Trouble hovering with X55

Hey i'm wondering what settings people use to make hovering a bit more intuitive.

I know it needs constant stick input, but on a desktop X55 its just very awkward.

Thanks

Does the X55 have the same spring choice as the X56?

I use an X56 with the strongest spring and it's the best control of helicopters I've had. Didn't make any adjustments to the axis tuning.

Some use an extension - which you can get hold of for these HOTAS, but it isn't that easy. I had one for the Warthog and it made a nice difference, but I haven't felt the need for one with the X56.

Maybe try smaller stick movements?

Does the X55 have the same spring choice as the X56?

 

I use an X56 with the strongest spring and it's the best control of helicopters I've had. Didn't make any adjustments to the axis tuning.

 

Some use an extension - which you can get hold of for these HOTAS, but it isn't that easy. I had one for the Warthog and it made a nice difference, but I haven't felt the need for one with the X56.

 

Maybe try smaller stick movements?

Yes, it does. 4 of them.

Personally I found the opposite. I've got the 2nd lightest one in my x55 and hovering is generally fine in helos (only hampered by my lack of pedals currently).

if you use the ED trim abstraction then use a strong spring and trim, trim, trim..

if you fly like a helicopter pilot then use the lightest spring and move your hand a lot.

its much easier to make small hand adjustments when you are not fighting a spring.

so use a weak spring or an extension to overcome it.

and set the trim for "joystick with no spring", so all it does is click when you press it.

I only see the command for the trim which just holds the stick where you hadn’t it, is there another way?

Yeah I see the option you speak of.

Anyone adjust the axis turning at all?

in the special options for the huey you can set the trim model.

if you have a force feedback stick when you press trim the stick will stay in whatever position you were holding it.

so forward for cruise is where it will stay.

this is how helicopters work. no centring force or return to centre spring.

for non force-feed back ED decided that when you press trim. you need to centre the joystick. but the centre will now be where the stick should be in a real helicopter.

so forward for cruise with the stick centred.

this all seems a bit backwards to me. and its something else to concentrate on which you don't need to do.

so I fly with no springs and I hold the stick where it should be when I press trim. so my stick and the force feed back stick will be in similar positions. for most of the flight.

if you ED trim then you can try curves on the axis tuning.

but if you fly FFB or no springs then I would not use curves. because you need the same precision no matter where the stick is in relation to the centre.

It will be hard with out knowing the quality of the pots in the stick and throttle. And any interference from other axis. If you do your hover check and trim you stick right with out out side forces you should in theory be able to fine tune the stick retrial and be golden to the point of releasing all pressure. On the stick I’m not saying removing your hand from the stick but not touching it and remember everytime to do make a stick movement two things need to happen first counter the force triangle with the pedals and collective and two every movement needs to stop before the bird fully preformes the correction and you need a bit of counter movement to stop the bird movement. Most think in the beginning you keep moving the stick until the bird reacts that’s not the case you have a delay between n stick movement and bird movement then to net to use small movements and hope you get it right if. Not enough do it again if to much correct it and hop you don’t start fighting your own movements.

if you use the ED trim abstraction then use a strong spring and trim, trim, trim..

 

if you fly like a helicopter pilot then use the lightest spring and move your hand a lot.

 

I disagree, but I'm not going to argue. I use the trim less now than I ever have before (unrealistic, apparently) except in the Ka-50. I don't use it at all in the Gazelle, Huey or Hip.

I gave a buddy my X55 since I wasn't using it and he was flying the Huey really good from day one. His entire first day with me under instruction he didn't bang the helicopter up enough to even run a repair. Mine had the black spring; I'm a CH guy and it felt really stiff to me, but he loves it.

For some context my friend hasn't flown in another simulator, flying Huey with my X55 was his first time. I didn't like the X55, hence all of the logged time in the closet, but he loves it and flies a Huey very well.

As for hovering tricks:

1) Use two references, a near one that you glance at (stripe or crack in the ramp or single bush nearby), and a far one that you focus on (a larger tree, building, anything stationary that you can see). If you are into guns then you'll recognize this as the same technique of focusing on the front sight to stay on target steady.

2) Use the damn force trim!! Get your trim set prior to take off. Once set to roughly the spot you know to trim to add some collective and left rudder. Once the nose starts swinging check it with your pedals, then pick the bird up. Stabilize as best as you can then re-trim. You don't need to hit the reset, just hit the trim button again.

3) After you get close to stable get going on step 1, and then practice this: dance on your pedals. Yup, you'll notice that you can correct drift with the pedals instead of making a cyclic input. I learned it from a guy named SnowTiger and I have been using it ever since.

That's my 3 steps when I teach new folks and they seem to pick it up rapidly!! Try them out!!

~Rob

Remove the spring and don't use the force trim.

Remove the spring and don't use the force trim.

This! I did this with my Logitech 3D Pro as well as some other mods. Same here no need to use trim. here if you want some ideas.

That helped, also not sure if op has pedals, if not would recommend and a cyclic input as well. :)

Whilst it's a bit of a hand full at first and your likely putting in more input than required balance the rotor thrust, the AC may not actually be level Huey and Mi8 more so.

Balance the anti-torque with pedal, height with collective and for collective I'm guessing it like a slider input. I find less input makes for better control.

i am using ms sw ffb2 while flying with helos. it is awesome