Hello again everyone (thanks for your previous help!)

I'm slowly getting used to the Hokum, but I feel like i'm constantly sniping from afar. Is this *the* way to attack in this helicopter?

I only ask because a couple of times i've felt things have been escaping me and I want to chase and attack with my gun, or rockets - but when I try the thing is so damn hard to control I can only do very basic strafing runs, which really rely on luck more than anything!

Anyone have any tips? (Or do I just need to learn to fly better?!)

- Alex

You answered your own question. Master flying, then worry about weapons. If you are using the latest patch, I suggest turning off the new trimmer functionality. It's terrible. Use the original method.

Also, read this... twice. And then read it again.

http://www.simhq.com/_air13/air_426a.html

Then move on to this tutorial.

http://home.ifi.uio.no/~oysteint/test/Black_Shark_tutorial.pdf

If you choose to download the training mission indicated at the end of the pdf, make sure to save it as .miz and not .zip. I am not sure why they did that, it screws up alot of people. The link even says .miz but the file is saved on the other end as .zip and that is incorrect. save as .miz and all works fine.

Not if you know how to use it properly. I find it to be quite intuitive.

Thanks Dart. I find the trimmer to be pretty useful to be honest and i've used the dummys guide - its really really helpful, and i've basically mastered it now. My question is really is there a *faster* way to attack than locking up each individual target and attacking them, then hiding, locking up and attacking again?

MIGeater, that is the life of a gunship pilot. Hitting and hiding from as far out as your weapons parameters will allow. Know your targets weapons range and you can get closer if you feel lucky and are sure all targets are down that can reach you. Best bet is to keep your distance and maintain situational awareness, to include what is going on inside and outside the target zone. It ain't easy, but that is why we like it so much.

Thanks Dusty, thats cleared all that up for me. I think its going to be a challenge because i'm so used to going in all guns blazing in an A-10! - Very different, but just as fun.

Thanks

Dusty has been around for a while and I am sure he can confirm this. Longbow 2 with a live wingman was exponentially better than it was without one (and it was great without one). You didn't dare get too close to anything the enemy could shoot back with. A mission could easily run 2+ hours, never go faster than 50 KIAS and never break 100 AGL if even that high. Having a breathing wingman meant you could do things that put a smile on your face and a smokin hole in the ground somewhere on the horizon. Popups, buddy lasing, PFZ's. Oh, the good old days. I do believe that BS has brought them back.

Got Team Speak? I'd be happy to setup some cooperative game play. Works much beter with voice comms.

Thanks Dart but I don't have teamspeak - i keep meaning to sort that out and I will eventually, but at the moment i'm sure i'd just be a frustration to fly with as i'm still at the stage of taking about 5 minutes to get into a good hover!

One thing I was wondering with the Datalink thing - when you set a target using the Skhval (or however you spell it) can you select that target again and have the skhval instantly look at it again?

Another question, is it actually possibly to change your waypoint co-ordinates in flight?

Thanks for your help - excellent forum!

Would using the microphone on my laptop enable teamspeak?