Turbulence in Phoenix

[ajenkins]

I found the wind simulation in Phoenix to be very useful when I first went to fly my heli outside in real life, especially since it's a lucky day around here in winter if the wind is below 10 mph outside.

However the turbulence simulation leaves a bit to be desired. IRL, a plane or heli flying in turbulent air will get more lift on one side or the other at various times, leading to the aircraft tipping one way or the other somewhat at random while flying. In Phoenix though, turning the turbulence up just results in the aircraft bouncing up and down, but has no effect on how level the aircraft stays. Therefore it doesn't really give me any practice in dealing with turbulence, it only provides a visual effect.

Adam

[Gaza07]

Very good comments and ones well worth emailing to the authors of the phoenix sim because they seem to have taken on board all other suggestions and problems reported to them

[moyesboy]

In my exerience the heli really does just go up and down and gets blown sideways, rather than getting tipped. The tipping is from attempts to keep it over a set spot with collective.
I talk of collective pitch heli. The effect is different with a fixed pitch which is much more wind effected.
I have reported to phoenix, and posted here before, that the max wind speed is not enough.It is possible to fly a trex450 in more wind than the max on phoenix!
This is becuase phoenix had too much input from namby pamby engish southerners who live in nice warm retirement villages on the south coast and drink shandy all day rather than walking 5 miles to and from school in all weather, and being forced to lick the road clean all the way before getting tripe and gruel for tea.
Wheres me flat cap and whippet?

[ajenkins]

Hi moyesboy. I agree that my helis don't tip as much due to turbulence as the airplanes. The helis do seem to do more than just go up and down though, they also get blown from side to side, and flying in in a lot of turbulence, like in the little park near my house when it's windy, can really keep me on my toes. In Phoenix though, even turning the turbulence all the way up to 100% doesn't require any more control inputs than if turbulence is at 0%. The only difference is the visual effect of the heli bouncing up and down. With the airplanes the difference is more marked between real life and the sim, since planes really do tip from side to side in turbulence and require corrections from the pilot, something Phoenix doesn't simulate.

I agree, I'll send this to Phoenix as well. Just thought I'd post to see if others agreed.

[moyesboy]

To get the wind buffetting effect its not so much the turbulence as the wind gust speed and gust frequency. The heli will go one way in the gusts and the other way in the lulls. however there should be a bit more direction variation in the gusts and the turbulence setting doesn't really give you that.

[ajenkins]

Yes, that's the other thing, direction variation. Phoenix gives no variation in wind direction with gusts, just changes in velocity.

Basically, I've found the wind simulation to be very useful for learning to fly maneuvers when it's windy out, as it successfully teaches one to anticipate the speed differences when flying a circle for instance. However it doesn't provide any practice in dealing with the big height changes and buffeting that occur when flying in wind. The bouncing that Phoenix does when turbulence is turned on is very high frequency, more like the heli or plane is vibrating badly than like it's being buffeted by wind.

Anyway, thanks for your feedback. I'll send of a message to Phoenix.