Meet Bell 206 family
Bell reworked an unsuccessful military observation-helicopter proposal into the commercial JetRanger. The resulting 206 family became widely used for passenger transport, observation and utility work. The familiar single-engine versions use a two-bladed main rotor.
The 206B JetRanger and stretched 206L LongRanger are separate branches of that story. Their cabins, engines and equipment are not identical. Cowan's simulator documentation also separates the models and their stability-assistance features, making the exact add-on name important when reading about trim or autopilot controls.
In your simulator
Systems, equipment and documentation for each developer’s aircraft.
206 family
CowanSim
Stability assistance and upper modes do different jobs
Cowan's HeloSAS uses small cyclic corrections to stabilise the helicopter. The manual distinguishes force-trim behaviour with SAS engaged and disengaged, and explains the difference between spring-centred and non-centring controls. Its upper autopilot modes become selectable above 44 knots in the documented implementation. Stability assistance, rotor-speed governing and route-following modes are separate systems.
CowanSim · SAS Autopilot Manual ↗Archived document; installed package version not observed · PDF pp.1-2
Two different meanings of trim
On Cowan's 206B3, engine trim adjusts the governed rotor-speed setting, while rotor trim changes the cyclic trim state. The latter has its own reset binding. Keeping the two separate avoids treating a rotor-RPM adjustment as a change to the cyclic controls. The guide also records the hydraulic-switch binding limitation for this version.
CowanSim · CowanSim 206B3 user manual · MSFS ↗Archived document; installed package version not observed · PDF pp.4-5,9
LongRanger controls have their own guide
The 206L3 manual separately documents engine-RPM trim, longitudinal and lateral cyclic trim, and cyclic trim reset. It also identifies a hydraulic-switch hardware-binding limitation. The longer cabin does not make the LongRanger's instructions interchangeable with every JetRanger package.
CowanSim · CowanSim 206L3 user manual · MSFS ↗Archived document; installed package version not observed · PDF pp.4-5,9
B-206
FlyInside
A developer-specific helicopter model
FlyInside's Bell 206 guide describes its own helicopter operation, including longitudinal and lateral force-trim bindings, governor adjustment and a hydraulic switch. The manual discusses the changing corrections needed as speed changes. Its controls and flight model should be identified as FlyInside's implementation rather than inferred from the bundled helicopter.
FlyInside · User Manual for Microsoft Flight Simulator ↗Archived document; installed package version not observed · PDF pp.11,17,21
206 family
CowanSim
Disconnecting an upper mode can leave SAS active
The X-Plane SAS guide distinguishes trim release, upper-mode disconnection and the underlying stability system. Its published force-trim-release and autopilot-disconnect commands have different effects: disconnecting the upper modes can preserve SAS. The documented 44-knot threshold applies to mode availability, not to a universal helicopter operating limit.
CowanSim · SAS Manual ↗Archived X-Plane SAS/AP manual · PDF pp.1-4
Manuals & resources
Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Manual
CowanSim 206B3 user manual · MSFSCowanSim CowanSim 206L3 user manual · MSFSCowanSim CowanSim manualsCowanSim Microsoft Flight Simulator aircraft manualsMicrosoft / aircraft developers SAS Autopilot ManualCowanSim B206 releases and manualFlyInside User Manual for Microsoft Flight SimulatorFlyInside SAS ManualCowanSim User ManualCowanSim X-Plane aircraft and avionics manualsLaminar ResearchAircraft background
Bell 206Wikipedia contributors · Research background · Wikipedia revision 1373277311 · retrieved 2026-09-12Documented interfaces
Source-documented identifiers. Documentation does not prove that every add-on populates a value correctly.
SAS/force_trim_release
Hold/release FTR; SAS engagement gesture described separately.
- Units
- none
- Access
- execute command
shared Cowan XP SAS manual; installed package must supply command
CowanSim · PDF p4; shared SAS command list ↗SAS/autopilot_disconnect
Disconnect upper modes; SAS behavior follows the manual.
- Units
- none
- Access
- execute command
shared Cowan XP SAS manual; installed package must supply command
CowanSim · PDF p4; shared SAS command list ↗Something missing or a source that needs attention?
Suggest a correction ↗
