X-Plane helicopter update
Here's an update in case anyone's curious.
I downloaded another helicopter for X-Plane 8.6, a Hughes H500D, which seems very realistic and somewhat easier to fly than the default R-22. With no kinesthetic feedback and only one screen, it's still harder to fly than the real R-22 I'm training on. But if 10 hours of simulator time can save me 1 hour of lesson time I'm money ahead. Plus it's fun.
I took the springs out of my CH Products pedal controller and Flightstick. That made them a lot more like helicopter controls and I recommend doing this. Also, for now, I disabled wind gusts and set the controls to non-linear mode to reduce twitchyness.
With the H500D, the only thing that seems unrealistic is the lack of tactile feedback, and the one screen with no peripheral vision. It yaws in response to the collective, smooths out through translational lift, rolls to the right when exceeding Vne, sounds a low-RPM horn when the collective is yanked.... I guess it wouldn't fool a pro pilot but seems like a good learning tool for a low-hour student like me.
I'm going to try running on multiple screens next.
--mj