VOTE: Your TOP 10 Favorite Helicopters (& Other Rotorcraft)

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:helicopter: :white_check_mark: :trophy: This is a separate topic to vote for our favourite HELICOPTERS & OTHER ROTORCRAFT! (As suggested by @BragRaindrop933 )

You can list, in order of your favourites, up to 10. I will dynamically update this table with everyone’s votes, as I don’t think there will be enough to warrant a full spreadsheet or PDF approach like in my other topics!

:chart_with_upwards_trend: Current Results

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OLD TABLE (Hidden)

From 8th August 2024 (32 Contributors) before changing to Spreadsheet system

# MODEL DEVELOPER VOTES
1 Boeing CH47D Chinook Miltech Simulations 16
2 Guimbal Cabri G2 Asobo 13
3 Bell 47G FlyInside 11
4 Airbus H160 HPG 11
5 Mini 500 Got Friends 11
6 Lama SA315B Taog’s Hangar 10
7 Bell 206B JetRanger FlyInside 10
8 Airbus H125 Cowan Simulations 10
9 Alouette III Taog’s Hangar 9
10 MD 500E Cowan Simulations 9
11 Robinson R66 Cowan Simulations 8
12 Airbus H145 HPG 8
13 Astro ONE Got Friends 5
14 Bell 407 Asobo 5
15 Bulldog Autogyro Rara-Avis Sims 4
16 Bell 47J iniBuilds / Asobo 4
17 Robinson R44 RSP 4
18 Bell Uh-1H Huey / Bell 205 Taog’s Hangar 4
19 MD 530F Shrike Simulations 3
20 Kamov KA-10 Touching Cloud 3
21 Bell 222B Cowan Simulations 3
22 Robinson R22 Cowan Simulations 3
23 Bell 206B JetRanger Cowan Simulations 2
24 Westland Scout / Wasp iniBuilds / Microsoft 2
25 BYOB-2000 Barrel Heli HCG 1
26 Air Creation Tanarg Deimos Inc. 1
27 Bell 429 jXt 1
28 Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey Miltech Simulations 1
29 Mosquito XE/L HCG 1
30 Mil Mi-17V-5 “Hip” Cera Simulations 1
31 Airbus H135 HPG 1
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Here are mine to kick things off!

1] Bell 206B JetRanger by FlyInside
“The Comanche of whirlybirds” to me. No other helicopter gives the same feeling of being in command of a chopper. Took me a LONG time to get my head around it, but now I feel comfortable enough in it, this is head and shoulders my favourite. Very satisfying and still challenging even after 90 hours “practice”.

2] Bell 47G by FlyInside
Took me a while to start taming this one (she is a hard mistress!) but actually after focussing on getting better in the 206 first, jumping into this after all that time made the 47G feel actually EASIER. I love both of these and very excited for any future products coming from the stables of FlyInside!

3] Bulldog by Rara Avis Sims
I think this fits here
 an autogyro. Well I’m putting it here anyway! I love everything about it from the looks to the unique ability it has.

4] Lama by Taog
Lively and raw, very nice 3D model and it is interesting to fly. Maybe feels a little too light and responsive around the centre of tilt but it’s still a great one to grab a hold of!

BIG GAP TO 5th


5] Airbus H160 by HPG
Not my kind of vehicle really, but the modelling is superb (please implement a Low LOD for multiplayer, and fix the rotors so they are spinning on other players helis!) and when I just want a more relaxed flight or need to travel faster, this is a good choice. Still satisfying to hand fly (with stability still on though!) but it’s not really involving me to the same degree as the ones above. The H145 is fun once in a while as I enjoy firing up the generated missions system and being told where to fly. Not really that into the handling on this one either but the missions are a fun distraction and I look forward to the same system making it’s way to the H160.

6] CH47D Chinook by Miltech Simulations
Not convinced by the flight model at the extremes of the envelope but feels good un normal operations. Looking forward to the next update after SU15 to bring native twin rotor to it and how that will change things. Main thing to make it valid for my list is that it is DIFFERENT to anything else we have and the tablet with the missions and spawn-able pickups is a nice thing to mess around with.

7] Mini 500 by Got Friends
Fun and easy to fly, and a nice simple and SMALL helicopter that feels very nice to fly.

