Hi again. I was wondering about a few things...

1.)How much do you LB2 vets use the auto pilot and hover function? Is it common to rely on them heavily? I'm learning to fly without using the aids right now but it isn't easy ^^; I don't think I'll fly any missions for a while yet :p

2.)Does the Apache always need small stick inputs during level flight? I'm not sure if it's my joystick or if this is how the flight model is supposed to be? I find the helicopter has a tendency to bank.

3.)Is there something besides pressing F4 to enable the virtual cockpit view as in this pic? I'm running the game with the dgvoodoo wrapper and everything's working fine, from what I can tell. F1, F2, F3, F5, F6, and the other function keys work fine but pressing F4 does nothing. I'm not sure if there's something more to this.

1: I never use the autopilots. Where's the fun in that? I sometimes use hover-hold when I'm waiting for someone/something or after bopping up behind a mountain and drawing PFZs.

2: If you fly faster than ~100 kts or more than ~95% collective the aircraft will pull to the left. Its just how this kind of helos work. Besides that, you always need some minor input, but the LB2 controls are very forgiving in that department.

3: F4 is the only key for 3d pit. Have you tried remapping it to something else to see if the F4-key is the problem? The "F" is one of the few keys I know are free.

Thanks for the info Shadow. I figured as much about the computer aids. Good to know it's not my joystick that was the problem. I was playing with LB2 tonight and I finally got the F4 key to work. It seems that it's not functional during any of the tutorial or free flight missions but only during "real" missions. Just for fun, I started up a single mission at which point the F4 key worked like it was supposed to. It's too bad the flir mode doesn't work in the virtual cockpit. I liked what the gunner said when we were hit by a SAM. heh

Thats true. Virtual cockpit and alot of other views are not available during the tutorials. I believe it has to do with the yellow flashing markers would be in the wrong position on the screen if you manipulated your view during those sessions.

1) I'm using the autopilot when coming home after a long and tough mission. Usually AP2 and Turbo 8x, just make sure that you've eliminated all threats beforehand!

Here's another question for all of you. When you transition from level flight to a hover, how much distance from the waypoint do you begin your deceleration and how much variation in your altitude do you see? I haven't figured out how to stop abruptly.

I'm slowing down at least a 1km from the waypoint and a lot of times I'll either drop way too low or gain 100ft or more in altitude. Other times I'll stall if I'm too aggresive in pitching upwards or if I reduce the torgue a bit too much. Once I get stopped, holding a stationary hover is really tough.

It all depends on my air-speed, my loadout, air-temperature and wind. My altitude usually change alot. I can do it without changing altitude more than 20-30 feet but its so much work on the controls so I usually dont bother. I tend to go down rapidly in the beginning and gaining back some at the end.
When I'm coming in for a landing and doing 130kts at 200-300 feet AGL I usually start my descent and deceleration around 250-300 meters(0.3KM) from the FARP.
You need to find the spot where you can apply the "most brakes". I dont remember any exact numbers, I fly the bird according to how it feels.
Try this and let me know what you think.
Put the helo into a 60 degree yaw, decrease collective down to 15% (not a % lower), pull collective hard. The moment you see yourself veer off course, just do the same to the other side. Slowly increase collective as your speed drops, but never when you pull/push the cyclic. When you're allmost down at 0 kts you might need some extra collective (about 90% depending on temp,wind,payload) and as soon as you are hoverinvg you can reduce collective untill you no longer change altitude or use the hover-hold button.

If I want to just hover in an aproximate area while waiting for someone I usually add full right pedals into the process.

OK. Thanks for the info. I'll keep it in mind next time I go flying

I never used the aids when I flew LB2, I always try to do it the hard way. Holding a hover at times was difficult, but the more I did it, the better I became.

on a side note, best sim ever, hands down.

Right now, I'm glad for the indestructible option in the game. I flew a night mission last night and I flew into the ground a half dozen times. When the mission calls for a low flight, they aren't kidding. It gives me even less altitude to attempt to stop and hover Mission accomplished but I lost my wingman. He forgot to turn on his invincibilty.

I've finally gotten the hang of flying the apache. What I found to be the greatest help was the little indicator on the right side of the HUD that shows your rate of climb or descent. It's great when you're trying to stop. Now my altitude doesn't fluctuate wildly during stops and I can fly at proper NOE altitudes and speeds. WOOHOO! For any other beginners like me, here's a pic highlighting the indicator I'm talking about (section 2.17 in the manual)

Just have to work on my hovers now.....

That's the VSI, or Vertical Speed Indicator. It's your life out there.

1 - ALT+N brings up the map in flight.

2 - Don't think so, but one of the guys might have a PDF format of it around.

Phoenix, I think it's the alt+N command for that map. +G's site has key card images.

http://www.speichts.com/games/lb2/fine_tuning.html

I wish I knew about that handy VSI when I first started flying. I must have skipped that part of the manual in my rush to learn how to blow stuff up

ID42928110, might be worth noting that those numbers on the left indicate your speed :p

Thanks!

Also worth noting that in the TRANS HUD mode, in the 2D cockpit as shown, the FLIGHT PATH MARKER (aka Velocity Vector) in the center of the HUD is also a great aid to avoiding the cumulo-granite. As long as the FPM is above the terrain, so will you be. Things tend to happen quickly when approaching a rise, but as long as you can react to keep the FPM clear, you will usually make it, though the crew chief will have to clear some branches, clay and small animals from your wheels later on

When you're flying forward in NOE the biggest help is the velocity vector in Transitional Mode. I only go to Nav mode when I'm flying high up. Each IHADSS mode, and by default master mode, has its purpose, and you're best off learning what each one is.

Direct for NOE...it uses Trans automatically.
Nav for higher alts or aerobatics.
Indirect for hovering radar shots.
Air for air kills.

You can modify them for special occasions, like if I'm flying in fast and want to do a bunch of radar kills I just hit Toggle 4 on my X52 from Direct Mode to switch to radar mode and fire away. If I'm in Air Master and want air combat close to the ground I can hit Toggle 3 (I think) and change the IHADSS to Trans, since cruise is only really useful higher up. But before someone this weekend told me there was a velocity vector in Trans (how did I miss that!) I was flying by the altimeter and VVI...too much work load. An hour of doing that NOE would exhaust me. The vector combines everything into a very simple and much more effective method. It's a brand new sim for me that's almost as easy as X-Plane's choppers...not quite, but closer.

I must admit, I rarely ever use any mode outside of Transition. I guess that explains why I'm comfortable flying Blackhawks and Kiowa, I don't need all that data.

Reticuli, I think you're mixing the NAV-submode with CRUISE mastermode. NAV is a submode under the TRANS mastermode. Its not a mastermode on itself. CRUISE shows angles of bank, altitude above sealevel etc in addition to the normal data.