UH-1H 'Huey' Mission "A Girlie Ride"

New mission for the UH-1H helicopter → "A Girlie Ride".

DCS (base) Map: Georgia

DCS Version tested: V 1.5.6

Date Created: Aug. 08, 2017

Description:

The Kobuleti Base Commander, Maj. Crandell, has found himself confronted with a serious logistical issue.

It's actually a "mission" that requires delicate flying; for a precious, 'volatile' cargo will be on board!

His busy schedule does not allow him to take the time off to fly, so he has volunteered YOU for this mission; it's one task that he wouldn't trust to just any pilot.

On this flight, you'll have a healthy reason to stay within any of the helicopter's limits. The slightest transgression outside these limits will severely curtail your thus far shining career, as you will be flying the Commander's Personal Huey: #888.

An excerpt from the briefing:

"...

Just so you know, I've heard the rumours going around too; the ones about the Huey NOT being 'up to par', engine instruments are reading wrong, there's NO penalty for flying outside EGT limitations, etc. etc. etc..

Well, let me tell you, this machine behaves EXACTLY the way it's explained in the manual, and WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR GAUGES is WHAT YOU GET!!!!

You fly it beyond it's limitations and you WILL destroy it!!!... and your career along with it!

I don't give a damn what you have been told; watch the instruments and FLY ACCORDINGLY!!!

..."

Pay close attention to the full briefing, during Start-Up use your knee-board's checklists, follow proper flight procedures and especially use proper Engine Management(!!) rules.

Note:

This is my first DCS Huey mission and as a clarification, it does NOT involve any shooting or dodging being-shot-at.

I have made this mission with the purpose of flying the Huey within the offical manual's limits and have set it up in such a way that EGT over-temping, or over-torquing the engine will have noticeable results, sometimes even immediately.

Not being familiar with 'lua' coding, all this was done through Mission Editor's Triggers (Conditions, Actions, Arguments & Values).

Look forward to hear some constructive feed-back on how well it "plays" for others.

Knowing the "mission" inside-out, since I've flown it soo many times trying to fine-tune it, I'm sure there are areas that can be improved.

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Name of zipped Mission File: “A Girlie Ride [v 1] (v 1_5_6 - Aug. 08, '17).7z”.

↓↓↓↓ DropBox Download Link for Mission file ↓↓↓↓:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ebhycyyxt6a1z8v/A%20Girlie%20Ride%20%5Bv%201%5D%20%28v%201_5_6%20-%20Aug.%2008%2C%20%2717%29.7z?dl=0

The unzipped mission file is JSGME ready (see included 'readme.txt' file for assumed file locations folder paths)

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Below are the Mods I used for the mission, and some other files that I thought could be of interest to the DCS Huey pilot:

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Mods Used, Manuals, General Info:

Upuaut's Helipads Mod Download Site:

Helipads_Cargo_RaceGates_Hospital 1.5.6.exe

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21ACxmY%5FTrpH1zJ5s&id=4995DAB54F442A85%213026&cid=4995DAB54F442A85

Upuaut's 'Helipads_Cargo_Racegates_Hospital 1.5.6' – DCS Forum Site:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=124251

Home Fries's Huey Livery (included in zipped .7z mission file):

This missions' excellent UH-1H livery is made by 'Home Fries', and represents an airframe on which one of the crew members was awarded the Medal of Honor... in this case, MA. Crandall's Huey ( #888 ).

www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/346912/

Tim Fragmagnet's 'Windshield Wiper Bounce' Forum & Download page:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2894113#post2894113

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Chuck's UH-1H Manual (view / download):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-uSpZROuEd3emw4Z1ZBSG1xanM/view

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My "UH-1 Huey - Trigger Conditions, Actions, Arguments & Values" manual:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=143017

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And last but not least, A MUST READ for DCS Huey Pilots:

Belsimtek's Uh-1H 'Huey' Project Manager, Alex "PilotMi8" Podvoyskiy Arizona Real Life Huey Flight experience:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=105440

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This mission assumes you know your Huey well enough; including how to read, follow checklists, and fly it within proper engine parameters.... hence Maj. Crandell's trust in you :)

readme.txt

Thanks, new Huey missions are always appreciated :-) I'll give it a try later this week and I'll report my feedback. I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle this task, because I'd say I fly the Huey rather rough.... but I'll try.

