Ka-10M “HAT”

The Kamov Ka-10 (NATO reporting name Hat) is a Soviet single-seat observation helicopter that first flew in 1949.

Design and development

The Ka 10 was a development of Nikolay Kamov’s earlier Ka-8, which had been successful enough to allow Kamov to set up his own OKB (design bureau) in 1948. The Ka-10 made of similar layout to the Ka-8, with an open steel-tube structure carrying an engine, a pilot’s seat and two three-bladed coaxial rotors. It was larger, however, with a revised transmission and rotor hub design, and a new engine specially designed for the helicopter, the 41 kilowatts (55 hp) Ivchenko AI-4 flat-four.

Operational history

The Ka-10 made its first flight in September 1949. Three more prototypes followed, which were evaluated by Soviet Naval Aviation. A Ka-10 was displayed at the 1950 Tushino Air Display, and one made the first landing by a Soviet helicopter on the deck of a ship on 7 December 1950.

In 1954, 12 of an improved version, the Ka-10M were built for the Maritime Border Troops. They had a twin tail rather than the single vertical fin of the Ka-10 and modified rotors and control systems.

MSFS Ka-10M special features

• semi-realistic flight model with native CFD simulation
• accurate weight and size
• multiple liveries
• animated mechanics – control levers, rotor mast
• animated default pilot model (IK bones)
• kneel tablet with navigation and aircraft configuration

Availability

Ka-10M “HAT” helicopter price tag is about $6

MSFS marketplace – PC and XBOX

SimMarket – PC only

Release date – early October

Planned improvements

• landable Kuznecov aircraft carrier (Oct 2022)
• Native flight model (Nov 2022)
• voice assistant (English, Russian and Chinese languages) (Nov 2022)
• landable and controllable cargo truck (Dec 2022)

Ka-10M Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Length: 3.70 m (12 ft 1.75 in) (fuselage length)
• Height: 2.5 m (8 ft 2.5 in)
• Empty weight: 249 kg (548 lb)
• Gross weight: 390 kg (860 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × AI-4G , 40 kW (55 hp)
• Fuel amount: 33 liters (8.7 gal)
• Main rotor diameter: 2 × 6.12 m (20 ft 1 in)
• Main rotor area: 2 × 58.8 m² (633 sq ft)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 120 km/h (74 mph, 65 kn)
• Range: 150 km (93 mi, 81 nm)
• Service ceiling: 2,500 m (8,200 ft)

1. Instruments

1.1. Front panel

1.1.1. Battery voltage indicator – discharged if value less than 24v, charged – 24v or higher

1.1.2. Battery power consumption – discharges if value higher than 0 amps, charges if lower.

1.1.3. Electrical switches:

• main battery switch – required for helicopter electronics to operate before engines start
• alternator switch – recharges battery and supplies electronics with power during flight
• landing light switch – toggles front lamp power
• navigation lights switch – toggles rear lamps power
• gauges light knob – changes instruments backlight brightness

1.1.4. Mixture handle – controls fuel/oxygen proportion, no fuel flow in close position.

1.1.5. Magneto key – enables magnetos, activates starter in far right position (no automatic start available, hold key until engine combustion appears). Keychain can be read as a motion vectors indicator – it is affected by body acceleration and gravity vectors.

1.1.6. Engine parameters:

• head temperature, units – Celsius
• fuel pressure, units – kg/cm2
• oil pressure, units – kg/cm2

1.1.7. Fuel quantity indicator, units – liters

1.1.8. Altitude indicator, units – meters. Knob adjusts base air pressure, units – mmHg.

1.1.9. Vertical speed indicator, units – m/s

1.1.10. Airspeed indicator, units – km/h

1.1.11. Engine RPM indicator, units – percent of max RPM

1.1.12. Attitude indicator. Inop flag disappears after gauge powered up.

1.1.13. Magnetic poles indicator, units – degrees. Knob adjusts magnetic deviation.

1.1.14. Rotor blades pitch angle indicator, units – degrees

1.1.15. Clock with a timer. Left knob start and reset timer, right knob adjusts time value

1.2. Radio

1.2.1. Standby frequency MHz knob

1.2.2. Standby frequency KHz knob

1.2.3. Volume knob (left position – off)

1.2.4. Active frequency

1.2.5. Standby frequency

1.2.6. Swap active and standby frequencies

1.3. Misc controls

1.3.1. Toggle yoke visibility (cockpit only)

1.3.2. Toggle knee tablet with map position

1.3.3. Toggle pilot visibility (cockpit only)

1.3.4. Toggle rotor blades visibility (cockpit only)

2. Operation manual

2.1. Cold start

2.1.1. Ensure you are on a flat surface and there are no obstacles (buildings, trees, aircraft or vehicles) in a 50m radius from you
2.1.2. Turn on main battery switch (1.1.3)
2.1.3. Turn on gauge backlight if required (1.1.3)
2.1.4. Ensure battery power at least 24 volts (1.1.1)
2.1.5. Ensure you have enough fuel for your flight (1.1.7). Calculation formula – 13 litres per each 100km of flight + 5 litres for take-off and landing procedures
2.1.6. Pull the fuel mixture handle to its maximum position (1.1.4).
2.1.7. When ready, turn the magneto key to the far right position (1.1.5). Engine starter should spin up the rotor slowly.
2.1.8. When RPM reaches 50% (1.1.11), engine combustion should be started. If not – release the magneto key, ensure you have enough fuel and fuel mixture set in the proper position. Try again. If still fails – start engine automatically with Ctrl + E keys.
2.1.9. After engine start, turn on alternator switch (1.1.3)
2.1.10. Wait until fuel pressure reaches value 8 kg/cm2, oil pressure – 8 kg/cm2, temperature – 80 Celsius (1.1.6)

2.2. Take-off

2.2.1. Raise collective on 1/3, engine RPM value should increase as well (1.1.11).
2.2.2. Adjust mixture handle so RPM needle will point to the highest value (1.1.4)
2.2.3. Enable navigation lights (1.1.3)
2.2.4. Enable landing light if required (1.1.3)
2.2.5. Raise collective slowly until helicopter lift off
2.2.6. Hover for 1 minute ~1 meter above ground, engine RPM should be stable (around 100%), no lift losses should be experienced.
2.2.7. Raise collective to maximum and pitch down a bit to gain forward velocity. Follow the flight plan route.

2.3. Landing on solid surface

2.3.1. Head to the landing area
2.3.2. Hold such airspeed and vertical velocity so you will approach the landing area at 50 meters altitude above ground level.
2.3.3. Right before you reach the landing area, pitch up and transit into hovering.
2.3.4. Hold sink velocity near 0.5-1 m/s, do not exceed this value to avoid vortex ring appearance.
2.3.5. After landing, lower collective to minimum

2.4. Landing on water

2.4.1. Head to the chosen water reservoir
2.4.2. Hold 20km/h airspeed and 1m/s sink rate until you touch the water surface
2.4.3. Right before touchdown, pitch up to avoid the flip
2.4.4. After touchdown, set the collective lever to half position and float to the chosen dock

2.5. Shutdown

2.5.1. Lower collective to bottom position
2.5.2. Set mixture handle to zero to cut engine fuel supply (1.1.4)
2.5.3. Set magneto key to far left position (1.1.5)
2.5.4. Turn off lights, alternator, battery switches