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Flying rotary-wing aircraft is quite different from flying fixed-wing aircraft. Not only is mastering helicopter flight challenging, but it offers some of the best flying Flight Simulator has to offer. There's nothing like threading your way through the skyscrapers of downtown Dubai or Singapore, and with practice, you'll be able to make rooftop landings. For more information about the fundamentals of rotary-wing flight, see Flying Helicopters.
Many factors affect flight planning and aircraft operation, including aircraft weight, weather, and runway surface. The recommended flight parameters listed below are intended to give approximations for flights at maximum takeoff or landing weight under International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) conditions.
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Important: These instructions are intended for use with Flight Simulator only and are no substitute for using the actual aircraft manual for real-world flight. Note: As with all of the Flight Simulator aircraft, the V-speeds and checklists are located on the Kneeboard. To access the Kneeboard while flying, press SHIFT+F10, or on the Aircraft menu, click Kneeboard. Note: All speeds given in Flight Notes are indicated airspeeds. If you're using these speeds as reference, be sure that you select "Display Indicated Airspeed" in the Realism Settings dialog box. Speeds listed in the specifications table are shown as true airspeeds. |
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By default, this aircraft has full fuel and payload. Depending on atmospheric conditions, altitude, and other factors, you will not get the same performance at gross weight that you would with a lighter load. |
Controlling the Helicopter using a Joystick
You can use a joystick to operate the basic flight and power controls for the EH101 helicopter.
The stick part of the joystick controls the cyclic, which controls the helicopter's pitch attitude in flight and movement over the ground while in a hover.
With some types of joysticks you can twist the stick to apply left or right anti-torque pedal inputs. Anti-torque pedals are used to yaw the nose of a helicopter side to side by adjusting the pitch of the blades on the tail rotor. Push the left pedal and the helicopter's nose rotates to the left. Pushing the right pedal has the opposite effect.
The lever, or wheel, on the joystick, which you use as a throttle in airplanes, is the collective when flying a helicopter. This controls pitch in the main rotor blades collectively. Its primary function is to control altitude.
In recent years, sophisticated turbine-engine helicopters have all but eliminated the throttle from the collective lever. Computerized mechanisms control the power necessary to maintain rotor rpm appropriate to the collective setting chosen by the pilot. This is essentially how the collective works in Flight Simulator. The fuel control unit automatically adjusts the throttle (engine speed) as you move the collective.
To control the throttle manually, press CTRL+F2 to decrease power and CTRL+F3 to increase power. (This procedure is not recommended unless you're familiar with helicopter operation.) Monitor the power turbine gauges to set engine power as a percentage of power turbine rpm.
Required Runway Length
Practically speaking, the required runway length for any helicopter is the length of the fuselage.
The distance required for both takeoff and landing is a result of a number of factors, such as aircraft weight, altitude, headwind, use of flaps, and ambient temperature. The figures here are conservative and assume:
Weight: 34,400 pounds (15,604 kilograms)
Altitude: sea level
Wind: no headwind
Temperature: 15°C
Lower weights and temperatures
will result in better performance, as will having a
headwind component. Higher altitudes and temperatures
degrade performance.
Runway: hard surface
Engine Startup
The engines are running by default when you begin a flight. If you shut the engines down, you can return to engines ON by clicking the Fuel Valve Switch or by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+F4.
Hovering and Taxiing
Unlike a helicopter that has skids and no wheels, the EH101 can be taxied on its wheels. Use the tail rotor pedals for directional control, the collective for speed, and forward cyclic to get moving. You can also hover taxi.
Taxiing in a helicopter is often called hover taxiing. This means that you hover just a few feet off the ground with a forward motion. Generally, you would use this technique when taxiing from one area to another on the airport or if you needed to move the helicopter a short distance.
Remember that the cyclic controls the direction in which the helicopter moves. The EH101 hovers in a tail-low attitude, due to its forward-canted main rotor in the static position. Use small, smooth adjustments of the collective to maintain the proper altitude. To keep the nose straight, apply pressure to the left or right anti-torque pedal.
Takeoff
Note the wind direction and speed. If possible, plan to take off directly into the wind to minimize sideways drift and to increase the helicopter's performance during takeoff and climb.
Wind blowing through the main rotor disk has the same effect as forward airspeed. For example, if the helicopter is facing into a 10- to 15-knot wind, the rotor experiences effective translational lift (ETL) even when the aircraft is on the surface.
When you're ready to make a vertical takeoff, use scenery objects as a guide. Note a point in the distance (such as a building, tower, or gas pump). Use that point and the outside horizon as references to help you maintain the helicopter's alignment and attitude as you lift off.
Set the cyclic (joystick handle) in an approximately neutral position. Set the collective in the full down position (use the joystick throttle, or press F2).
Smoothly and slowly raise the collective (press F3, or push forward on the joystick throttle). The helicopter should become light on the wheels as you reach 40 to 60 percent torque. Ease into this range smoothly and slowly.
As the helicopter's weight comes off the wheels, it will start to drift and turn to the right. Hold the collective steady at this point, and use slight left cyclic pressure to hold the helicopter in position.
