Maneuvering your aircraft | Do's and Don'ts | DCS AH-64 Apache

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OMEN by HP Obelisk Gaming Desktop Computer, 9th Generation Intel Core i9-9900K Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB, HyperX 64 GB RAM, 2x 1 TB NVMe SSD, Windows 10 Home
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Pedals: VKB MkIV
Throttle: Virpil Mongoose 3

[@Blackcloud_Garage]

I was so used to keeping my speed up in the 58D that it carried over to my civilian law enforcement flying. The civilian pilot that was checking me out as a new guy was constantly saying "why are you flying so fast?" "slow down, your not in the Army anymore", "no one is shooting at us here in Florida". Ha. Old habits die hard🤷‍♂

[@CasmoTV]

I’m not sure I would assume that no one is shooting at me in Florida either lol.

[@aaronwhite1786]

@@CasmoTV "Florida Man fires at police helicopter for scaring his birds".

[@Wulfle]

Whenever I take ground fire, I like to do several erratic manoeuvres and then flip over and hit the dirt.

[@CasmoTV]

A technique.

[@baileyparadis1815]

You should try spinning. That's a good trick!

[@keepwalking6041]

i agree, deny the enemy the kill score.. autodestruct is my fav, not that i'm even going for that but i'm a talent what can i say..

[@CasmoTV]

Just put your helmet on backwards, sit on the cyclic and let the accident investigators figure that shit out.

[@keepwalking6041]

@@CasmoTV haha, i already picturing it, investigator with american dad voice speaking: as you can see Steve, being investigator is no easy job, that day i threw up more than i did in all my years in college-steve eyes go wide open in shock

[@colemcintyre2169]

Those clips are pure gold. I'm one of the guys who, if he flies a module, he want to do it right. Technical and tactical. Without you I could totally scratch the tactical part.

[@iceman90734]

Man, I REALLY want to see like a multi-POV situation like this, 2-ship Apache working together with 1 or 2-ship overhead CAS doing a big old mission together...that would be the scenario. And I feel like a lot of servers already have missions that would make something like this really work. We just don't see it in recordings. Anyhow, this is a great and informative video, thanks Casmo!

[@bobbyguns100]

Apache Pilots/attack Hilo pilots in combat see more action in 1 week than the average fighter pilots sees their whole career lol

[@sidv4615]

Man as much as I hate to admit that. Deep down I know it’s true

[@alasdairmclaughlan8249]

So what? Does that somehow invalidate their contribution?

[@temmiethegreat3482]

@@alasdairmclaughlan8249 Yes. 🤟

[@revenger681]

I like that most apache tutorials use the cockpit keys. It seems more real to me (if you were flying irl, you'd be using the physical sticks, screens, etc.) I wish more jet tutorials were like that.

[@ShuRugal]

"I'm up, he sees me, I'm down" - instant flashback to getting pissed on by freezing rain in February at Fort Jackson.

[@DCS.1-1]

Perfect explanation. Hovering in a hostile environment. Is asking to get a RPG or take a HE round up the ass. Once caught a AH-64 shooting at a FOB pass the front line online after retreating with a Unarmed Mi-08 from one further upfront line that got overrun by ground force. Only to come behind him & hover for a good minute behind him wondering what to do since he was going to turn me into a swiss cheese the second I go anywhere near the front. Decided to trade one of my landing wheel for his tail rotor XD Rumor is that he's still mad about that one on the chat.

[@ka-50withsaams36]

A kill is a kill...

[@TheGroceness]

I'm an Apache pilot. I shared your video with my buddies to say, this is how we should do things

[@SQUID_2259]

Good practical explanation Casmo! Keep it coming

[@Beltalowda666]

Started watching your apache videos thanks to a friend I fly with. You're a huge help, thank you!

[@TheDickieP]

I’ve needed this video, thankyou

[@OgKamoGaming]

Just downloaded the trial, flew twice with my buddy, who manned the front seat, and wow I love this machine. Awesome videos!

[@cmdrbishop733]

Guilty! Yep time to rethink my flying- again good stuff! Thank you for the information!

[@RamadiTaxiDriver60M]

I was surprised at my first pitch back turn. It wasn’t violent at all. I just pulled back and over gently and then I was upside down. Lol.

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

From what I have read/observed the real power of the Apache D model is the Longbow radar on top of the mast. That allows you the luxury of hiding behind cover with just the Longbow exposed to search the area. I imagine the computer will sort out terrain and other clutter, identify targets that match profiles stored in the library and pop up an icon on the FCR screen. When you go to the FCR page, it's blank. Have you heard of any implementation of the Longbow/FCR in DCS? That would add such a massive change and make the Apache what it truly can be. I don't even know if ED is working on that addition. But just think of the dynamic of having that feature. Gives me chills!

