Lynx MK7 now available

  • Thanks Nexus, I'm sure that will help, although I've never used voiceattack personally. The main thing that confuses me about your video is that it can be tricky to see just what's happening, as there is no visual indication as to which switch you are operating. If anyone out there has the inclination/capability to do a video startup tutorial that shows which button is which I'm sure that would benefit many people. It's not something covered in any youtube videos that I can find, unlike say an R22, so it's a tricky procedure to learn.

    I've been trying to run through the list in 2D, flicking backwards and forwards between the manual and AFS2, but some of the buttons are obscured and the mouse look spins round when you look at the overhead panel if you aren't careful, so I've been going dizzy this afternoon.

    It's bound to take time to learn but that's half the fun.

    i5-12600K/MSI RTX 3080/Win11/64Gb RAM/Asus Xonar DX+ Beyer DT990 pro headphones/LG 34" UM65 @2560x1080/Quest Pro/TM Warthog+VKB MkIV Rudder pedals

  • Thanks Larry. I am slowly catching on.

    John, I also vote for a video that zooms in on the switches and gauges and follows the start sequence with some audio telling us what is happening. I have Voice Attack and worked with the author that added verbal call outs, climbs and turns for the Learjet 45 from KLAS to KPDX. It works great.

  • I just watched a youtube vid by John Gregory, I noticed that he was flying without the AFCS engaged, no lane lights were lit nor was the ASE button from what I could see.

    Whilst it is possible to fly like this it's much smoother if you engage the AFCS. When you have the engines running and before rotor start, switch on the AFCS box, push ASE button should light up, push the lane buttons on the AFCS controller box (8 in total and all lit) then switch on the trim ( just above the drift gauge). Yes the drift gauge works too, tells you your forward or backward speed and side drift

    Also Heading Hold and Bar Alt are not available unless you have the AFCS engaged.

  • Don't forget how long it takes to figure out what an AFCS or a ASE might be, and where it is, and how the sim allows you to interact with it, if you aren't familiar with those things :)

    It's going to take us a while to catch up, but we are enthusiastic amateurs who appreciate what you have created and we can see it's worth the effort. Just forgive us the dumb questions that will be hitting this thread in the next few weeks.

    I've been waiting for years for a proper Lynx in any flight sim. I remember one for FSX years ago, but it was quite a simple version compared to this one, other than that I don't think it's ever been done properly.

    i5-12600K/MSI RTX 3080/Win11/64Gb RAM/Asus Xonar DX+ Beyer DT990 pro headphones/LG 34" UM65 @2560x1080/Quest Pro/TM Warthog+VKB MkIV Rudder pedals

  • I just watched a youtube vid by John Gregory, I noticed that he was flying without the AFCS engaged, no lane lights were lit nor was the ASE button from what I could see.

    Whilst it is possible to fly like this it's much smoother if you engage the AFCS. When you have the engines running and before rotor start, switch on the AFCS box, push ASE button should light up, push the lane buttons on the AFCS controller box (8 in total and all lit) then switch on the trim ( just above the drift gauge). Yes the drift gauge works too, tells you your forward or backward speed and side drift

    Also Heading Hold and Bar Alt are not available unless you have the AFCS engaged.

    Sounds good, Larry.

    All of the above is accomplished with both engines running, but, prior to engaging the rotor (rotor lock is ON).

    Just to confirm, what are the ECLs and SSL settings while I am bringing all these goodies online?

    Any change to ECLs and SSL after rotor is engaged and ready for lift off?

  • Thanks Nexus, I'm sure that will help, although I've never used voiceattack personally. The main thing that confuses me about your video is that it can be tricky to see just what's happening, as there is no visual indication as to which switch you are operating. If anyone out there has the inclination/capability to do a video startup tutorial that shows which button is which I'm sure that would benefit many people. It's not something covered in any youtube videos that I can find, unlike say an R22, so it's a tricky procedure to learn.

    I've been trying to run through the list in 2D, flicking backwards and forwards between the manual and AFS2, but some of the buttons are obscured and the mouse look spins round when you look at the overhead panel if you aren't careful, so I've been going dizzy this afternoon.

    It's bound to take time to learn but that's half the fun.

  • Hi John

    Unfortunately the mouse pointer is not shown when I do a screen recording so I get exactly what you mean. I am going to have a look at a way around this. I have tried to use the VR manipulators (green hands) but the way they click switches and grab handles is very hit and miss. When I find a way to make a good recording I will try to put together a complete startup video.

    Regards

    John.

  • Thanks for the comments Larry. I tried pushing the lane light buttons at the time but they did not illuminate, due to messing something up earlier in the sequence, and I was overcome by 'new toy' syndrome which meant I just had to get airborne. I now have my voiceattack profile finished so I can spend some quality time polishing the sequence without constantly peeking at the (otherwise excellent) manual.

  • Congratulations on the release larrylynx


    I use a Valve Index and full size helicopter controls. I ‘wear’ one controller on my left hand for switch interaction and can still use my physical collective and cyclic. I’d love to take the lynx for a spin. I’ve been trying to do the startup in this helicopter but haven’t been able to manage it yet. The manipulators just don’t respond as expected and the alignment of the virtual hand in relation to the manipulator is off. With my hand positioned over one switch the one next to it will sometimes move. If I get the correct switch it’ll often return too its alternate position when I try to release it. Levers are an even bigger hassle. I’m not suggesting this is a problem particular to the lynx. I don’t want to go back to using a mouse as my SimPit is away from my computer desk. As good as the VR performance in Aerofly is the manipulator interaction could learn a lot from x-plane. How are other people interacting with this aircraft in VR?