8] Astro ONE (drone) by Got Friends
I think this counts as rotorcraft, right? It is an absolute blast in the right circumstances, racing and so on. Also pretty handy for sightseeing as you have such an unobstructed view all around and it is naturally stable. Again it’s here because it is DIFFERENT and made with love and attention to detail! There is nothing else like it in the Sim (yet lol).

9] Guimbal Cabri G2 by Asobo
Yep it’s not the most dynamic of flight models etc etc, but the quality is still very nice and the spatial audio I would say is the best (of ANY aircraft, except maybe the Vulcan). I hold it dear as it is the first chopper I used with proper controls (i.e. pedals, no assists) in any sim, and has opened the door to my total enjoyment of all the above!

10] BYOB-2000 Barrel Heli by HCG
The “Scrapyard Monster” of rotorcraft lol. A crazy contraption and well worth a FREE download to give it a spin!

Sorry to Cowan, but they don’t make the cut for me any more! :slight_smile:

5 Likes
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  1. Hype Performance H160 (no competition)
  2. Miltech Chinook (don’t own it yet but can see how good it is).
  3. Air Creation Tanarg 912 (if allowed)
  4. Guimbal Cabri G2 (the one that comes with the sim)

That’s it, nothing else needed, no need getting all misty eyed and spending any more time on spinny things that go up and down, move on!!!

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I’m not so sure about that! :slight_smile:
You will see
.

Not sure about the Tenarg. Is that the hang glider with an engine?

5

You’ve got the right one. “Rotorcraft”?

6

Interesting thoughts and observations I’ll need to think it over as I’ve not been using all of them for that long. Interesting point about Cowansim too.

Ps. I’d add a ‘helicopter’ tag too as I think some people follow that tag.

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  1. Alouette III (Taog)
  2. Bell 47G (FlyInside)
  3. H160 (HYPE)
  4. CH47 (MilTech)
  5. Astro (Got Friends)
  6. Bulldog Autogyro (Rara-Avis Sims)
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OK here’s my current list based on usage more than anything-

Background
I’ve only been flying helis more frequently for a couple of months or so, and I don’t use pedals for anti torque so use a z-axis twist instead which isn’t ideal and can be detrimental to some aspects of fine control close to hover.
Most helis are liveliest on or approaching a hover whether it be on take off or landing, especially in wind. From what I’ve found is all helicopters can fly quite well (like an fixed wing aircraft) with enough forward airspeed (say above 30-40kts). Hover control is of course just down to getting enough practice, especially in wind.
I don’t have the FlyInside helis so really can’t comment on them. They seem like a steep learning curve though, especially with my controller setup. I don’t have the H160 either and I’m not sure why I need one? Lol! :laughing:

My Top 10 (by usage level)

  1. HPG H145 (EASE OF CONTROL, OPTION TO ADD ACTION PACK FEATURES)
    I bought into the H145 early on so have owned this one since it’s beginnings, it was the first on the scene in MSFS as payware. It has great high tech automation systems that show how steady a helicopter can be with some AP stabilisation. This can however make it a bit tame too as it is quite easy to control because of this. When you accompany it with the optional action pack (which I only recently picked up, which adds HEMS, Offshore & Firefighter variants it really comes alive) it makes this a top product. Also if you haven’t tried the “random and everywhere” freeware mod for the 145 yet it takes the HEMS ops to a new level. It’s very enjoyable adding a gaming element into flying helis. It is also still receiving ongoing updates.

  2. SHRIKE 530 Blackbird/MilViz (EASE OF CONTROL, GOOD FEEL, VERY RESPONSIVE & FAST, SOUND COULD BE BETTER)
    A really nice product for an entry level price. It’s very stable & easy to fly and can be used for sightseeing/exploring. Nicely controllable, but not too basic. Marketplace version has a startup/hot starting bug/issue which you often have to use a workaround for. Non MP version not as prone to this for some reason. I still find myself reaching for the Shrike 530 to go explore as I can predict how it will perform. Useful if you are in unfamiliar terrain. Sound set could definitely be improved, but the heli is nicely priced.

