The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a twin-turboshaft medium-lift utility helicopter which is simulated in great detail in Aerofly FS. It is used as a military helicopter, medical evacuation (MedEvac) and fire fighting. Civilian versions are designated as Sikorsky S-70.
In this tutorial we’ll show you how to start the engines from a “cold and dark” preset, with all engines cold and electrical systems off and cockpit dark, just like for the first flight of the day. To start this tutorial please click on a parking position or helipad in the location menu and then select the cold and dark option. We’re starting our tutorial at the Washington Ronald Regan Airport in the south west apron. From the Ronald Regan Airport we’re going to fly north east before heading back west to the White House to drop off the President of the United States of America. This scenic route will take over the Capitol and Washington Monument.
To use the UH-60 to it’s full potential we recommend using a joystick and rudder pedals as well as a throttle quadrant such as the Thrustmaster TCA Quadrant (with Add-Ons).
Assign on the joystick:
Assign on the throttle quadrant
Note: If you have the TCA Quadrant most of these are already assigned per default.
We’ve set up a simple route which takes us north east from the Ronald Regan Washington National Airport around the District of Columbia in an anti-clockwise fashion. This route is automatically loaded in the UH-60 and we can use it for the autopilot later on. This is optional and you don’t need to copy this exact routing.
Check that the area around you is clear. The UH-60 is quite a large helicopter and needs a lot of space. If there are objects nearby you may need to select a different start position in the location menu.
Welcome to the UH-60 Cockpit. Because we have selected the cold-and-dark preset all our Multi Function Displays (MFDs) and Control Display Units (CDUs) are currently off.
With the APU generator on we now have a AC electrical power source and can turn on the MFDs.
In the pedestal
On the EICAS (Engine Indicating and Caution Advisory System) display check that the right hand column is empty.
Note if you are seeing message for the left and right pitot tube you can remove them by setting the PITOT HEAT LEFT and RIGHT switches on in the right hand side of the overhead panel.
On the left hand side verify
Our IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) is currently on standby. In non-military aircraft this usually called the transponder. In military aircraft such as the UH-60, F-18, F-15 and others the IFF has more functionality and pilots have more control over signal emission to avoid being seen by enemies.
Using the Control Display Unit (CDU) we can also set the communication frequencies.
On the radio navigation (RADIO NAV) page we can adjust the frequencies for our VOR, ADF and TACAN (TACtical Air-Navigation) receivers.
We are now ready to start our engines
We observe the engine start.
After the engine has sped up to about 58% the starter should automatically have disengaged.
Then repeat the start process for the other engine. Push the starter button, introduce fuel and let it stabilize.
When both engines have been started we can increase the rotor speed for takeoff.
The engines will spool up and rotor speed increases.
As you are increasing the POWER CONT levers you can monitor the rotor speed (NR) on the Primary Flight Display (PFD) power pod or on the EICAS in the center.
When the rotor speed (NR) governor has taken over the rotor speed no longer rises.
We now have both engine generators to supply electrical AC power to the aircraft. Now turn off the APU.
We’re now ready for taxi and have received clearance to taxi to the active runway. For ground taxi we can unlock the tail wheel of the UH-60. The tail wheel is then fully free castering (much like on a shopping cart) and makes it possible to turn around on the spot.
To control the direction during taxi we use tail rotor inputs with the pedals. Even if the helicopter is stopped we can turn around (as long as parking brake and wheel brakes are released).
To increase forward speed we increase the collective slightly and hold the cyclic stick forward a little bit as well.
We’re now taxiing to the runway for departure. Often helicopters receive takeoff clearance from a taxiway as well but we’ll assume we have to wait for our turn at the runway holding position.
To slow down we gently apply the wheel brakes or use very small aft cyclic input with small collective inputs.
Once we are aligned with the runway we taxi straight for a short distance to straighten our tailwheel. The tail wheel light should come on when the wheel is centered.
Now we check the EICAS for any remaining memory items (white MEMOs)
We are using the autopilot for takeoff. (This may not be allowed in the real world). The autopilot can be controlled with the Flight Director Display Control Panel (FD/DCP) found just below the inboard MFD screens.
The autopilot now pitches forward and slowly increases speed to 70kt whilst increasing vertical speed to about 750FPM.
Reaching 70kt and 750FPM after takeoff the autopilot engages the Indicated Air-Speed (IAS) hold mode and Vertical Speed (VS) hold mode. This can be seen on the Primary Flight Display (PFD) as a mode change to IAS and VS.
When you reach your the ALTP target the autopilot automatically captures and maintains that altitude.
The UH-60 has several different displays that can be displayed manually by the pilot. Each MFD can show the Primary Flight Display (PFD), the Navigation Display (ND), Engine Indication and Caution Advisory System (EICAS), Tactical Map (TAC) and Joint Variable Messaging Format (JVMF) datalink communication pages.
If you have a route programmed in the Aerofly FS navigation menu you can now use the autopilot to follow it:
When FMS CAP is shown then the autopilot has captured the FMS route. If it shows FMS ARM then you need to fly towards the active flight plan leg and intercept it first, then the autopilot can capture it when you are close to it.
We’ve decided we no longer want to follow the FMS route and instead want to go sight seeing.
We’ve also changed our target airspeed to 100kt and decreased the altitude target to only 1000ft. The helicopter is slowing down and descending to our new target altitude.
We spot the White House off to our right and want to land there. We’re planning to fly a shallow turn around the Washington monument and approach the White House from the South.
Let’s disengage the autopilot.
Maintain a shallow descent towards the target landing area.
On the primary flight display we can visualize the current velocity across the ground in the hover mode display.
The magenta needles on the hover mode display shows the forward/aft and lateral (left/right) velocity bars as well as a velocity vector with acceleration circle. When both needles are centered you are in a stationary hover.
If the autopilot engages in HVR VEL it will maintain your present velocity. You can use aileron and elevator trims to change these targets, if you assigned them. Otherwise you may have to hold some force until the velocity drops below 2kt and the helicopter switches to the HVR POS mode.
The autopilot is now maintaining the hover for us.
On the inner MFDs switch back to the EICAS display
With HVR POS engaged, if you decrease the target radar altitude (RALT) the autopilot will land the helicopter. (This may not be allowed in the real world)
Once you have touched down
With the APU generator set on we can now shut down both engines.
Try to get the rotor stopped with one rotor blade facing directly forward (+/- 10°). This is needed for the next engine start, otherwise hot exhaust gases are blown onto the rotor blades above the engine exhaust nozzles. A 45° rotor angle is also allowed if you can’t reach the 0° position.
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