Simulator Realism

Heliman450

Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I've been doing helicopters for some time now as my retirement hobby. I hear/read often that using a simulator to experiment is a good thing. It's obviously good for saving money due to crashing.

I always find that the real thing is the best for me and have neglected the simulator over the years. Now that I've got more time and want to take advantage of the bad weather opportunities, I'm trying to up my game on the simulator.

Does anyone else have the same aversion to the simulated world of helicopter flying?
 

Blade 400

Active Member
Hi all,
I've been doing helicopters for some time now as my retirement hobby. I hear/read often that using a simulator to experiment is a good thing. It's obviously good for saving money due to crashing.

I always find that the real thing is the best for me and have neglected the simulator over the years. Now that I've got more time and want to take advantage of the bad weather opportunities, I'm trying to up my game on the simulator.

Does anyone else have the same aversion to the simulated world of helicopter flying?
Hi Heliman450, I`m a relative newbie to Collective Pitch Heli`s but having taken other members adavice to `Get a Sim`
I rate them highly, as my flying has definitely improved, I have so much more confidence! (I did have a crash recently, but that was my own fault for flying in to small an area :banghead:) I may well think that flying the real thing is best when I can fly better :thumbsup:
 

Heliman450

Well-Known Member
Hi there, I found the best environment for me to learn was the indoor flying my club does during the winter season. This takes place in two different sports halls, one is about twice the volume of the other and we pay extra for that one. I used my small quadcopters first and have bought a Blade 150S for the indoor helicopter experience during the season of 2020/21.

As model helicopter pilots in the real world of the club we also have limitations about the volume we can fly in. This means an oblong around 200m long by 75m wide and an altitude of around 50m. I'd prefer it to be more square and around 100m altitude would also be better. In any case, my flying volume tends to be well within the rules of the club.

It's the depth of field that doesn't work for me on the computer, which is a flat 2D screen. The heli becomes too small to see it properly.
 

RandyDSok

Well-Known Member
The current good flight sims do have excellent graphics and pretty decent flight characteristics that are close enough to help anyone learn the muscle memory they need to fly. They are really close but most everyone ( if not everyone ) will admit they aren't perfect. Even the well designed models, still lack something so they don't exactly feel like a real model and the environmental parts like wind etc, aren't quite as random as in real life. In addition, the perspective for distance is also off a bit ( to say the least ). Yet they are still really good despite those deficiencies and are still close enough to provide a solid place to practice for a beginner to an experienced pilot that is just brushing up on their skills or trying to learn new ones. While they aren't a perfect replacement for real RC model flying, they still provide the basic needs for practice at every skill level because they are good enough for that.

The following is my story about first getting into the hobby by using a sim to practice with first...

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When I got into the hobby with airplanes, I had almost zero experience having only flown a few times many years ( ok, it was decades ) earlier with my Dad doing most of the flying and certainly he did all of the take off and landings. I started gathering parts since I couldn't afford to get everything at once and at the same time, got the Realflight sim. Over the next 3 months, while still picking up a part or two along the way as I could afford too, I practiced taking off and landing over and over. Of course, on occasion I would play around and do some aerobatics training as well, but knowing that the takeoff and landings were the toughest, that is where I focused most.

Around 3 months later, I went and joined the local club ( I'd already gotten my AMA membership ) and went to a couple of meetings since it was still a little cool to get out and fly. Once the weather turned warm enough, I started going to the club field hoping to catch another member to train or at least vet my skills so I could "officially" fly by myself had I "passed" their requirements for a new member. After about 4 or so trips and never seeing a member when I was there ( even on a weekend once ), I decided to just go for it.

So I went through the flight checks, topped off my batteries and took the plane out onto the runway ( paved no less ). While the wind wasn't real strong, it was a little stiff and it was going across the main runway requiring that I use the little short and narrower runway instead so I wouldn't be fighting a cross wind. I lined it all up, hit the throttle and had a decent takeoff IMO without much excitement. I did several circuits of the airfield and decided to land early incase I needed to abort a landing and go back around a few times. I was still using the shorter runway of course... and I got a little bumpy but otherwise smooth landing without overshooting the end of the runway or even tipping it onto it's nose.

The airplane I had started with was one not recommended for a beginner. It was a 58" foamy P-51D, which is why the not nosing it over was sort of a thing. So I gathered up the craft and took it to the benches to check it over again. I changed out the battery and then sat for a bit to relax a little and to think over the flight. After a short rest to recover from the first time jitters... I took the plane out for another spin. This time I stayed up longer and even performed a few loops and rolls. Finally, I'm not sure exactly when, one of the more experienced club members shows up at the field. I'd been flying for a while and it was time to land, so I came into the approach and landed on the short runway again. I'm pretty sure I came in just a little hot and just barely overshot the end of the runway before stopping, it nosed down but came back to it's gear when finally stopped.

I gathered it up and went back to the sidelines with it. The member and I introduced ourselves and he complimented my on the landing even being a little surprised since I was using the short runway saying that was pretty good landing. I thanked him and then I mentioned it was only my second actual flight and I was happy with it considering. His jaw dropped a bit on hearing that, I guess he expected I had more experience. We chatted for a while, while I got my batteries back on the charger. After they were charged up and I was ready for another flight, I asked him if he'd like to take it off for me... so I could be "officially vetted" ... He waved it off saying he didn't see the point in it and just go ahead and go for it.


Besides just sharing the story, the real point is that flight sims are very helpful. Without one, I don't know how many times I'd have crashed or how long it would have taken me to practice had I only been flying for real. So I admit it... I'm a fligh sim fanboy... lol.
 

Blade 400

Active Member
Hi there, I found the best environment for me to learn was the indoor flying my club does during the winter season. This takes place in two different sports halls, one is about twice the volume of the other and we pay extra for that one. I used my small quadcopters first and have bought a Blade 150S for the indoor helicopter experience during the season of 2020/21.

As model helicopter pilots in the real world of the club we also have limitations about the volume we can fly in. This means an oblong around 200m long by 75m wide and an altitude of around 50m. I'd prefer it to be more square and around 100m altitude would also be better. In any case, my flying volume tends to be well within the rules of the club.

It's the depth of field that doesn't work for me on the computer, which is a flat 2D screen. The heli becomes too small to see it properly.
Wish there was an indoor facility near me, I would be able to fly properly by now :bellyroll:
Randy`s post has inspired me to practise as much as poss on the Sim - I do though get your point Heliman, I`m sure when I can fly competently, the real thing will always be best :biggrin1:
 

Heliman450

Well-Known Member
I find that the virtual environment the best and use the features that you don't get in the real world like grids and displays that help with the depth of field. I'm improving with it and have synced the heli with the simulator as much as possible. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for the feedback :arms:
 
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