How difficult is it to fly and fight in it ?

I fly the ka-50 with a crappy low-button-count Logitech Freedom Cordless twist stick hehe.

 

I am not afraid of any enemy or scenario in the Ka just because I have an inferior stick. The Ka needs very little input to operate. The better you know "her" the less you need to dial and flick switches...but ut does take some time to accept the way the Kamov wants it. Don't fight her, give in and learn how "SHE" wants it. That maybe is the golden rule in the Ka.

 

I also own the A10-C but won't use it until I buy the Warthog in Feb or March this year. It is a nightmare to fly this plane without a million-button-horas haha

 

 

The Ka is the #1 Killer online if flown right. The A10-C is almost as good as it but can damage less per time and refuelling is way more time intense ( no FARPs ).

 

If the Ka is flown right with a trained MkI. Eyeball you have nothing to fear, no SAMs, no fighters cause you stay way down and behind, you trigger SAM shots until those are empty and you fly around your TA until you know whats going on...that is fighting in a Ground Attack Helicopter ;)

 

Stay below 20m, stay AWAY from SAMs and LOOK LOOK and LOOK again before you engage.

 

 

Bit

+1 to this

Main reason I moved to the Ka-50 from the A-10C was because of enemy fighter sweeps. With the Shark (as I've said a million times during my livestreams); there might be contested skies up there and here I am down here; happily plinking away at the ground objectives. As for SAMs... staying low is the key :) Only thing a Shark has to worry about are AAA's and IR SAMs, but those can be dealt with with a little planning.

I also agree that the Shark can wreak more havoc in a short amount of time compared to the A-10C. The Hogs need to turn around; ingress-egress, repeat; and that takes time. The Shark can just nestle on a nice spot and start plinking away.

Oh and I love the game of cat and mouse :D

http://www.twitch.tv/arkroyale048/c/5796792

Well for now I have purchased the Black Hawk. I have tried the first interactive lesson where you start it. It's a problem to see and understand where the switches are supposed to be. I have fully completed it once.

I see there are still time to get the UH 1

The UH-1 is by far the simplest in regards to button pushing and switch flicking, but it's a bit harder to fly. I'm also not convinced on its flight model, it feels very scripted and unnatural to me. Both the Ka-50 and Mi-8 fly much more naturally imho. That said, the Mi-8's start up procedure is a lot lengthier than the Ka-50.

In any case, just play that start up tutorial a few times. Once you get the hang of it, it actually makes a lot of sense. The order also isn't terribly important in game. Once you switch on the batteries, you can turn on everything else before you ever start the APU and it won't hurt anything in game. Not all of it will actually work until the engines are providing AC power though.

Edit: I agree with the above poster on the cat and mouse thing. I play on 104th and other servers regularly and while the A-10's are all ducking for friendly SAM cover, I'm sitting at the TA firing missile after missile without a care in the world. Between the radar limitations and sitting between buildings/hills, no one is going to find me. Honestly I lose more Ka-50's to those AT missiles fired by T-90's or their MG's than anything else. Getting shot down by a fighter, SAM or AAA unit is a very rare occurrence. I also agree the Ka-50 is absolutely devastating in the right hands. The A-10's are better at cluster bombing groups of targets at the start but once you're engaging individual targets, the Ka-50 is far better.

^ +1

I'm also a regular at the 104th server. If there's one thing their mission designer did (and did well) is disperse the enemy units far enough that at most; you can only get two or three with a cluster bomb. I've come in both as an A-10C and a Ka-50. It's very frustrating that there's a target rich environment but unable to have a 'glorious shack' at the target groups. I do agree though that the A-10C is good because of it's clusters. Only thing about the Ka-50 that I'd like to complain about is that it does not carry enough missiles to be even more devastating that it should. I wish we can also carry Vikhrs on the inner pylons for a grand total of 24 missiles (I rarely use unguided rockets anyway, unless I'm playing spotter for A-10s).

If you want to see what's involved in flying the Ka50, this is a great video from Froogle. He explains what is going on with the systems to control the chopper and how to use them. But basically if you hold down the Trimmer key all the time and only let go when you are flying straight the Ka50 should fly good for you to start out. Then learn the rest of this stuff so you know what's going on..