Whenever I think I know all the switches in the Huey, I noticed that I don't ;-) At least I now know what the DC circuit breakers are and where they are located so your mission already taught me something.

Anyway, I still have troubles to start the engine. When I press the engine start button as usual, it first seems to work fine but then, the mail fuel switch goes back to off and the RPM drop back again. And actually I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I oversaw something. I'll give it another try another day.

Furthermore, do I need to install the mentioned Upuaut mods when I have the "complete upuaut mod"? Since it's called "complete", I suppose everything from Upuaut is in there?

Thanks for the feedback:

If throttle is closed all the way, engine won't start... throttle needs to be in proper (realistic) location to start...

You need to use the mentioned Upuaut's Mod... had the same issue as you; had the "complete Upuaut's Mods installed, thought as well that it's ALL of them.. but for whatever reason, it didn't work... only with the recommended Mod does the mission seem tot work...

Popping circuit breakers, proper throttle position, hovering down the taxiway, etc...

This is a great new direction in Huey missions.

I like it so far as I got. :)

Crashed while landing on the tanning deck :music_whistling:

Thanks for the feedback:

If throttle is closed all the way, engine won't start... throttle needs to be in proper (realistic) location to start...

You need to use the mentioned Upuaut's Mod... had the same issue as you; had the "complete Upuaut's Mods installed, thought as well that it's ALL of them.. but for whatever reason, it didn't work... only with the recommended Mod does the mission seem tot work...

Thanks for the reply. I'll install the mod in that case and I'll try to start the engine with throttle slightly opened. However, I'm slightly confused...what is the proper location? So far I always opened it a bit and then closed it until again (so it was slightly opened in the end). That's how I learnt the ramp start.

Pizmo

Crashing on landing is severely frowned upon in this scenario ;-)

Pizmo

Crashing on landing is severely frowned upon in this scenario ;-)

I know it

I was too excited about getting that far with no problems.

That's what I get for trying to land while patting myself on the back ;)

Ummm... so, every time I start, the fuel shutoff flicks itself off after I release the starter. Is this scripted to imply I "missed" a checklist item (don't think I did), or is it an unrelated glitch?

Ummm... so, every time I start, the fuel shutoff flicks itself off after I release the starter. Is this scripted to imply I "missed" a checklist item (don't think I did), or is it an unrelated glitch?

I had to keep resetting the overhead ignition breaker and turning the main fuel switch back on two or three times to get it to start up.

→ Sandman1330 :

Mission has a trigger that shuts off fuel when throttle is fully closed... might check your throttle position maybe...

→ Sandman1330 :

Mission has a trigger that shuts off fuel when throttle is fully closed... might check your throttle position maybe...

Nope, throttle at idle and engine purring away happily - then pow, fuel shut-off and engine dies... Throttle is still at idle and has to be retarded past the stop before starting again.

Yes, same here. That's why I was confused if I always made it wrong so far. I also put the throttle slightly up first and then back to the idle position.

Just to clarify, what does: "slightly up first and then back to the idle position" means to you. During startup, do you turn the throttle up past the idle detent (which is almost halfway up between zero and full throttle)? I always turn it all the way up, then you can only turn it back until idle detendt anyway.

Yes, I turn it up above the "line" (highlighted yellow on the screenshot) on the indicator. Then I turn it back, so the throttle indicator (the two bigger bars on the outside) line up with the yellow highlighted bar.

Just to clarify, what does: "slightly up first and then back to the idle position" means to you. During startup, do you turn the throttle up past the idle detent (which is almost halfway up between zero and full throttle)? I always turn it all the way up, then you can only turn it back until idle detendt anyway.

This is what I do - all the way to full, then back to the idle stop. It's how we start the 412 IRL.

So, I did find a way around it - but it kinda defeats the idea behind the mission.

If you go right to full throttle on start-up (at 14% N1, instead of just rolling above the idle stop, you go right to full), then the fuel switch won't flip off. However, starting like that both overtemps the ITT and overtorques as the rotor goes from 0% to 100% during the start up. It does, however, allow me to continue with the mission.