[@UisgeBeathaMountain]

You don't know if ED is working on it? It's literally listed in the product description on ED's website. "Later in development, our AH-64D will also be equipped with the Fire Control Radar (FCR) that will enable it to detect, classify, track, and engage both air and surface targets with radar-guided Hellfire missiles."

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

@@UisgeBeathaMountain That's not what I meant and you know it. Of course I know what they said. But are they just fine tuning it for close release or are we talking another two years?

[@ascherlafayette8572]

@@valuedhumanoid6574 That is not how English

[@mobius7089]

The longbow net and radar -114s will be the biggest change

[@svix123]

Cheers Casmo!

[@SwiftyShammy]

Id be interested in seeing your fly control settings. Like curves, ect.

[@Tom-qf3mq]

Casmo, these videos are epic & and an amazing asset for people new to the world of flight sims, DCS, helicopters and more importantly Apaches. I’ve learnt a lot from your tutorials, I’m a decent pilot now. I’m currently learning routes, manoeuvres & tactics, however I’m getting wrecked by enemy forces though. Do you prefer to fly via head tracking or VR?

[@WolfpackOne]

Hello sir nice video, looking to pick up DCS next year, gonna try my hand at helicopters

[@OgKamoGaming]

Good to see my instincts was correct when taking fire. Get fast, and leave the area. 6 battle tanks firing on me, and we took only two hits.

[@Qnnrad]

Thank you!

[@Exiler652]

There is a saying in flight for me, it applies to fixed wings and rotary. Low is fast, High is slow. The Idea is that if you are low, you want to stay as fast as possible in order to not get caught by random fire. If you are high altitude, chances that small to medium arms reach you is low, so you don't need to go that fast, allowing you time to aim better. Also at high altitudes, not much protection against AA Missiles, so going fast won't help against it either. Losing Altitude will though, in a defensive maneuver. Great video also :).

[@CherryCoke-qi1kz]

Great vid.

[@donh8112]

Hover v keep speed up examples: Thanks for it!

[@utley]

first time Ive heard "Im up, he sees me, Im down" in like 22 years.

[@aplaceinthesky82]

Is it possible to put an automatic rudder in the Apache module? I don't have a rudder and I find it really odd to fly it with trigger thing

[@kangarooklown9841]

Hey Casmo it would be really awesome if in the future you can turn on the thing that shows stick position and collective, for me it helps a lot when i can observe the correct inputs

[@ummyeah641]

R shift + enter

[@M82760]

@CasmoTV Good video, thank you - keep them comming. I have one, unrelated to this video, question - how can I estimate fuel consumption on th AH-64? I want to create a mission in DCS with a long cruise time to target. Just before reaching a target I want to force pilot to land on a near-by FARP to refuel, therefore I want to make it so, that whatever pilot does trying to save fuel - he would still have to land for refueling before proceeding furhter Actually - on a same matter - do AH-64 pilots ever calculate how much fuel is needed by themselves?

[@CasmoTV]

I mean the aircraft literally tells you the fuel burn rate. See the fuel page or the TSD. And yes, pilots are always required to calculate their own fuel. A pilot that doesn’t do that in any aviation profession isn’t really a pilot.

[@bikeguy3034]

@CasmoTV Unless it's the Nav planning the flight and determining fuel req like happened on the P-3😀. Always good times flying home from Hawaii to NZ and we hit higher than expected Jetstream winds and the Nav starts asking me as the FE for accurate fuel figures every 15 minutes as he starts sweating profusely 🤣. Samoa for a quick gas stop anyone? 🏝

[@tippership]

Silly question for you-(Just discovered you thru growling sidewinder!)- How LOW do Apache pilots fly? It looks like you'd have no qualms about flying a few feet above a road to the point your wheels are only a couple feet above it, and you almost could land in 3 seconds, but are hovering/flying right above it and able to engage from as low as a ground vehicle- which is insane- but is that unheard of? Just REALLY curious now, if that's a thing- pretending to be a ground vehicle practically lol

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

Coming back to this video because I am having a really hard time with VRS and settling with power. Hovering in ground effect is a cake walk. But getting some altitude and trying to hover I most times begin to lose it and the plummet begins. I find that if I maintain a little forward velocity, even a few knots, I can avoid all that crap. But sitting at zero and trying to hover is a lost cause in most cases. The Apache is probably the most forgiving of the helos I own. The Huey is the worst, the Hind is a mixed bag and the Blackshark III I don't hover unless I am in ground effect. With that helo because it's so new to me I just lose altitude straight away. The Gazelle is also a fairly stable hover airframe. I understand it's probably just me and there's something I am doing wrong or not doing at all. But as long as I stay out of the "funnel" and creep forward, I can stay at altitude. But that's not hovering. Any help or tips from anyone would be a real help.

[@CasmoTV]

You might be too heavy.

