Minimizing heads down

Kengou seems to be correct, I am a noob to the hornet, and so far havent found a lot of functionality I can assign to the hotas. I want to minimize heads down.

The hog had the ufc right under the hud, minimizing heads down for waypoints, and markpoints, cdu functionality etc.

What functionality can be added to the hotas outside of those functions that most people map to the hotas eg radar, sensor, the tdc, cms are all commonly mapped on hotas.

Things like ufc functionalities:

cdu divert,

waypoint or mark point incrementation,

turning off auto incrementation of waypoints

et al

It appears that so much functionality is soft encoded in the mfds which make it difficult to access without going heads down.

It's a mistake to try to assign too much to HOTAS. Guard your buttons and switches and use them strictly for things you NEED to have as HOTAS. For example, you don't need a switch for gear. It's a flipping big lever on the panel. Simply use "G".

Then you can map a LOT to keyboard. You can map the entire UFC to your numeric keypad, Use Insert/Delete/Home/End/PgUp as line selection 1-5 and PgDn as "Enter".

Map common MFD buttons to sursor arrows (Left = button 18L, R = button 18R. Up = "Stores"

Map heading bug to Z and X, Course to A and S.

Etc. So HOTAS is just that ... and your keyboard becomes an easy route to UFC functions etc. If there's a switch or button you use only rarely, leave it as a mouse click. There's no point in wasting a switch for OBOGS for example. No point in assigning a switch to APU - you use it once at the start of a flight.

There is a logic to the Hornet's avionics. It's just different logic to the Air Force. Anything air-to-air can be done without taking your hands off the stick and throttle. Air to air weapons, radar modes, radar ranges, it's all there, so you'll never have to go heads-down at a critical time. And there's several features missing that will improve this further once we get Az/El pages and other things.

What requires heads-down is air to ground programming, which is expected to be completely set up by the time you are fencing in. You shouldn't need to go heads-down to set up a JDAM while you're dodging SAMs, because it should be done already.

My personal approach is to never bind more to the HOTAS than is in the real jet. Because I want to simulate that jet, including its control layout as closely as I reasonably can. I want to experience and learn to work with its controls, both the benefits and deficiencies. If the pilot would need to take his hand off the throttle to push a few buttons at a critical time, so be it, I also want to experience what it's like to work this jet.

I guess if I were to bind DDI buttons though, the top row on left DDI with weapon selection would be important. And perhaps the right side column of buttons on the MFCD so you get waypoint changes and target designation.

There is a logic to the Hornet's avionics. It's just different logic to the Air Force. Anything air-to-air can be done without taking your hands off the stick and throttle. Air to air weapons, radar modes, radar ranges, it's all there, so you'll never have to go heads-down at a critical time. And there's several features missing that will improve this further once we get Az/El pages and other things.

 

 

What requires heads-down is air to ground programming, which is expected to be completely set up by the time you are fencing in. You shouldn't need to go heads-down to set up a JDAM while you're dodging SAMs, because it should be done already.

 

 

My personal approach is to never bind more to the HOTAS than is in the real jet. Because I want to simulate that jet, including its control layout as closely as I reasonably can. I want to experience and learn to work with its controls, both the benefits and deficiencies. If the pilot would need to take his hand off the throttle to push a few buttons at a critical time, so be it, I also want to experience what it's like to work this jet.

 

 

I guess if I were to bind DDI buttons though, the top row on left DDI with weapon selection would be important. And perhaps the right side column of buttons on the MFCD so you get waypoint changes and target designation.

A question regarding the A/A mode though, you mention that radar modes are accessible through the HOTAS. Is there a way to switch between RWS and TWS, for example? Or switch between TWS MAN and TWS AUTO? Just want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything.

We share the same philosophy. I also only bind the HOTAS as realistically as possible, because I want to simulate the control flow in the real jet as close as my setup will allow me to.

 

A question regarding the A/A mode though, you mention that radar modes are accessible through the HOTAS. Is there a way to switch between RWS and TWS, for example? Or switch between TWS MAN and TWS AUTO? Just want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything.

I believe this can’t be done right now but (someone correct me if I’m wrong) I think that the cursor should be able to interact with those buttons just like it does with range and bars on the top edge.

I believe this can’t be done right now but (someone correct me if I’m wrong) I think that the cursor should be able to interact with those buttons just like it does with range and bars on the top edge.

