helicopter collective pitch

[aart112 12]

what arma helicopters need is the collective pitch. this allows the pilot to change the pitch angle of the rotor blades.

this allows for a greater form of control aswell as the ability to do such things as barrel rolls at low altitudes etc

[CarlGustaffa 4]

According to wiki, wiki, the primary effect is: Increase/decrease pitch angle of all main rotor blades equally, causing the aircraft to ascend/descend. This we now already to with throttle. Even FSX (I assume, I've left the game/sim) have, or at least used to have, collective and rpm on the same control for ease of use. Separate rpm has no meaning unless the flight model supports it and it makes sense, which (imo) isn't the case for a war sim or consumer flight sim.

I thought you could already do heli rolls in Arma. I've seen it done, but never tried myself. Can't see the purpose of using it.

[Tiggs 10]

According to wiki, wiki, the primary effect is: Increase/decrease pitch angle of all main rotor blades equally, causing the aircraft to ascend/descend.

A typical helicopter has cyclic, collective, anti-torque pedals and throttle.

The cyclic is the stick between the pilot's legs and controls the angle of the rotor head. If the pilot pushes the cyclic forward, the rotor disk tilts forward, and the rotor produces a thrust vector in the forward direction, thus the helicopter moves forward. A joystick covers that.

The collective is normally located on the left side of the pilot's seat. It changes the pitch angle of the main rotor blades, therefore the helicopter increases or decreases its total lift derived from the rotor. In level flight this would cause a climb or descent, while with the helicopter pitched forward an increase in total lift would produce an acceleration together with a given amount of ascent. If you have a throttle that can cover that.

The anti-torque pedals, well, counter torque! OK if you have a joystick with yaw, or pedals.

In single-engine helicopters, the throttle control is a motorcycle-style twist grip mounted on the collective control, while dual-engine helicopters have power levers. However turbine engine helicopters (and some piston helicopters) use governors or other electro-mechanical control systems to maintain rotor speed and relieve the pilot of routine responsibility for that task, so the throttle can quite easily be used as the collective.

I thought you could already do heli rolls in Arma. I've seen it done, but never tried myself. Can't see the purpose of using it.

Much like the SU-37 hammerheard maneouvre (which shows that the engines can continue to run at almost 90 degrees of angle of attack, which would normally cause an engine to flame out) a roll in a helicopter is pretty much useless in combat (and will probably get you killed) but the fact that it CAN roll is an impressive demonstration of the areodynamic, immense power capability and strength of the composite rotors and airframes.

In ArmA, it just looks cool :-)

[b00ce 160]

Having a collective in ArmA isn't too important, what they have for thrust works already. However, Rotor RPM is very important in Auto-rotation. I would like to see accurate gauges in the cockpit that display not only the artificial horizon and compass, but vertical speed, rotor/engine RPM, etc.

[max power 21]

The current throttle control in ArmA 2 acts like collective pitch. Notice the rpm goes down when you apply a lot of collective, not up like throttle. Also, the engine rpm doesn't really change all that much. Further to this end, putting the 'throttle' down in flight with the engine off increases rotor RPM. Controlling how much fuel gets to the engine would have no effect on rotor RPM. Therefore the throttle is actually a collective control, and the engine is managed automatically.

[nodunit 397]

a roll in a helicopter is pretty much useless in combat (and will probably get you killed) but the fact that it CAN roll is an impressive demonstration of the areodynamic, immense power capability and strength of the composite rotors and airframes.

In ArmA, it just looks cool :-)

Unfortunately that is due to the way the flight model is set for default aircraft..while it's the weight of the rotors and whatnot would cause more weight (like holding a pencil from the eraser and then the tip) it is over exaggerated. But if it were to become useful it should be limited for example you don't see blackhawks and chinooks rolling nor do you see Mi-17's, reserved only for fully articulated props whereas right now all of them can without stressing the frame or breaking the rotor equipment.