  3. CH47D Chinook Miltech (EASE OF CONTROL, UNIQUE TWIN ROTOR, HISTORICAL, FAST, HEAVY, COMES WITH LOADING CHALLENGES & MISSIONS)
    A new release, but fantastic already and getting even better with each update. The only two rotor heli in the sim and SU15 brings support for 2 rotor craft, and this heli will be the first to support that new model/feature. It is really nicely done, and is very stable to fly. There is no anti-torque required, so the ‘anti torque’/rudder is more like a rudder and is used to change course unlike on single rotor helis. Beginners should be comfortable in this heli, it is that easy (and enjoyable) to fly. Also offers transporting of loads either from EFB loading or via hooks picking up off ground as training (need good hover skills especially in wind). The added missions and airfields are an added bonus. I find it a stable heli, but also find it hard to hover stationary enough over the cargo (I need more practice!). The AFCS system is due for release after SU15 so having some autopilot features (NAV, ALT HOLD etc) will also add to this wonderful heli. Even if you are not into military aircraft it’s a worthwhile pickup because of it’s uniqueness


  4. SA315B Lama Toag’s Hanger (BEAUTIFUL MODEL, LOOKS & FEELS REAL, FAST)
    Beautifully modelled older helicopter. Tricky to control during take off / landing / hover, especially minus foot pedals. A joy to fly otherwise solid in forward flight, great looking and handles really well. There is a lot of energy to control in this heli with it’s light looking frame. It climbs fast and accelerates well but requires a lot of small inputs to control when close to a hover.

  5. R66 Cowansim (VERY STABLE, EASY TO FLY, NICE MODEL)
    Great first time/entry level type helicopter nice and really stable flying experience, but you can still get a lot out of this recent release. Good rotor animations, runs very smoothly on my system. One of the better/more enjoyable Cowansim helis and a fairly recent release.

  6. 500E Cowansim (GOOD FEEL, RESPONSIVE & FAST, BUT ROTOR ANIMATION POOR)
    Very similar to 530 in size and style, but a little harder to control during take off/landing. Doesn’t like too much collective being added at once (which can make it very unstable). Responsive and fast. Another great sight seeing heli. Now with integrated GTN750/GNS options. To me the weakest point is the rotor animation which is poor. It’s like a very slow rotating rotor with not enough motion blur, and the associated slow moving shadows for the rotor in bright sunlight amplify this and become very distracting to me (like a slow strobe). I’d probably fly it more if it were not for this issue.

  7. Bell 429 (Freeware) (BEAUTIFUL MODEL, FLIES WELL)
    A great freeware heli. Still quite a few INOP things, but there seems to have been a lot of work put into this heli. Including nicely modelled interiors, working doors, and as is seen on the payware Cowansim helis payload options via the weight and balance toolbar. It has modern avionics displays too (but no AP). Much like the Lama, it can climb fast & accelerate well, but requires a lot of input to control this all when close to hover. Super nice for freeware though.

  8. H125 Cowansim (VERY STABLE, DOES WHAT YOU WANT IT TO)
    A bit boring now I’m more used to the other helicopters, but if you want a heli that doesn’t feel too lively to start out with then you can’t go wrong with the H125. It is very stable on take off and landing. Has similar but not as bad bad rotor animations as the 500E but they are way less visible so less distracting.

  9. Cabri G2 Asobo (NOT BAD FOR A DEFAULT HELI)
    Not too bad for a base sim release. could do with better sounds I feel, as it seems very quiet. Handles quite well though.

  10. Too many candidates and most of them I don’t fly too much. eg. 206, 407, 222, R44

4 Likes
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I love flying helicopters in MSFS, especially with photogrammetry or other detailed scenery. We have come a long way in the last few years, with some devs even creating helicopter flight models before they were officially supported by Asobo. I am in the lucky position to have a some good hardware controls (tall center-mounted Virpil stick, Virpil collective with counterbalance spring and TPR pedals) and head tracking, which helps a lot to enjoy helicopter flying.

My list is ordered by perceived quality (flight model, immersion, graphics, systems). The few developers in this field all have their signature strengths and weaknesses, which seem to apply in a similar way to all their models.

  1. FlyInside Bell 206
    The classic turbine helicopter. The head of FI owns this machine in real life, and it shows. The flight model is challenging but predictable, VRS (sinking into your own turbulence) and RBS (going too fast) are simulated, and the helicopter communicates what is going on by vibrations and sounds. Still in active development, with a float version hopefully coming very soon. Good support on Discord. If I could only fly one helicopter, this would be it.