On the other hand, if you're in a position where switching to another mode a second faster is important, you're better off using ACM.

I understand the desire to simulate reality as much as possible with regard to Hotas controls, but some people are more limited by their hardware.

Having to move the view, with the mouse is not the same as vr nor same as using multiple monitors, and moving your head, in other words the computer experience comes in many levels some more realistic than others. and is a far cry from the real thing.

In a competitive situation, the faster one can accomplish a task may determine the winner, hence reason the hotas was invented. If you could go heads down in a microsecond and activate a control and return heads up no need for hotas. Sure there are a multitude of other factors.

at minimum you should have most of the radar MFD buttons mapped, including range increase/decrease, azimuth, bar pattern, mode, auto/man, reset, and silent. you should also have the bottom MFD buttons for scale and step mapped in SA mode.

aside from those essentials, i like having waypoint increment/decrement and wpdsg mapped

You can map the entire UFC to your numeric keypad, Use Insert/Delete/Home/End/PgUp as line selection 1-5 and PgDn as "Enter".

One of the best ideas I've read on here... I know what I'm gonna do this weekend!

I've got the MPCD buttons for waypoint increment and decrement on the SA page (PB12 and PB13) mapped, and the Right DDI radar page buttons for Range +/- (PB11 and PB12) and RWS/TWS (PB5) mapped. I also have the A/A and A/G pushbuttons, the Dispenser slap button, and the Flaps switch mapped. I've also mapped some radio shortcuts: salute, ball call, Cover Me, Engage Bandits, and Rejoin.

For the UFC, I built myself a custom one using a programmable keypad I got off eBay for $25.

I use my keyboard for a bunch of functions.

The Numpad for the UFC, NumEnter for Enter and Num. for Clear. Num +/- for NVG gain and Num* for EMCON.

Home, PgUp etc for UFC selection.

7-Backspace on the number row for the UFC A/P, IFF etc, until ON/OFF.

Number row 1-5 for the RWR buttons.

A, S for altimeter setting. J, H for IFEI Up/Down arrows.

Then I have a bunch of stuff bound to the WH throttle base, including custom "On else Off" gear and hook and Master Arm. APU, crank, probe, laser arm on a push switch (push and then returns immediately by itself, language is failing me now; every push toggles the laser arm state - very important)

Plus some more. Generally, after I start the jet, I never touch the mouse until I land.

Hope this helps someone.

I use my hotas for most important functions, the ones i use a lot, for example SA page range scale, the top row of the left ddi for weapon selection, or to change between tws auto and manual. I also use voice attack for some actions. Other than that i use the mouse for waypoint creations and non combat related functions (radios, lights...) .

Enviado desde mi ELE-L29 mediante Tapatalk

Thank you all for your suggestions, very useful!

@falcon_120 You should try the STEP PB19 in SA page its really helps a lot to get info from your enemy.

I have to disagree on not putting the gear on a button. For the Hornet when landing on the boat i'm in a turn when I put the gear down. The last thing I want to do is take my hand off the stick to fiddle with the mouse.

What functionality can be added to the hotas outside of those functions that most people map to the hotas eg radar, sensor, the tdc, cms are all commonly mapped on hotas.

I fly 100% in VR. And one thing that made me very happy was when ED added support to Oculus Touch Controllers. Because since then I didn't anymore need to use mouse, keyboard or move my head etc. Grabbing a controller is effortless from the lap. But I am waiting to see a 100% hand tracking system from Oculus (ED, I am looking at you with Leap Motion....) that would even cure from it.

But point is, I don't bind anything else on HOTAS than what the real deal has. Nothing extra. And all functions as much as possible for the real layout/locations.

Everything else I do in the cockpit by waving my hands in the air. And it gets so easy and fast that I can't even consider anymore any other way to fly. My VR seat has nothing more than HOTAS + pedals. No keyboard, no screen, nothing extra. Because the amazing VR cockpit is that makes the flying experience.

It as well makes super easy to learn and adapt to new methods and ways as you learn it by doing it and it gets to your muscle memory. It is completely different experience as well when it is not "flip this, press that, rotate this in throttle" to do something that is not suppose to be there. As for me it is the correct things in the cockpit.

