The ability to switch to auto hover and go into a free aim mode, where you can freely aim without having to move the chopper yoke. Maybe provide a threshold otherwise the chopper must be in a certain aim proximity before the aiming cross hair can hit something.
Need more info. Are you referring to the pilot's sidearm or the chopper's mounted weapons?
I downvoted this feature request, since most weapon system are fixed and need to be aimed by moving the whole helicopter (or airplane for that matter).
Some attack helicopters do have turnable weapon systems, but those are manned by a gunner or co-pilot.
I think he might be referring to the pilot firing his sidearm out of the window. Such is possible with the Little Bird chopper.
Interesting idea, except that real helicopters don't have auto hover, and if you take your hands off the controls to shoot out the window, you're gonna crash. If op meant the mounted guns, well as Grezvany13 said, these choppers ain't got that ability. Down vote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI4rxnLP_T0
A link showing how this would work. Auto hover already exists dude.
Also, real helicopters, esp of the high end military type, do have some type of auto assist control functionality. it's already in the game (auto hover), mine is bound to Q.
I give you this as well...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M230_Chain_Gun
M230 Chain gun, apache and AH-6. This could do the trick.
Ok, i just spent a whole ten seconds googling an verified that auto hover is a real thing in some helicopters.
So for the sake of argument, lets assume that bi includes additional helis which have a turret mounted gun such as the apache has. In that case there ought to be a way for players without TrackIR to look around and aim. I'm somewhat surprised if this isn't possible already though. Can't you free look with the mouse by hitting * on the numerical keypad? If not, yes it ought to be enabled.
As to the existing helicopters, none of them have turreted guns, so shooting in a direction other than where the Guns point is a no go. If that's what you're advocating, then I still disagree.
If you're advocating the former though, then you're right.
I am advocating turret mounted guns. Not bending the technology of a static mounted gun to shoot in a direction it is not meant to.
Lets say your 300 yards from a target, in a chopper with static mounted gun. You yoke forward in order to aim downward, now you are moving into hot territory were you will likely expect fire, putting the life of the pilot and the expense of a chopper in dangers way. I would think that military would remedy this was existing 20 year old tech, as they have.
This also introduces a balance to having a chopper with an advantage of auto hover with free aim, now you are in a stationary air role, a sitting target. It's kind of self balancing in a way.
If I recall in some BF games, i think the co pilot was the only one with this ability, where missiles were left to the main pilot. I know we are trying to stay as true to the tech as possible, but this is a game and we do not have the type of free head motion that a real pilot would have.
Am I right?
It would be nice and useful for passengers aboard the little birds to be able to shoot, while being shot at. It's only fair, and realistic to be able to defend yourself upon landing in a hostile LZ.
for the 30mm Gun of an APACHE or that one of the UH-1 I agree, because the gunner aims with his helmet.
But your post is very far away from what I wrote in one sentence.
Sordidloam also mentions that this setup would be somewhat auto-balancing, and I agree. Sitting stationary is a great way to get yourself killed...unless you have lots of support, or you've surprised your enemy.