Working Helicopter with Ferram Aerospace Research.

[-KidWithEyeBalls-]

For some time now I have been trying to build a Helicopter while I have FAR installed, and it hasn't worked out so far (no pun intended). I have produced about 10 different helicopters and 10 versions of those 10 helicopters and the best thing I could come up with was helicopter that ended up like this...

So I have come to the forums for some Aid in building the the Ultimate Chopper and it needs to meet these criteria:

• Mods: Firespitter (obviously), FAR and and Kerbal Attachment System
  
• Be able to lift Cargo
  
• Easy to fly (No Jedi Reflexes Needed)
  
• Not end up like the picture above
  

I hope you guys can help me out.

[Darren9]

It's quite hard to know what you're making so I'll start with the basics. You need the CoM and CoT perfectly aligned, it'll be much easier to fly if you include a reaction wheel and SAS (or at least a pod/cockpit with those), and if you want a KAS winch it can only go directly below/inline with the main rotor - that normally means either front/rear or side/side symmetrical fuel tanks so the CoM doesn't change as they drain. Could you show a screenie in the SPH with CoM and CoT of the best version so far, we could probably suggest what could be changed.

[-KidWithEyeBalls-]

I have taken The CoM and CoT in to consideration, but I didn't think of the Fuel draining. This the one of the Helicopters:

dI't has a SAS, Gyro, CoM and CoT in there correct positions, but it still fly's like a big box. I think it weighs to much (22 ton). I might start with a smaller Heli with a single prop.

[-KidWithEyeBalls-]

Repeat of the last post Disregard.

Edited April 19, 2014 by -KidWithEyeBalls-
Im an idiot...

[-KidWithEyeBalls-]

I have made a smaller Helicopter and I had the CoM and CoT a littebit out of line and it flipped forward, I had no idea it was so precise.

Edited April 19, 2014 by -KidWithEyeBalls-

[p331083]

TAC fuel balancer?

[Zuni]

You want KerbCom Avionics. It balances thrust from engines and keeps your ship going upright, even with crazily unbalanced VTOLS.

[Darren9]

I haven't found anything that can deal very well with what are supposed to be jet engines/internal combustion engines and the associated throttle response lag Zuni. They can go into bad oscillation if you don't edit the .cfg to give instant throttle response like the rocket motors.

If you have B9 the larger reaction wheels can overcome a great deal of "imbalance", otherwise I always start with the cargo bay, then put a fuel tank on each end or two surface attached either side but don't move the CoM from the exact middle of the cargo hold, for the whole rest of the build. It's difficult to do that and make it look nice. And even then it'll still fly like a big box because it is a big box

[-KidWithEyeBalls-]

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it.

[-KidWithEyeBalls-]

You want KerbCom Avionics. It balances thrust from engines and keeps your ship going upright, even with crazily unbalanced VTOLS.

Thank you Zuni for the example, my helicopter should work now.

[Zuni]

Thank you Zuni for the example, my helicopter should work now.

No problem, although I just realised that KerbCom was out of date, if it doesn't work use DavonTC's mod which seems more complicated but with the same function.