  2. FlyInside Bell 47G
    All the positive aspects of the 206 apply to the 47 as well. Wonderful sounds from that piston engine! Only downside is the (lack of) speed, but that is true to life.

  3. HPG Airbus H160
    What a beautiful machine! You could say that it is the H145 code in a new shell. But look at it! That cockpit! That exterior!

  4. HPG Airbug H145
    I probably have the most hours in the H145. Started with the first early access build, and enjoyed every single update. Learned the systems and controls step by step. Configured my controls to match the real ones as close as possible. HPG’s dedication to this project is unparalleled. Main developer Dave does not care about sim limitations, coding everything manually that is missing. But he also switched over to the Asobo flight model when that one came out and proved more fluid than the HPG custom model. And the HPG Discord channel is great as well.

  5. Taog’s Hangar Lama
    Taog is the underdog in this list. A single dev (as far as I know) who creates beautiful vintage helicopters with a lot of character. He is a master at configuring the Asobo flight model, making the small and light Lama feel alive. The clever use of vibration adds a lot to the immersion. Another very nice Discord channel, and I cannot wait for his new Bell 205!

  6. Taog’s Hangar Alouette III
    Taog’s first helicopter is every bit as good as the Lama. Perfect to fly along the French coast. Marseille is a great spot!

  7. Miltech CH-47D Chinook
    Another dev team that does not accept sim limitations. The big Chinook is very easy to fly compared to its smaller siblings. Picking up external loads is fun. Looking forward to the already prepared SU15 update with native twin-rotor physics and auto pilot!

  8. Cowansim Robinson R66
    The Carenado of helicopters. Beautiful models and textures, shallow systems depth, and no extras beyond what is natively supported in the sim. The R66 is fun to fly anyway, and GTN750 support (both PMS and TDS) is a plus.

  9. Cowansim Airbus H125
    I am currently reading Fred North’s autobiography “Flying Sideways”. He writes that the Bell 206 flies like a family sedan compared to the race-car like H125. Well in the sim it is the other way round, compared to the FI 206. The H125 is quite tame, easy to fly but not too nimble. It looks nice, supports the GTN750s, and has little systems depth. But it seems to be the best selling helicopter in the official Marketplace. Not really sure why. Did I mention that the dev hardly ever communicates, besides some comments on Facebook?

  10. RSP/Airland Robinson R44
    A nice freeware helicopter with a believable flight model. Too bad that development seems to be stopped, this one had lots of potential.

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You can change the realism modes and the STABILITY within each to suit your needs. It is very flexible in that regard and so it would be more suitable for twist grip. You can bump it up when you get more confident (or new controls lol). I think you would still benefit from and notice the amazing handling even so!

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Yup, same here 100% :smiley:
This, Comanche and Wilga is all I need!

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I made a list with the idea of ​​which five helicopters would be good to own to get experience with slightly different helicopters. The content of my hangar is not comprehensive, but these are a selection from it.

  1. HPG 145 - I don’t fly this one so often anymore but this turned me into a rotorhead. The copter is very well modeled and development is still ongoing. The missions are excellent add-on and maybe it was inspiration even for the future MSFS 2024. Every rotorhead needs to own this one!

  2. Miltech CH47D - The copter was worth the long wait and is still developing. The best thing was that it is clearly different from other helicopters because of the tandem rotor and its size. A new approach to missions is also great. And it’s getting even better


  3. Cowansin R66 - The best Cowansim copter in terms of behavior. I hated this at first because of the ugly Robinson design, but now it fits the eye well. The main disadvantage is the slow cruising speed.

  4. Cowansim H125 - A high-performance general-purpose copter that was in heavy use before the R66 came out. My dream is that HPG would make their own version of this


  5. Asobo Cabri - For some reason I didn’t use this at first, but I think this is the best small copter around. Easy to manage and therefore a good starting point for helicopter flying.