^ +1

 

I wish we can also carry Vikhrs on the inner pylons for a grand total of 24 missiles (I rarely use unguided rockets anyway, unless I'm playing spotter for A-10s).

The Ka-52 does have 24 Vikhrs and hopefully a better Laser cause the Ka-50 in DCS at least almost never makes it through 24 Vikhrs before the Laser fails.

It would almost be an unfair advantage if we could, just imagine.... poor A10-C drivers then...

Bit

I've only flown the Blackshark and Mi-8 as far as helis go in DCS and found both to be easier to fly than helis in FSX. If you have rudder pedals that's great, but use those with the joystick. I have a CH Yoke, and it's not good for heli nor fighters.

You will spend a while learning cold start, take off and landings, using the trim and autopilot.

Then move onto getting up to speed with nav systems and finally the weapons systems, one at a time. I found I enjoy flying them without even pulling the trigger, when you go weapons free and have AA projectiles of all sorts coming at you, that's when the heart rate really goes up...for me at least :)

It might seem overwhelming at first, but just tackle it in stages and you'll be fine. Doing one thing on its own is not difficult, putting all things together in a mission and coming back in once piece is where the satisfaction comes in.

Doing one thing on its own is not difficult, putting all things together in a mission and coming back in once piece is where the satisfaction comes in.

Good advice, and well said! :thumbup:

I've only flown the Blackshark and Mi-8 as far as helis go in DCS and found both to be easier to fly than helis in FSX. If you have rudder pedals that's great, but use those with the joystick. I have a CH Yoke, and it's not good for heli nor fighters.

 

You will spend a while learning cold start, take off and landings, using the trim and autopilot.

Then move onto getting up to speed with nav systems and finally the weapons systems, one at a time. I found I enjoy flying them without even pulling the trigger, when you go weapons free and have AA projectiles of all sorts coming at you, that's when the heart rate really goes up...for me at least :)

 

It might seem overwhelming at first, but just tackle it in stages and you'll be fine. Doing one thing on its own is not difficult, putting all things together in a mission and coming back in once piece is where the satisfaction comes in.

Find the right person to teach u.

It is no Apache, but apart from Hellfire and a turret gun it is a real cool attack Helo. (I always wondered why they had the large gun with such a limited angle and not a smaller on a swivel turret constantly slaved to the helmet)

I believe there are two main reasons for that:

1- The Ka-50 does not have a gunner, which is why we see its design much more focused on being a long range "sniper": all its weapon systems are forward facing and generally encourage finding a nice spot to hit at long range from, rather than "wade in".

2- The current mount tends to be more accurate than turret mounts (well, not sure if that's true as of today, mind you), which again seems to follow the above design philosophy.

Of course, the Ka-52 still uses the side mount AND has a gunner, so maybe I'm full of it. :p

I believe there are two main reasons for that:

 

1- The Ka-50 does not have a gunner, which is why we see its design much more focused on being a long range "sniper": all its weapon systems are forward facing and generally encourage finding a nice spot to hit at long range from, rather than "wade in".

 

2- The current mount tends to be more accurate than turret mounts (well, not sure if that's true as of today, mind you), which again seems to follow the above design philosophy.

 

Of course, the Ka-52 still uses the side mount AND has a gunner, so maybe I'm full of it. :p

Makes sense in a way. But then they use the same principle of a semi-fixed gun also on variants of the Mi-24/35 - which both have gunners as well.

Therefore I tend to believe that the russians just love big fat guns - and who could blame them, eh? ;o)

I have a CH Flight Sim Yoke and a CH Throttle quadrant and Track IR- Also a not connected Microsoft Sidewinder joystick.

So the most easy to use DCS helo would be the Ka-50 ?

Ka-50 is my main ride. Took about a year to fly it pretty good, not including using it for combat. I looked for somebody to teach me, ended up teaching myself. Bigfoot has good tutorials. I use CH gear: Fighter Stick, Pro Throttle, and Pro Pedals, all USB connectors wired directly into the machine. I use a Logitech G510 keyboard for inside cockpit views and miscellaneous key stuff using its G-keys.

I use this CH Ka-50 profile created by Crunch:

http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/index.php/files/file/131-dcs-blackshark/

It includes features that few Ka-50 sim pilots are aware of.

