Howto:Fly a helicopter: Difference between revisions

'''First:''' in principle everything that applies to real helicopters, applies also to [[FlightGear]]. Fundamental maneuvers are well described on: http://www.cybercom.net/~copters/pilot/maneuvers.html Some details are simplified in FlightGear, in particular the engine handling and some overstresses are not simulated or are without any consequence. In FlightGear it is (up to now) not possible to damage a helicopter in flight.

Since the release of FlightGear 0.9.10, important improvements have been made to the helicopter [[Flight dynamics model|flight model]]. For this reason, version 1.0.0 or later should be used. With these improvements the helicopter flight model of FlightGear should be quite realistic. A notable exception is “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.

The parameters for FlightGear helicopters are not completely optimized and thus the performance between model and original may deviate. On the hardware side I recommend the use of a “good” [[joystick]]. A joystick without centering springs is recommended for cyclic control. You can achieve this with a normal joystick by removing or disabling the centering spring(s), or you could use 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; flying helicopters by keyboard is very difficult. ('''hint:''' Flightgear supports more than one joystick attached at the same time.)