Aerofly FS 2 Robinson R22 Helicopter Released!

Quote from John Hargreaves

It's a bit odd at first I agree. On the ground, at idle, the engine is just ticking over and the throttle would be twisted towards you, it's like a motorcycle throttle that goes the other way. Once the engine is warm you would twist the throttle away from you, the rpm rises and you will see the engine rpm needle rise too on the instrument panel. You twist the throttle to about 75% and then the engine revs run away from you for a second and then settle again as the governor takes over, but you don't need to touch the throttle any more, the power comes automatically now when you need it.

So the collective pitch lever is down, engaging the clutch involves belts tightening behind your head, and the thing makes a few weird noises and vibrates a bit, as the rotor starts to come up to speed. At this point the other needle on the rpm gauge rises and they match each other in position, that's when you have a happy helicopter.

Then, as you raise the collective it increases the pitch of all the rotor blades, which needs more power to maintain engine rpm, supplied via the governor as it senses the engine rpm dropping.

Edit: sorry delphin, I was writing this post at the same time you were writing the one above, but also, yes, the rotor rpm always stays the same during flight, it's the pitch of the blades that moves it in any direction. Collective moves all the blades of the main rotor at once to go up and down, cyclic moves them differently to each other, making you go sideways and forwards/backwards etc. The tail rotor changes its own collective pitch via the pedals to give lift but at right angles to the rotor disc.

Completely agree with you, John

My previous answer was based on the fact that this was a piston engine, and secondly, I did not know that 'automatic control of the power to be developed: (governor)', depending on the loads that we apply to the helicopter.

I had absolutely no real knowledge of helicopter piloting, and my reasoning was correct in the absence of the 'governor'. But the existence of this mechanism changes everything. In short, what is always sought is: "that mechanisms work for us, and make us work easier", and ... little by little, it is achieved.

Thank you for answering. Thanks to these efforts, we are all learning more and more.

Regards: Delfin

Zoom in on the hubs as you operate the controls, the tail rotor is easy to see.

Quote from delfinpm

Thanks Overloaded and Jan

I did not know this very practical and resolutive aspect automatically (the 'governor') in the helicopters. You have explained it to me with remarkable simplicity and efficiency.

However, I observe that when acting on the collective (to ascend) quickly, the response is slow, and apparently the intensity of the sound of the blades is the same and apparently there is no increase in speed of the blades to ascend with certain speed. I understand that to ascend with ... speed!, The blades would have to spin faster. I'm wrong?.

Well, I wrote to this point, but before sending my answer, I made a flight applying the advice you give me, and in effect, this 'GOVERNOR automatic throttle', works quite well, what happens is that it does not allow violent accelerations that can be reached in airplanes. Here, we must do it more gently.

However, I observe that the rotations of the blades remain unchanged (optical effect) regardless of whether it ascends, descends or moves horizontally.

Well, as Overloaded says: "Now, it's like riding a bike ... practice and practice, Only this way you can master the trade of flight in this new and formidable toy".

Once again, thanks IPACS, THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC WORK OF FLYING ART, and ... again, Thank you Overloaded, Jan and larrylynx. Your explanations, as always: HIGHLIGHTS!

Kind regards. Delfin

Oh, and ... one less demand, to IPACS. It was a magnificent end-of-the-year gift.

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The thing to remember with a helicopter is that the rotor rpm does not change to climb or descend. It’s the rotor blade pitch angle that changes. That change in pitch requires more or less power to maintain the same rpm. The governor controls that by changing the throttle position automatically. When the pitch changes on both blades collectively you climb or descend (hence the name of the ‘collective’ lever which drives the swashplate up and down). When the swashplate tilts it creates a change in pitch of the rotor blade once per cycle as it rotates (that’s where the term ‘cyclic’ comes from).

A DOUBT:

I have assigned two keys to control the tail rotor (they are the same as those that control the aircraft, the steering rudder), and I observe that they do not act at all, on this tail rotation. I also observe with amazement, that it is not necessary, since the R-22, stays aligned, and does not need control of that rotor. Is this the behavior of this R-22 in the 'novice' version, or should I do some Adjustment or configuration ?.

Regards: Delfin

Is the swash plate not supposed to be angled 90 degrees ahead of the intended rotor angle movement? Perhaps gyroscopic precession has been missed?

