Where is the Groundcrew?

Sorry for putting such a Noob Question in the Main Forum.. if its out of bounds i will delete it.

Now.. my ground crew answer sometimes, sometimes they dont.

I mostly fly "Fast Mission" and sometimes i modify my muntions before take off. The Harrier needs constant fueling. Sometimes air superiority is achieved and you want to rearm and get back out there.

So why on Earth does the ground crew answer sometimes.. and not others. I always return to the same field of departure. Sometimes they will rearm right on the runway. I try turning master arm off, going cold.. sometimes i drive the damn planes all over the field trying different parking areas.

I just dont get it. And it driving me nuts.

Its always when there a entire host of undefended targets too..:animals_bunny::animals_bunny:

It depends on the specific plane, as some have implemented the InterComm that the pilot uses on the real plane to talk with the crew chief (not every DCS aircraft simulates this).

The way that should always work is to Open the Canopy befire contacting ground crew ... in essence, you are shouting at them :)

The way that should always work is to Open the Canopy befire contacting ground crew ... in essence, you are shouting at them :)

This! Additonally some aircraft (especially the FC3 aircraft) also require that you shut down your engine first.

I do not like this concept. In reality there are hand signs for all interactions with the ground crew. Actually shouting at them is very unrealistic and never happens in real life.

I do not like this concept. In reality there are hand signs for all interactions with the ground crew. Actually shouting at them is very unrealistic and never happens in real life.

That's why we also have intercom implemented in most modules. IRL you don't have to tell the ground crew what weapons you want, how much fuel and how many CMs, which would probably get a bit difficult to do by handsigns ;)

This is what bothers me though.

Sometimes i can get the Ground Crew on the mic, on the runway, engine running, get fueled and rearmed. Just landed and stopped. No conditions..

Other times, same airfield.. no answer. I try everything i can think of.. Ground Safety, Countermeasures off. Cockpit open, Batt on Engine off, APU on, APU off. All four corners of the field, near the dump symbols, on each of the flight line parking spots.. etc etc.

its truly driving me mad.

I just wanna know what the procedure is, or the criteria. So i can at least plan for it. There just doesnt seem to be any pattern. :/

Depends on the aircraft what the conditions are, also depends what coalition the airfield is (red/blue/neutral). FC require full shutdown and 0 RPM typically to rearm for example, but for example the Harrier does not, it can hot load with engines running. Also, make sure the radio volume knobs are actually turned on, depending on aircraft, particularly if canopy closed. There is no one set ''procedure'', some aircraft have different conditions. Pay attention to what they are.

I do not like this concept. In reality there are hand signs for all interactions with the ground crew. Actually shouting at them is very unrealistic and never happens in real life.

It's called ''abstraction'', and is commonly found in video games.

Guess im going to have to start writing down Airfields to study. I know the fields have materiel storage on the map. Fuel and munition. Thanks for your help, im going to dig around in the Mission Info next.

much appreciated Zhu'y