I just think this is where COWAN really Lack. Although not a show stopper, its a fairly bad bug and COWAN should be issuing a fix for this ASAP. I find it quite honestly awful that it has to be found off some random Discord Server.
That is not directed at you, and many many thanks for posting the fix.
Looks like a new version just dropped…v1.0.1
From the changelog
-Added proper hangar description localization file.
-Fuel consumption fixed.
-Generator annunciator light fixed.
-Fixed the yoke/cyclic hider.
-Fixed the rotor blur of hubs.
-Fixed beacon light artifacts.
Does Cowan change something with controls or physics in latest update? changelogs not always have all the changes.
I’m really impressed with the R66 from Cowansim. I have some more flying and testing to do, autos included, but it brought me right back to sitting in the cockpit of the actual aircraft.
@belatu42 I watched your video on the R66 and noticed that you don’t seem to have the torque indication spikes that I experience when moving the cyclic.
Could you do me a favour and, when sitting on the ground with the engine running, move the cyclic forward maybe an inch? In my case, I get a 10 to 20% increase on torque gauges. Do you get something similar?
Hi Jason, yes, I have the same spikes when sitting on the ground running.
…a slight spike would be understandable since you are changing the blade pitch and introducing drag to the rotor system but it does seem excessive.
I don’t see them in flight, but then again, I don’t move the controls that much during maneuvering. The only time IRL you move the controls the amount that causes the spikes, is during the controls binding check before startup. I’ve never moved the controls of the real machine, once it’s running, in that way to confirm if it is realistic or not. Once the blades start spinning, you move the cyclic to find the center “balance” point to alleviate excessive vibration while spooling up the rotor.
The V1.0.1 version feels the same to me, from a flight model perspective. I didn’t check the fuel burn rate as stated in the changelog, but I did notice the beacon texture artifact was fixed.
I still think the main problem with Cowasim are the excessive cyclic input scalars. Most likely they designed or tested them with a joystick extension in mind but this results in very small inputs producing large outputs and therefore magnifiying any of the expected effects in game. R66 seems to be more balanced to me. Latest update for the MD500 also reduced those factors. For the rest I still manually reduced the cyclic input scalars to 1/2 of their original values in the addons flight_model.cfg.
Cheers
I find all of the Cowansim helicopters to be great fun and very realistic to fly. They keep getting more refined with each update. They fly with the different characteristics that I would expect from each rotor system type they represent.
I haven’t needed to adjust any of the flight model parameters and they fly well with my Pro-Flight Trainer Puma 4th Gen.
Thank you for clarifying that. I was not sure from watching your video and thought maybe something was wrong on my side. But anyway, what I really get from your video is that my cyclic inputs still need to get a lot smoother 
MS/Asobo will hopefully fix the main remaining turbine helicopter issues with version 2024. The R66 is a joy to fly in the current state, has great visibility and I really like the analog panel with the GPS right before the pilot.
That´s the point. You use a tall cyclic which allows good precision for small inputs, while I use a desktop joystick. I need to reduce those inputs as I find the cyclic movements are excessive, even with a 25% smooth in the game profile.
Most available helicopters appear to be properly calibrated for desktop joysticks while Cowasim ones appear to be calibrated for cyclic replicas. Realism is fine but products still need to be practical for end users. I personally have no problem in needing to adjust this manually but I also understand why most users claim that behaviour in game is not realistic and understand it as a bug.
I just think a balance between both factors is still possible in order to please everyone. Or as an alternative simply deliver addon with two possbile configurations that users can select depending on their setup. Other addons allow tunning controls for instance, so that´s possible as well.
Cheers
I was interested in buying the B2006, 500E and the R66. I have read many comments from pilots in real life who have said that these helicopters in flight are half a job and the exteriors do not even match. Many users post some criticism on their home page in the forum, it will be deleted immediately, they are simply greedy for money, they do not tolerate criticism and they are also hostile when you ask a question.
Dont listen to what other people say!
Just fly them and enjoy yourself!
Nemeth and mscenery is the real cashgrabbers with the ■■■■■■ flying and lots of choppers out.
Until we get perfectly flying FM in this sim, cowan is good enough!
Depends on what you want. Cowansim’s R66 is really quite wonderful, within the confines of what Asobo has implemented for turbine helicopters. Cowansim is also implementing meaningful updates for their earlier models, even if it took them some time.
Their communication is not always perfect, but they have been the target of some harsh and sometimes unfair criticism. Not easy to stay friendly when you have put so much work into your project and get attacked in this way.
For the B206, I prefer the competing offering from another developer. There is a competing 500E (or rather 530F) as well, and both have their merits. But for the R66 there is not competition, it is Cowansim’s latest release profiting from their previous experience, and personally I really, really like it!
