Never flown helicopters in DCS or MSFS. 1000+ hours in MSFS in fixed wing and just never had the urge. Picked up AH-64 in DCS and let’s just say I used up my 9 lives within 30 seconds of getting airborne.
Finally started easy and got the Blackshark in DCS and said, wow, I can do this (granted an easier module to learn).
Went back to MSFS and picked up the HPG H160, Wow she is so fun. I gravitate to planes that have good views (why I love the Wilga) but helicopters are a new level! I’m just loving cruising above 200 feet and taking in the beauty of the world. In just a few days have flew around Seattle, Vancouver, Vatican City, London and Boston. Can’t wait to do more sightseeing.
The HPG H160 is easy on the eyes and pretty easy to fly and control. Doesn’t feel as “authentic” as the DCS helicopters, but fun nonetheless.
Now, of course, I’m looking at collectives to supplement my pretty good fixed wing aircraft hardware at home.
Any tips, suggestions, etc., on hardware, payware or freeware welcome. I feel like I have a new addiction, and it is rotors!
lol literally an insane coincidence, I came here to say the same exact thing. I wanted to try something new so I said f it let’s learn helis. I do a lot of bush flying and I like learning new things.
My only flight controls are the full V1 yoke/quad/rudders I’d been wanting a stick for stick planes anyway and obviously yokes and helis do not mix, plus I just saw my bi yearly bonus coming at the end of July was better than I was expecting, so I went to Best Buy yesterday and got the Thrustmaster T flight HOTAS, figured I’d start with a basic stick.
Figured out the basics in the included two to make sure I liked it and then got the Cowan R22 on the sale because hey, I’m learning, it’s the classic trainer, I like pistons, and the Cowan seemed like solid model and R22 seemed good for bush fun. Plus I just randomly had a bar chat with a rancher that uses an R22 to herd cattle(I live in central Oregon) and that’s pretty cool.
Man I’m having a ball. It’s just a new, fun, different thing.
ASFAS setup, I wouldn’t say the stick I got is necessarily the move. It has a detent in the middle of the throttle which isn’t ideal for the collective. However, the most convenient thing to do at the desk I use to move the yoke out of the way for the stick is to just loosen it and scoot it over to the left and retighten it there, happy coincidence is I can just use the Velocity1 quadrant so I just mapped the rightmost stick to the collective, plus use the buttons for other stuff.
Right now the newly released Huey by Taog (available on Flightsim.to) is the best overall helo available in my opinion, as a long time helo fanatic and someone who has limited helo experience in the real world.
Taog’s other helos are good too.
HPG’s helos are cutting edge in terms of avionics, and in my opinion fly too differently to be enjoyable to me due to all of the (accurate) stability assists, but the addons are super accurate and look great.
True on all accounts! The Huey is the most enjoyable helicopter in the sim so far. Visuals, sound and flight behaviour are top notch.
As for HPG: I stopped flying the 145 for that very reason. It just doesn’t feel good with all the Airbus assistance systems and flying it with the systems disengaged is probably not very realistic. I never tried the 160.
Amazing that this topic popped up! I watched a live stream of someone flying the Cowan R66 over London and I thought I really need to learn how to fly helicopters and I want to start flying over major cities (that have received the update attention, especially).
So watched some review videos of the R66 and flew the Guimbal and did pretty well. So now with all the Cowans on sale, I’m in the market!
I’d be perfectly happen with slow-er helicopters, so I’m looking at the R22, R66 and the new Wasp. Any recommendations? I am definitely learning towards the R66 because I do want some speed and it’s a 4-seater with some nice avionics/extras.
I would not bother with collective, unless you are fine with swapping hardware every time you switch from a fixed wing plane to a helicopter and vice versa.
IMO the more important are good pedals and a joystick extension. My MFG pedals have removable spring, so they stay in position without me using any force.
A joystick extension adds a lot to cyclic precision and you need it in helicopters more than in planes.
I don’t quite understand that. I have an Alpha yoke, a Bravo TQ, a joystick, and a chair-mount collective. The collective isn’t in my way when I fly a fixed wing plane, although I do have to swap out my joystick and Alpha when I want to switch between helicopter/fighter and a GA plane that uses a yoke. Both have quick-release mounts, each with a single cable connecting it to the computer.