One of the major things that it has made is that I spend far less time heads down. I have far more time to look outside as my hands can do things while I look elsewhere, and I only need to glance when I am about to click something (no tactice feedback) what is different from the reality where you do something first, and then you glance to confirm you made right thing.

It has as well given nice lesson to learn what you are about to do and prepare to it before it happens. So no more middle of some intensive action you start to fiddle around, as you were suppose to be ready to it in first place.

This is as well one reason why I don't care so much that if my bindings are gone for some reason (not that I wouldn't load the configuration saved) as I only need to open the Stick/Throttle or HOTAS page and bind the features there. Only module that has given me the dislikeness to do is JF-17 that doesn't list features logically, as they are just "S5" or "T3" where S means Stick and T means Throttle, and you need to go check the real HOTAS layout to see what 5 and 3 means in positions. This is something I would so like to see ED to do, give a visual real HOTAS layout that one could click and set wanted button there inside a cockpit (actually, click in a cockpit function and then select it to be binded to device that is pressed/used).

Fri13.......How does that work exactly? How do you flip a switch that's not on your HOTAS?

Oculus comes with hand controllers that are easy to pick up and put down, so they stay in an easy to reach place (lap, etc) and then you can just grab them without looking and move your hand to where the gear lever is and "slap it up".

Oculus comes with hand controllers that are easy to pick up and put down, so they stay in an easy to reach place (lap, etc) and then you can just grab them without looking and move your hand to where the gear lever is and "slap it up".

How is this different from using the mouse with Trackir? You're still taking your hand off the HOTAS.

because with the mouse your head movement moves the cursor. With the hand controllers they are independent and thus more natural. When you are use to it you can move something the size of the landing gear handle without it being in your FoV.

because with the mouse your head movement moves the cursor. With the hand controllers they are independent and thus more natural. When you are use to it you can move something the size of the landing gear handle without it being in your FoV.

I don't understand that. I'll have to see it in action. How do you move the gear handle without looking at it?

The head doesn't move the mouse/cursor with Trackir. The hand does. Just like you're doing on the forum right now.

As others have mentioned, I've mapped a lot of Hornet DDI functions to my HOTAS including:

Radar range, azimuth, TWS/RWS mode selection, SA selection, HSI scale, and others by simply mapping the appropriate DDI OSB button.

I don't understand that. I'll have to see it in action. How do you move the gear handle without looking at it?

 

The head doesn't move the mouse/cursor with Trackir. The hand does. Just like you're doing on the forum right now.

I don't use Track IR, so let me know if I get something there wrong.

Track IR, moving the mouse moves the cursor within your FoV. If you pan your FoV you pan the cursor as well (it stays fixed relative to your FoV if you do not move your hand).

VR with Mouse, same as above. CAN be used to map mouse functions to a HOTAS so that you can look at things and click them through HOTAS

VR with hand grip controllers, moving the controllers in 3D real space moves a pair of virtual hands in 3D virtual space. The system does not care where your head is looking, the hands exist in 3D virtual space without regard to your FoV. These virtual hands can be used to manipulate nearly any system NOT part of HOTAS.

I don't use Track IR, so let me know if I get something there wrong.

 

 

Track IR, moving the mouse moves the cursor within your FoV. If you pan your FoV you pan the cursor as well (it stays fixed relative to your FoV if you do not move your hand).

 

 

VR with Mouse, same as above. CAN be used to map mouse functions to a HOTAS so that you can look at things and click them through HOTAS

 

 

VR with hand grip controllers, moving the controllers in 3D real space moves a pair of virtual hands in 3D virtual space. The system does not care where your head is looking, the hands exist in 3D virtual space without regard to your FoV. These virtual hands can be used to manipulate nearly any system NOT part of HOTAS.

Ok, I see. However, the hands can't feel, so don't you still need to look to see what switch you're flipping?

You're right about the cursor in Trackir. It stays fixed on the screen. Again just like what you're seeing here on the forum. Just move it to the edge of the screen if you don't want to see it. I do that all the time when in the cockpit, so I don't have to look at the cursor. It's not always needed if you just want to look at guages or what position a switch is in.

as Fri 13 said, muscle memory. Or my experience is that I can glance briefly to get my hand in the right place and then go back to looking away while I leave my hand in place to move the switch. Personally I go back and forth because neither option is exactly how I wish it was.