In the DCS User Files and the DCS Black Shark forum search around for mods. I have mods by Devrim, Isegrim, Highwayman, and others. I added SweetFX and the JSGME to add the mods. Devrim's English cockpit is most useful. I learned using the Russian language cockpit.

In MP, I use the S77th's, 104th's, 159th's, and STP servers mostly for interesting missions. Best Ka-50 pilots I have found are Cooper with the S77th and Ajax with the 159th, they are better than I am. Tyger's server was very good for the Ka-50 but he quit DCS.

Ka-50 is not so easy to fly when battle damage blows out the AP-three amigos, no hydraulics, no radar altimeter, no ABRIS, no PVI-800, and no tail and bring her back to base or FARP to get repaired. It is like flying an out of balance washing machine on its spin cycle! Now do it with only one engine, too!

Best I have done using the same Ka-50, out and back for fuel and ammo, is 5 times in one sortie before the laser burns out, using the S77th server.

I fly mostly using the AP Flight Director in freehand, not route following mode---that is what makes the difference flying this thing.

I still need to learn how to use the advanced features using the ABRIS and the PVI-800.

Fun game.

Makes sense in a way. But then they use the same principle of a semi-fixed gun also on variants of the Mi-24/35 - which both have gunners as well.

 

Therefore I tend to believe that the russians just love big fat guns - and who could blame them, eh? ;o)

I think the Soviets simply learned from American mistakes in Vietnam and their own in Afghanistan. Getting close in with gunpods and rockets is a dangerous proposition. Thus they like to hang out at long range and snipe now. Incidentally, I think the US helos do the same thing for the most part these days. Sometimes you have to get in close of course, but it's preferable to keep at range if you can.

In any case, the Ka-50 works just fine with a single crewman. I never feel overloaded using it. I simply find a nice place to park it while I fire off my 12 Vikhrs. Once out, I may close to 3-4km to snipe with the cannon if there isn't anything there too dangerous looking. And that is where the big honking gun shines. It can reach out and touch a target from a lot further than your typical 20mm chin turret. It can't snipe like a missile, but it's still relatively long ranged. I think that's what the designers had in mind when they made it. It really is a sniper chopper.

Ka-50 is my main ride. Took about a year to fly it pretty good, not including using it for combat. I looked for somebody to teach me, ended up teaching myself. Bigfoot has good tutorials. I use CH gear: Fighter Stick, Pro Throttle, and Pro Pedals, all USB connectors wired directly into the machine. I use a Logitech G510 keyboard for inside cockpit views and miscellaneous key stuff using its G-keys.

 

I use this CH Ka-50 profile created by Crunch:

http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/index.php/files/file/131-dcs-blackshark/

 

It includes features that few Ka-50 sim pilots are aware of.

 

In the DCS User Files and the DCS Black Shark forum search around for mods. I have mods by Devrim, Isegrim, Highwayman, and others. I added SweetFX and the JSGME to add the mods. Devrim's English cockpit is most useful. I learned using the Russian language cockpit.

 

In MP, I use the S77th's, 104th's, 159th's, and STP servers mostly for interesting missions. Best Ka-50 pilots I have found are Cooper with the S77th and Ajax with the 159th, they are better than I am. Tyger's server was very good for the Ka-50 but he quit DCS.

 

Ka-50 is not so easy to fly when battle damage blows out the AP-three amigos, no hydraulics, no radar altimeter, no ABRIS, no PVI-800, and no tail and bring her back to base or FARP to get repaired. It is like flying an out of balance washing machine on its spin cycle! Now do it with only one engine, too!

 

Best I have done using the same Ka-50, out and back for fuel and ammo, is 5 times in one sortie before the laser burns out, using the S77th server.

 

I fly mostly using the AP Flight Director in freehand, not route following mode---that is what makes the difference flying this thing.

 

I still need to learn how to use the advanced features using the ABRIS and the PVI-800.

 

Fun game.

Hi,

I'm using the same HOTAS as you: CH Fighterstick, ProThrottle and ProPedals. Could you please tell me which axis and dead zone settings for stick/throttle/pedals are you using?

