Helicopter Simulator Hardware

Where is the Helicopter Simulator Industry going...? Is it moving forward at all??

2010-09-10T19:44:00.003+03:00

Where is the Helicopter Simulator Industry going...?

Intro

In the beginning of year 2010 it seemed like nothing much was going on. No new news on any cool helicopter collectives, or pedals, cyclic's, complete helicopter cockpits, instruments.... No new software. A few new / updates on the add-on helicopters. And "helicopter simmers" was busy building their home made cockpits as usual. But other than that, nothing. I was waiting for the BIG news that Simcontrol was coming back. Not on it's regular website, but the famous controls, just in a new rapping! But that didn't seem to come either. What was going on? If anything at all...?? A bit confused and over-worked on my regular J.O.B (building up the new IT department at a 36,000 square meter new retail store) - it seemed I was waiting for something that was not going to happen..

It took it's time, then everything started to come together!
Stay tuned, more on this update on it's way.....................

Part 1 - the future of helicopter simulator..

-coming.....

The all new Microsoft Flight

Techflash about Cascade Game Foundry and their up coming sim, if there will be one...

Home page of Cascade and their FS developer ideas

Part 2 - helicopter flight controls - what's up?
-coming

Simcontrol is back, at a price! A big one!!

"After a long break, am back with some updates on the helicopter flight simulator industry. Stay tuned, its just around the corner..."

Not a post about Helicopter Simulator Hardware?

2010-01-13T22:13:00.001+02:00

Nope, no hardware for simulator this time! Instead I decided to write about the SIRX2009 project. What is SIRX2009, you ask? I will get to that...

For all simulators, after you tweaked what you can out of your physical controls and flight gear, we are left with the flight sim program. Be that Flight Simulator FSX, X-Plane, DCS: Black Shark, SimCopter, Search and rescue or any other sim operation system you are running. And when it comes to helicopters, the scenery plays a bigger part than for any other aircraft. Since planes operates at 3000 or so and upwards. Helis has a tendency to fly VFR below 3000 feet. Very often I fly between 500 and 1500 feet. In that altitude your standard scenery won't do you any good. There is a bunch of good stuff in the fligthsim community. Both pay ware and free ware. Just have a look at: VFR Photographic Scenery, Dream Scenery, MegaScenery, FS Dreamscapes, local scenery for your country, and many more... But back to SIRX2009:

What blows me away with SIRX2009 is:

The quality. It is created to the 1mt/pixel, with some areas even down to 0.50mt/pixel. It is a graphic reconstruction from real photos. The mountain parts are absolutely stunning! Just take a look at the Alpine ridges.
The landscape. SIRX2009 covers Italy, Austria, Switzerland and parts of Slovenia. Some really cool part of the mountain ridges of Europe.
It is free. You can download at the SIRX 2009 Flight Simulation Centers web page - see link at the end of the post.
Support. SIRX2009 is sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment, for the aerial mapping of the CPN (National Cartographic Portal).

For the time being it is a FSX only add-on. But X-Plane add is in progr

ess for a release in 2010.

Enjoy the pics (all pictures from the FSC's webpage):

Link to the homepage:
SIRX2009 at Flight Simulator Center

Thats it. I'll be back to hardware simulator stuff next time, happy simming! ;)

PS! They deserve some "link love" so check them out here: Helicopter Simulator Scenery!!

Update: Here is Frank's blog about Alpine scenery and SIRX software. It is in Italian, but you can click on the middle left side under "Translate and it will be translated to English by choosing the english flag. (Translation via Google Web Translating). There is some nice SIRX scenery videos with a helicopter. The videos has focus on the scenery, not the heli flying, but great to look at and enjoyable!!

SIRX videos

Always enjoy your helicopter simulator hobby!

Bye for now..

iPhone/iPod touch as a helicopter simulator?

2009-12-21T23:10:00.002+02:00

Can you use a mobile phone as a helicopter flight simulator? Is it a flight simulator or just a game? Do the screen size give the sim any justice?

With the combination of iPhone/iPod Touch and the latest X-Plane 9.50 the answear is - yes you can!

