Quality helicopter sim?

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

Perhaps it's the flight controls I'm using.. I've got a full
collective/cyclic/pedal setup (Home built) using Epic hardware and
some Epic code/FSUIPC to "fake" some of the aerodynamics so I don't
see the roll tendencies. Is this roll tendency present in 2002 and
2004? (I only have 2002)



Interesting. You may be on to something. I honestly can't remember far
enough back to recall how FS02 was. I was referring to FS04, and it's
definitely there. It's widely known and is a recognized and reported
defect in the helo flight models. I've always been amazed that MS never
bothered to patch it. This is a major contrast to the light single
flight models in FS04, which are passably good, IMO. I'm FAA-rated for
those, but not helos.

I've never tried it with the kind of controls you have. I've always
just used the best consumer joysticks I could find, force feedback ones
from CH or MS.

Attempting to lift off and hover IGE with the Bell, or any of the other
ones, is pretty nearly impossible; the aircraft is immediately totally
unstable, no matter how carefully you handle the stick, and there's a
point in these uncommanded rolling tendencies where recovery is pretty
much impossible, no matter how much control input is given. Same thing
happens at any airspeed below about 40 kts, IIRC, and slowing to hover
and land is the same deal. Pretty dicey.

You should pick up a copy of FS04 and try it with your setup - I think
the price is only $20-$30 now, can't remember what it was when I was at
CompUSA last.