Collective range of movement
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2020
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From: Norway
Collective range of movement
Hi! I’m developing a collective control for simulators.
I’m not a helicopter pilot, and I’ve forgotten the feeling of the collective since my flights many years ago. My question is what is the typical range, in degrees, of a collective?
I assume most movement during flight is made within a small angle, and the extremes are rarely used. Can someone give me a rough range of movement please?
Thanks!
I’m not a helicopter pilot, and I’ve forgotten the feeling of the collective since my flights many years ago. My question is what is the typical range, in degrees, of a collective?
I assume most movement during flight is made within a small angle, and the extremes are rarely used. Can someone give me a rough range of movement please?
Thanks!
Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
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From: EGDC
The Gazelle used to top out at 16 degrees but only 14.5 was used for powered flight - a standard cruise was 13.5 degrees.
ISTR the Puma had a pitch gauge that stopped at 15 degrees.
Many aircraft will have preset min pitch settings above zero.
To my knowledge only the Lynx had sub-minimum pitch capability for deck landings.
ISTR the Puma had a pitch gauge that stopped at 15 degrees.
Many aircraft will have preset min pitch settings above zero.
To my knowledge only the Lynx had sub-minimum pitch capability for deck landings.
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Germany
@crab: you seem to be referring to the pitch angle of the blades. I guess, that Andrew wants to know the movement range of the collective lever itself.
This would typically be 0 (except for maybe the Lynx with a slight negative) to about 45°, if i remember correctly from my last flight in an R44.
Thracian
This would typically be 0 (except for maybe the Lynx with a slight negative) to about 45°, if i remember correctly from my last flight in an R44.
Thracian
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2020
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From: Norway
@crab: you seem to be referring to the pitch angle of the blades. I guess, that Andrew wants to know the movement range of the collective lever itself.
This would typically be 0 (except for maybe the Lynx with a slight negative) to about 45°, if i remember correctly from my last flight in an R44.
Thracian
This would typically be 0 (except for maybe the Lynx with a slight negative) to about 45°, if i remember correctly from my last flight in an R44.
Thracian
Joined: May 2002
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From: Wanaka, NZ
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Pewsey, UK
Indeed. I never saw a collective come up so far, so quickly, as when I pulled has hard and quickly as I could to avoid hitting the ground some years ago...to be followed by lowering the lever when the low RPM horn went off.
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: UK
If it is to mime a helicopter with several more degrees of pull than the offered collective, then the software simply mimics "degrees pulled + X".
If the OP gets a collective with a similar angle of pull as most helis out there then it will be close enough.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 132
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From: N/A
I wouldn't get too concerned about the angles, as you can have the perfect angles but if the length is too long, the pilot won't be able to move it comfortably through the range.
Put a broomstick next to your chair with you seated and see how your elbow bends as you raise and lower it, depending on the length. Obviously the longer the collective is, the easier small movements are but there are tradeoffs.
Good luck!
Put a broomstick next to your chair with you seated and see how your elbow bends as you raise and lower it, depending on the length. Obviously the longer the collective is, the easier small movements are but there are tradeoffs.
Good luck!
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Originally Posted by [email protected]
ISTR the Puma had a pitch gauge that stopped at 15 degrees.
Eh? I've not flown a Puma since 1994 and so I might be wrong, but I think the collective pitch gauges in the ones I flew in the RAF for three and a half tours indicated up to 18.5 degrees. I'm fairly sure the CP limit for take-off was 15.5 degrees, then backed off to 14.25 for the climb.
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: In the saddle or in the air
The collective pitch indicator on the Scout or Wasp goes up to 15 degrees on my gauge but in the cruise today at 100kts I was only pulling 7. I would expect the normal range in civilian mode to be up to 10 degrees for checking power limitations
