Looks like the CowanSim S76C++ was released into the marketplace last night. Just wondering if anyone has picked it up yet and if so what are their thoughts on this new helicopter for MSFS?
Facebook Announcement Post: Cowan Simulation
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Iâve got it. I havenât flown it yet. Can anyone guess why?
Yes, this must be the most unfortunately timed launch in the history of MSFS - both versions. The arrival of the MH60 has sucked all the attention out of the MSFS helicopter space.
No YouTube previews - guess what all the usual suspects have been previewing - and not much in the way of chatter. I knew a CowanSim S76 was coming, but yesterdayâs launch came as a complete surprise - I only heard about it because the launch was mentioned on the MH60 Discord channel, and I thought that was a joke until I checked for myself, which I only did because the MH60 launch was delayed by a late-occurring 2024 SU3 beta bug.
Alas, like I suspect most other people, I wonât be flying the S76C++ until Iâm done checking out the MH60.
Until then, I just have a few observations:
It has an autopilot. Yay! Itâs always nice to be able to do more than zoom my GTN750 in and out without having to land the helicopter.
Did I mention the GTN 750? Thereâs usually the option to use it in CowanSim helicopters but I couldnât find the switch when I looked for it on the instrument panel. But itâs a very crowded panel, so perhaps CowanSim simply couldnât fit one in. Or I just failed to find the switch in the time available.
The documentation consists of three pdfs, which you can download from the CowanSim website:
Or extract from the in-game folder if you have access to it (youâll have to install the S76 in 2024, which you can do if youâre in the SU3 beta).
All three manuals - checklist, autopilot guide and a âmanualâ which is not much more than a bindings guide - are very minimalist. CowanSim could get away with that on, say, the H125, but this is a complex helicopter (autopilot, yay!) and a bit more handholding might have been appropriate.
Of course, I could always go and look at the preview videos, to get advice from them. Except there donât seem to be any, as explained above.
I really hope, though, that this turns out to be an excellent machine. I love my Taogâs Hangar helicopters, but autopilots are sometimes rather handy, and flying a stabilised helicopter is a very different experience.
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I bought it, but unfortunately there is a major issue with it on Xbox that renders it unusable with an Xbox controller. Considering Cowan is said to have spent âthousands of hoursâ developing this product, Iâm a bit shocked something so major was able to find its way to release⊠Especially since all of Cowanâs other releases do not have this issue.
The collective and tail rotor cannot be controlled - Any input causes them snap from one extreme to another with no in-between. I only saw after the fact that Cowan noted this on their Facebook post, saying that a fix has already been submitted to MS, so Iâm stuck waiting for that to be released before I can use it. VERY disappointing.
He did note to âuse an axis as a temporary workaroundâ, but I spent a good amount of time last night trying every controller configuration I could think of with no success, and I already use the right analog stick axis for collective control in my custom helicopter preset. The inputs still snap between extremes.
All that being said, the model is absolutely gorgeous inside and out⊠Iâm looking forward to being able to actually fly it.
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I was debating getting the mh60 or the S76. I knew both were coming in July and i really like corporate style helicopters so i got the s76. It flies great!
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Could you please explain this configuration in more detail? Do you have to constantly hold the right stick in a certain position, otherwise the collective returns to the zero position? Or have you found a more convenient solution?
Right analog up - âIncrement Collectiveâ
Right analog down - âDecrement Collectiveâ
The collective sits where you leave it, as it should, and I find using the stick is much more convenient than tapping buttons.
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Will buy it when the xbox bug gets fixed. There is no way the mh60 will fly even close to a real heli, its droneware, this will fly much much better!
Lets hope cowan makes a mh60 too.
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I bought it for 2024 and regret it. It is not usable in 2024 for me.
- it behaves very weird in flight, no matter what SAS mode, nearly impossible to to slow down.
- if you control Cyclic from external with scripts you have no cyclic animation
- mediocre cockpit visuals
- documenation on AP/SAS is useless
- no interactive checklist in 2024
It has its pros, but if the cons make it unflyable, than who cares at the moment.
That it is unflyable with external control input might have to do with the internal coding but that means it might be not usable for people who use spadnext or aao etc..