But are we talking a full time helicopter flight sim here? To be honest, I don't use it at home - ever. I use it when am bored. Taking the Metro to the city (hardly ever take the buss), at the airport waiting for my plane (the real one) to leave and when am in the air, and any other "time" consumer when there is nothing else to do. The first reviews of it, a lot of people complained that it was difficult to fly. Mostly those who said that, never bothered to read the instructions and where unfamiliar to flying helicopter simulators. Helicopter controls are "touchy" just like they are in real life helis. You need to take it easy. Get it "light on the skids", then you can pull some more power (raise the collective). But before I go any futher, lets have a look at the software:

The latest version of X-Plane 9 Helicopter Simulator is v9.50 (just recently updated from 9.40). And sells for 7,99Euro. For that you will get unlimited updates on the v9.xx version, for free. The best "mini" flight sim ever made for mobile phones (and as 2010 comes - the rumored mac tablet approaching, are you listening X-Plane programmers??). Six different regions to fly in, multi gaming, choice of weather with corrections, time of day, weight sheet, multi-views including a instrument panel, multi player.. As for helicopters, you get 5 choices:

*Robinson R-22

*Bell 206

*Blackhawk

*Sea king

*S-76C

Flying it on the iPhone 3G is no problems at all. I have not tried on the new 3GS or iPod Touch. But since both of those platforms has a better cpu (its brain) so it should load it a bit faster and maybe even run it more smoothly. If anyone have tested it with the new Touch or 3GS feel free comment on it below the post.

I suggest you to read the few tips before starting up the heli. You can also head to the X-Plane website for full instructions. But as everything else, play with it, and you'll get the hang of it.

I do enjoy the X-Plane helicopter simulator and recommend it if you have a iPhone or iPod touch. Is it god? Yes! Is it fantastic? No! But it will entertain you for some time. Plus help killing the dread full "waste of time" periods commuting or waiting in the bank etc. It does hoverer give helicopter simulator fanatics one more way to enjoy this time consuming hobby! ;)

Link to the app at X-Plane home webpage:

X-Plane Mobile

Link to Apple's website:

Apple iPod Touch

NB! Legal disclaimer! (I don't want apple to sue me for "misusing their property)

Both iPhone and iPod touch are registered trademarks of Apple. For more info about the legal aspects of using the names you can go to Apple - Legal Information

Helicopter Simulator Displays - the cockpit view!

2009-11-07T14:02:00.050+02:00

Updated 24.11.09

The "cockpit view" from your helicopter simulator, is maybe one of the biggest impacts on you flightsim experience! And with todays technology there is a lot to chose from.

So lets start with the most obvious and cheapest solution - a computer monitor. You can get a 19" lcd monitor for a 100 bucks (be that Euros or $). If you double that amount a 22" is within the reach. Of course all depends what quality and the connections the screen comes with. Needles to say, in most cases you get what you pay pay for...

The time of bulky CRT screens is over. Thought I bet you still find a few of those amazing setups in some homemade simulator even today.

Fascinating, here is a passion for flight simming:

Picture from a Wideview setup with multiple screens and computers running them. "Good old days" :)

If you want to go for a LCD display Apple is delivering some great stuff. There is a price to pay thought if you go Apple style....

Apple's 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display delivers an amazing 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution! Expensive, but a great screen.

You can also get the Apple's newer 24" led display. It uses the latest LED technology, and you will get a gorgeous, edge-to-edge glass screen. Or the new iMac 27". You will have a external screen at 27" and a mac computer.

With the prizes of todays TV's - a 32" or even a 37" - is within the range. The biggest question with a TV will be the compatibility with showing a computer image on it. And will it be able to follow you frame rates when playing your favorite sim? Though it is possible, I would not recomend this as your permanet sim setup.

The next step will be divided, should you go for a projector? Or for a multiple screen solution?

Lets start with projectors...

Todays projector are smaller, quieter, cheaper and gives a better picture than ever before. You can even go with a HD resolution for your sim. Running a helicopter flight sim setup, on a 2 meter vide and 1,5 tall wall or screen - wow!!! What an experience that is. Off course you should have your instruments on a separate screen closer to you. Am not gonna recommend one projector over the other, but if there is one mark I think stands above - it will be the Optoma. They have projectors that delivers great performance in regards to good quality and low price. Off course for the ultimate projector experience - 3 projectors simultainisly projecting the image to a massive curved screen would give you some of the best experience possible. But now we are talking serious money and space requirements. With a projector you need something to display it on. It is possible to use a white wall, but for the best performance one should get a dedicated screen. What kind of screen will be completely up to your budget. You can go all the way with a high quality electric pro screen or chose a Tupplur 200x195 from IKEA. The latest one is cheap, but the projecting quality is rather unknown;)

If you go high scale, get a Pro Curve Projector screen from SMX cinema solutions:

What you also can do, is to use a projector with a half dome. If you get the right screen for it, you can have a nice big curved surface. Basically the same system that is used in planetariums.. Have a look at the picture, here a dome from TOOB:

For a multiple lcd screen solution...