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

@@CasmoTV Yes, I didn't consider that. I always fly with max fuel and max loadout in all my aircraft. Maybe if I cut the fuel down to just what need for the mission with a reserve of maybe 15% and see if that doesn't give me better hover performance. Like I said, if I just keep a few knots of airspeed I can stay up all day. But sitting at zero when heavy just doesn't do it. I start descending and the more power I apply, the worse it gets, so I am guessing that is VRS. Or SWP. Thanks for the tip! And loved the stories on Ward's Carrol's interview with you. Fascinating stuff! And your podcast. I listen to them in my car and find myself sitting in the parking lots of where I am going to finish the podcast.

[@FujiLeeTheAmerican]

Im curious what manuver would be done if a MANPAD missile was launched at the helicopter, do you keep flying straight in this video or do you pull the most janky maneuvers while letting off flares? (I am referring when the missile is already in the air.)

[@CasmoTV]

It depends but it also gets into the more sensitive side of things that I just can’t say.

[@wraith444]

I haven't gotten into the Apache yet, but I plan to eventually... What is an acquisition source, is it the same thing as a SPI?

[@CasmoTV]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/noaUl5x6o7uEgpY

[@wraith444]

@@CasmoTV perfect, way more detailed than a comment could've gone, thanks!

[@Kingonads]

Casmo how do you deal with other helo threats in DCS? The AH-64D we have in DCS has ZERO air to air capability and when faced off against the Mi-24 and the KA-50 which seem to have more and more unrealistic air to air capabilities how do you counter that?

[@CasmoTV]

You don’t play DCS. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I hate to say it but A2A between helos is incredibly rare to almost non existent. So when I see it happening in DCS you might as well just go play Skyrim.

[@ImpendingJoker]

Both the Ka-50 and the Mi-24 have the ability to carry A2A missiles in the form of what are just MANPADs mounted to their stub wings, so I don't know where you are getting that it is unrealistic. Also the AH-64A/D used to carry FIM-92 Stingers but I don't think they were ever used in combat. They even tested the AIM-9 Sidewinder on the Apache but it was never fielded. The CMWS wing sensors are actually mounted between the mounting brackets where the A2A missiles used to be carried but like Casmo said, they were never used and rarely carried in the first place. So again I don't get where you are getting this "unrealistic" A2A for the Ka-50 and Mi-24 when they both carry MANPAD launchers IRL. Also you do know that the CMWS also detects laser energy right? Wonder why that is...when you figure it out you'll know that the Apache does in fact have the ability to engage aerial targets.

[@orleansjunky4074]

what button was used to set the cursor too waypoint 2

[@ummyeah641]

Slave

[@TomP-148]

Thanks dad

[@Rlaxox]

You know I often hear how irl point track or two or on this case MTT wasn't used much... is there a reason why it wants used that much?

[@CasmoTV]

Cause it’s garbage.

[@Rlaxox]

@CasmoTV well from what it looks to me functionally it looks quite useful, what made it to be that bad irl?

[@ArchOfficial]

@@Rlaxox The tracking being based on a thermal signature on sights which go out of calibration all the time compared to the tracking being based on a database ID of a vehicle and having nothing to do with the sights, is probably a good bet.

[@Lightning_Mike]

@@Rlaxox Image recognition is far less reliable in real life. You'd also only track targets in your relatively narrow field of view.

[@Rlaxox]

@Arch so the implementation we have now in dcs is completely unrealistic ? Also would mtt work in TV mode in that case ?

[@Zackwpilot]

I wish/hope ED changes the enemy LOS/ accuracy of OPFOR. It seems no matter how you mask, conceal, or whatever…..if you are in range, they unrealistically know you are there and are unrealistically accurate. DCS infantry all seem to be expert marksman…..this takes away especially when the Kiowa comes.

[@robs3733]

How were you hovering at 98% torque and not gaining altitude. I can keep her level an barely moving but the damn thing has an icarus complex an keeps climbing.

[@CasmoTV]

Gross weight?

[@FalcoGer]

I found the best strategy in DCS is to either hover at standoff when there are no air defense units, LOAL air defense units from cover if there are any, from stand off hover behind cover, or to stay moving while engaging up close to avoid RPG hits. In DCS standoff range provides enough time to dodge eventual ATGMs and prohibits cannon and AAA fire from reaching you. The hellfires even offer you a range advantage against SA-13 and SA-19 and if you play it right you can even take out SA-8 and SA-15, despite their longer engagement ranges. The only real problem you have when hovering is if you are within direct fire range of RPGs or cannons. Hovering over a BMP is a bad idea, hovering 9km from a strella is a good idea. flying around, out of cover with a strella at 4km is a bad idea. Also doesn't help that the AI has 360° vision with 0ms reaction time, can see through smoke, fog, cloud, bushes and trees and that their guns are laser accurate. In the situation presented, I would first of all advance more slowly and have my CPG scan the area ahead before moving on. If i were ambushed, I'd have him mark the approximate position, turn around and get some range, then search (from a hover) from a safe distance, formulate a plan to attack, and then engage the threat. 6:52 If you hit DIR, you can select the waypoint from the list on the right, if it's in that list. It's faster than fuffing about with the cursor. Of course I'd also relegate that task to the CPG, just george isn't really any good right now.

