Use the same model that our test pilots use to train! This model is different from the one that came packaged with versions 6.x to 7.x of X-Plane, and has been tweaked to closely match the performance of the actual aircraft.

Download

cctd-2003-12-31.zip  Model for X-Plane 6.40 & higher versions of 6.x

Getting Started

Although not difficult to fly, the CarterCopter is different from most other aircraft, and as such requires some special instruction. Below is a quick tutorial to get the aircraft into the air and flying.

Click the image below to see the CarterCopter panel in X-Plane with a few of the unique controls called out.

1. Because of the way X-Plane initializes the aircraft, and because the CG of the CarterCopter is so close to the main gear, when you first open the aircraft in X-Plane, it will fall back onto the tail booms. With the brakes on, simply give the aircraft full throttle to push the nose over. Pushing forward on the control stick and pulling collective (F5) also helps.
2. With the collective at 0º, enagage the pre-rotate tension and pre-rotator, and increase throttle to accelerate the rotor to 300 rpm.
3. Once 300 rpm has been achieved, disengage the pre-rotate tension and prerotator, and then release the brakes to start your takeoff roll. If you have a joystick with enough buttons, in the "Set Joystick Axis and Buttons" screen of X-Plane, set one of the buttons to "Toggle Prerotate," and this will accomplish the same thing.
4. At 20-30 mph, pull the collective to 9º, using the stick to hold the aircraft at the appropriate attitude. As your rotor rpm starts to decay, you will have to decrease collective. At this point, try not to let your rpm fall below 200. Setting the collective to around 5º will probably be okay.
5. Accelerate to at least 75 mph before starting your climb. 90 mph gives best rate of climb.
6. Once in the air, when you want to start accelerating, slowly decrease collective to 1º, while slowly pushing forward on the stick to increase airspeed. At this point, we want to reduce the rotor rpm to around 100. However, we don't want it to fall below 100, either. At some point, you will have to start increasing spindle trim, or gyro trim, as it's called in X-Plane. Try adding a little at a time, and then waiting to see how the rotor responds. You can also set joystick buttons to do this. Set them to increase and decrease gyro trim the the "Set Joystick Axis and Buttons" screen of X-Plane.
7. To come out of high speed flight, just do the above in reverse, slowly pulling back to increase rotor rpm & slow down.
8. Before landing, make sure your rotor rpm has gone back up, to at least 200 rpm, preferrably 250 or higher.
9. Fly the final approach at 50 mph.
10. When flaring for landing, remember that you have collective to pull. The flare is a combination of pulling back on the control stick and increasing collective. With practice, zero roll landings can be made.

The above tutorial instructs you to lift off at 20-30 mph. This is the current practice with the CarterCopter, since it gives sufficient airflow over the rudders for good yaw control. However, jump takeoffs can still be performed. For those, increase the rotor rpm to at least 400, and then, immediately after disengaging the prerotator and releasing the brakes, pull collective to 9º or higher, using the stick to hold you at the proper attitude. The propeller will accelerate the aircraft forward. Be sure to accelerate to a sufficient airspeed before rotor rpm has decayed. These types of takeoffs require a good deal of practice to master.