  • Been 33 years since I last flew the old girl, 669 Sqn, all my time on AH1 and one flight in a GT. Mk7 and Wheelie bins were after my time.

    Flickering oil pressure gauges were always just the gauge, especially if it meant a run on landing miles away from base, being a tech helped explaining, "it just failed as I touched down, honest it did;)"

    Comp wash, now that brings back memories, was at Wallop when they did the very first one, Lynx caught fire and then the tail fell off, much to the rapturous applause of all us Gazelle techs who were watching. Lots of jokes about not being invited to the BBQ.

  • Congratulations on the release larrylynx


    I use a Valve Index and full size helicopter controls. I ‘wear’ one controller on my left hand for switch interaction and can still use my physical collective and cyclic. I’d love to take the lynx for a spin. I’ve been trying to do the startup in this helicopter but haven’t been able to manage it yet. The manipulators just don’t respond as expected and the alignment of the virtual hand in relation to the manipulator is off. With my hand positioned over one switch the one next to it will sometimes move. If I get the correct switch it’ll often return too its alternate position when I try to release it. Levers are an even bigger hassle. I’m not suggesting this is a problem particular to the lynx. I don’t want to go back to using a mouse as my SimPit is away from my computer desk. As good as the VR performance in Aerofly is the manipulator interaction could learn a lot from x-plane. How are other people interacting with this aircraft in VR?

    I'm using a Reverb and I'm having similar trouble. It's like being a ghost in the world, you can see the thing you want to touch but your virtual finger goes right through it. I'm guessing this is just how AFS2 does VR interaction, but it does make the process quite frustrating. I wonder if it's a WMR thing? How are the rift users doing with cockpit interaction?

    i5-12600K/MSI RTX 3080/Win11/64Gb RAM/Asus Xonar DX+ Beyer DT990 pro headphones/LG 34" UM65 @2560x1080/Quest Pro/TM Warthog+VKB MkIV Rudder pedals

  • I'm using a Reverb and I'm having similar trouble. It's like being a ghost in the world, you can see the thing you want to touch but your virtual finger goes right through it. I'm guessing this is just how AFS2 does VR interaction, but it does make the process quite frustrating. I wonder if it's a WMR thing? How are the rift users doing with cockpit interaction?

    It’s not a WMR problem. I’m using steamVR not WMR. I’ve heard another user had similar issues on riftS. I’m about to try it again with the Oculus Quest to see if it’s any better. I hadn’t realized how bad the vr interaction was in Aerofly until doing a cold start in the lynx.

  • I like the Lynx! I got around most of the VR problems by moving the seat (eyepoint) back as far as possible and then moving from the left seat to the right seat (keyboard "1") to get a better angle. As far as the sequence, I liked Greg's snaphots with numbered graphical boxes and simple checklist but I wasn't pushing the spherical red button at the end of the ECL at first. Ray pointed out that with the fuel system you should wait for about 12 seconds when the blue light goes off by itself before you go to Auto. As others have said, start up in nonVR first so you remember all the steps.

    RE: Get to da choppa! (Lynx quick start guide for noobs)

  • Me again :o

    I'm getting up to speed with my engine start checklist (and making videos on the journey) but something is confusing me. Relating to the ECLs, you speak of Off, Ground Idle, Flight idle and 100%/Full. What is confusing me is that the ground idle mark on the throttle quadrant is almost in the full position, so where is flight idle? In other heli sims, ground idle is around 60% of level travel and flight idle is around 90%. Further investigation on t'net for Lynx throttle quadrants (maybe I will add one to my simpit if it could be mapped) shows a photo of a quadrant with ground idle at mid position. Is this a different variant or is it a text mix-up in the sim?

    Edit: I've just gone back in the sim, and compared the RL throttle to the sim one. When I look around the front of the unit (and bash my RL head against my RL monitor) I see that the lever travel is further than the lever is travelling, if you get my drift. It is stopping at the ground idle detent and not going any further. How do I get it past the detent and to full travel please? I've tried shouting at it and it's not working.

    Cheers,

    John.

  • If you look at the real throttle the detent peg (just seen on the left one) on the ECL is at the front, so when the ECL is closed for instance the detent that you see is actually away from where ECL centre is giving the illusion that detent is in the wrong place. These detents are adjustable to help set the engines up. what you see at the ground idle detent is actually a range the lever can be in.

    When I first made the Lynx the ECL movement was mostly full travel but as development continued the engines changed quite a bit. The is zero information on the engines and how to set them up, it was lots of trial and lots of error. Thankfully as an ex aircraft tech I understood what should be happening but it didn't always work out that way.

    Over time I sort of perfected them but the correlation between what you see and what the dynamics system is doing has sort of got out of sync slightly. As a result of weeks of engine setup the ground idle also moved towards the cut off, it's a very fine line between the engine working and it blowing up. The real EGT is somewhere over 1400 degrees, but by some smoke and mirrors I make it appear everything is fine. We have to remember quite a lot I did on the Lynx pushed the sim to places it didn't like going. No1 engine uses an actuated freewheel (ACC/MAIN drive switch), No2 engine a standard freewheel. FS2 doesn't have an actuated freewheel so Jan and I had to get creative . The Lynx was, and still is, very much experimental.

    When you push the ECL's forward as far as they can go the engines should read 95%, as long as that is happening the underlying system is working fine. 100% engine is only attainable when you move the SSL to max. Another bit of creative TMD work I had to come up with and then we throw the Torque matching into the mix and it gets entertaining

    Wait till the CH53E see's the light of day...a TMD nightmare :S