[@rnzafdude]

Am I crazy? I feel deja vu with this video.. @.@ Is this a reupload?

[@CasmoTV]

Yes

[@rzuffu]

Is it my head playing games or is it a reupload ?

[@CasmoTV]

It is. I pulled it to make sure I didn’t put something in there I shouldn’t have. Now it’s back.

[@JSpidey]

@@CasmoTV I noticed you pulled out a small portion when lasing the BTR. I remember what it was but I'd rather not mention it for obvious reasons. Anyways thanks for the lessons Casmo!

[@crazygmanssimstuff]

The problem in Ukraine for Russian attack helicopters is that the GBAD is all dispersed, with systems like Buk and Osa not working in integrated systems, but scattered about. So there is often no precise intel on where they all are, and they are just basically lying in wait for targets of opportunity to pop up. The Buk systems are even just using the TELAR by itself and using passive tracking to remain as stealthy as possible and then rapidly relocate. Combined with frontline and recon units being equiped with MANPADS, it seems that there is not really any safe area where you could reasonably be sure there wasn't someone looking at you with a weapon that could reach out and touch you.

[@furkadurka]

WAIT you mean to tell me. dont sit still when getting shot?? mind blown

[@CasmoTV]

Revolutionary isn’t it.

[@furkadurka]

@CasmoTV

[@blackhatch46]

This is why you only attack when called in, and never hover. Attack, leave.

[@2612563]

If your statement "don't have friend" is true, can I be your cpg sometimes? As I don't have friend to fly apache with😅

[@butterfliege885]

How can You fly with 60% Collective. my collective has to be like 90 to 100 to take off..

[@CasmoTV]

How heavy are you? What conditions are you in?

[@butterfliege885]

@@CasmoTV 100 % fuel. and. this might sound a little dumb but 4 hellfire stations.

[@CasmoTV]

Well you have it heavy af so yeah it’s gonna take more power to get off the ground.

[@ben-niej-barkii4888]

i cant even fly with the heli why i want to get up in the air i crash lol

[@nigelmtb]

Dos and don'ts.

[@CasmoTV]

Thanks professor.

[@nigelmtb]

@@CasmoTV just trying to help.

[@tmting4942]

thanks man.. to help DCS rotor community how to have fun at fullest, rather than let the arcade player cancer the SIM with their Warthunder style.

[@bartbroekhuizen5617]

It's sad how War Thunder portrays "Sim" and "Realistic" Battles. "Realistic" Battles should be HOTAS only. I also play War Thunder, but only for the tanks. War Thunder Air combat is nowhere near the simulation of DCS World let alone reality itself.

[@rg6569]

Seriously, if you can't 'deadstick' ANY helicopter from 1000ft, fly a jet.

[@petertimowreef9085]

Brother you have no idea under what kind of combat conditions pilots are flying in Ukraine, go there and show 'em how it's done if you know it so well, or pipe down.

[@CasmoTV]

“Brother” I’ve been fired at by all kinds of shit and even been hit so you go ahead an pipe down or fuck off. Either way is fine with me.

[@petertimowreef9085]

@@CasmoTV Nowhere you could've possibly have fought comes anywhere even close to the threat level faced by pilots above Ukrainian airspace.

[@CasmoTV]

Look champ, here’s the bottom line. And you can like this or not- part of being better is recognizing bad. And there are some bad Fucking choices being made by Russian pilots. Period. Full stop. Now if you don’t feel comfortable saying that out loud that’s your business. But after 20+ years I feel not only comfortable but QUALIFIED to say so. Just like on those days when I did something wrong and other pilots in my unit called me on it. It’s what we do. I don’t expect someone outside of the community to understand that. I certainly don’t expect them to question it publicly. Spare me the righteous outrage. I’ll say what I think and people like you can take it or leave it. Don’t like it, don’t stay here. But don’t for one small second think you can roll in here and shame me for saying what has been said by who knows how many other professionals sitting back watching what has gone down and saying “what in the actual fuck”.

[@petertimowreef9085]

@@CasmoTV yadda yadda So easy to sit there high and mighty passing judgement when the US taxpayer paid millions for your training, pilots above Ukraine aren't as fortunate.

[@karstenmurphy3437]

Why are you being so disrespectful? I fly fixed wing light sport aircraft and flying an aircraft is hard enough without being fired upon. I would shit my pants if someone fired their Glock at me.