There are some absolutely fantastic options comming to the market these days. Let's have a look at some of those solutions.

NEC has now officially announced the CRV43. A huge back projected screen. Big in all senses of the word. Including the size of it! Facts: 2880x900 pixels = format 16:9, contrast 10000:1, response time 0,02 millisecond and it covers 99,3% of Adobe's color profile. Conections with USB, DVI-D or HDMI 1.3

It is big....

Samsung is comming with a 6 display combination setup. Thought this is nothing new, there are plenty of these types of set ups. Most of them are home made. From Samsung you'll get a "ready out of the box" setup.

Here a picture of AMD with their Eyefinity Multi-Display Technology in the action:

So what do you use to drive these projectors and displays??

Both Invidia and ATI delivers top notch screen cards to computers world wide. Any of the nevest cards will do. Off course as always it will depend upon the rest of your computer system. No point having the latest graphic card if your CPU, memory, hd drive etc can't keep up. I'll get back to more about that in a later post. But back to the screen cards. A 3rd competitor, thas was considered top clas many years ago Matrox, came back with their DualHead2Go and TrippleHead2Go external Graphic eXpansion Modules. And for years it has been one of the better ways for flight simulatro entusiats to run several screens at once.

A huge success for the flight sim comunity - could be topped? I belive the time has come. And the replacement is the updated Radeon HD 5870 2GB card packet with 6 Mini DisplayPorts connectors. Supporting DirectX 11.

This card has potentional for some awsome flight simulation setups. Off course the prize is so far unknown and it probaly wont be cheap. One thing is sure: The vararity of displays for helicopter flight simming, has never been better. Why not go all the way, connect four of these Radeon HD 5870 cards together with 4x6 displays! What will you get? A massive 11,5200 x 4,800 - 55,3 megapixel setup. Now THAT would be something to brag about to your neighbor!! See picture below:

Keeping your hardware updated for you flight sim, is a never ending story. So stay tuned, HSH will be back with more!

Saitek and Flight Simulation Hardware!

2009-11-01T13:03:00.039+02:00

When Microsoft released their Flight Simulator 98 including a Bell 206BIII JetRanger a new direction within Helicopter Simulators started. There has always been simulators for helicopters. But not in the same degree as when Microsoft made it a part of their widely spread flight simulator software. Something also changed with in the hardware and flight control industry for sims. A new area was born. Making joysticks and throttles, multi display hardware and software available for everyone. Not to forget flight sim forums. Bringing people of like minded interests together. Sharing ideas, drawings, photos - helping each other building their own helicopter cockpits.

Flight simulation hardware has expanded and changed a lot the last 10 years. Since Microsoft Fligth Simulator 98 and until today, the world of flight simulation industry has almost been turned upside down. Today you have more choices than ever.

Saitek and their legendary X52 (follow up from the X50) flight controls has long been a favorite among helicopter "simmers". They have even made it a dedicated "sport" to modify these to fit better for controlling flying the helicopter. Making the saitek x52 throttle to a proper helicopter collective lever.

Today Saitek has a whole line of hardware for us! The Saitek Pro Flight System! Adding radio-, switch-, instrument-, multi-panels to their Pro Flight line. Flight headsets, yokes, throttles and rudder pedals. All at a price that 10 years ago would have been unheard off.

One of Saiteks newest addition is the X65F Pro Flight Systems.

By the X65 they are bringing forward a new type of simulation hardware. Force sensing technology! Instead of moving the stick itself it reacts to pressure. Resulting in realistick, fast and accurate response. According to the manufacture that is! The new control has a metal casing and construction. Force sensing twist rudder control. Dual throttle controls. Stcik and throttle way hats, switches, triggers, buttons, scroll selector, mode switch... It has a potentional of 608 commands without taking away your hands from the controls. If it will work for those of us who will use it controlling helicopters - that remains to see.

