Howto:Fly a helicopter: Difference between revisions

Since the release of version 0.9.10 some improvements have been made to the helicopter flight model and therefore the CVS version should be used. With these improvements the helicopter flight model of Flightgear should be quite realistic.  The only exceptions are “vortex ring conditions”. These occur if you descend too fast and perpendicularly (without forward speed).  The heli can get into its own rotor downwash causing the lift to be substantially reduced. Recovering from this condition is possible only at higher altitudes. On the Internet you can find a video of a Seaking helicopter, which got into this condition during a flight demonstration and touched down so hard afterwards that it was completely destroyed.

For all Flightgear helicopters the parameters are not completely optimized and thus the performance data between model and original can deviate slightly. On the hardware side I recommend the use of a “good” joystick.  A joystick without springs is recommended because it will not center by itself.  You can have this by modifying (removing the spring) from a normal joystick, or by using a force feedback joystick, with a disconnected voltage supply. Further, the joystick should have a “thrust controller” (throttle). For controlling the tail rotor you should have pedals or at least a twistable joystick, keyboard would be the hard way. (Hint: Flightgear supports more than one joystick attached at the same time.)