Board index Other Hangar talk

Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Talk about (almost) anything, as long as it is no serious FlightGear talk and does not fit in the other subforums.
Forum rules
Please refrain from discussing politics.

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby Warty » Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:46 pm

VNSB
User avatar
Warty
 
Posts: 378
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:53 pm
Location: Spain
Callsign: Warty
Version: 2020.4.0
OS: Mac OS 13

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:46 pm

wlbragg wrote in Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:34 pm:
Try the Everest landing challenge in the AS350 .

Is that the Everest S.A.R. mission on FGUK?



No, it was a real world edvent where they took a real AS350 and "landed" on top of Everest . There is a configuration option in our AS350 for the Everest challenge which lightens the airframe to to same specs they used on the real one.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby wlbragg » Wed Aug 26, 2020 1:44 am

There is a configuration option in our AS350 for the Everest challenge which lightens the airframe to to same specs they used on the real one.

Ah, OK, thanks!
Kansas and Ohio/Midwest scenery development.
KEQA, 3AU, KRCP Airport Layout
Intel i7/GeForce RTX 2070/Max-Q
User avatar
wlbragg
 
Posts: 7587
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:31 am
Location: Kansas (Tornado Alley), USA
Callsign: WC2020
Version: next
OS: Win10/Linux/RTX 2070

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby Grumpysanta » Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:25 pm

Didier Delsalle started from Tenzing–Hillary Airport (IATA: LUA, ICAO: VNLK), also known as Lukla Airport. the best route I've found so far is to loop back on yourself to the right once you've left the runway and follow the Valley which I think Didier Delsalle did based on the video I saw. That should give you the thermals to get the height needed and you need all that time just to gain height. I almost succeeded with an EC135, I was actually a few feet too high to land, needed to remove the co-pilot and remove fuel to lose weight to get the height required. Obviously for the challenge I need to do it with the AS350 but I need to practice more with the AS350 as that fly's so differently to the EC135. It's a really good challenge.
Grumpysanta
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:11 pm
Location: Wart on the backside of the world
Callsign: G-SANT4
Version: multiple
OS: Win 10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:33 pm

135 is Twin engined, the 350 is doing it on a single engine, so not much margin for error. The AS350 Squirrel lives up to its name, its a Squirrly animal until you master it. Unless you are from the US of A and call it an A Start then what I said makes no sense at all.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby wlbragg » Wed Aug 26, 2020 5:46 pm

Ya, I tried it and it is certainly is "squirrly". I didn't even get close but I attacked from the wrong location. Funny the AirCrane fared much better but still needed some fwd assent speed to get there with its hover ceiling at only 10,600'
Wiki said the service ceiling of the AS350 was 15,100'. Everest summit being 29,029'. How high was the ledge they touched the skids on?
Kansas and Ohio/Midwest scenery development.
KEQA, 3AU, KRCP Airport Layout
Intel i7/GeForce RTX 2070/Max-Q
User avatar
wlbragg
 
Posts: 7587
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:31 am
Location: Kansas (Tornado Alley), USA
Callsign: WC2020
Version: next
OS: Win10/Linux/RTX 2070

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Wed Aug 26, 2020 6:00 pm

it was near the summit. Remember though, the squirrel they used was stripped out and a lighter that the average one. This is what the WiKi says about it:-

On May 14, 2005, at 07:08 NPT in the early morning (01:23 UTC), Delsalle set the world record for highest altitude landing of a helicopter when his Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel touched down on the 8,848 m (29,029 ft) summit of Mount Everest.[1] The flight and the summit landing were captured by a battery of cameras and other equipment to validate the record. After sitting on top of the world for 3 minutes and 50 seconds,[2] Delsalle lifted off and returned to the Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla, Nepal.[3][4]

This accomplishment had required extensive testing on site, especially because of the low atmospheric pressure available for the helicopter rotors, winds over 299 km/h (186 mph) at these altitudes, and oxygen depletion for both Delsalle and his helicopter's engine. Delsalle had to find areas of downdrafts and updrafts to complete the flight, stating: "I found an updraft so strong that I could rise up with almost no power."