Update 13.01.2010
After some info around diverse helicopter and other simulator flight forums, it seems like the Saitek's X65 would be an ideal flight stick for helicopter flying. If am gonna be flying my heli-sim - I want to see and feel movement! Until this X65 system will be the standard in real helicopters I stick the moveable cyclic! Here is a Saitek X65 review from the latest CES2010 - link! I still will try it out when I can get my hands on one, just for the scientific helicopter simulator curiosity, or something like that...:)

I look forward to see what Saitek will ad in the future, some more stuff for us helicopter simulator fanatics would be great!

Stay tuned for another update on Helicopter Simulator Hardware and Controls!

Simcontrol - Simulator Helicopter Hardware at it's best!

2009-10-24T00:02:00.007+03:00

Simcontrol = RIP....?

Update 21.12.2009
Simcontrol will raise again! Got some inside confirmation that simcontrol is not dead. But will be back early 2010 with updated flight sim gear. Don't know anything more if they will re-launch at the old web site address - www.simcontrol.co.uk (link not in use now) - or under a new address. But I'll sure keep you updated!! ;)

This article changed a lot since I started to write the first cast of it. It was supposed to be about the absolutely best enthusiast/semi-professional simulator gear you can have - at an affordable prize! The Ranger 5s helicopter pilotseat; with a fully functional cyclic, collective with throttle and damper pedals. In the time of writing I discovered that the simcontrol web page has been taken down. You can no longer find this great piece of helisim hardware at www.simcontrol.co.uk! But even more disturbing (and what could be worse than not finding my favorite simulator setup???) was what followed. It seams like one of the great guys and the owner behind the awesome simcontrol portfolio M.R.V.C (Multi Role Virtual Cockpit), the Spitfire Cockpit Simulator and the latest Ranger 5s - Bill Trezise has died. Though I did not know the man personally, it is with sadness I realise he has passed away. Bill Trezise's company - simcontrol - made a huge impact for the helisim industry. The gear they produce is of high quality, great looking, and some of the best, if not THE best modular system, yet within an affordable price range, on the market. It has been sold both to private and military. The RAF (Royal Air Force - England) is one of several users of simcontrol's systems. Some of the latest news on the webpage was that they where working on a big order. And the webpages them selfs had not been updated since october 2008. But outdated web pages was nothing new. They spent most of their time focusing on building great hardware.

Just take a look at the pictures, they speak for them selves:

The Ranger 5S.

The older M.R.V.C.

A fully setup simulator with double pilotseat/Ranger 5s controls.

What's happening to simcontrol - I don't know. I do hope someway they will still be there, continuing producing these amazing simulators. As so to bring on the memory of Bill Trezise. In addition there still is, and will continue to be a huge demand their helisim setups.

If someone knows more about what's happening to the english company Simcontrol, I would appreciate any input or feedback.

Simcontrol you are the king of each enthusiast's helicopter simulator hardware setup - we need you back online!!

The NH90 Helicopter Simulator, the ultimate hardware?

2009-10-16T23:01:00.030+03:00

What I wouldn´t give..... to have this pice of hardware - the CAE NH90 helicopter training simulator - in my basement!

Well, to be honest: You would need a hangar to house it. And special agreement with your electric company to run it:)

Jokes aside, the new CAE NH90 simulator in Bückeburg - Germany, is the world`s first full-mission simulator for NH90 military helicopters. Some might know that the NH90 helicopter is chosen among countries as Norway, France, Germany, Oman, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia+++ to be their new military helicopter. Training the pilots to fly the NH90 cost millions. And the possibility of doing some of this training in a simulator, both daily flights operations and military missions saves: money, time and equipment. Also environmentally it has issues. Saving the world a bit more on its carbon footprints. And giving the pilots a opportunity to train under 100% safe conditions preparing them for real world operations! Reducing the safety risks and the number of flight hours that the pilots actually spend in a real NH90 helicopter has a huge impact in every thinkable way.

Helicopter Flight Training Service (HFTS) GmbH is owned by
CAE together with Eurocopter, Thales and Rheinmetall Defense. Each ones 25% of HFTS. Together they are among the world leaders in simulation training solutions.