Well… comments are just comments, even if they come from real pilots. Everyone has an opinion and everything can be also improved. Asobo Cabri can perform aerobatics below 100kts, to start with. Weather changes instantly in game, water climbs coastal elevations, cars float in the air on the bridges or on water, propellers and collisions don´t damage ground crews, etc. I mean, the list is quite long… Therefore, there´s no reason for so much stress or criticism on any third party developers when the native flight model and many native simulation aspects included in game allow such aberrations.
There´s well known trash out there but Cowasim helicopters are fine. I own all of them and I like them. If you want to enjoy simulation what matters is just you and the simulation, not the comments or the way others understand how simulation should be. If you enjoyed it then the purpose of simulation for your own expectations was met. Don´t forget that development costs money. Nobody will provide a pro simulation experience for little money.
Cheers
Let’s leave these criticisms for devs that deserve it. I thought you were talking about MScenery not Cowan.
Greedy for money? Again, are we talking about MScenery or CowanSimulations? Cowan has released his previous content from x-plane. He is updating them, it’s taking time, but things are happening on this front. I’ve seen many of the “arguments” you’ve mentioned here, and I applaud Cowan for sticking to his principals and telling people like it is. Especially when he gets the “wHeN aRe We GeTtInG uPdAtEs?” When he releases a new product. Or when people have unrealistic expectations of a one man team burning the midnight oil in a garage somewhere. (That’s how I like to imagine Josh haha) Atleast there is communication from this dev, MScenery doesn’t even have a website and they are the pony boy for the MarketPlace. How that is allowed or ok is baffling to me!
Everyone was upset that he started a new project, and didn’t have updates for previous developments. Is he supposed to finish every product completely before moving on? Does Apple or Samsung make the perfect phone every time, or do they release something new? In fact this sim as a whole isn’t complete… but they are starting 2024… by this logic we would never get new aircraft or a new sim. Just stuck in perpetual update loops until the ‘community’ deems it “done.” Laughable
If you don’t own any of these Cowans why come here to make a statement about greed and quality? Let’s stay productive and keep criticism constructive for a developer who is actually trying to make a decent product, and not flooding the marketplace with mediocrity. (MScenery, CaptainSim, Bredok3d…etc)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, and again…
Is it perfect? No.
Does it have to be perfect to be wonderful? No.
Thank you all for the clarifications, thank you all. I am a user of HYPE, TFDI, PMDG and the truth is that everyone speaks badly of them and the truth is I am happy with them, I enjoy every penny spent on them. Cowan yesterday released an update for the Bell2006L3 and believe me it looks fantastic, I can’t wait to watch a video while I get this heli… and as has been said “no one provides a simulation for little money” and even more so when they come from XP
One Question to Cowans R66. If I set the power at the pitch to 100% and then start and fly a bit. automatically reduces the power to 96% and the helicopter loses some altitude and then begins to tumble in the air. If I push the pitch down slightly to fly lower, the power increases back to 100%. Why is this like this or have I done something wrong?
It sounds like you are over pitching and exceeding the power capabilities of the turbine. The governor will try to increase the power output to maintain rotor rpm. So as you increase collective pitch, the engine rpm/power output should also increase.
What’s happening with the rotor rpm? It’s not normal to pull 100% pitch on the collective. You usually encounter a power limitation before reaching full pitch.
Picked this one up after looking over a few videos this weekend and curiosity got the better of me & I have to say I’m really enjoying this one. The H125 was my favourite, but the R66 is right up there with it as a sightseeing heli. Especially now that I’ve figured out how to use the GTN750 toolbar popout and display windspeed & direction on it too, which makes a huge difference with flying helis.
I picked this one up a couple of weeks ago. Wasn’t going to buy another Cowansim Heli as quite frankly I was fed up with their bang average quality for a high price. Everything released so far felt exactly like they were… low effort ports of previous work.
It was only when I realised this was a brand new project exclusively built for MSFS and not anther port that I caved in, and boy, what a difference in quality in every single aspect! Cheaper than previous efforts as well, which was a nice bonus.
Internal modeling and texturing is easily their best so far. It sounds great and It flys very nicely indeed. Without doubt it’s the best Cowansim offering on this platform so far. I highly recommend it.
EDIT: Just to add, the recent updates to most of the older fleet have vastly improved them especially the FM tweaks and i do enjoy flying them more than I ever have. I don’t want it to sound like I’m totally hating on their previous products, though I do have a love/hate relationship with them 
They certainly represent far better value now than they did on release, though the R66 is definitely their best overall package in terms of all round quality imo.
