Helicopter Simulation
This simulation gives you control over the joystick of a helicopter and asks you to safely land it under various conditions.
Pro Tip #1: A joystick does not give you direct control over the speed of the helicopter, but only of the net force on the helicopter. As a result, you may have the joystick in the UP position, even though the helicopter is NOT moving up at that moment.
Pro Tip #2: This joystick does not automatically return to a neutral position (which is the same as having no net force). If you want to set the net force to zero, you will have to move the joystick to the central position (STEADY SPEED).
Pro Tip #3: It may help to control the vertical motion and the horizontal motion of the helicopter one-at-a-time, instead of working with both at the same time!
Your assignment:
- Land the helicopter at the (blue) “Discover” level. Take a screenshot as proof of your achievement.
- Land the helicopter at the (pink) “Explore” level, Take a screenshot as proof of your accomplishment.
- Land the helicopter at the (yellow) “Master” level. Take a screenshot as proof of your accomplishment.
- Describe your strategy. How did you move the joystick, and what adjustments did you make?
- Explain how the Instrument Panel can be used to improve your instincts. What numbers did you look at, and what numerical conditions were you trying to create?
- In the (pink) “Explore” level, try to cause a crash landing on the target. Try to figure out what conditions on the Instrument Panel led to a crash landing.
- If time allows, return to the (pink) “Explore” level, and try to improve your “Elapsed Time”.