I'm using:

Select Ka-50 Real

Select Axis Commands

Absolute SHKVAL Horizontal Slew set as JOY X of throttle (minstick)

Absolute SHKVAL Vertical Slew set as JOY Y of throttle(minstick)

Highlight JOY X

Click AXIS TUNE and set as follows:

Deadzone - 2

Saturation X - 100

Saturation Y - 21

User Curve select and set values as:

0, 10, 20, 20, 20, 23, 23, 27, 30, 50, 100

Do the same for JOY Y

for shkval with very good results (it's extremely sensitive with the default settings), but I have a problem with X and Y axis in my stick when pressing the trim button. If I release the stick and let it go to the center, and start to press trim, the diamond starts to move to the right and sometimes go up too. I suppose that DCS detects that my stick is not in the center probably due to some "play" in the center.

Thanks.

Hi,

I'm using the same HOTAS as you: CH Fighterstick, ProThrottle and ProPedals. Could you please tell me which axis and dead zone settings for stick/throttle/pedals are you using?

 

I'm using:

 

Select Ka-50 Real

Select Axis Commands

Absolute SHKVAL Horizontal Slew set as JOY X of throttle (minstick)

Absolute SHKVAL Vertical Slew set as JOY Y of throttle(minstick)

Highlight JOY X

Click AXIS TUNE and set as follows:

Deadzone - 2

Saturation X - 100

Saturation Y - 21

User Curve select and set values as:

0, 10, 20, 20, 20, 23, 23, 27, 30, 50, 100

Do the same for JOY Y

 

for shkval with very good results (it's extremely sensitive with the default settings), but I have a problem with X and Y axis in my stick when pressing the trim button. If I release the stick and let it go to the center, and start to press trim, the diamond starts to move to the right and sometimes go up too. I suppose that DCS detects that my stick is not in the center probably due to some "play" in the center.

 

Thanks.

The answer you seek is more an "Input and Output Forums" topic question specific to our CH gear we both have. Maybe the moderator will allow this?

Me, too, I run only in full sim mode / full realism. I use the cyclic trimmer button like the training videos describe in BS1 before they gave us the "Central Position Trimmer Mode" in "Options\Special" which I leave it unchecked.

I calibrated all my controllers in the CH Control Manager before setting up my controllers. Ghost's Dummies book Vol. III explains the process.

My Fighterstick (cyclic) "Axis Tune" settings are default in pitch and roll.

My Pro Throttle (collective) "Axis Tune" settings are default but I inverted the axis---checked the Invert check-box.

My Pro Pedals (rudder): "Axis Tune" settings are Dead Zone = +5 , Saturation both X and Y = +100, Curvature = +21

I used to set the Pro Throttle's Mini-Stick for the SHKVAL as to the specs Crunch recommends with his original .map profile, but DCS\ED changed how the Shkval functioned a few update patches ago, in Options \ Controls \ Axis Commands from using the mouse settings in Axis Commands to the ALL selection under "Ku-31 Shkval" left, right, up, down. I set the Mini-Stick accordingly, I move the toggle switch left for the "Ku-31 Shkval left" setting and map it in Options \ All and ditto for the 3 remaining moves. There is no Axis Tune settings.

In addition, there is a little trick Bob Church told me about (I asked in an inquiry to CH Hangar Forums) to the CH Hangar concerning the Pro Throttle Mini-Stick using the CH Control Manager:

Gain and Response Settings

==================

Sensitivity = 50

Dead Zone = 14 (at least 14 or a higher number)

That square box with the cross-hairs I set the sine wave using the bottom arrow, I click 5 clicks, the sine wave is a bit flat on the X-axis cross-hair.

I set the X and Y axis the same using DirectX Function, both I check-off the Centered check-box for each.

When I load the map, Crunch used mostly "Program Settings" , not DX Mode, building his .map, so I load it as he recommends in "Mapped Mode". I load the CH Control Manager .map profile before loading DCS.

I don't use any Dead Zone, except the Rudder. My controllers are 4 years old, almost 5, with a fair amount of use on them, usually daily, and still there is not much dead zone drift, yet. I do not ham-fist my controllers, nice and easy does it moves. I am surprised CH Products builds their gaming controllers so tough. My other brand controllers never lasted 2 years at a time, if that. They are expensive, though.