Canadian CAE have more than 900 flight training devices and simulators, sold to over 115 airliners, manufactures and centers for training, They have simulated a lot of todays modern flight machines. Canadian technology is helping helicopter pilots safely train and to become better prepared. Safety is important for any pilot, but especially for demanding military helicopter flying.

The ultimate Helicopter Simulator Hardware - the CAE NH90.

Click here to learn more about CAE products.

What Dodosim has done for helicopter simulator hardware!

2009-10-08T18:19:00.021+03:00

The connection between Helicopter Simulator Software and Hardware!

Some of you has maybe heard of Dodosim, the company that connected everyman`s (or woman) helicopter simulation to real life hardware! If not, that is just something you have to know about!

For those that are using a helicopter simulator to practice their skills and become a better pilot, a better real life pilot. Thats exactly one of the things Dodosim had in mind when they made the program. So you might think, why do I wanna write about a software program, when this is supposed to be about hardware? Well, this particularly program is THE ONE that connects it all together. In the higher class simulators this has been done for years. But who has a 100 000 grand to spent on their private helisim? Here is it the Dodosim comes in play. For a mere EUR 38.69 for the Dodosim 206 FSX you will one of the best connections between your software and hardware setup! Dodosim wanted to make products that was affordable, ready to go - on available platforms. Making it more realistic than ever by expanding the aerodynamics (flight dynamics and systems) to

include inflow roll, vortex ring state and engine hot starts. The way it is in the "real" thing. There is no longer time for being disappointed about what the simulator can do (or not do). Dodosim simply makes it a whole lot more realistic.

http://www.dodosim.com/

I am not going to write a review on Dodosim, thats been done before. Just search google and you are sure to find one. What I want to do, is bring it to your attention. Show what`s possible and what`s out there. Be sure to follow this helicopter simulator hardware blog, it´s just the beginning!

;)

Helicopter Simulator Hardware intensions

2009-10-04T16:38:00.025+03:00

Everything you need to know about Helicopter Simulator Hardware!

Thank you for reading this blog about Helicopter Simulation Hardware. Today I will tell you a little bit about why this blog came to life. And what I want to achieve with it. And how that can help you.

There are several great web pages out there with helicopter simulator stuff. Mostly software sites and only a few scattered product sites about hardware. And some with the combination of both topics. Those hardware sites that do exist are mostly only covering their own products. That makes it hard for those who wants to see the full range of whats on the marked today. But for the software part, and in regards to building your own simulator. There are only one true site for this. It has it all: Information/Help/Forums/Picture database and so much more.. That is:

www.hovercontrol.com

This is THE site for anything about helicopter simulator software, and has a great forum with how-to-build your own simulators (Home Cockpits and Hardware).

The evolvement of the flight simulation industry has been growing rapidly the last 15 years. And last 5 years especially! There are a lot of great hardware out there for the computer helicopter simulator enthusiast. From a zero dollar home made joystick to the biggest full motion simulators used by the bigger helicopter companies in the world. Operators as well as manufactures. Like Bell Helicopters, AugustaWestland, CHC Helicopter Corporation, Keystone Helicopters, among others.

Back to the point of todays blog. I made it because I haven't found any sites on the internet that provides all the the different possibilities there is to make a great simulator. All in one place! What I want to achieve with this blog is to give all of you the big picture of whats out there on the market today. What you can get, where you can get it and how much it will cost you. How can that help you? Well first of all you get to know whats out there. Give you ideas how others have done it. Get in contact with people that are or have build a helicopter simulator. Not to forget some of the amazing professional simulators out there.

Later I will touch the topics of how to get the best out of your hardware for both the Microsoft® Flight Simulator and X-Plane simulator programs. Until then, have a great day. Happy flight simming!

Again, thank you for visiting my Helicopter Simulation Hardware blog!

Helicopter Simulator Hardware

2009-10-03T23:58:00.004+03:00

Welcome to Helicopter Simulator Hardware. This site provides information, tips and techniques for anyone interested in helicopter simulation hardware. From the beginner to the professional. It is possible to build a helisim/helicopter simulator from virtually anything. And at everyone's own budget, be that "all free" to several hundred thousand dollars. Here at Helicopter Simulation Hardware I will help you to get started and get the best information possible. About how to start, where to buy, what to buy and anything else related to this fascinating topic!