An F/A-18 Pilot’s thoughts on the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet

Thanks for the post !!

Great and solid post

Hi all!

 

... Is there a way to load the gun without any tracers? They are distracting....

Hi FightsOn! yes you can disable tracers :

Edit the file shell_table.lua (loc : C:\Pierre\Jeux\DCS World OpenBeta\Scripts\Database\Weapons) and, for both M61_20_HE and M61_20_AP (third and fourth shells in the list), replace the values :

tracer_off = 3,

scale_tracer = 1,

by :

tracer_off = -100,

scale_tracer = 0,

(wich are the values of A10's Gau-8, that don't have tracers)

If you like you can also modify the gun's smoke by adding just after tracers values :

scale_smoke = 1.5,

smoke_opacity = 0.10,

for both M61 HE and AP, this way smoke is about the same size but with less opacity.

pure gold! subscribing. thank you OP for sharing your RL insight.

Thanks for your input FightsOn. Much appreciated.

Great input!

Thank you so much!

So good to see this post. I enjoy it!

Thank you so much !!!

No comments on radar performance?

No comments on radar performance?

I doubt he could evaluate much of it in the 1 vs 0 training. :)

Hi FightsOn! yes you can disable tracers :

 

Edit the file shell_table.lua (loc : C:\Pierre\Jeux\DCS World OpenBeta\Scripts\Database\Weapons) and, for both M61_20_HE and M61_20_AP (third and fourth shells in the list), replace the values :

--snippage--

That looks to be the usual

"c:\users\YOUR_USER_NAME\Saved Games" directory that DCS uses to keep customization.

16. ADV – on the DDI should go away if there are no advisories displayed.

...I thought so as well. Good catch.

6. NWS LO is too sensitive during TO and LDG rollout

...yep, big big problem, makes landing roll outs very difficult, cant tell you the number of times I have skidded sideways. Surely not realistic.

Thank you for your time and valuable input. Is it possible you would do an AMA on here or r/hoggit?

Thank you for taking the time Sir.

 

I wish an IRL Mirage 2000-C Pilot would do the same ! Lucky virtual Hornet drivers !!

Ask here?

https://www.facebook.com/ec25iledefrance/

I doubt he could evaluate much of it in the 1 vs 0 training. :)

touche! :)

Excellent post and thx! Carrier Ops #3...with the latest update this seems worse to me especially after landing. It's like hurricane force winds are keeping me from maneuvering on the deck. Like suddenly the back end is being pushed sideways and spinning the ac around.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

The trim readout is a "relatively" new Software feature. Not sure if its timeline wise accurate for the software loads as depicted in the Sim. We need info as to exactly when this feature became operational on the C.

 

 

It went Operational on the E/F model with Software MC OFP H3E around 2008 ish

I don't know when the feature was implemented in the A-D, but the 23X and 25X airplanes I've flown have all had it.

More importantly, if it's not implemented, that is fine, but BIT-MI needs to be implemented as the real-world workaround.

Thanks i really love to read some insights from real pilot’s on DCS modules.

 

 

 

Thank you for this, i was scrolling through bit pages to see why this would still lit up on the DDI. And should you take off from carrier with anti skid on also shown as ADV?

Yes, you should have a SKID advisory on the ship.

Great post. Thanks for putting the time in.

 

I think from what I have read the whole AOA on landing and dropping flaps etc is being worked on by EA. The trim display on the HUD would so help with this. My jet must look like a porpoise when I am landing till I get a hold of the trim and throttle.

 

So you are happy with the throttle response?

Others have commented they feel it is a little slow, almost like the jet has to much drag.

I'm happy with the response time of the motors, in that you have to lead power additions and subtractions, and the engines don't provide instantaneous power.

Separately, I do think the jet is too draggy in PA mode, as sometimes I have to tap blower in the approach turn to maintain on-speed AOA. But I think those are two separate issues.

The response time I think is good, I do think the airframe is too draggy in PA requiring excessive power (A/B) in the approach turn and some other phases of flight where it shouldn't.

"More importantly, if it's not implemented, that is fine, but BIT-MI needs to be implemented as the real-world workaround."

What Memory Inspect is required? I am presuming an entry ?

Well, there is a fellow Hornet pilot of yours, Lex Talionis, who mentioned that the power is too weak in approach. But he wasn't talking about the response times, however, he was talking about how he needed to go into AB sometimes to stay on speed. I'm not sure if you're talking about response times or raw power (or too much drag on the sim's jet).

See my above reply, but I agree that the jet is too draggy, and requires A/B when it shouldn't (such as in the approach turn) but I think the requirement to lead power additions and subtractions is good.

Good modeling of response time, too draggy of an airframe in PA mode.

"More importantly, if it's not implemented, that is fine, but BIT-MI needs to be implemented as the real-world workaround."

 

 

What Memory Inspect is required? I am presuming an entry ?

As you'd enter the landing pattern you Memory Inspect Unit: 14 Addr: 743

When the value is (I THINK) ~3200 the jet is trimmed to onspeed. That said, my memory is fuzzy since I haven't used this function during my time flying the Hornet outside of being taught by an instructor during my early training.

[..]I agree that the jet is too draggy, and requires A/B when it shouldn't (such as in the approach turn) but I think the requirement to lead power additions and subtractions is good.

Thanks for clearing it all up. While I'm not a pilot of any type, I agree that engine response time seems realistic. Your observations agree with most of other Hornet pilots' that I've read/watched.

Good modeling of response time, too draggy of an airframe in PA mode.

I guess that's the bottom line on what's right and wrong in DCS's Hornet PA mode power dynamics. I suspect ED had already figured it out and are working on it, but your input adds even more confirmation, for us players at least.

Thanks again for taking your time :thumbup:.

Danke

Drag in PA mode is being looked at :)

What about the control surface animations? Are the dev’s aware of those? Flaps during UA CAS on the ground, IBIT, aileron travel, and flap transition speeds?