I have been really trying to be positive and not let the negativity in with the launch of MSFS2024, but I spent some time today exploring the Blackbird S-64 Skycrane and I couldn’t help but feel completely let down and utterly disappointed. Not by the S-64, it’s a beautifully built aircraft in the sim, but by helicopters in the sim in general.
Since I was able to get the R66 spray variant working in free flight, I decided to try and see if the Skycrane could drop water like the CL-415. This lead me to try and find the key bindings, which should be under ‘liquid drop systems’ in the controls menu, but the only bindings there, are for spraying. I couldn’t find commands for water drop or snorkel deployment anywhere.
So I popped over to Blackbirds Discord. There were mentions of the fact that the snorkel and tanks were working in an earlier build of the sim, but in the current version it has been removed and isn’t supported.
There is clearly a clip of the S-64 in the trailer performing firefighting ops over a smokey forest with the snorkel/hose extended. This clip appears right after the clip showing the Air Tractor dropping water with the words ‘Aerial Firefighting’ across the screen. The first variant listed in the configure menu, is the firefighting variant. Yet, in career mode, the only confirmed place that missions are supported, firefighting is not listed in the specializations menu for rotorcraft. Fixed wing has both initial and extended attack, but helicopters have been shorted…again.
David has completely dropped the ball when it comes to career mode for helicopters. From the fact that you are forced to fly fixed wing to begin with and the obvious oversight of excluding a major sector of the helicopter industry, I don’t have anything positive to say. It seems clear to me, that an important part of the consumer base was ignored. When Sergio asked David about it when he interviewed him in Arizona, David said that it would only take minimal time, just an hour or so of gameplay to unlock helicopters. This is not the case. You are forced to fly fixed wing for many more hours and it completely sucks the enjoyment out of what should have been the sims’ most exciting new feature.
Jorg talked repeatedly about consulting professionals in the industry, to ‘get it right’. Yet helicopters again, are left sidelined.
I currently hold a PPL-H in real life. I did not have to log ANY fixed wing time to earn my ratings, nor do I ever plan to. I want my focus to be on rotor wing only. I should be able to earn my night, instrument and ATP ratings in the sim in helicopters, if I choose.
There are several mission sets that helicopters perform, and are usually the more plentiful and active aircraft to be found working fires. From slinging Bambi buckets on tight frontline targets, dropping and picking up fire jumpers at the scene, and initial/extended attack with one of the most well known firefighting aircraft, the S-64. Helicopters are just as important, if not more so, than fixed wing aircraft in firefighting.
I truly hope that it is planned to fix some of these egregious errors as it’s a slap in the face to helicopter pilots. Hopefully, there was just not enough time to have it ready for launch and MS/Asobo are already working on supporting helicopters as more than just something else to do when you’ve finished the fixed wing career options. Either way, we need to see some communication on what is planned to address the disaster that is the helicopter ‘career’ in MSFS2024.
…and just to add insult to injury, it was pointed out to me that the R66 rotor animation is backwards. I hadn’t even noticed because I never would have thought to check something so obvious. I have really been trying to stay positive about all of the great things that the new sim has brought to us, but today was a rough day.