IP & Attack Heading?

I am getting a little confused where JTAC wants me before an attack with the A10C. How do I know where the IP is and then how do I set myself up to be on the right attack heading from the IP? I know many thing about the Sim now but this is something I'm struggling with. Thanks!

Your JTAC will request that you attack from a particular direction, and egress in a particular direction.

Compass bearings represent the 360 degrees of a circle, where 360/000 is due North, 090 is due East, 180 is due South, and 270 is due West.

So, if he tells you to attack from the South and egress West, locate your targets and orbit so that they are at heading 360 relative to your position. You will then be due south of your target, fly in to execute your attack and make a left turn to 270, which is due West.

Good luck!

to know your IP, open mission editor, check the IP by checking your flight plan waypoints. it should have IP as a waypoint by cycling with UFC rocker left the different flight plan waypoints, and in mission editor, the real IP is close to the flight plan waypoint "IP". Keep in mind that IP is initial point and there is also the first waypoint (your ramp start position) called initial point.

When a wingman describes attack heading in a range (for example: make your attack heading 190- 230) that means you should have the targets on those bearings. Since you appear to be new, I suggest you locate the targets with TGP, DMS right short, then switch CDU to markpoint and finally set the course deviation indicator needle to on, and to the requested first heading. Egress is much much easier. You egress when you immediately dropped the ordnance (or fired the gun) in the direction they state by turning your nose towards the required heading (egress south, turn nose to heading 180).

Thanks, but just one more thing. Can anyone tell me if there is a way to tell if you are North, East, South or West of the target just by looking at the TAD? Is there anything on the TAD that shows me I'm going North for example? Thanks again.

the TAD has 3 modes, centered, expand 1 and expand 2. In both expand modes the aircraft is not the reference, meaning the map is naturally read, and you find yourself. In centered mode you can tell the direction by looking at the inner most ring and you'll find a triangle which always points North. Not at all, these are good beginner questions.

TAD hook can give you relative bearing to a waypoint from your aircraft, or from that waypoint to your aircraft.

Set target waypoint as steerpoint and use the HSI compass to fly to the correct inbound heading. CDI shouldn't be necessary since you get an attack heading window rather than a specific attack heading.

You could even create an IP offset waypoint from the target waypoint and use that to establish your inbound heading.

Lots of options, but don't neglect basic visual references and cultivate a good sense of spatial awareness so that you don't need to stare at the tools to be certain, instead using the tools to cross check.

One thing you can do, if the target isn't already a mission waypoint, is make it a mark point by using TMS right-short. Set your Aux Avionics Panel Steer Point Dial to Mark, then set that mark point as your steer point. Then dial in the required heading into the HSI. Then you'll have a bearing pointer and path to approach the target.

Thanks all.