Bad habits

Hi all,

I'm new to the forums but not so new to flying the A10c. That said I'm probably relatively new compared to many of you I'm sure.

I'm certain that I've got lazy in my start up procedure and especially bad to the ground crew as I always forget to tell them to turn off the ground power before taxiing away.

This got me wondering, what bad habits do you have in the A10?

I'm hoping people sharing might help stop me from developing other bad habits in the future!

Thanks

N1tch

Why are you even using ground power?

I was told that you can shave around 20-30 seconds off the start-up procedure if you're using ground power. In theory you can align your CDU/EGI as soon as the battery and ground power is on before your APU has got to 100% to turn over the engine (which you'd need to align normally).

The alignment takes the most amount of time so, yeh that basically the reason.

I ignore ATC entirely.In DCSW ATS is almost nonexistent,and useless and the airports are empty most of the times, so why bother? It goes the same for other planes offcourse, especially for choppers.

The same goes for external lights.

You can shave off 2 minutes by not doing a ground alignment. It's knowing how to scramble your aircraft - it's up to you whether you want to that though :)

I was told that you can shave around 20-30 seconds off the start-up procedure if you're using ground power. In theory you can align your CDU/EGI as soon as the battery and ground power is on before your APU has got to 100% to turn over the engine (which you'd need to align normally).

 

The alignment takes the most amount of time so, yeh that basically the reason.

You can shave off 2 minutes by not doing a ground alignment. It's knowing how to scramble your aircraft - it's up to you whether you want to that though :)

I actually didn't realise you could take off without a ground alignment (or that it was safe to do so). So ignoring the test what could happen if I don't do an alignment?

You can't use GPS-aided weapons and EGI. In order to get that going you need to do an in-flight alignment which requires steady flight for 10 min or so.

You can still use other weapons.

#1 Bad habit, leaving the APU on the entire flight.

#2 Bad habit, when shutting down engines for repair, forgetting to turn on APU to keep power to the CDU

#3 Bad habit, getting cocky and going in for gun runs on the 104th server, then getting a manpad up my bum

Target fixation on gun/bomb runs! :)

Texting while taxiing.......I know, I know...that's how accidents happen.

If you want to get going quickly without waiting for alignment, just select Inflight as soon as the CDU comes up. It takes 5.5 minutes instead of 4.0, but it's generally aligned by the time you take off and get half-way to waypoint 1 ;)

BTW N1tch, you should add *** STREAMING *** to your name is TS so that others are aware that you are streaming to twitch or whatever.

In no particular order:

In MP, forgetting to sync the altimeter with my Wingmen (doesn't matter if it's QFE or QNH, but when everybody's got another setting, it doesn't help).

In MP, forgetting to set OWN ID.

Like ff4life4, going in with guns even though I know it's a bad idea. :lol:

Flying too much heads down, getting target fixated.

BTW N1tch, you should add *** STREAMING *** to your name is TS so that others are aware that you are streaming to twitch or whatever.

Yes I saw Schnarre doing that the other day. I'm going to from now on. Stops me having to warn people as they enter also.

These are great bad habits you're all sharing. Thanks!

Gun run and target fixation I know has happened to me on many times!

Actually another one is on the 104th being over the next target area (accidentally) as it triggers in the mountains and having a Tor engage me almost immediately. That's a pretty bad habit I've managed to avoid the last few missions.

My worst habit is kidding myself I can take out a ZSU23 type targets with the gun quicker running straight at them before they can blow me out the sky....I fail every time :smartass:

One of the bad habbits that i have is to overspeed while taxiing, i just cant wait to reach to the runway!

Used to have this bad habit of forgetting the inverter switches on the startup..... So when I shut down the APU.... Kzt !! Everything goes dark.

Had to train myself back to basics for a solid four hours before I kicked the habit.

Forgetting the APU, is still switched on... Happens on the Ka-50 too.

I am bad about #3.

M

Yea, for me it has to be target fixation and going waaaay too low for gun runs. I know it is a bad idea as I do it, but I still do it.

my bad habit is that i forget airspeed and attitude while adjusting waypoints in the CDU or searching targets with TGP ....thats the "only" Problem when using Snapviews :music_whistling:

1- previously, chasing the boom.

2- presently, forgetting GPU disc. before taxiing.

3- forgetting to turn off lights on ingress (no fence in checks).

4- anchoring wingman while I do all the work and get shot at.

5- shooting wingman by accident.

6- forgetting to turn on APU in very high altitude powered dives, to breakaway with zero power and SAS/ EAC off..

1. Leaving master arm switch on all the time.

2. Cycling thru F2 view when friendly AI CAP doesnt do their job.

3. Not making markpoints of targets I find in TGP, even if Im about to attack the group anyway.

4. Not hand jamming jtac coordinates when I know he's EPLRs capable.

5. Too impatient to shoot helis from the rear with aim-9 if we're head on.

6. Never turning on ILS since Ive gotten the hang of it.

Wild Bill, why do you turn on your APU in your #6?

Oh, add to that, selecting maverick as soi, but not weapon, and ghus releasing bombs when you've got a valid lock just because you couldn't flick dms right/left to intended payload or forgot..

Haha.

Yep TGPing a target, slewing the mav to it, coming in range and trying to release without the weapon selected.

Also last night I left the APU and APU Gen on for the whole sortie until I came to shut everything down.