If you need more info ask again here or PM me. I am usually on the 104th or S77th MP servers 8PM or later NY time. You can type me a message in chat to get my attention, then TeamSpeak if you want to talk.

Take care.

The answer you seek is more an "Input and Output Forums" topic question specific to our CH gear we both have. Maybe the moderator will allow this?

 

Me, too, I run only in full sim mode / full realism. I use the cyclic trimmer button like the training videos describe in BS1 before they gave us the "Central Position Trimmer Mode" in "Options\Special" which I leave it unchecked.

 

I calibrated all my controllers in the CH Control Manager before setting up my controllers. Ghost's Dummies book Vol. III explains the process.

 

My Fighterstick (cyclic) "Axis Tune" settings are default in pitch and roll.

 

My Pro Throttle (collective) "Axis Tune" settings are default but I inverted the axis---checked the Invert check-box.

 

My Pro Pedals (rudder): "Axis Tune" settings are Dead Zone = +5 , Saturation both X and Y = +100, Curvature = +21

 

I used to set the Pro Throttle's Mini-Stick for the SHKVAL as to the specs Crunch recommends with his original .map profile, but DCS\ED changed how the Shkval functioned a few update patches ago, in Options \ Controls \ Axis Commands from using the mouse settings in Axis Commands to the ALL selection under "Ku-31 Shkval" left, right, up, down. I set the Mini-Stick accordingly, I move the toggle switch left for the "Ku-31 Shkval left" setting and map it in Options \ All and ditto for the 3 remaining moves. There is no Axis Tune settings.

 

In addition, there is a little trick Bob Church told me about (I asked in an inquiry to CH Hangar Forums) to the CH Hangar concerning the Pro Throttle Mini-Stick using the CH Control Manager:

 

Gain and Response Settings

==================

Sensitivity = 50

Dead Zone = 14 (at least 14 or a higher number)

 

That square box with the cross-hairs I set the sine wave using the bottom arrow, I click 5 clicks, the sine wave is a bit flat on the X-axis cross-hair.

 

I set the X and Y axis the same using DirectX Function, both I check-off the Centered check-box for each.

 

When I load the map, Crunch used mostly "Program Settings" , not DX Mode, building his .map, so I load it as he recommends in "Mapped Mode". I load the CH Control Manager .map profile before loading DCS.

 

I don't use any Dead Zone, except the Rudder. My controllers are 4 years old, almost 5, with a fair amount of use on them, usually daily, and still there is not much dead zone drift, yet. I do not ham-fist my controllers, nice and easy does it moves. I am surprised CH Products builds their gaming controllers so tough. My other brand controllers never lasted 2 years at a time, if that. They are expensive, though.

 

If you need more info ask again here or PM me. I am usually on the 104th or S77th MP servers 8PM or later NY time. You can type me a message in chat to get my attention, then TeamSpeak if you want to talk.

 

Take care.

Hi and many thanks for your kind answer and offer for help in TeamSpeak. I have to read your explanation carefully, look at the Crunch profile (because it's using a mixture of Axis and keys for the ministick) and Bob's trick.

Count on me if I can help you in some way.

Nice flights!

Hi and many thanks for your kind answer and offer for help in TeamSpeak. I have to read your explanation carefully, look at the Crunch profile (because it's using a mixture of Axis and keys for the ministick) and Bob's trick.

 

Count on me if I can help you in some way.

 

Nice flights!

If you PM Crunch here to DCS about any issue concerning his .map he will reply to answer you and give advice, usually in a day or two. Though I have never seen him on the 104th's server, he is an active member with the Phoenix squad.

I was not sure if your X and Y axis question pertained to the Pro Throttle's Mini-stick's X and Y or whether you meant your Fighterstick as cyclic. My Fighterstick sticks up too high on my desk top, so sometimes clicking the trimmer button can be awkward and I instead use the keyboard command "t" instead. I do not know why that is a conflict for you, but I question if there may be an issue with your initial calibration setup. Might ask over to the CH Hangar Forums. I know the guru Ghost (of his "CH Control Manager for Dummies" book) plays DCS. Crunch may also have an answer for you.

Hope you find a solution.

Take care.