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Helicopters

Set up cyclic damping, force trim and rotor cues in a Rotorcraft profile, then assign the controls you use on your own hardware.

Start with a Rotorcraft profile

Create or select the aircraft profile, set its aircraft type to Rotorcraft, and choose Classic force trim when the helicopter uses a conventional trim-release system.

Select Rotorcraft once; the profile shows helicopter controls and hides fixed-wing settings that do not apply. Select Rotorcraft once; the profile shows helicopter controls and hides fixed-wing settings that do not apply.
Figure 1. Select Rotorcraft once; the profile shows helicopter controls and hides fixed-wing settings that do not apply.

Assign only the controls you want

Use Set up… for Force Trim Release (FTR), optional force-trim on/off, optional trim reset, or beep trim. Each guide prepares device input and captures only your explicit selection. Beep trim accepts one POV hat or four buttons. Assignments are saved for the device; Bridge does not change simulator keybindings.

  • FTR releases the held point while pressed and establishes the current cyclic position when released.
  • Beep trim moves the held point slowly and continuously while an assigned direction is held.
  • Use one physical hat-shaped control for top, bottom, left, and right. FFB-Bridge listens to both input formats and saves either one POV hat or four buttons—whichever the device actually reports. The tested AY210 uses four buttons. Cancel or failed verification restores the previous assignment.
Hardware → Helicopter contains guided FTR, force-trim on/off, trim-reset and beep-trim assignments. Hardware → Helicopter contains guided FTR, force-trim on/off, trim-reset and beep-trim assignments.
Figure 2. Hardware → Helicopter contains guided FTR, force-trim on/off, trim-reset and beep-trim assignments.
The guide explains POV versus buttons, pauses the current assignment, prepares input without a moving progress bar, then verifies all four directions before saving one input shape. The guide explains POV versus buttons, pauses the current assignment, prepares input without a moving progress bar, then verifies all four directions before saving one input shape.
Figure 3. The guide explains POV versus buttons, pauses the current assignment, prepares input without a moving progress bar, then verifies all four directions before saving one input shape.

Tune the control system, then the rotor cues

Establish cyclic damping and trim behavior first. Add rotor-state cues afterward so a vibration never hides a control-system problem.

  • Cyclic damping resists motion in proportion to movement, adding stability without dragging the stick back to an artificial fixed centre.
  • Holding FTR releases the trim hold. Releasing the button captures the current cyclic position; beep trim moves that held position gradually. Base resistance, hydraulic-loss resistance and other active effects can remain while FTR is held.
  • ETL, VRS, two-per-revolution, retreating-blade stall, rotor rumble, and skid contact arrive as distinct cues you can tune or disable.

The AB6 force-trim release path now suspends firmware hold while FTR is held and captures the new position before re-engaging. Release removes the trim hold; configured base resistance and other active effects can still be felt.

Hydraulic loss loading

Hydraulic loss loading can now add resistance to cyclic movement on the ground and in hover, including with force trim active or FTR held. It requires valid hydraulic-loss telemetry and an enabled profile setting. The extra resistance is felt when moving the cyclic. X-Plane hydraulic-loss detection is not yet supported.

For an MSFS hydraulic-loss check, confirm that the aircraft or add-on reports the failure through telemetry Bridge supports. Move the cyclic to feel the additional load; do not judge it only by the force at a stationary centre. An aircraft’s cockpit switch animation alone does not establish that usable hydraulic-loss telemetry is present.

Validate the complete setup on the bench

The guided helicopter finale runs the full rotorcraft sequence on the bench. Individual steps isolate damping, force trim, beep trim, and every rotor cue using repeatable temporary settings.

The animated helicopter timeline names the current phase while the matching force runs. The animated helicopter timeline names the current phase while the matching force runs.
Figure 4. The animated helicopter timeline names the current phase while the matching force runs.
Keep guided tests out of a live flight

Do not run guided force tests during a live flight. Centre the control, secure the base, keep loose objects clear, and stay ready to disarm.

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