F14 vs F18 case 1 landing difficulty

I'm going to update the Landing Paper with Lens Roll angle and hook to eye this weekend. The DCS ship is far too forgiving of bad technique.

Is the wire-catching logic in DCS based on the boat or the aircraft? When I'm not on speed in the Hornet, I tend to not catch the wire, yet on the Tomcat I'm never on speed but catch the wire almost every time.

Precisely.

For some reason I don't know, as the Hornet's tailhook rebounds from the Carrier deck very easily and misses the wires, the Tomcat's tailhook doesn't.

The way some of you land, the Tomcat should either shear the CDP or the hook point, or pull the whole stinger off of the keel.

Because like others I can trap with, not on speed AoA, meatball "clara" & the hook never bounces, I always get a trap?

This... Λ Λ Λ

So the trap dynamics in the HB F-14 aren't correct?

 

Because like others I can trap with, not on speed AoA, meatball "clara" & the hook never bounces, I always get a trap?

It doesn’t sound like it. Until it is, you need to touchdown w/n two knots of on-speed and with a stabilized ball in the lens. There are a lot of factors that determine whether or not it’ll be a successful trap. I’ve seen a hook-skip bolter over all 4 wires. The best you can do is put all the odds in your favor by putting it in the wires on speed, at the right VSI, on centerline.

The DCS lens roll angle isn’t models AFAIK. Some behavior is DCS carrier modeling.

The F14 is still early access. Changes are a comin’.

The DCS lens roll angle isn’t models AFAIK. Some behavior is DCS carrier modeling.

 

The F14 is still early access. Changes are a comin’.

I am looking forward to better grading systems and/or damage modeling, specifically in the F18. It's going to be quite the wake up call for many of us, especially the ones that formed bad habits.

Might this point to a larger issue with the trapping dynamics of the Tomcat? Like others I have frequently seen bolters with the Hornet if parameters are not met exactly. With the Tomcat on the other hand I have not yet seen a single bolter unless the wires were completely missed high/long. The hook will catch a wire every single time.

I find the F-14 much easier to bring to deck as I actually feel like I can control the thrust.

With the 18, I can only properly bring her down with MIL power, no matter the weight, until trap. And still the indexer shows I am too fast

Might this point to a larger issue with the trapping dynamics of the Tomcat? Like others I have frequently seen bolters with the Hornet if parameters are not met exactly. With the Tomcat on the other hand I have not yet seen a single bolter unless the wires were completely missed high/long. The hook will catch a wire every single time.

That's true, maybe they haven't fully implemented hook skip and all? I don't know since it is early access.

What other landing questions have you flummoxed, other than a general lack of practice and flying skills? ;)

I've updated the Landing Tips paper based on some of the questions here, and want to know if I've missed anything.

Had a good chat with a fellow pilot last night.

Our mutual view is that the F14 right now is inappropriately forgiving of landing speed, weight and AOA. Right now, I can successfully trap at 180 knots and with a LOT of weight.

To us, that doesn’t seem correct and probably needs an overhaul.

I have a much easier time with the 14 carrier landing due to it not being as easy to get behind the power curve with it. Heck you got the speed brakes out cause it wants to fly so bad. Tons of power if you get a little low and DLC is like cheating if you are high.

Rudder and stick planes you can put where you want them without the FBW always dampening what your asking for at least in sims.