For that price not acceptable imo. I would not recommend buying it, if you only wanna use it in 2024.
Miltechs MH60 is worlds better for a similar price.
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Alredy have the MH60 and after an afternoon messing around with it and the mission editor itâs a pretty good buy. Thanks for your feedback on the 76++ I was interested - not so much now.
Where are the youtube videos for this bird? There isnât even a single one that I can find.
Unfortunate timing for their release, I would guess. Everyone is occupied with the MH-60 having released on the same day⊠Give it some time and Iâm sure weâll start to see some videos/reviews come out.
Also with marketplace exclusivity and Cowan not really hyping-up this release ahead of being dropped, itâs likely many donât even know itâs available yet.
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I bit the bullet and picked it up. After flying the Taog 500 and the Milsim MH60 itâs very highly dissappointing. It looks like a port from Xplane, the textures are not great. Itâs not 2024 native so no walk around etc. The flight model, is, generic. Not sure how else to put that - itâs super sensitive to crash detection in 2024 and the stability control doesnât stability. Itâs just rough, spend your money elsewhere is my recommendation.
If you want a hand on manual flyer the Taog 500 without a doubt - if you want something with stability that even a none heliocopter flyer can fly the Milsim MH60 both very worthy of your money. Guess I know why Cowan didnât put any hype behind this release or even put it on their website, itâs pretty disappointing.
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I bought it as soon as it became available, and as a 2024 only user I like it. The flight model to me feels believable after a bit of tuning with the input curves and I havenât really had any issues with the AP once I figured it out.
There are a few issues which I would point out such as Temps and Torques spiking after relatively small control inputs, and for me the Engine Temp goes into the red during taxi for some reason. I gather this may be due to some âbehind the scenesâ MSFS code according to a response from Cowan on their discord. I have also had some weird flickering on the avionics indications (LNAV pointer going crazy occasionally) but that isnât game breaking for me.
The documentation definitely needs more detail, I think a lot of users have been confused by the lack of this, I had to ask on discord about the action of the Force Trim button because I couldnât see it in the manual and every sim does it differently. Overall though I am happy with the helicopter and very glad to have an S76 in the sim!
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May I ask if your NP and NR are stable at full throttle on the ground or are they fluctuating constantly with high frequency to +/- 2%) like they do for me.
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Agreed. Same as the Bell222. Its just nog good enough and doesnt resemble the crisp screenshots either.
The S76 could easily be my favourite helicopter but⊠itâs a 7 here. Really hoped for an 8,5+
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So it turns out there is a tablet:
Canât imagine why I didnât spot it the first time I looked:
If you hit Instrument View 7 the camera will zoom right in and the tablet will open :
No mention of a GTN in it, though. And I still havenât found the typical CowanSim switch. At this point Iâd happily settle for a 650, but Iâm not optimistic.
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Same here, unfortunately the helicopter is a disappointment.
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Based on
A] on the learning curve for Hype Performance Groupâs H145 and H160 and;
B] the time they took to get both models really good (even with their full attention) was ages
I think anyone expecting any really good âcomplexâ heli for MSFS needs to be very patient. Iâm still patiently waiting for CS to provide any native 2024 versions of the heliâs I use of theirs (206 & 500E mainly) so I can have the âluxuryâ of doors etc. 
⊠or to get rid of the sound distortions when another CS flyer comes close in multiplayer in 2020⊠or for some form of HeliSAS instead of just a panel of buttons.
I know⊠they are (mostly) promised. But no update in 2020 for over a year now and something tells me the 76 is going to suck up an awful lot of development time.
Really interesting to read all the views here though as always 
P.S. The thought of only having MSâs encrypted folders via a Marketplace download scares me too⊠I have made a number of very minor but important tweaks within the Community folder like Iâm sure others have. That is a facility that I would miss.
I have backed up my 2020 CS B206III in 200 different places (approx) so that whatever happens in the future, I can always enjoy that.
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Another great recommendation for the Taog 500.
It is looking like a âmust buyâ 
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It very much is!! Its not perfect of course but its a very good start (Taogs 500).
Sad to read that this s76 chopper has issues. As a xbox player I will wait for the fix for the controller.