Hi RiftFlyer

Just a slight correction. The governor does not control the throttle it controls the engine rpm at a set throttle position. In gas turbine helicopters the throttle is placed at the flight idle (max throttle) position and it never moves unless you want to perform engine off landings (autorotations) or to shut down. Some have an extra lever (Westland Lynx) which pushes up the the rotor RPM to 107%, never did know why it just did.

Hi Delfin

Helicopters normally require less anti torque (tail rotor) when in forward flight as static lift devices around the tail apply lift to counter act the rotor torque automatically. The Gazelle tail fin is one big wing when viewed from the top, above 30 knots or so you can take your feet off the pedals and it will keep straight

Hi Overloaded

Your right it is, its called phase lag and is about 87 degrees

Steve

Hi Overloaded

the swashplate is tilted in the direction of the intended rotor tilt (otherwise you would have a one-per-rev change which in turn would tilt the rotor to be aligned with the swashplate).

The gyroscopic effect is accounted for by the links that connect the blades to the swashplate, these are very roughly about 90 degrees ahead of the blades respectively. Everything looks ok, I guess IPACS didn't miss anything.

Thanks Frank and Jan, my helicopter time and reading up was over 30 years ago when the R-22 was a low volume, very new machine. Low inertia-light weight, floppy, coning, unloaded, zero trim rotors were not in the media that I read. The tiny R-22 rotor head and swash plate together with the high leverage required for zero trim operation means that the rotor arms are very long and are not much short of 90 degrees ahead of the rotors. I acknowledge my ignorance.

I have just read that the trimless R-22 needs a significant cyclic force to be held in the cruise, shades of the rudder trimless Bf 109 in the climb.

Quote from ninobaumann

Great Helicopter, so far the best I ever flown in a flightsimulater, but I've noticed that I need now some serious, good quality, controllers to fly in profi mode. I struggle the most with my rudder pedals, they are to less sensitive around the center, I always overpitch the tailrotor, almost unable to fly in profi mode.

kind of interrested how you manage this?

me in profi mode

Pro flight trainer, but not cheap! flies like a dream with the new R22

Quote from ninobaumann

I struggle the most with my rudder pedals, they are to less sensitive around the center

Do you have a menu where you can turn off non linear output?

Does Ninobaumann's pedals come with software to put in a 'reverse S' curve to make the centre movement less sensitive, a bit like a shielded horn ballance on a real rudder (like in the Cessna 172) where the rudder only gets horn ballance assistance after a hard initial pedal movement which moves it out of the airflow shadow. Control device software often comes with curve adjustment, not appropriate here as there is no fixed central and neutral position for the torque pedals.

Quote from Overloaded

I have just read that the trimless R-22 needs a significant cyclic force to be held in the cruise,

This I find confusing???

From 3:41 on the time scale:

I just read from John on Thursday that he didn't think/didn't know if it had trim. Yesterday I read about it being flown trimless with a side force, didn't know that cyclic side force relieving spring trim is available. It certainly has no power assistance.

I've been doing things in the R22 that perhaps I shouldn't - vertical dives, hopping around skyscraper rooftops etc, it's a lot of fun and one of the best helicopters I've flown in any sim.

Thank you for your reply's, it's more an hardware issue but I already think about an investment in new hardware. currtently fly with the Thrustmaster 1600 hotas system, the Stick offers petty good sensors.

Think about to buy the new Thrustmaster pendular rudder pedals, now idea about the stick at the moment.

A helicopter pro flight system would be nice to have, but I like to fly airliners (airbus) more than helicopters, at the moment:-)

The VKB pedals are great for helicopters, really sensitive around the centre. Again, not cheap, but if you already have a decent joystick, you probably don't want to ditch that and splash out a grand on helicopter controls. I've taken the big spring out of my warthog joystick, which makes it much better as a cyclic, and still has the four small centring springs so it works ok with fixed wing.

I used my warthog throttle as a collective for a long time, reversing it so it pulls back to raise it and that was quite good. earlier this year I got a proper Robinson R-22 collective from OE-XAM and it is much better, but you have to be properly into helicopters to justify the expense. Worth every penny I've spent though for the kit I use.

Hi everyone.Im new to the R 22 helicopter.Is there a way to set the controls for a beginner or novic.How is that achieved.I tried for over an hour to set my joystick and tried figuring out the easy set up.Thanks for anyone that can fill me in on how to fly like a novice.