If you want a DCS helicopter that feels precise enough to thread a needle then you must try flying the Mi-24 Hind with all 3 dampers disabled. It is incredibly rewarding and flies _exactly_ the way that your brain expects a chopper should.
I’ll have to try that! I thought PS 4’s “Air Mission: Hind” was good. I was hoping they would do an “Apache” game again, but since I got a computer capable of running DCS, I haven’t even thought about the PlayStation! Thanks for the tip!
I have been starting with DCS in July/Aug this year only to fly the Apache (and sometimes the Huey). At the beginning I even was not able to start the Apache without crashing it. Meanwhile I flew over 300 hours in the Apache and I am able to fly it completely smooth. Starting, hovering, flying NOE (below 30 ft) at high speed, attacking, evading, landing smooth. There were 3 major components that made this change: 1. I purchased a Thrustmaster Warthog stick with the attachments at my desk -> gamechanging 2. I adjusted the settings like shown here 3. The most important: Training, training, training It definitely takes time learning to fly helicopters and get good in it. The helicopter does not fly by itself. As a pilot you have a lot to do to keep it stable and this needs time to train your brain muscle.
There's another thing to keep in mind: The instant trim and no trim options actually don't allow the stick to move as fast (the in-game stick's maximum movement rate is much slower) as the central position trimmer mode currently. This is probably a bug, but it makes the central trim mode feel more responsive, especially to quick movements. The difference is big enough that it affects hover feel.
Thanks for the great info and video! I was ready to give up and go back and play “Air Mission: Hind” again but you make it easy to get under control and start flying and not “sweating “ it. I wish I knew about the “Y” saturation trim when I was flying rc helicopters, always worried about the “curve.” Thanks again.
I like how Mi-8 handles, I am really good at it and I have extension too. Apache is not fun to fly at all, Mi-24 is not good too, Ka-50 is good but Mi-8 is perfect. I use instant trim and got used to it. I don't like how ED made handling for the Apache and Mi24. It feels wrong, can't manoeuvre precisely like Mi-8.
I would say those you mentioned are challenging. But If you are good in the Mi-8 you already mastered another realy difficult helicopter. I just say VRS. The challenge with Mi-24 and Apache is just different. Practice makes perfect XD
@@nazradu You're probably right because I have few years of Mi-8 experience. I assume experience could be 80% and characteristics of a module could be 20%.
Hey nazradu, this one is really helpfull I think and I will for sure give it a try cause I'm still struggeling with the controls of the Apache. After starting my own content creation project on RU-vid a few weeks ago this could be the key for me to do some helo stuff. Greetings Milan
It's not a good idea to do it with the pedals cause you loose virtual throw with that method and there are a lot situations where you want 100 % pedal throw. If you lower the y-saturation to e.g. 50 %, that means that 100 % of your physical input translates to 50 % ingame output.
Well okay, seems like the pedals are not that problem for me. 65 on the cyclic without extension works for me. Thanks again, now I can plan an Apache video 😉
I'm gunna try the flat curve, I bought the apache a few days ago and I somewhat understand flying around but I cannot hover at all. My first attempt at learning the cold start resulted somehow in me crashing like 5 times just trying to turn on the heli >.< then after I worked out what I was doing wrong I was then struggling with taxi'ing which I realised was because I forgot to turn off the park brake >.< hopefully after I master hovering ill be a good pilot for my copilot, we bought this module together so its an interesting learning experience
Hey Ashley I got a few helicopter learning videos on the channel and also a training map linked to some of them. Also for the Apache, you might check them out. You might want to start here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-euwiHgHPp_E.htmlsi=ZFUBoB6R8VGIOW1h
Each axis has an y and a x axis on the curvature profile page. I am lazy so I copy paste a very good explanation from ED forum: Basically the axis tune options transforms joystick values into in-game values. Saturation Y will limit the maximum value that can be reached in-game. Saturation X will reduce the joystick value requred to reach maximum in-game value. ex: Y 70% means that in-game value will range -70% to 70% X 45% means that maximum in-game value will be reached at 45% of joystick travel. in-game-value = MAX(Curve(joystick-value/saturation-X) * saturation-Y, saturation-Y) Curve(value) transforms the value with constraint that Curve(-1)=-1 and Curve(1)=1
Thank you. Very informative. So far, your video is the only one I’ve found that shows me how to ‘Power Up’ my FCR (though, I’ll not pretend to understand all the steps you show). Just leaves me to figure how to arm my hellfire L missiles? Cheers 🫡
I would suggest at least a 20cm extension. Most fighter extensions are around 8 inches also, like the Warthog, F-18, and the F-15. The F-18 is 8 inches on the roll and 12 inches on the pitch. From the floor to the the top of the F-18 stick is around 24.70 inches/62.75 cm. I set mine at 24.75 inches, but my seat is only 13 inches / 33cm high.
At some point I was tempted to order an goose neck extension on Ebay. That thing is placed on the floor, but then you also have to mod the Warthog spring and all that.
@@nazradu You have to have a stronger spring even with the 20cm extension. The one you are talking about is a 40cm extension and my friend bought it. I had a 40cm spring I sent him. The 20cm is actually perfect. Only way it could be more perfect is with the brunner force feedback base.
I can fly the A10, the F16/F18 and the Blackshark. But for some reason with the Apache as soon as I give it some power it just goes round and round in circles till it flips over. Yes I have rudder pedals it just ignores them and yes they are set up properly. Not a happy chappy
Hey Alex. Sorry to hear that the aircraft gives you frustration. The only advice I can give you aside from whats given in the video is to really go slow on the collective. Just add power in tiny bits, wait for the chopper to react and counter, again with tiny inputs. @CasmoTV has made a very good video on how to feed in the power step by step and get the stick and pedals accordingly right. You can also ask for a co-pilot/instructor for example on the Rotorheads Discord. You may also want to double check, that all your axes are bound just once, so you don't have inputs from another device. Take it slow and practice and you will see progress. And when you are frustrated again, give it a break and throw some JDAMs on a parked Apache with your F-16 ;)
@@nazradu Yep, ED simulates the development proces of an aircraft as well as flight model and systems ;) Gotta say that first two decades were easy for me as I picked up DCS with VR. There are plenty 'to do's' for me in this game.
Thanks for the vid Nazradu I am having some troubles with the Hind and also with the F16 because my stick it's very sensitive and I think I will give this s try Never understood much the saturation settings but you explained it great Also, I wish ED bring some of those special options for the Hind. It seems they left it taking a bit of dust to focus on the Apache What pedals do you use and what's your setting on them? (physical ones I mean)
What kind of Hind options? There are already different cyclic and pedal trimmer modes. Able to select pedal trim off. MicroSwitch option. AI handover. IFF color, voice language.
Hi Vireca! I would recommend my "Understanding Yaw" video for the Hind. At some point I might need to do an update on that, but it might help. I use MFG Crosswind pedals with the dampener kit. With that kit I can detatch the spring and they stay in place when I take the feet off. They are not cheap though, but I had the luck to find some almost unused on eBay. Settings on those is linear no curves and y-saturation 100 %. Lowering this on pedals is not a good idea, cause you need the full range of motion.
@@simonpaquin6338 Happy that it works for you. But please note, that if you use it for fixed wing, you reduce deflection. Could be a problem when you are damaged for example. In that case you would need to use trim to compensate.
