F-14B Tomcat (EA Stable Release) - Some Initial Observations

[Igor4U]

What a Great Bird following in the superlative Lineage of USN Fighter Aviation 'Cats'.

 

Just a Few of my Initial Observations:

 

- Manual/Emer Wing-Sweep (Mode): Wish they would have given the Option of setting it (assigning it) as an Axis. With the TM HOTAS Warthog, the Throttle Box has a Slider (JOY_SLIDER1) almost exactly physically where the Manual Wing-Sweep Handle is Located for Real.

 

- HUD Horizon Line: My HUD's Horizon Line (Landing Mode) is Off by 5 Degrees (Low - Below the actual Level Horizon). Is this a Switchology Snafu (Me) or a Bug Anomaly ?

 

- Roll Rate: Varies pretty widely base on Speed and Wind Sweep (Not Unlike many Aircraft). Guess I was expecting a Flight Control Computer to sort of Gain the Stick Input to produce a little more Consistent Roll Rate across the Flight Envelope.

 

So Far Lovin my 'TC' - But Gotta Go - Catch a Three Wire. :pirate:

[Sadist_Cain]

What a Great Bird following in the superlative Lineage of USN Fighter Aviation 'Cats'.

 

Just a Few of my Initial Observations:

 

- Manual/Emer Wing-Sweep (Mode): Wish they would have given the Option of setting it (assigning it) as an Axis. With the TM HOTAS Warthog, the Throttle Box has a Slider (JOY_SLIDER1) almost exactly physically where the Manual Wing-Sweep Handle is Located for Real.

 

- HUD Horizon Line: My HUD's Horizon Line (Landing Mode) is Off by 5 Degrees (Low - Below the actual Level Horizon). Is this a Switchology Snafu (Me) or a Bug Anomaly ?

 

- Roll Rate: Varies pretty widely base on Speed and Wind Sweep (Not Unlike many Aircraft). Guess I was expecting a Flight Control Computer to sort of Gain the Stick Input to produce a little more Consistent Roll Rate across the Flight Envelope.

 

So Far Lovin my 'TC' - But Gotta Go - Catch a Three Wire. :pirate:

 

You can Trim the HUD to line up the pitch ladder however you so desire, there's a dial for it somewhere down by the VDI.

Don't use the hud :P.

 

Disable Roll SAS for a dogfight.

[Igor4U]

Horizon Line TRIM

 

You can Trim the HUD to line up the pitch ladder however you so desire, there's a dial for it somewhere down by the VDI.

Don't use the hud :P.

 

Disable Roll SAS for a dogfight.

 

COPY - THANX !

 

Puzzled Though ? If the HUD System can place the Flight Path Marker (Velocity Vector) Correctly - then it Knows where the Horizon is - Why doesn't (wouldn't) it just keep the Horizon Line on the Real Horizon without having to TRIM ?

[Jabbers_]

COPY - THANX !

 

Puzzled Though ? If the HUD System can place the Flight Path Marker (Velocity Vector) Correctly - then it Knows where the Horizon is - Why doesn't (wouldn't) it just keep the Horizon Line on the Real Horizon without having to TRIM ?

 

The offset is due to the HUD not being a primary flight instrument, the offset comes from the heading tape being added in and moving it down 5 degrees, from what ive heard and read F-14 pilots typically didnt use the HUD for anything other than combat cues. You should be using the VDI instead

 

Also keep in mind Trim only works and certain altitudes, the offset from the horizon changes with altitude. Just learn to use the VDI

Edited April 5, 2019 by Jabbers_

[Larkis]

So wait, we need to trim the hud? What? Could you pleace give an answer? I never run into issues that the hud seems wrong. :O

[AnvilUSMC]

So wait, we need to trim the hud? What? Could you pleace give an answer? I never run into issues that the hud seems wrong. :O

 

I haven't ever needed to trim it. I just look past it unless using it to kill something.

[Strikeeagle345]

So wait, we need to trim the hud? What? Could you pleace give an answer? I never run into issues that the hud seems wrong. :O

 

no you do not.

[Chuck_Henry]

Because the F-14's axis of flight is so high up in the windscreen at normal cruise airspeeds, placing the horizon line with the actual horizon would have really cluttered the upper half, especially when you include the heading tape. That's why Grumman's engineers decided to depress the artificial horizon by 5 degrees. The HUD wasn't operated as a primary flight instrument (that would be the VDI) anyway, just as a tool for weapons employment.

[Sadist_Cain]

So wait, we need to trim the hud? What? Could you pleace give an answer? I never run into issues that the hud seems wrong. :O

 

Not at all, but you can:pilotfly:

[LASooner]

I too would like the wing sweep to be assigned to an axis

[Nealius]

The offset is due to the HUD not being a primary flight instrument, the offset comes from the heading tape being added in and moving it down 5 degrees, from what ive heard and read F-14 pilots typically didnt use the HUD for anything other than combat cues. You should be using the VDI instead

 

Also keep in mind Trim only works and certain altitudes, the offset from the horizon changes with altitude. Just learn to use the VDI

 

Because the horizon offset changes with altitude (and speed), doesn't the VDI's symbology change too?

[Eldur]

I've yet to see the offset changes mentioned. The horizon literally is at +5° on the ladder, always, unless you play around with the HUD trim knob. The trick is you have to fly the TVV (and always substract 5° from the pitch ladder when doing so, and it just works in A/G and LNDG modes) if you want to do it like in modern jets that have better HUDs. The wings basically are similar to the witches hat, just that they're depressed by 5° in the 'cat, same as the ladder. But this isn't where you're going, but where your nose points at.

 

But remember, the Tomcat HUD isn't actually made as a primary flight instrument, so they didn't have flying the TVV in every situation in mind when engineering it. Watch the gauges and VDI instead to do it like the real naval aviators did.

[Sergeant_Hamlet]

Because the horizon offset changes with altitude (and speed), doesn't the VDI's symbology change too?

 

The horizon offset doesn't change unless you change it manually. The AOA requirement for level flight changes with speed, wight, altitude, etc. If you're using the HUD as a primary flight instrument, adjusting your AOA may make it look as though the horizon is changing position, but it isn't. Use the VDI or the ADI. The HUD is a backup for the VDI, not the other way around.

[Nealius]

The horizon offset doesn't change unless you change it manually. The AOA requirement for level flight changes with speed, wight, altitude, etc. If you're using the HUD as a primary flight instrument, adjusting your AOA may make it look as though the horizon is changing position, but it isn't. Use the VDI or the ADI. The HUD is a backup for the VDI, not the other way around.

 

The AoA requirement change means that the attitude symbol on both the HUD and VDI will not be on the "horizon" except at certain speeds and altitudes...is where I'm lost. The only way for me to maintain altitude is by monitoring the VVI.

[Victory205]

Maintain altitude by referencing the Altimeter and VSI, making pitch attitude adjustments on the VDI.

 

Pilots have been flying jets this way since before you and I were born...

 

Stop trying to fly off the HUD. It wasn't designed for that.