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One joystick and I also have the Thrustmaster T-LCM pedal set (this is for automobile racing with clutch, brake and accelerator pedals) if it would prove helpful. Could anyone using a similar setup please let me know how they assigned their controls to fly these new Helicopters? The current way I have the TM Joystick setup for flying planes doesn’t respond in a helicopter. Thanks in advance for any and all help provided.
Roger
You want zero curve and deadzone for all of your control surfaces. The pedals are tricky as they are not linked together, and there is a lot of minor input needed to maintain directional control. best to use the twist stick. inverting the throttle in settings will make the collective control more intuitive.
Watch a few vids to get an idea of the flight dynamics of a helicopter. Then practice hovering in ground effects till you can maintain position for several minutes. Always look to the distance. There used to be helo clubs for FSX some years ago. Not sure if they’re still around.
For helicopters standard linked pedals with no centre “clicky” detent (so not CH etc ) are optimal if you can find any at an OK price.
I suppose you could try binding just the one single pedal as left right axis where half depressed would equal centred? no idea - never tried it.
I have that T.Flight Hotas and it’s annoying the throttle handle has a small detent notch at 50% which is just about at the point where you need to juggle the finest control of collective when coming in to land. Makes it really too easy to over-compensate in both directions, just when you really need the most precision. Wonder if it’s possible to modify it to remove that notch?
I think you can remove the detent - i’m sure there was a YT video on it somewhere
I’m looking at controls now - everything “Helicopter” is 10x price of fixed wing 
I might just be able to get a Virpil collective though, but on back order
Yep! Looks easy enough. Gonna do this tonight! Thanks for making me look 
Yeah, that detent is annoying, but it will do the job. I often fly without the pedals, so I can camp on the floor. More comfortable. I would NOT say it is an optimal helicopter setup, but close enough that you will really get to experience flying one.
In short, it is good enough to try and see if you wouldn’t want to invest several hundred dollars on something better.
A flight stick is also annoying with helicopters because it re-centers which can be tiring with a helicopter because you typically want to hold it steady in place, and small movements are best. So let go and it re-centers? Hold on for dear life!
I was looking at the collectives that can attach to a normal desk chair via a plate mount that goes between the legs and the underside of the seat, but not really sure it would fit on mine — and secondly the whole setup is so expensive! There’s always something more to want to buy with this hobby!
Yeah, I saw the prices and went, “I have a lovely GA dashboard! No need to clutter it with more gear.”
I’ve just this second finished removing my VF1 yoke and replacing it with the HOTAS - its not been tested or even setup in FS yet as i’ve got to go out now.
I removed the detent a long while back but not really used the HOTAS as i fly mainly GA on the yoke/pedals. The GA throttles can stay but will setup a blank profile on them.
That’s quite the setup! You should enjoy that.
The HOTAS One is NOT perfect, but my goodness, for basically an entry level HOTAS is is far better than I imagined it would be. Like, it has so far been good enough to keep me from buying an upgraded setup.
I was usually on Honeycomb yoke, throttle, and Logitech pedals, but since I got this relatively cheap HOTAS, it has governed most of my flight time. And yeah, even helicopters work well enough with it. With pedals it is brilliant, and without, the twist works well enough and I don’t have to sit upright like I am working. I quite love it. It is better than it has any right to be for the price, especially compared to what you would spend on a mid range HOTAS setup.
Yep, i only bought it as when i was on x-box it was the only unit with pedals for the 'box.
I’ve reduced the stick tension to minimum as well. Hopefully get to fire it all up very soon and make a fool of myself in a helo. 
I’d be interested to see pics of your monitor to 8020 mounting. I’m planning something similar and I’d just like to see what you did v what I’m planning.
You re absolutely right bespoke helicopter controls or even those that perhaps are more favourable tend to be expensive.
I have the Virpil Collective (plus base), it is very nice and well made and of course more authentic to use. Quite frankly it’s actually intuitive to use as well. That said, I used to use my Warthog throttle for a number of years and was able to control the collective accurately and very well.
The move to the Virpil collective was really a justification of not needing it but knowing I have flown helicopters in sims for many years and enjoyed it immensely. Definitely a nice to have of course but not essential by any means. A good quality throttle will serve anyone well.
Binding longitudinal trim to separate buttons on the joystick helped… acts like a force trim button.
My 2 cents.
There’s several DIY collectives on thingiverse. A $250 3D printer and a little work and you could have just what you want.
This one’s my favorite. Smooth operation and has swappable heads. Helicopter Collective with inter-changeable heads by Thick8 - Thingiverse
I know he sold some, but hasn’t for a couple years. Who know, maybe he needs some eztra Christmas cash.
Main panels or touch panels??
The main panels are hanging on standard slim lift-off wall mounts the touch-panels are held in some little clips i 3d-printed - they slot into the alu-channel and just have a small U-section that holds the panels, the top edges are secured with a small blob of blu-tac
The Touch panels.
That’s a nice simple solution. So you have them gripping the bezel of the monitor and are not using a vesa mount? I plan to use the vesa on my monitors to keep the mounting hidden.
