OneShot
06-02-2005, 04:05 AM
One of the most important things to remember, when flying the Helo, and Dipping, is that the speed shown on the Taskbar, or at the Pilot's Station, is Relative Speed...NOT Ground (actual) Speed. This is very important when giving Speed Change orders. Although you may be hovering (ground speed = ~0), your relative speed may be 15 knots, as a result of the wind speed. If you want to move off at 5 knots .... DO NOT add 5 knots to your indicated speed, as that will be interpreted as 20 knots. Irrespective of whatever speed is displayed, set your speed for the ACTUAL speed you want to fly at. DO NOT add or subtract from your indicated speed. When it comes to wind speed, the relative speed of the Helo can be a little misleading. Relative Speed on the Helo, is considered in the Fore and Aft plane only ... NOT lateral. So, .. if you had a 10 knot wind blowing FROM 270 degrees, ... and you were hovering with your heading at 000 degrees, your relative speed will now indicate 0 knots. This is technically incorrect, as the Helo still has a Relative Speed, but in the lateral plane. It's not a major issue, if you set your speed for 0 knots, no matter which way you are heading ... your ground speed will always be 0 knots. You will experience some drift, .. but it's in no way close to any indicated speed on the taskbar or pilot station.
If the Dipping Sonar is in the Water, the safest speed that you can fly at, without ripping the Dipping Sonar off, is ~30 knots. However, it is recommended not go above 25 knots. Use of the Dipping Sonar, i.e. monitoring for contacts, is good up to 8 knots, as any faster than that, and the Sonar will 'wash out', and you will lose contact information. 5 knots is better... However, the only time when you would NEED to be moving, whilst Dipping, is when you are actually closing with the contact ... in other words: to close the range, but, this would be fine-tuning. You can close much faster at 20 - 25 knots, and even faster, if you increase your altitude so that the Dipping Sonar clears the water, and set your speed up to 80 knots. If you have the Dipping Sonar out of the water, your maximum safe speed is ~90 knots, but, again ... it is not recommended to go above 80 knots. A Helo can drift in any direction ... changing your heading will make absolutely no difference to your actual ground speed. Whilst your 'indicated' speed may change ... your actual ground speed is totally dependent on the speed you set. So, if you are hovering with your Dipping Sonar in the water, ... having set a speed of 0 knots, ... then it doesn't matter which way the wind is blowing, ... or what your heading is, ... the Dipping Sonar will always 'drift' through the water at the same speed.
If the Dipping Sonar is in the Water, the safest speed that you can fly at, without ripping the Dipping Sonar off, is ~30 knots. However, it is recommended not go above 25 knots. Use of the Dipping Sonar, i.e. monitoring for contacts, is good up to 8 knots, as any faster than that, and the Sonar will 'wash out', and you will lose contact information. 5 knots is better... However, the only time when you would NEED to be moving, whilst Dipping, is when you are actually closing with the contact ... in other words: to close the range, but, this would be fine-tuning. You can close much faster at 20 - 25 knots, and even faster, if you increase your altitude so that the Dipping Sonar clears the water, and set your speed up to 80 knots. If you have the Dipping Sonar out of the water, your maximum safe speed is ~90 knots, but, again ... it is not recommended to go above 80 knots. A Helo can drift in any direction ... changing your heading will make absolutely no difference to your actual ground speed. Whilst your 'indicated' speed may change ... your actual ground speed is totally dependent on the speed you set. So, if you are hovering with your Dipping Sonar in the water, ... having set a speed of 0 knots, ... then it doesn't matter which way the wind is blowing, ... or what your heading is, ... the Dipping Sonar will always 'drift' through the water at the same speed.