Delsalle repeated the Everest summit landing the next day, May 15, 2005, to prove that the previous day had not been simple luck. Conditions the second day were much more difficult, but Delsalle chose not to wait any longer so as not to squander the opportunity for 'conventional' climbers waiting to summit Everest during the limited good weather conditions available in May.

Delsalle used a virtually standard version of the Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel B3, only removing unnecessary elements, such as passenger seats, to reduce the standard weight by 120 kg (265 lb) and thus extend the 1-hour fuel range.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby wlbragg » Wed Aug 26, 2020 10:10 pm

Does autostart configure the aircraft to a full power setting? It appears to, I was just making sure.
No AFCS available at all, even in the property list? I take it this heli never had any AFCS system?

I can get off the ground, but can't get turned around out of VNLK. I suddenly loose all lift and end up as an icicle on the ground. :x
Kansas and Ohio/Midwest scenery development.
KEQA, 3AU, KRCP Airport Layout
Intel i7/GeForce RTX 2070/Max-Q
User avatar
wlbragg
 
Posts: 7587
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:31 am
Location: Kansas (Tornado Alley), USA
Callsign: WC2020
Version: next
OS: Win10/Linux/RTX 2070

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Wed Aug 26, 2020 10:38 pm

Autostart does go to full power, yes. No AFCS on this one, but its an after market option on the real one. Flying it at altitude is not easy at the best of times ( in fact flying it at all is difficult until you get used to its many many nasty vices and strong desire just to kill you ). Once you get your head round that, it is actually quite versatile. Saying that, I still cant manage it at altitudes myself.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby Grumpysanta » Mon Aug 31, 2020 6:46 pm

Lol - still struggling with the AS350, almost did it with the EC135, still continuing to try and crack it

Image
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LyKVKKvTvmJ90AUPf5NT8pDqv65PiXcY/view?usp=sharing

For some reason I don't seem to be able to get the images up as images, hence the URL undeneath Image, it's the same link.
Grumpysanta
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:11 pm
Location: Wart on the backside of the world
Callsign: G-SANT4
Version: multiple
OS: Win 10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:11 pm

everyone struggles with the 350, dont feel bad about it. Its not an easy chopper, and nether is the H130 which being its younger sister, has the same bad attitude.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby Grumpysanta » Tue Sep 01, 2020 9:06 pm

My friend who took the helicopter lessons has just managed to land a helicopter on the top of Everest, admittedly it wasn't an AS350 but all the same he managed to get one up there and land it

Image
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LP4oJZPTWmtAin3vb_w-OSJkWxYa1F96/view?usp=sharing

I won't repeat what I called him when he emailed me the news - lol

BTW, he's definitely landed there, he couldn't take off afterwards
Grumpysanta
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:11 pm
Location: Wart on the backside of the world
Callsign: G-SANT4
Version: multiple
OS: Win 10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Tue Sep 01, 2020 9:30 pm

Blackhawk. Way way more powerfull than the AS350, but what is that he landed on ? dod he place a Platform on top of everest ? The environmental are going to be pissed if he did.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby StuartC » Tue Sep 01, 2020 9:47 pm

Heres another chopper skill challenge. Aircraft carrier landing challenge. Not as simple as you would think as it does not involve landing on the flight deck, it involves flying into and landing in the hanger deck through one of the open hanger doors. Look at Timis attempt on this video, 14:50 on the time frame.



A good chopper choice for this is crucial.
StuartC
 
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Arse end of the Universe
Callsign: WF01
Version: 2019.1
OS: W10 64 bit

Re: Enjoying FlightGear helicopters

Postby Grumpysanta » Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:14 pm

He beat me by hours

Image
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rWIr4-Imte2K2Wplcv_3-TEB0rBQrlxL/view?usp=sharing

Me this time with an EC135, didn't last 3:50 though, but I did Touch the tip
Grumpysanta
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:11 pm
Location: Wart on the backside of the world
Callsign: G-SANT4
Version: multiple
OS: Win 10 64 bit

PreviousNext

Return to Hangar talk

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests