The usability of the FA/18C cockpit

Have any of you just sat back and appreciated how user friendly the F/A 18C is compared to a steam gauge cockpit or older generation combat aircraft? Is it just me, being a millennial that finds the UFC and DDI’s revolutionary, simple and intuitive.

In the A10C for example, to change the radio channel we have to look down, find the right switches, rotate them, etc, now, in the F18, we just select the radio, enter into the frequency we want and enter it in! pronto! Same for Tacan, in front of us.

You lose so much Situational awareness digging around in your cockpit for the right switch for this or that, its so clever how the F18 puts almost everything right in front of your nose whilst still enabling you to keep an eye out of the plane.

The only negative I can think of is if you take a round through a crystal display from AAA then all those functions are lost, compared to only one steam gauge being hit. But maybe this isn’t a concern?

Perhaps a modern AAA round wouldn’t leave a small hole and would rather be the end of the plane if it went through the cockpit.

Through control mapping (via the paddle switch as a modifier) I never have to look down to tune any radio preset in the A-10C nor do I have to look down to flop between preset and manual.

Never flown a jet aircraft more user friendly than the FA-18C in dcs. Very Uncomplicated cockpit.

Startup is a breeze. Just got the AV8B Harrier, boy start up procedure for the harrier is almost ranking up with the likes of A-10C and KA-50 Black shark.

Yes the FA-18C is homely for sure.

I holding back on the up coming F-14A/B. Not really to good with reading analog dial and having to look down to check state of these parameters while flying.

The HUD for the F-14 I have seen so far is just bland. The F-14D would have tickle my fancy more.

I agree. Cockpit layout is superb. Very easy and intuitive interface. Its pleasure to flight and fight with Hornet in DCS.

Yep! It's really good. Sitting in that pit in VR is just fantastic.

I just figured out mouse actions with VR goggles in the UI layer. LR click UD wheel scroll.

Problem was the blue pointer 1st time shows up way in the right down corner of the VR vision (somehow, in my setup, perhaps because there's the "FLY" button).

Solved this with VoiceAttack (10$), define "mouse", command-1. click left mouse button (makes the VR cursor show up), command-2. move mouse pointer to center of the visible screen, now just say 'mouse' in the microphone.

Et voila.

Great aircraft.

You guys have something to look forward to in the f16. F18 is fine but the f16 is sublime. Those who have played BMS will know what I’m on about.

You guys have something to look forward to in the f16. F18 is fine but the f16 is sublime. Those who have played BMS will know what I’m on about.

You beat me to it, with that comment :)

I would imagine the F-16 is going to be gorgeous with dcs upscaled graphic and lighting features. Another aircraft with well laid out cockpit. It would be fabulous to have Heatblur type texturing for F-16

The FA-18C is absolutely lovely in the night with console and instrument light on.

Yes, I think that was part of the design focus for the F/A-18, making it a simple and intuitive cockpit for a single pilot to operate. The super hornet goes a step further replacing the UFC with a touch screen that can double as an EW or FLIR display. Would have loved to get that. The F-22 and F-35 are in another league though. In the F-35 it's basically one giant touchscreen.

Yeah the Bug cockpit is fantastic. I picked up the Harrier on the sale, and although they are very very similar, even just having t look around the UFC to see the MDFs feels very wrong.

What makes the Hornet my favorite aircraft (for the last 20+ years) is the aircraft/pilot interface . It just works naturally for me somehow . Flew F-16s in the usual suspects for years and still like the Hornet much better . Having it in DCS is a dream come true .

Have any of you just sat back and appreciated how user friendly the F/A 18C is compared to a steam gauge cockpit or older generation combat aircraft? Is it just me, being a millennial that finds the UFC and DDI’s revolutionary, simple and intuitive.

 

In the A10C for example, to change the radio channel we have to look down, find the right switches, rotate them, etc, now, in the F18, we just select the radio, enter into the frequency we want and enter it in! pronto! Same for Tacan, in front of us.

Two things.

First, a huge reason for the uncluttered cockpit is FADEC. Engine instrumentation takes up a lot of cockpit real estate on non-FADEC aircraft (obviously the A-10 is a prime example).

Second, as a minor defense of the Hog, a lot of the ‘looking around’ required inside the cockpit is a direct result of this being a computer simulation. You’ll notice on the A-10, as an example, that all the switches and dials are different shapes. Irl, once you’ve learned the layout you actually don’t have to look at the consoles much at all. We don’t have tactile feedback (yet!) so we have to look every time. While this makes it more difficult for us, I’d argue that proficient real life pilots can do things like change radio freqs with similar speed between the A-10 and F-18.