2 Likes
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Not really a helicopter person but

  1. Cowan airbus 125 I love how simple it is

  2. V22 Osprey I keep flying it (not the fs scenery one because i got the one with a carrier pack)

  3. Miltech chinook I was waiting for a good chinook to come out

  4. Mosquito XL mod on flightsim.to I do find it fun to go into small ultralights every once in a while

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The floats version has been released today :smiley:

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  1. H125,B206,B222,R66 Cowan
  2. Taog Allouette
    3 CH47D
    4 RSP R44
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9 Cowan MD500
    10 H160 you dont fly this you operate it but its ok
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Do you guys use either of the helicopter assists to fly? And if not, are you using extra hardware? With those assists off I find helicopters virtually impossible to fly (using rudders and HOTAS).

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OK. I like to think of myself as a bit of a rotorhead (In fact I have more time on the controls of a real helicopter than I do a conventional aircraft or glider – all 20 mins :slightly_smiling_face:) but actually I have yet to buy a helicopter in FS20. ArmA also made me like helicopters but the flight model is nothing to write home about.

  1. Bell 407 Asobo – Not sure why this is not getting more love. May be it gets overlooked by people preferring the 206. It feels like flying a helicopter without actually being that hard to fly. It has IMHO come a long way from when I first flew it.

  2. Gabri G2 Asobo. Started of being my favourite rotorcraft but has not given way to the 407 as I find it a bit twitchy.

I am NOT allowed to add rotorcraft I have not purchased or flown but these are on my to-bye list:

CH-47D Miltech. I will be getting the Chinook for historical reasons (You can get one in ArmA you know :roll_eyes:), you can get British livery, they fly over my house every now and then and it seems to have been well received.

HPG H145 - For some time I thought my first rotorcraft would be the HPG H145 but was not sure how well it was being maintained but the comments hear have convinced me it has to be on the list.

Looking at the love given to the 500E I may will get that as its like the Hummingbird from ArmA (My most flown rotorcraft :yawning_face:).

sPK

Edited after @Baracus250 s reply

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No assists. I have Logitech pedals, Sidewinder FFB2 stick (with the spring turned way down) and Warthog throttle for collective. I’d love to get a real collective soon. It’s probably the next bit of hardware I’m gonna get but the Warthog is pretty good as it has a nice smooth operation and quite a long range so it’s fairly precise. I have it reversed so pushing away is like “down” on collective.

Just comes down to practice. Took me a good 50 hours in the Cabri to get my brain wired up between the 3 control inputs you need to synchronise together constantly. Very satisfying when it clicks but the learning and improving never ends. It’s why I love helicopters!

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Weeeellll, not sure really. It’s supposed to be your favourites here. You might hate them when you try!? :slight_smile:

As for the Asobo 407
 frankly it’s >this< close to awful IMO. And yes I’ve tried the updated latest one. It’s better than it was at launch (a bit) but seriously do yourself a favour and start at the top with the FlyInside Bell 206 mate!! :slight_smile:

It’s in a league of its own IMHO :wink:

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Ah ok. Thanks. I guess it’s just many hours of practice then. Probably helps if you’ve got good rudder pedals too - mine are pretty crap. I will probably leave choppers to you guys. I’m not really interested in them tbqh, so throwing tens of hours of practice on them doesn’t really tickle my fancy lol.

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  1. FlyInside Bell 206 Jet Ranger all day long. In my opinion, it’s about the best there is. I love the way it flies, it’s a great model visually, i’ve logged many happy hours in that chopper.
  2. Kamov KA-10 from Touching Cloud. Twin, coaxial, rotor, floats, super fun for getting a closer look at terrain, or taking a dip in any body of water. Also fun as a toboggan if you’re in a snowy area.
  3. Rara-Avis Bulldog autogyro. A totally awesome and unique rotorcraft experience.
  4. FlyInside Bell 47. Challenging and fun and you can pretend you’re in MASH.
  5. Taog’s Alouette. Cool, unique chopper, fun to fly, and also options for float or regular landing gear.
  6. Taog’s Lama. More cool uniqueness, really fun to fly, love the look of that engine, which includes an option to run it covered or uncovered.
  7. Got Friends Mini 500, Because no top 10 list is complete without an item from GotFriends. This little chopper is a solid choice for all sorts of simulator malfeasance.
  8. Got friends Astro, because who doesn’t love zooming around in a human sized drone. Bonus for the beautiful emissive textures and also the courses available for this vehicle. My favorite flight with it is Paris at dawn. Just stunning.
3 Likes