Can't hook up to Catapult

Hey guys

I've just spent 3 hours trying to do the carrier take off tutorial. I have NWS steering engaged, but the steering is so inaccurate that I simply can't line up to the catapult bolter. The aircraft won't start taxiing until about 50% power, so I keep overshooting the trap. I also find it incredibly difficult to line up to the trap. Am I missing something here? I haven't lowered my nose, and I can't extend my nose strut. Also, sometimes the Tomcat steers in the exact opposite direction that I'm steering.

It's driving me crazy, as I really want to do carrier ops. Any tips?

Hey guys

 

I've just spent 3 hours trying to do the carrier take off tutorial. I have NWS steering engaged, but the steering is so inaccurate that I simply can't line up to the catapult bolter. The aircraft won't start taxiing until about 50% power, so I keep overshooting the trap. I also find it incredibly difficult to line up to the trap. Am I missing something here? I haven't lowered my nose, and I can't extend my nose strut. Also, sometimes the Tomcat steers in the exact opposite direction that I'm steering.

 

It's driving me crazy, as I really want to do carrier ops. Any tips?

First things first: if you’re using pedals, make sure they are mapped correctly and that the brakes aren’t reversed. I initially tried using my same lua file from the A-10C, and I had that issue.

I would also suggest changing your throttle curve depending on which flight stick/throttle you’re using.

Lastly, when you get lined up with the cat, for the first few tries I went to outside view with F2, positioned the camera where I thought it would be most helpful for the alignment, and then dropped my nose/extended the strut (both happen together in DCS). Don’t forget that doing so disables nosewheel steering. Also don’t forget to depress the default “U” keybinding to link up with the cat.

I hope that helps :)

A few suggestions from me:

Use analog brakes on rudder pedals not just the digital brake button. It helps a lot.

Move your throttli like you fly a F18 in Landingmode. Move it to 75% and when you start to roll move it back to idle. When you get slower put a little bit power, when get faster remove it again. That helps me to go with just a little speed.

Check that anti Skid is off.

When you are lined up on the cat and just need that little bit of movement, move your throttle to full throttle, bot it instant back zu idle and press the brakes. With that the plane just move a little bit and stop very fast.

https://imgur.com/a/awNfZOj

As you can see, I'm pretty much perfectly lined up...

One thing I've noticed is that it asks me to change TACAN frequency, but it seems to be set correctly, so I don't touch it. The yellow tutorial box remains around it as a result.

I haven't lowered my nose, and I can't extend my nose strut.

Hmm? The launch bar is automatically lowered but you have to kneel down before you can attach to the catapult. After lining up, press and hold the nose strut lever until its fully down. Then you can attach using U. And its quite forgiving, you can be in front of the shuttle by as much as 5 meter, and it will still attach. I had few issues before even before binding my brake controls :)

Did yku attach an image? Sadly i see nothing.

click the link in his post above. He is perfectly lined up, but AFAICT he hasnt set his nosestrut to kneel.

Maybe this helps:

+1, kneel it down and then U key. The switch is near the landing gear lever. It is a toggle. Up to raise, down to lower. Lower that thing til it stops moving.

It is fairly important that your actual alignment is within a couple of degrees though. Off-centre cat shots are somewhat hazardous.

Off-centre cat shots are somewhat hazardous.

But exciting!

You don't extend your strut to connect to the cat... you lower it.

I think your steering problems come from your controls, I've never had or seen anyone else have any issues steering.

Figured it out - the in-game tutorial is wrong. It doesn't say to lower the nose as you approach the lug. As soon as I did that I hooked up immediately. Thanks guys!

I dont really think he has any steering issues. It think he was just trying to align to the catapult shuttle within millimeters, expecting it to connect when he was close enough. In reality he probably was close enough all along, but didnt kneel down, or not far enough. It takes a while.

edit: QED :)

Also, occasionally I have had issues with the shuttle not being attached. Raising and lowering the front gear again seemed to solve that.

But exciting!

I can't disagree there!

Glad the OP worked it all out.

In the in-game tute, it says to line up on the lug, hit U, then lower your nosewheel. In reality, it's the opposite. I line up, lower my nosewheel, then hit U and it works perfectly. This really needs to be fixed in the tute.

Which tutorial? This is from the case 1 carrier take off tutorial:

Hmm, they must have fixed the tute, as it did not say to lower the nose-wheel first then hit U when I played it for three hours - it was the opposite, hence it not working.

https://imgur.com/a/awNfZOj

 

As you can see, I'm pretty much perfectly lined up...

 

One thing I've noticed is that it asks me to change TACAN frequency, but it seems to be set correctly, so I don't touch it. The yellow tutorial box remains around it as a result.

You can get rid of the yellow box by simply switching a number back and forth again for example. :smilewink: