Helicopter Flight Simulator Controls

Next-gen V4 cyclic sticks, collectives, anti-torque rotor pedals for advanced helicopter simulators

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Next-Generation Rotary-Wing Flight Controls

Rotary-wing flight control simulation poses unique challenges that go far beyond those of fixed-wing systems.

Helicopter simulator controls – the cyclic, collective and anti-torque pedals – demand extraordinary precision, very low friction and finely tuned force cues to reproduce the delicate control and coordination required for rotary-wing flight.

Stirling Dynamics designs and manufactures advanced helicopter simulator controls for a wide range of rotary-wing aircraft including the CH-47 Chinook, the UH-60 Blackhawk and the CH-53K King Stallion.

Our new Version 4 cyclics, collectives and pedals offer the exceptional levels of realism and immersion needed to deliver the superior training outputs and high levels of airmanship required from helicopter pilots.

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Unique Challenges of Rotary-Wing Flight Simulation

Unlike fixed-wing aircraft, a helicopter is dynamically unstable and relies on continuous pilot input to maintain controlled flight.

Each control axis – cyclic, collective and pedals – interacts in a non-linear way with the others. The pilot must manage a highly coupled dynamic system through tactile and visual feedback.

Consequently, the control inceptors in a simulator must reproduce not only the geometry and forces of the real controls but also the high-bandwidth feedback characteristics of the rotor and control linkages.

Precision controls are critical to realism and immersion. If cues are inaccurate, pilots develop incorrect motor skills or fail to transfer handling techniques effectively to the aircraft.

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Special Considerations for Rotary-Wing Simulator Controls

 

Extremely Fine Control Sensitivity

Helicopter control inputs are minute – often millimetres of cyclic movement produce large aircraft responses. The simulator’s sensors and actuators must therefore deliver exceptional positional resolution and minimal electrical, mechanical and software noise. Friction or stiction above a few 10ths of a newton can prevent proper hover training or precision manoeuvre replication.

Low Friction and Low Inertia 

Controls must ‘float’ naturally under the pilot’s touch. Coulomb friction should be negligible, and reflected inertia minimal, to avoid masking small corrective forces.

Precise Control Coupling

In real helicopters, the cyclic and collective interact mechanically and aerodynamically. Advanced simulators replicate this with cross-axis coupling laws (such as collective pitch increasing tail-rotor load, requiring pedal input). The control-loading system must therefore support multi-axis dynamic coupling with accurate phase and gain relationships.

Force-Gradient Accuracy

Correct representation of stiffness, detents and breakout forces is crucial: Cyclic – light centring stiffness with progressive gradient. Collective – smooth travel with position-dependent forces representing rotor thrust and governor effects. Pedals – increasing stiffness with airspeed (simulated aerodynamic trim change).

Trim and Force-Trim Behaviour

Most helicopters use a force-trim system (magnetic brake or hat-switch control) that allows pilots to reposition the cyclic ‘centre’. Accurately modelling the feel of trim release, recapture and breakout is essential to authentic handling. Latency or step-changes in trim force are immediately perceptible and disruptive to training.

Vibratory and Transient Cues

Rotor systems generate complex vibration spectra (1/rev, 2/rev, 4/rev harmonics) felt through the controls. High-fidelity simulators need to superimpose these on the baseline control loads to replicate the tactile environment of flight.

Full Back-Driveability

Controls must respond to simulated aerodynamic disturbances and autopilot or trim inputs. This back-driven motion provides critical cues for hover stability and autorotation recovery.

Synchronisation With Motion and Visuals

Helicopter motion is more immediate and less damped than fixed-wing so any latency between control movement, visual and motion cues can cause serious cue conflict.

Ergonomic Realism

Control geometry, spacing, and alignment must match the actual cockpit. Cyclic travel range, collective arc and lift height, and pedal deflection angles must be faithful. Grip shape and switch placement influence muscle memory and airmanship habits.

Determinants of Precision, Performance and Superior Training Outcomes 

These qualities directly support faster skill acquisition, better hover precision, accurate autorotation technique and superior airmanship as pilots learn to interpret tactile cues and maintain fine control coordination.

High mechanical transparency

Minimal friction and inertia allow subtle inputs – crucial for hovering and low-speed handling.

 Accurate dynamic response

Precise modelling of rotor-head dynamics and control coupling ensures correct handling cues.

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 Consistent control loading

Repeatable forces create standardised training conditions across sessions and students.

