This Shergood B2-B is an SL reproduction of the classic Brantly B2-B helicopter. The Brantly B2 was originally introduced in the late 1950s and was later upgraded to the B2-A and then the B2-B. It uses a 180hp fuel-injected four cylinder horizontally opposed Lycoming IVO-360 engine, a vertical variant of the engine commonly found in the Cessna 172.
The SA-FE (Shergood Aviation Flight Engine) engine driving this virtual reproduction is the most advanced and realistic in SL. It was designed and created by an RL helicopter pilot. The engine is purely physics based and features independent control of cyclic, collective, throttle and anti-torque pedals enabling true power-off autorotations. Features include:
* Independent cyclic, collective, throttle and anti-torque controls
* Force/torque based physics model
* Working yaw string can be used as reference to coordinate cyclic and pedal inputs.
* Realism features can be enabled or disabled to adjust level of difficulty.
* Helicopter weight changes as fuel is burned.
* Weight dependent performance (fuel and passengers)
* Main rotor torque (pedals must be used to compensate)
* Independent engine and rotor RPM
* True power-off autorotations
* Ground effect increases lift near surfaces (land, water, or prim)
* Translational lift increases lift with forward airspeed
* Translating tendency results in a "left skid low" look during hover.
* Vortex ring state danger exists when helicopter is mishandled
* Working electrical system with rechargeable battery.
* Refueling system with fuel quantity control
* Realistic sounds from an actual Brantly B2-B helicopter
* Advanced lighting effects
* Accessible engine compartment
* Detailed mesh design
* Fully functioning dual controls
* Paint kit system for user customizable painting
* Unique N-number and serial number assigned to each aircraft
* HOBBS meter tracks total time on aircraft
* Access control system: owner only, guest or registered pilots
* Passenger control - enable/disable use of passenger seat, or kick passenger
* Dust/water effects when hovering near a surface
* Animated hand and foot movements track moving cockpit controls
* Collision detection/crash system alerts on crashes
* Free upgrades
WARNING - This helicopter is designed for expert/advanced SL pilots seeking a realistic flight experience requiring practice and skill to master.
Great little helicopter!
This is my first SA aircraft and I love it. I am slowly working my up to full realism in it.
Really enjoyable, but a challenge
I am an unashamed Shergood fangirl and I really enjoy this helicopter. Any and all Shergood helicopters will be designed to be ultra realistic and therefore more challenging to fly than most. They all will teach you something about real world flying and your experience will greatly benefit from willingness to learn about real world aviation. That's true of this one too.
But the B2B adds a bit of extra challenge because it has a rather under powered engine. The lower engine power means that climbing power is very limited, so you are forced to rely on effects like translational lift to be able to climb rapidly. If you don't know what translational lift is, by this helicopter, and you will see the effect in action big time.
Still not challenging enough for you? Trying turning off the governor. You will have to manually monitor and control the throttle, which adds a new dimension to it. Of course, you also have the option to turn off some of the realism options and make an easier experience.
Also unique to this helicopter is the fact that it comes in two versions: the B2B, which is a regular land-based helicopter, and the B2BF, which is amphibious. This is the only Shergood helicopter on floats similar to those used on a seaplane. Both versions are included in the single purchase.
This is, however, an older generation helicopter. That's reflected in the price, but it's also reflected in the fact that it lacks some of the features included in more recent models, like fluids, the ability to do repairs, and others.
Any honest reviewer should confess their biases, so I will disclose that in addition to being a Shergood fangirl, I am also a Shergood Certified Flight Instructor. So if you end up buying one of these and need a hand learning to fly it, just drop me an IM. :-)
Realistic Fun!
The Brantly B2-B is one of the better (2) seat helicopters for flying the SL-Grid. I enjoyed navigating the aircraft to see how it realistically do turns & torque motion turns from the HUD. Thanks to the main menu, I have a choice between manual and fast engine startup procedure. For a classic plane its fun to use, with good documentation.
Kellycopter!
Kelly Shergood strives to bring an element of realism into SL through her Transponder, GPS, and her helicopters. Scripted with realistic dynamics such as Vortex Ring State and Effective Translational Lift, her "Kellycopters" provide a challenging, but very rewarding alternative to other SL helicopters.
You can also tone down the realism by disabling these in the menu system, providing a less demanding experience, but still retaining an excellent helicopter feel!
