AH-64D Apache Autorotation - DCS World

I don't know about you, but I frequently find myself having to deal with damaged engines on my AH-64D Apache in DCS World. When you're in hover, you're done for. But if you find yourself in the lucky position where you still have altitude and speed, an autorotation may just save your virtual life.
In this video I'm exploring the Autorotation capabilities of the AH-64D Apache by Eagle Dynamics. While I haven't found the official autorotation procedures for this helicopter, this video should at least get you started with touching down safely.
If you have any information that might be helpful in performing an autorotation in the Apache by the books, feel free to chime in!
Also, don't forget to check out the Apache cinematics at the end of this video.
0:00 Intro
0:15 Exploring Autorotation
4:10 Cinematic Apache

[@MattWagner]

Good job and thanks for the support.

[@plokkum]

Thanks Matt!

[@zzodr]

AH64D Auto - Minimum Rate of Descent 77kts. Max Glide 107kts. (Power off, NR101% Sea Level Stnd conditions) In the real AH64 there is a guarded CHOP button on collective. If this is modeled in DCS you can use it to chop both engines to idle OR use power levers to reduce to idle after lowering collective. Also, you DO NOT want to dive in an auto at all. it decreases the airflow into the rotor disc and your RRPM will decay too much. Keep it level, or use aft cyclic to regain RRPM. Ideally you want 101% RRPM or slightly above. Lower collective, aft cyclic. right pedal. Jettison all stores if you have them. Try and keep it in trim, land into wind if altitude/conditions permit. Aft cyclic to reduce airspeed at about 75-125ft. Cushion on landing with collective with a level attitude with some forward airspeed if conditions permit.

[@rodneypearce6113]

As I understand it the Huey has heaps of mass in those huge rotor blades and so a lot of energy can be stored there as long as they are spinning. It means an autorotation is a little easier. Small bladed helos have less mass in the rotor system so you need a lot more forward momentum and disk lift to help control your descent rate, and a forward touchdown.

[@1over137]

I admit I only tried it once. But as a test while flying back to base at about 400ft and about 60 knots I randomly pulled the power levers to idle. Like an instructor might. I just buried the collective and the nose, dove for the deck for airspeed. It was a mess as I wasn't used to the bird, but I found I could easily pull out and "fly" without any collective (*) and compared to what I'm last used to practice autos on (Small RC heli's), I found I had tons and tons of time to get it settled down and landed with one a small roll. The tail wheel can catch you out in the final flare. However that beats hitting the tail rotor. A technique to avoid that is the 180* torque rotation in the flare to go nose down and land backwards. Super easy with a heli that weights 800g that has a tail gyro on the anti-torque pedals for you. Not tried that manuover in DCS yet. That said, RC helis require a whole different set of skills. I was laughing my head off when I took a fixed outside view of the heli and carried on flying it perfectly normally like nothing had changed. Even brought it into a hover in front of me, nose in. Different skills.

[@1over137]

(*) at low collective, I found you lose cyclic authority. I don't think that's correct. I don't see any reason why a low torque, high rpm, low "collective" pitch situation should or could prevent a swash plate impulse to induce pitch or roll. I also think the whole "toppling over upside down" thing is way over done. I know it's a BIG gyro overhead, but are you really able to upset it that much that it flips? I highly doubt that given the bodies mass. The tippy topply effect happens in other flight regimes, like when damaged that I don't think is right either.

[@endofzeworld666]

At around 150 feet AGL apply gradual aft cyclic to level out the VSI and decel then cushion with collective.

[@plokkum]

That is indeed how you usually do an autorotation. But the Apache currently doesn’t cooperate :) I asked Casmo about the current state of the Apache in DCS and he explained that autorotations are not modeled correctly yet.

[@velamenradicum]

outstanding research! Safety First!👍

[@sloppydog4831]

Great flying!

[@colonelsanders7]

0:37 basically she autos like a rock depending on the DA haha. Desired airspeed is 77-107ktas, 90 is a good middle ground. Higher or lower will increase your rate of decent as will being out of trim. 4 things you are scanning are, Rotor, Airspeed, Trim and position to land (flight path vector on the runway/field etc). At 80-130 feet decel with aft cyclic then increase collective to cushion for landing.

[@pancakeoperator]

The intro was AWESOME! Lol keep it up different from the bland stuff out there

[@plokkum]

Thanks Pancake! I’m glad you liked it :)

[@corbinwentz5883]

great video!

[@Zarma4074]

I guess they would turn on the APU also to keep the electricity

[@plokkum]

I’d think so!

[@slammedc2003]

Your videos are top notch and it looks like you truly love the sim, DCS World is so damn cool.

[@plokkum]

Thank you for the kind words! DCS really is frickin cool!

[@loiphin]

Hahahahaah, love the intro :D

[@zzodr]

Also, make sure you reset your trim so you get aft cyclic authority. Same as doing autos in the DCS Huey.

[@andreyzhavoronkov6746]

I was wondering about APU as well as you were doing this exercise. I imagine that in real life circumstances you would not have enough time to turn it on and your hands and brain will be busy with other things. Anyway, great video!

[@TylerPL]

Its suprisly easy to land even on FARP with this techniqe than reducing speed and altitude gently.

[@gabriel-bl4ckh4wk-6]

Man that second one was smooth, even touching down at 60 knots, was just like a fixed-wing landing, super linear, i wish i could see it on 3rd view, by the side, to see the shock absorbers working. I've haven't tried AR yet, not really flying, 90% of the time i'm on front seat for now, my bud is doing the PLT, but that was cool to watch, i've a tip for you, idk if will work but, try to flare a littlebit earlier, cuz looks like you're doing a rolling land with power ON for me, like you've lost the ATQ, that would be the right thing to do, but 60 knots is problable too fast even for that, and try to do a "pump" on the collective before touching, right before touch, to get for a second a boost of lift, pull hard the collective super high and put it on neutral again, if you want to do like really Apache pilots, i think that's the way, but off-course i don't have any idea how they do it for sure, i'm just saying what a saw pilots doing in some light aircrafts, worked great, Apache is super heavy and only has 4 blades, kind of short blades, that's not a good combination for AR. But if you don't care about simulation, i mean, want to focus on DCS World, you're already doing great, you can land like that just fine, even if you lost the ATQ, i really think so, shame you can't remove it right, like in others flight simulations, do a proposital failure.

[@juliashenandoah3965]

Interesting, autorotation is possible? I ran out of fuel yesterday and one second after it fell like a stone, all screens and hydraulics off :D

[@plokkum]

It is possible if you do it within a very thin margin of error. But I doubt these would be survivable on any other surface than tarmac. Now I’m not a real life pilot, but I do think autorotation is not modeled correctly for the Apache. I feel like it’s not picking up enough up inflow during descent.

[@indyjons321]

Yeah, it doesn’t feel like a normal helicopter auto like the Huey or Hip

[@robertmantell1700]

Caz...where you at?

[@WinchesterDelta1]

Ben je Nederlands?

[@plokkum]

Zou zomaar kunnen! :)

[@mr_whyy]

If apple owned DCS you would have to buy your aircraft again each time it crashes 🤑