But the collective stays mounted and connected, and the controls are only active when I fly helicopters. SPAD makes that last part easy. And FS2024 promises control profiles on a per aircraft basis - so there’s that for those that don’t want to dive down the SPAD / A&O / MobiFlight rabbit hole.
Exactly the same. Not massively into helicopters but head turned by the Wasp/ Scout coming out.
Head further turned by seeing the Cowans all in the sale at the same price.
What’s the consensus now the Wasp/ Scoit is out?
Baracus list has the R66 & MD500 as the top Cowan picks but not been updated for a while (not counting the H125 as it’s a bit more modern and I already have the H160).
Depends on the setup. I used to have HOTAS mounted to my chair. I considered buying a collective but having to unbolt my throttle and swap it with collective was enough to change my mind.
But the main point is that a collective is unnecessary. It improves immersion and nothing else. Throttles are perfectly fine to control rotor blades pitch and throttle is rarely used during flight.
I’ve been having a lot of fun learning in the r22.
It is quite slow but it’s fun to hop around in. Definitely a lot to learn coming from a lot of fixed wing, there’s stuff that’s similar but a lot that’s different, kind of have to remap your brain a bit.
Oooh, sorry for the double post, but anyone know if they’re taking user suggestions anywhere for the activities in 2024? As I mentioned in a previous comment I had a random bar chat with a rancher that uses an r22 to herd cattle on a huge eastern Oregon ranch, and I know that’s a very common thing in Australia. That would make a fun activity for 2024.
I was never very interested in fixed wing, no real desire to fly one IRL. But I always wanted to get my rotary pilot licence. I did have a lesson in a real one long ago, but couldn’t continue with it. I’m pretty much resigned to it being a life goal that I won’t achieve now. But who knows, maybe I’ll eventually have a VR headset, a 6 DOF motion rig, and photorealistic scenery in MSFS 2028 with force feedback controls. Then maybe I’ll get the next best helicopter feeling!
The main thing to enjoy helis is good controls IMO. Probably the next thing is VR but I’ve not tried that. Good controls is sufficient with a wide enough flat screen, just about.
A good throttle is fine as a collective, I think the only time you need a collective is if the heli doesn’t have a governor, then you need the precision of the twist grip to balance it all out. The real one I flew didn’t have a governor, it was a huge challenge, but I’ve yet to find one in MSFS without.
I’ve only just picked up the Cowan R22 but like it a lot already. I have the Cowan MD500 and that’s good too.
My favourite is the HPG 145 with the action pack. The missions are so much fun, it has the winch and much more, and the systems depth is excellent. The latest beta version has reworked controls and is really good. The H160 looks good but I think it’s just not as useful as the 145 and is possibly a bit boring to just fly around.
Markus Sinerva of FinnHEMS has a bunch of great YouTube videos in the real H145 and the HPG. He rated the HPG as very accurate, but when asked about the flight model said he didn’t really know because it’s flown using the autopilot modes IRL anyway.
If they get the helis sorted a bit better in 2024, apparently based on some of the missions I expect they’re taking more of a plunge into it- I’d definitely get one of those Virpil Collective setups with a chair bracket. I imagine it wouldn’t get in the way of anything. A bit more universal for more than a few configurations too. If you have any decent flight stick and pedals seems like the easiest way to add a ‘heli setup’.
I don’t know if they will include cattle mustering in 2024. Could be interesting…but dangerous. That’s a lot of operating time in the no zone of the power-velocity curve. Then again, so is pretty much any utility work with helicopters.
I know the PFT Puma control set seems expensive, but it all depends on your budget and goals. I’ve been using one for almost 9 years now. For what I have gotten out of it for the price has been worth it. It’s not compatible with Xbox though.
It’s nice having a 1:1 throw. I never have to worry about sensitivity settings or curves. All of the nuances of helicopter flying and muscle memory seem to convey well through the controller with most default and addon helicopters. Worst case scenario for setup, you can just use it with a folding chair.
Stay clear of the Mscenery products, and I don’t have any experience with the Beekay or Heaven Designs & Giba to know if they are any good. All of the other helicopters in the markeplace are pretty good though. Taog’s Hangar’s Huey on the fs.to store is top of my list right now.
