Helicopter collective is not able to be commanded after sim is paused

Version: 1.1.9.0

Frequency: Consistently

Severity: High

Marketplace package name: N/A

Context: H145, H160, H225(future)

Similar MSFS 2020 issue: Works great on every version of MFS20

Bug description: Helicopter collective control is unresponsive after pause, assuming the aircraft was in the air when the pause happened. (Pausing on the ground does not cause any issue). The collective position is sent via SimConnect.

Repro steps:

  1. Load H145 or H160 or a special version of H225
  2. Take off into a hover
  3. Pause (using ESC key), then press it again to Un-Pause

Expected: Aircraft is flyable
Actual: Collective flight control is blocked

To work around this, slew down to the ground (land) and then the sim resets something internally which allows the flight model to behave the same way

Attachments: N/A

Private attachments: N/A

1 Like

Hello @davux3

Is this still an issue on 1.2.8.0?
I tested with the H145 but could not replicate the issue.

Regards,
Sylvain

Hi @FlyingRaccoon. Thank you for looking at this issue, it is very important to us.

It is not fixed in 1.2.8.0. I just checked and the behavior is identical to the initial report.

Are you using a version of H145 that is newer than 400? I can upload a test package with the newer build if needed. I can’t see any reason why you’d not be able to repro this unless you are using very old builds which is an airplane with custom flight model. Maybe another reason is if you tested without any controller connected? I haven’t checked if keyboard-only is impacted. The binding COLLECTIVE AXIS should be set and then I intercept that.

A little more detailed repro:

  1. Select H145
  2. Start at KEDW on the runway
  3. Pull the collective and enter a stable hover at 10ft over the ground
  4. Hit ESC to pause the game, and ESC again to return

Observe that once you come back, moving your collective to 0% and 100% will have no impact on the vertical ascent/descent. It should be very apparent as you can’t descend to the ground at all anymore. There is also usually shaking going on as if the rotor is off-track and I don’t know why that would be (maybe it is a hint at something though).

Some users reported being able to recover by pressing F1 key, but I never found that to effect the situation. The repro should be 100% though.

Thank you again.

1 Like

Hello @davux3

No, I tested an old version of the H145.
Send us a newer version and I’ll give it another look.

Regards,
Sylvain

Done. You should have a download in DM @FlyingRaccoon @PrivateContent

1 Like

This issue is probably related specifically to axis set in FS 2024. I tried porting to 2024 a more primitive collective controller using COLLECTIVE_INC / COLLECTIVE _DEC K:Events and it seemed to survive unpausing in flight in that case.
F1 key workaround is probably related - I imagine it sends just that event. Of course that doesn’t change the fact that it needs fixing, INC/DEC event method is more primitive and less accurate