Low latency and high bandwidth

Synchronised motion and tactile feedback prevent false sensations and reinforce correct coordination.

Realistic trim and vibration cues

Build instinctive pilot responses to workload and aircraft ‘feel’.

Robust calibration and verification

Ensures force and displacement remain within certification limits over time.

Contribution to Airmanship and Training Value 

High-fidelity rotary-wing controls from Stirling Dynamics produce measurable improvements in:

  • Handling precision: smoother control inputs, reduced over-correction.
  • Energy management: intuitive anticipation of rotor and power dynamics.
  • Hover stability: quicker mastery of micro-adjustments, reducing training time.
  • Emergency procedures: correct muscle-memory for autorotation and tail-rotor failures.
  • Pilot confidence and airmanship: enhanced perception of attitude, trim and vibration – vital for professional handling quality.

Rotary-Wing Cyclic Stick

Stirling Dynamics has exploited decades of innovation to develop Version 4 of its active product range.

Our extremely configurable simulator Cyclic Control is fully active and available with several grip options and reconfigurable buttons. It is suitable for single or dual (linked) cockpit configurations.

  • Pole, grip and switch options available
  • Programmable feel characteristics
  • Real-time control
  • Reconfigurable
  • Electronically linkable

By configuring the force curve, the Cyclic Control can mimic the form and feel of any rotary-wing aircraft in real-time. It can provide forces up to 40lbf at the nominal grip reference point and features a screw-ring-mounted pole and grip assembly available in generic or platform-specific designs.

Stirling Dynamics provides you with all the integration documentation and support you need to successfully set up your new control product.

With versatility in mind, all our active controls are commanded by a dedicated electronics Inceptor Control Module (ICM) which provides an ethernet interface allowing minimal integration effort. All of which is driven through our power supply unit.

Stirling Dynamics’ active controls interface to your simulator software through a UDP over a LAN connection. Multiple systems can be connected via the LAN using unique IP addresses. We can provide a separate graphical user interface (GUI) that can seed the devices with specific settings, or you can send message sequences to configure your devices in real time.

Cyclic Stick: Key Information

  • Maximum Peak Force 40lbf
  • Maximum Continuous Force 25lbf
  • Active Travel ±15° (pitch), ±25° (roll)
  • Maximum Velocity 120°/s
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Rotary-Wing Collective Control

  • Programmable feel characteristics
  • Real-time control
  • Reconfigurable
  • Electronically linkable
  • Thrust Control Lever hardware option available

Designed for use with the latest Version 4 of our Inceptor Control Module (ICM) and power supply to provide forces up to 40lbf at the nominal grip reference point.

The Collective Control features a screw-ring-mounted pole and grip assembly available in generic or platform specific designs.

It is feature-rich, highly reconfigurable and suitable for single or dual (linked) cockpit configurations. A generic factory grip is provided as standard.

Collective Control: Key Information

  • Maximum Peak Force 40lbf
  • Maximum Continuous Force 25lbf
  • Active Travel 30°
  • Maximum Velocity 120°/s



Collective Stick 2 - no connectors - trans bg
 

Anti-Torque Rotor Pedals

  • Programmable feel characteristics
  • Real-time reconfigurable
  • Electronically linkable
  • Interchangeable footplate options
  • Ability to be backdriven
  • Alternative foot plate and foot-on-pedal switches

Our feature-rich and highly reconfigurable active Anti-Torque Rotor Pedals are suitable for single- or linked-cockpit configurations. They accept a variety of pedal and toe brake designs.

Pedals Helicopter varient A-simple-bar-footplate-1
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Anti-Torque Rotor Pedals: Key Information

  • Maximum Peak Force 180lbf
  • Maximum Continuous Force 80lbf
  • Active Travel 7.8"
  • Maximum Velocity 80°/s
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Why Stirling Dynamics

Stirling Dynamics (an Expleo company) is a world-class innovator that pioneered active pilot controls for rotary-wing aircraft in the early 1990s. Our new Version 4 solutions make us the trusted leader in flight controls for advanced helicopter simulators.

We design and manufacture all our rotary-wing flight controls at our premises in Bristol, UK. Our full bespoke service gives the customer complete choice in control specifications. Grips are specific to aircraft types: we offer a range of grips to suit different applications (in addition to our standard COTS grip).

Expleo is a €1.4 billion group comprising 18,000 innovation-driven experts in 29 countries. It is trusted around the world by brands including Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Spirit Aerosystems.

Contact us to discuss your requirements