That’s why we need FFB cyclics, and for trimming too.
Do any other heli flyers subconsciously lean with the helicopter when flying? I certainly don’t do it deliberately but I keep finding myself tilted over in my office chair! Maybe it’s not an issue with VR.
hahah, sounds like you have found a cheap alternative to a motion rig. Good job!
When in turns my head is usually cocked over, subconsciously trying to lean into that turn! My wife walks by sometimes and is like “that can’t be good on your neck / oh so that’s why your neck hurts”
But yes, I am always contorting my neck/head. Would be funny to see what it looked like in tobi eye tracker. Can’t wait to make the jump to PC and have the holy trinity, PC, VR, and an actual collective!
Easy way to resolve the head tilting.
I do the same thing with my Tobii 5. I only notice it if I have recorded some footage, and I’m left wondering what I was looking at.
I honestly don’t know but probably do.
I know I grip the controls too hard during a tricky landing and have to remind myself to ease off and breathe again.
Exactly. The sense of movement is so good in VR with 1:1 controls it tricks your mind into thinking you’re moving. I can’t wait to try a motion element with it someday. This is truly the future of training. Add hand trackers and 1:1 panels & consoles with switches…
My home setup now is more realistic than the FlyIt certified sim I logged actual time in towards my license.
Nice one - I would be extremely surprised if you did not like it! Be sure to post back once you have it and have spent a few hours using it.
I also took the plunge. Ordered Plus base and Hawk grip on the 27th. And the chair mount. Rather excited!!
EDIT: I’ll make do with my SideWinder FFB2 stick in my right hand until I see how the Moza one stacks up with regards to software. Don’t have a way of fitting a proper cyclic in my rig. The FFB2 is fine really. I guess I also have GAS?!
I’d really love to get my PPL someday. The heli lessons near me cost $500 an hour. That’s be almost $30,000 just for the PPL and over $75k for the CFI. I’m getting older and I don’t see this being feasible anymore. Also, not sure if I could start a second life as a utility pilot with that debt and make a decent living, shoot I’m already broke!
I’ve worked in photography for the last 15 years and the studio I worked with just sold. So I’m already looking for something new. This has made saving for a pc and all the accoutrements difficult. I’ve always had a champagne taste on a beer budget. I’m a gear head and like to have the best when it comes to cameras, hardware, all things fun. In photography we have a term for this. I have G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome.) Those with GAS also have to remind ourselves that the best camera, simulator, setup is the one currently in your hand. I’ll get there someday. I won’t tell anyone I won the lottery but there will be signs. Until then, “MOM I’m going to Belatu42s house to play!”
Snap! See my edit on post above
One thing I’ve noticed is you see some of the failings with a dated computer with low flight helicopter runs. My computer about 5 years old and running 2080 ti graphics card, which has held up very well to date and I’ve not had any visual complaints with MSFS on medium and high settings.
But now that I’m hitting graphic intensive areas at low level, I’m really noticing the polygons.
Was gonna wait for the 5080 or 5090 to drop with MSFS 2024 around the corner, but been really thinking of just pulling the trigger now on a new rig. 4090 prices are dropping so we’ll see, but definitely have put more thought in updating my rig now that I’m flying rotors.
There is no specific neutral position for the cyclic as such, changes in load (weight) and weather etc. will influence the position of the controls when you pick up into a controlled hover.
As already described you should be looking outside (middle distance) and primarily be using your view to detect movement and then correct wit control inputs.
The correct/best way to pick-up into a controlled hover is to raise the collective very slowly and counteract yaw with the anti-torque pedals and roll & pitch with the cyclic. While you are still mastering helicopters set the sim weather to clear to eliminate the impact of wind.
In more detail…
- From the pilot seat, look out in front of the helicopter to middle distance as a focal point so you use your peripheral vision to detect movement.
- Raise the collective very slowly until the helicopter just starts to yaw, pitch or roll (or a combination of these). Then stop raising the collective.
- Counteract the movement with the pedals (for yaw) and cyclic (roll/pitch).
- With the movement cancelled-out, continue to raise the collective and repeat points 2, 3 & 4 until you leave the ground.
If you take your time and practise this you will gradually find…
- You instinctively start counteracting movement as you raise the collective.
- Find that you automagically counteract yaw, roll, pitch movements simultaneously.
- Build up muscle memory and start to find you naturally move the controls to base/neutral position so corrections are smaller. This also helps build muscle memory for makes precise control movements.
- That you will gradually find you are completing the process without needed to stop moving the collective.
- Will find it very satisfying when you are able to pick-up into a controlled hover - even if it’s not perfect you will find it much easier to keep on top of the situation.
Yay!
Before I got my Virpil gear I was using a Warthog throttle and an old Logitech G940 FFB stick. The stick was not the best quality, but because it was FFB I did not have a spring to contend with, so despite it’s limitations it was pretty good for helicopters. Methinks you will enjoy.
My PC is also lacking a bit performance wise for VR + helicopters + detailed/urban areas. Also running a 2080Ti so feel your pain - it works, it is ‘ok’ out in the countryside, but you feel it around cities etc. Similar boat to you I have been waiting for the next gen GFX cards to appear and possible CPU’s before I opt for another major upgrade.
Just need to win the lottery so I can buy whatever and not be bothered or change again if it was a bad choice! lol
I hear you…I think I paid $325/hr w/instructor for the R22, $550/hr in the R44 when I was working on my private. Helicopters aren’t cheep. Simming isn’t either for that matter. It’s come a long way from where it was when I started though.
Speaking of Robinsons, I got the R22 and R66 last night. I think I am in love with both, but the R22 has a LOT of character in the hand.
All good points indeed!
I do the actions you stated and it works well with most of my helicopters. The FlyInside 206 is a different beast and a lot trickier .
I am getting better at anticipating and using tiny adjustments.
I would love to spend more time practicing but life sometimes has other plans.
Ah yes that too. My concious brain has to remind me to relax my grip often. A relaxed grip gives you more control than a firm grip.
Not down under they haven’t! The prices have been remarkably stubborn over the last year which is annoying because I’d like to upgrade. Maybe the USD price drops just as the Aussie dollar falls in value to compensate.
Discovering Helicopters can be the best (and the worst) thing in flying … So much more of a challenge to fly, especially when you’re starting out. The Cowansim R22 is by far the most realistic and closest to IRL heli I have seen in 40 years of both SIM and real flying. Sure, it’s almost impossible when you start out, but this makes you a better pilot and every other heli after the R22 a breeze to fly. The trick is to learn about and understand ‘secondary effects on controls’ to master helicopters … once you realise you can’t move ANY of the controls without a resultant effect on ALL the other controls … then you start to fly intuitively and both hands and feet start to work together. VR (IMO) is essential to allow better immersion, as the most important factor is missing - flying by the seat of your pants ! To truely master helis, you need to ‘feel’ what’s happening with the aircraft, and you do this IRL, through your seat. I just hope that helicopter development for FS2024 continues as well as it has with FS2020.