Apply left pedal pressure (twist the joystick to the left, press the left rudder pedal, or press 0 on the numeric keypad) to compensate for the torque from the main rotor.
Keep your attention outside the helicopter, and focus on the horizon and other visual clues. To continue the liftoff, smoothly increase the collective.
Anticipate the need to add left pedal as you lift off and make small, smooth corrections with the cyclic (move the joystick, or press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW) and pedals (twist the joystick, or press 0 [left] or ENTER [right] on the numeric keypad) to maintain heading and position.
Hold the helicopter wheels about 3 feet (1 meter) above the ground. You want to stay low in case the engine fails and also to keep the helicopter in ground effect.
Raise or lower the collective to maintain altitude. Maintain the correct attitude using light, small cyclic pressures, and use the anti-torque pedals to keep the helicopter's nose from rotating.
Anticipate corrections to compensate for wind. You'll need slight forward cyclic pressure if you take off into a headwind, left pressure with a left crosswind, and so forth.
When you're ready to continue the takeoff, gently apply a small amount of forward cyclic (push the joystick forward, or press the UP ARROW) to lower the nose and begin moving forward along the departure path. The helicopter may tend to settle as you start forward. Compensate by adding slight up collective (increase the joystick throttle setting, or press F3).
As airspeed reaches 10 to 15 knots, the helicopter enters effective translational lift. The nose tends to yaw left and pitch up slightly. Apply some forward cyclic to prevent the nose from rising.
Add some left lateral cyclic (push the joystick left, or press the LEFT ARROW) to prevent the helicopter from drifting right, and apply right pedal pressure (twist the joystick to the right, use the right rudder pedal, or press ENTER on the numeric keypad) to maintain heading. The helicopter continues climbing and accelerating.
If you feel like you're juggling a lot at this point, you are. Helicopter flying is not easy, and it's been described as an activity similar to trying to balance one ball on top of another.
To accelerate and maintain rate of climb, increase collective and add slight forward cyclic. On the crosswind leg, depart the traffic pattern or return for another landing by turning 90 degrees again to join the downwind leg.
Using the Hoist/Sling
The EH101 can pick up and carry objects in the Flight Simulator world. There are Missions in Flight Simulator X: Acceleration with objectives to use the EH101's hoist or sling to move objects.
Important Note: some Missions require you to pick up and carry objects with a sling. In these Missions, the sling is already suspended from the bottom of the EH101 and you cannot raise or lower the sling. Hover close to the object to be picked up and toggle the sling hook into Attach mode.
To practice picking up and carrying objects, fly the Slingload Tutorial mission.
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To pick up and carry objects with the hoist
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When you toggle the hoist into Attach mode, you must be close enough to the object for the cable to automatically grab the object.
When raising an object to place it inside the helicopter (as when rescuing an injured person), you obviously raise the cable all the way in and retract the hoist arm.
But you can also "slingload" an object by flying with it suspended on the cable beneath the helicopter. This requires great care to prevent wild oscillations of the load, which could break the cable or cause you to lose control of the aircraft.
| Function | Key Command |
| Hoist Arm (Extend/Retract) | CTRL+U |
| Hoist Cable (Lower) | J |
| Hoist Cable (Raise) | K |
| Hoist/Sling Hook (Attach/Release) | O |
Climb
The AgustaWestland EH101 can achieve a maximum rate of climb of about 1,964 feet per minute at sea level under standard weather conditions. 65 knots is a good climb speed because it's also the speed to use for autorotation.
For a normal climb, adjust the collective (use the joystick throttle, or press F3) for a torque setting about 10 percent above that required to maintain a hover in ground effect.
Under standard conditions and at typical operating weights, you'll need 80 to 85 percent torque for a normal climb. Use the cyclic (the joystick or the ARROW keys) to set pitch attitude.
Monitor the engine instruments and smoothly add collective to maintain climb power as your altitude increases.
Keep the following considerations in mind as you climb:
- Use the collective to control power and the rate of the climb.
- Monitor engine instruments closely to ensure that you stay within operating limits.
- Maintain attitude (thus airspeed) by looking out to the horizon. Focusing on a point too close to the nose makes it difficult to maintain the proper aircraft attitude.
- Use the cyclic to control airspeed (and the helicopter's attitude) and the anti-torque pedals to maintain heading or to establish a crab angle as necessary to fly a constant ground track.
- Use the anti-torque pedals to maintain coordinated flight. A slip or skid severely degrades climb performance.
To level off from a climb, start decreasing collective about 50 feet (15 meters) below the altitude at which you want to level off. Add right anti-torque pedal as you decrease torque to the cruise setting (about 80 percent torque). Use the cyclic to maintain cruising airspeed. Apply forward cyclic to increase speed and aft cyclic to slow down.
Cruise
Under typical conditions, you should set the collective to 80 percent torque for efficient cruising flight. At this power setting, 5 percent below the maximum-allowed continuous power setting, the EH101 typically cruises at about 150 knots.
To maintain the desired track over the ground, use the anti-torque pedals to turn the helicopter into the wind and establish the correct crab angle.