A lot of metal hardwork must have gone into her conception and design.

I am so glad the Hornet is getting matured gradually with more advanced features like data link, MIDS/L-16, TWS and others promised to be fused in soon.

The Hornet would stay as my carrier based aircraft should other eventually join my list.

Two things.

First, a huge reason for the uncluttered cockpit is FADEC. Engine instrumentation takes up a lot of cockpit real estate on non-FADEC aircraft (obviously the A-10 is a prime example).

Second, as a minor defense of the Hog, a lot of the ‘looking around’ required inside the cockpit is a direct result of this being a computer simulation. You’ll notice on the A-10, as an example, that all the switches and dials are different shapes. Irl, once you’ve learned the layout you actually don’t have to look at the consoles much at all. We don’t have tactile feedback (yet???) so we have to look every time. While this makes it more difficult for us, I’d argue that proficient real life pilots can do things like change radio freqs with similar speed between the A-10 and F-18.

I disagree. The Hornet cockpit is great, don't get me wrong, but the ability to do so much directly from the HOTAS in the Hog trumps having the radios on the UFC.

Setup your HOTAS nicely, build a switch box and you never have to look for switches. Only ever touch the mouse for UFC (which I am building a desktop version of and Comms menu.

The Bug is so nicely thought out, I have spare switches and buttons to use on my setup.

Setup your HOTAS nicely, build a switch box and you never have to look for switches. Only ever touch the mouse for UFC (which I am building a desktop version of and Comms menu.

 

The Bug is so nicely thought out, I have spare switches and buttons to use on my setup.

I use VoiceAttack (10$)

(VA can make appear the cursor in the center of the VR googles view and then I run a 4 way button for the VR UI mouseclicks).

I say "right MAP" from the default right DDI FCS which changes to HSI on the right DDI, I say "Tacan ON" which switches TACAN on, I say "7","4","UPC ENTER" to set the TACAN channel (unless its channel 1), I say "TACAN right" which pushes OBS 5 for TACAN on the HSI, I say 'course' which makes VA hold the course button 1.8 seconds to make the course line appear in the HSI and sets the UPC to CSEL select, I say UPC numbers like f.i. "3","0","4" for the course and then say "UPC ENTER".

Et voila courseline 304.

I do the same for ILS.

How 'bout them apples.

Been giving a lot of thought to upcoming VR switch in Hornet . I'm seeing mice with 12 extra buttons on Amazon that should work very well for UFC . Considering adding some voice commands to my Vaicom pro installation as well , and a couple of Cougar MFD's .

Been giving a lot of thought to upcoming VR switch in Hornet . I'm seeing mice with 12 extra buttons on Amazon that should work very well for UFC . Considering adding some voice commands to my Vaicom pro installation as well , and a couple of Cougar MFD's .

What about something like this?

https://www.multicom.no/razer-tartarus-v2-tastegruppe-med/cat-p/c/p10045583?utm_source=kelkoono

What about something like this?

https://www.multicom.no/razer-tartarus-v2-tastegruppe-med/cat-p/c/p10045583?utm_source=kelkoono

Thanks for the suggestion . I did look into that . I was put off by the ministick not being axes , and by quality concerns . All of which is not to say that i am ungrateful for the suggestion . Quite the contrary , as i will be ordering the Rift next week , i have got to get things in order and welcome all input .

16's better

Have any of you just sat back and appreciated how user friendly the F/A 18C is compared to a steam gauge cockpit or older generation combat aircraft? Is it just me, being a millennial that finds the UFC and DDI’s revolutionary, simple and intuitive.

 

In the A10C for example, to change the radio channel we have to look down, find the right switches, rotate them, etc, now, in the F18, we just select the radio, enter into the frequency we want and enter it in! pronto! Same for Tacan, in front of us.

 

You lose so much Situational awareness digging around in your cockpit for the right switch for this or that, its so clever how the F18 puts almost everything right in front of your nose whilst still enabling you to keep an eye out of the plane.

The only negative I can think of is if you take a round through a crystal display from AAA then all those functions are lost, compared to only one steam gauge being hit. But maybe this isn’t a concern?

 

Perhaps a modern AAA round wouldn’t leave a small hole and would rather be the end of the plane if it went through the cockpit.

Totaly agree with you, got to say the Hornet is my fav bird ever. My only regret, the Hornet module wasn't released back then in 2015 when i went to the Airshow i was able to sit down ina Hornet, god knows how i woudl had paid much attention and look around to feel the real vs VR feeling. :(