Request for Enhanced Helicopter Takeoff and Landing Physics in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Hello Microsoft Flight Simulator Development Team,

I’d like to submit an improvement request regarding helicopter takeoff and landing physics in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, based on insights from Captain Helisim’s recent YouTube video on helicopter takeoff techniques (video link here). His detailed analysis of real-world helicopter dynamics highlighted several areas where current simulations fall short, inspiring me to bring these potential enhancements to your attention.

Key Issues and Suggestions:

  1. Helicopter Suspension Modeling
    Real helicopters rely on suspension systems to smooth out landings and takeoffs by absorbing energy and enhancing stability. MSFS 2024 lacks this suspension modeling, which can lead to unrealistic, unstable behavior when transitioning from ground to hover. Incorporating suspension mechanics would make takeoff and landing smoother and more realistic.
  2. Takeoff Stage Dynamics
    Helicopter takeoff involves three critical stages that are necessary for a smooth and balanced ascent. Modeling these distinct stages would make the simulation feel more authentic and reduce control issues encountered during takeoff.
  3. Centering and Balance Feedback
    Pilots in real helicopters use suspension feedback to ensure balance and stability before lifting off. Since the sim currently doesn’t provide this, centering the helicopter can feel unpredictable. Adding feedback mechanisms would give pilots better control and reduce awkward movements during the lift-off phase.
  4. Inelastic Collision and Ground Interaction
    Helicopters in MSFS currently behave as if they are inelastic objects, causing unnatural ground interactions. Improving the ground interaction model to reflect realistic helicopter physics would make transitions from ground to hover more fluid and manageable.
  5. Immediate Feedback Mechanisms
    In real life, helicopter pilots use immediate tactile feedback for precise control, particularly when adjusting weight and balance. Including some form of feedback in the sim—whether visual or haptic—could make takeoff and landing more natural and precise.

This improvement request is inspired by Captain Helisim’s video, which provides valuable insights into real-life helicopter dynamics and highlights the gap in current simulation standards. Thank you for considering these suggestions to enhance helicopter realism in MSFS 2024 and elevate it as a leading flight simulation experience for all aircraft types.

Thanks so much for taking the time to consider this .

2 Likes

Hi BigAl, have you flown the Cabri G2 much since Sim Update 15?

The team at Asobo made a lot of great improvements in the areas you are discussing. The improvements were only applied to the Cabri though, and any 3rd party heli would have to be updated to take advantage of the features.
I talk about it a little in this How to Helisim video

Of course I would like to see more improvements to the heli model, but they are on the right track.

I would like to see improvements to skid friction and disk loading. The tail rotor shouldn’t be able to overcome the skid friction at zero pitch on the main rotor.

The fuselage shouldn’t move around so much either at flat pitch, but that may be tied to the rigidity of the airframe and skids again.

We’ll have to see what we’re starting with in 2024, but I’m already impressed with the new ground resolution. Dynamic rollover might actually be a hazard you have to consider. Either way, let’s keep pushing.

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2024 will have an actual simulated ground effect, so i assume this will have an impact for the better in this topic

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Yes, and improved surface effects. The ground effect is less pronounced over an area of long grass than it is over concrete.

Man, you can really see the improvement in skid flex from the first pick-up video I did when the 40th anniversary addition launched and the last two I did after SU15.

40th Aniv.

SU15

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I give this “wish” a like because when trying out the Alpha shortly with a fixed wing airplane it was almost tilting sideways at take-off, as if there was no springs or tires.

However, the alpha is not representing all of 2024 potential, so let’s return to this post if it shows that “editing is needed”.

I also think that “distance to hard surface” ( eg. distance between skid and ground) is tough for CPU power, so it might be a compromise to code stuff like that in a proper way.

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Thanks so much for the advice will try them out

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It is possible the final version might have better physics like you feel it should.
Lets wait and see what happens on release day!

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The final version of MSFS2024 still has pretty much the same helicopter flight model as in MSFS2020. Maybe some minor improvements, but still needs an overhaul.

What needs an overhaul? be more specific so we can better help the developers.

I found the FM to be improved. It feels more refined and predicable/responsive to control inputs.

Torque response and pedal control with the R66 was spot on to my real world time. The skids still feel a bit stiff, more flex ‘feel’ is needed there.
I’m not sure if it’s a ground effect issue on platforms people are seeing. It’s more an airflow disruption around sim objects and the ground. If hovering over or across an edge it responds in a very unrealistic manner. This is still present from 2020.

However, if you are approaching a platform or elevated landing position from above and you descend down onto your target spot instead of hovering at landing height over the edge, it behaves properly like it does in the real thing.

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All helicopters require almost no pedal usage at all, which is one of my main concerns. Very strange acting when it comes to pedal usage and yaw in hover. Also, very difficult to maintain altitude at hover as all helicopters tend to go up and down requiring constant change of torque by quite a bit, especially when changing pitch. Ground effect seems to be lacking. MSFS has a lot to learn from XP12 when it comes to helicopter flight dynamics. Hopefully this will be improved.

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Have you flown in the new MSFS2024 sim?
What you are describing is not the experience I am having.

I also fly XP12 and DCS. The OH6A mod from Tobsen and Eightball is absolute helicopter bliss.
XP12 is good but still lacking in areas. I find it floats oddly when performing quick stops.

So far, the MSFS24 FM is feeling really good. Better than 2020.

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I still don’t have a good experience with helicopters, after all it’s disappointing to land and feel like you’re falling off the ground. At least fixed-wing aircraft are good and have physics in their ground bases like the Pilatus PC12 and Cessna 208.


208 physic

Fixed-wing aircraft like the 208 have this functionality very clearly. If this were present in helicopters the experience would be completely different, that’s a fact.