Helicopters

MACC · Post by **MACC** » 05 Jan 2008, 09:35

How do you add helicopters to helipds?, add a parking space there?

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 05 Jan 2008, 12:39

Helicopters, IF they have wheels, like a Blackhawk, will work very similar to any fixed-wing AI, so yes adding a parking spot for them will work just fine as long as the spot's radius is large enough.

Now if you are trying to use a heli with skids, like a Huey, well that's another story.

In that case you'll need a different .AIR file, one that simulates an aircraft with wheels.

Search over at www.hovercontrol.com for "AI helicopters" and there are a couple of packages over there that will 1)get you started and 2)get you that .AIR file that I'm talking about.

MACC · Post by **MACC** » 05 Jan 2008, 12:46

Nah, im talking wheeled helis, Pumas, chinny's, sea kings, can they not take off on the hleipad?

Post by **BadPvtDan** » 05 Jan 2008, 14:04

Nope, not really.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 05 Jan 2008, 17:23

The main reason they can't is because the .AIR file, aka the FDE file is what controls the behaivor of the AI aircraft. Billy Gates and his FS team did not write the code into FS9 to handle helicopter AI, hence the AI engine only knows how to handle fixed wing aircraft. So the best we can do is to use a STOL type aircraft's .AIR file which results in the helicopters having to taxi out for takeoff to a runway and then having a short takeoff run as well as a short landing roll out, just like a STOL capable aircraft.

The best you can do is to create a short runway with afcad and have them use that, but they cannot take off and land directly to a spot like a helipad.

And no, they didn't fix this in FSX either.

That's why you don't see many helicopter AI packs.

dogden · Post by **dogden** » 05 Jan 2008, 17:40

All,

I dont know if this will make sense to anyone and I am not a aircraft designer in FS so I dont even know if this if feesable.

Would it be psooible to design an AI helicopter where it sits on the ground while parked and will sit on an invisible object when ready to taxi so it will appear to hover taxi out to the runway.

I think this would make heli's with skids appear realistic while working around the limitations of FS

Post by **BadPvtDan** » 05 Jan 2008, 18:30

I think that has been done already. The biggest problem is these helicopters being in the pattern at a major airport. Talk about go-arounds

a10c130 · Post by **a10c130** » 09 Jan 2008, 03:52

In instances like that, I make a whole new AFCAD file for an airport with a runway of about 100ft long on the taxiway near the helipad. For example, my Kabul International has 5 different AFCADs so the American, Italian, French, UN, and Afghan choppers all take off and land near there own helipads.

ronniegj · Post by **ronniegj** » 09 Jan 2008, 16:39

Have you posted that AFCAD to Avsim by any chance?

I'm sure others besides me would love to have it!

Ron

KevinJarvis · Post by **KevinJarvis** » 09 Jan 2008, 19:02

dogden wrote:All,

I dont know if this will make sense to anyone and I am not a aircraft designer in FS so I dont even know if this if feesable.

Would it be psooible to design an AI helicopter where it sits on the ground while parked and will sit on an invisible object when ready to taxi so it will appear to hover taxi out to the runway.

I think this would make heli's with skids appear realistic while working around the limitations of FS

Patience will be rewarded to those who wield it.