To turn, use the cyclic to bank the helicopter.
Use the anti-torque pedals to keep the helicopter in coordinated flight. If the inclinometer in the turn coordinator shows a slip or a skid, apply left or right pedal pressure as necessary to center the ball.
Descent
To descend at a comfortable rate without building too much speed, you must decrease main rotor pitch by lowering the collective (use the joystick throttle, or press F2). Anticipate the need for the right anti-torque pedal as you decrease torque.
The nose drops as you lower collective, so remember that you'll need to add a little aft cyclic (pull the joystick aft, or press the DOWN ARROW) to maintain the correct pitch attitude and airspeed. Don't add too much aft cyclic, however: the aircraft will climb.
Note that as you descend, the engine produces more power. Monitor the engine instruments and smoothly reduce collective to continue your descent.
To level off from a descent, start increasing collective about 50 feet (15 meters) above the altitude at which you want to level off. Add left anti-torque pedal as you increase torque to the cruise setting (about 80 percent torque). Use the cyclic to maintain cruising airspeed. Apply forward cyclic to increase speed and aft cyclic to slow down.
Approach
Approaches in a helicopter need to factor local traffic and terrain as well as a target speed and configuration. Enter the airport traffic area in a safe manner that avoids obstacles, and follow the landing procedures as described.
Landing
To land the EH101, reverse the procedure for a normal takeoff. That is, fly an approach from a 500-foot (150-meter) traffic pattern, enter a hover at about 3 feet (1 meter) above the ground, and then slowly and smoothly lower the aircraft to the ground.
Following this procedure helps you establish good habits and makes it easier to achieve smooth, consistent landings.
Review the landing checklist on the Kneeboard.
Fly a modified traffic pattern that avoids the flow of fixed-wing traffic.
During the first half of the approach, decrease power by lowering the collective (use the joystick throttle, or press F2). During the second half of the approach, you must smoothly increase power to arrive at the 3-foot (1-meter) hover just as you set hover power, usually 70 to 75 percent torque.
- Fly the downwind leg at 500 feet (150 meters) at 100 knots.
- Turn to the base leg, decelerate to 70 knots, and then descend to 300 feet (90 meters).
- Turn final at 300 feet (90 meters), and decelerate to 52 to 60 knots.
A descent angle of 10 to 12 degrees provides good obstacle clearance and helps you keep the landing area in sight.
Adjust the collective to control rate of descent. Increase collective (use the joystick throttle, or press F3) to reduce the rate of descent; decrease collective (use the joystick throttle or press F2) slightly to increase rate of descent.
Use the cyclic (the joystick or ARROW keys) to adjust the rate of closure with your landing spot. Apply slight aft cyclic to reduce the rate of closure; forward pressure increases the rate of closure. The ideal forward rate of travel is that of a normal walk.
Continue the approach until the rate of closure with the landing spot accelerates. Begin dissipating forward speed by applying smooth, slight back pressure on the cyclic. As you decelerate, anticipate the need to decrease collective to maintain altitude.
As airspeed drops to 10 to 15 knots, the aircraft will lose effective translational lift. You must add up collective to compensate for the loss of lift. You'll also need to add left anti-torque pedal pressure as you increase collective pitch.
Transition to the hover over the landing spot. Enter a 3-foot (1-meter) hover over the spot where you want to land. Slowly lower the collective and allow the helicopter to settle onto the landing spot. Once the aircraft is down, lower the collective all the way (move the joystick throttle full aft, or press F1).
Autorotation
Autorotation in a helicopter is the equivalent of a power-off glide in an airplane. The following procedures helps you land after a simulated engine failure.
During autorotation, it's important to maintain rotor rpm so you have lift available to cushion the landing. You must also maintain the correct forward speed so that you can reach a suitable landing area and flare to reduce the rate of descent before ground contact.
To achieve the proper glide ratio and travel the greatest distance, maintain 65 KIAS, the maximum-distance glide speed. Use the cyclic (the joystick or ARROW keys) to adjust pitch to maintain best glide.
Here are some tips to help you fly the EH101 in an autorotation:
- If the engine fails, you must decrease collective smoothly and immediately to preserve and maintain rotor rpm (use the joystick throttle, or press F1). Remember—smoothly. If you abruptly lower the collective, the helicopter develops a high sink rate. Establish a glide at 65 KIAS.
- Stabilized rotor RPM in autorotation at 1,000 feet (305 meters) should be 93 to 95 percent under ISA conditions.
- As the helicopter descends to 75 to 50 feet, (23 to 15 meters) apply gentle aft cyclic (pull the joystick aft, or press the DOWN ARROW) to establish about a 10-degree nose-up attitude until approximately 15 ft (5 m) above the ground. After ground speed is reduced, apply forward cyclic to level the helicopter.
- Cushion the landing by adding some collective (move the joystick throttle forward, or press F3) as required.
- To maintain heading, you'll need to add right pedal.
- After ground contact, center the cyclic and gently lower the collective.
- Remember this sequence: Flare, pitch, level, and cushion.