Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin
Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin: The spring and damping approximate the servo-assisted cyclic.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin · MSFS 2024 · Variant starting point
Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin · The selected HH-65A uses the four-axis AFCS/FDS255 description; AS365 N2 controls and mode bindings remain separate. Taog's V1 manual and binding guide separately identify AS365 N2 and HH-65A. Shared binding names can perform different actions.
The simulator model and controls
The Dauphin developed at Aérospatiale and continued through Eurocopter and Airbus. Its smooth fuselage and enclosed tail rotor became familiar in passenger, police, rescue and government roles. The family includes naval and coastguard derivatives with specialised equipment.
This starting point selects Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin. Its aircraft-level settings do not select a particular developer’s custom systems.
How this profile feels
The spring and damping approximate the servo-assisted cyclic. Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load. Cyclic damping adds resistance to hardware motion.
Mode-dependent trim actuators have a wider role than a local spring-centre latch. Local force trim holds the selected hardware centre. Autopilot following is off.
Controls and trim
The AS365/HH-65 package describes hydraulic servos and trim actuators. Trim release removes control loads, while beep trim can alter attitude references. Fly-through and upper-mode disengagement are distinct behaviours, with coupler and collective controls described for each variant.
About the values
The gains are normalized profile settings. They describe the chosen effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its output limits. IAS references are tuning values rather than operating limits. Physical acceptance of this revision remains pending.
What the documentation establishes
The selected HH-65A uses the four-axis AFCS/FDS255 description; AS365 N2 controls and mode bindings remain separate. Taog's V1 manual and binding guide separately identify AS365 N2 and HH-65A. Shared binding names can perform different actions.
The manual describes cyclic, collective and hydraulic servo systems, with variant-specific controls on the cyclic.
Trim Release frees trim loads for manual input and beep trim changes attitude reference; HH-65A quick-disconnect releases four AFCS axes.
AS365 N2 has AP155 and CDV85; HH-65A uses four-axis FDS255 AFCS with hover-related modes. Inactive following does not imply absent AFCS.
Both variants have four-blade Starflex rotors, Fenestron tail rotors, retractable tricycle gear and twin turboshafts.
Power-on limits vary with weight and altitude; the manual distinguishes HH-65A's 165-KIAS and AS365's 175-knot sea-level examples from the common power-off limit.
The binding guide requires matched press/release assignments and separate helicopter binding profiles. These instructions do not establish external trim-direction compatibility.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
ReviewedThis starting point selects Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin. Its aircraft-level settings do not select a particular developer’s custom systems.
Flight controls
ReviewedThe AS365/HH-65 package describes hydraulic servos and trim actuators. Trim release removes control loads, while beep trim can alter attitude references. Fly-through and upper-mode disengagement are distinct behaviours, with coupler and collective controls described for each variant.
Trim
ReviewedMode-dependent trim actuators have a wider role than a local spring-centre latch. Local force trim holds the selected hardware centre. Autopilot following is off.
Autopilot and stability
ReviewedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
ReviewedGear, flap and ground cues follow the selected settings and available simulator-reported states.
Speeds and limits
ReviewedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
ReviewedThe profile targets msfs2024. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
Not yet reviewedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe spring and damping approximate the servo-assisted cyclic. The baseline spring is 0. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 65 KIAS. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.35 with an indicated-speed reference of 130 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value130.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value65.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 1 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe spring and damping approximate the servo-assisted cyclic. The baseline spring is 0. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 65 KIAS. |
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.02 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.35 with an indicated-speed reference of 130 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value1 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value18.2 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value65.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value130.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyAdds permitted spring resistance above the full-blend speed. Zero removes this high-speed increase. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value5 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 1 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyScales supported pitch-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes pitch response. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyMode-dependent trim actuators have a wider role than a local spring-centre latch. Local force trim is on. It holds a selected spring centre with strength 0.55. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.05 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value1 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value1 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.15 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.06 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed flap movement; a command without movement does not establish the cue. |
| Gain | Starting value0.12 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed gear movement, separate from aerodynamic and touchdown effects. |
Limits and open questions
- Trim-load descriptions and blade-stall discussions supply no measured cyclic force curve or device-specific direction evidence.
- Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin documentary evidence does not establish force-feedback hardware acceptance.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.