Whereupon I came across another point... It seems like any turn (greater than 5 or 10 degrees) sets off the trigger to "freak the girls out." I'm thinking 20 or 30 degrees would be more realistic, 5 or 10 doesn't allow you to really manoeuvre at all. 30 degrees is still very benign (as long as the turn is coordinated and done slowly - airliners do more than 30).

Aside from that, though I haven't finished the mission yet, I appreciate all the hard work you've put into it. I'm hoping that we can help get it polished up!

Must say I'm puzzled to hear about the throttle issue at start-up.... had inserted that trigger to mimic closing the throttle all the way, which would shut down the engine, as I understand it happens IRL.

Initially I was using the 'C-Tek' flight controls, which have a physical indent on the throttle axis, mimicking a real life throttle; and so had the trigger set for that throttle axis set-up.

Now am using the Komodo flight controls, which even when they don't have a physical indent, the trigger still works for shutting down the engine at closed throttle, but allows for normal start-up with a slightly opened throttle.

- It is correct that starting at Full Throttle in this particular mission, the engine EGT overtemps, though I am not familiar with "...the rotor goes from 0% to 100%...".

On my set-up, that only happens very slowly, in synch with me opening the throttle slowly.

If need be, I can take that 'Closed-Trottle-Engine-Shutdown' trigger out to bypass this unexpected issue.

- As for the any BANK, or TILT being less than 30°... I remember my first RL helicopter ride, where just nosing the machine over to gain airspeed can be an unnerving experience.. I could assume that any young kids might get scared by that sensation... And apparently these girls are... ;-)

- 5° or 10° bank or tilt actually DOES allow you to maneuver just fine... you just have to do it gently, and so think a little more ahead of the maneuver you've got in mind... so that every control input will be gentler and less wild.

Note 1: Try setting up a downwind approach to a helipad, make a 180° and land into the wind on that pad, without "freaking the girls out"...

Note 2:

I'll be away from my computer for the next week, checking out the USA Full Solar Eclipse, but will be back after that.

I appreciate any constructive feedback and hope to fine-tune this mission, so we all get to fly it as I meant it to be...

Per the overtorque, it's not modelled in DCS well, but in the helicopter I fly IRL (Griffon, military version of the B412), rolling up the throttle quickly to 100% would probably cause an overtorque, and certainly would cause enough torque to spin the helo on the ground. The issue is that a lot of torque is placed on the mast to bring the rotor from 0 (pre-start) to 100% in a short time period. On a proper start, it raises slowly from 0-60 during the start process, as the engine is not putting out much power during the start. You then roll up the throttle from 60-100 slowly enough so as not to ask the rotor to accelerate to 100% immediately, which is what happens if you start it at full throttle.

For the idle stop, it is modelled in DCS. I have it mapped to shift+T. I can freely roll the throttle from idle to full and back (I use the mouse or a rotary on my HOTAS), then if I hit shift+T, it simulates having actuated the idle stop and it allows me to roll past idle into the off position, shutting down the engine.

For the bank and pitch angles, I've flown a lot of people on their first helo ride, and had no issues with bank up to 30 degrees... then again, most were military and probably expected a more aggressive ride. That being said, it's your mission and if you want to make it a bit more challenging by having those girls be super fragile, that's up to you! At least I know now that it's intentional. :smilewink:

I'm off to try the mission again. Maybe I won't freak these girls out! Again, please don't take my comments as negative - you've clearly put a lot of work into this mission and I think you've done a great job. I like the concept of actually asking someone to fly within the limits, too many missions (including the included ones) are unrealistic in their expectations of how one would fly this thing in real life. I'm simply trying to help troubleshoot and make it a more realistic experience.

Cheers!

Next question: Where, exactly, are we supposed to land? I see no "platform with a button on it" just off shore. There's an oil platform way out there (landed there, nothing happened), there's a ship out there (landed on it, but the landing surface wasn't stable and the helo tumbled). I've cheated and looked at your trigger zones, but there is nothing but water under the trigger for the landing zone.

Hello, was the fuel shutoff bug fixed as Im still getting it :(