General Help for a Newbie

[Vuilen]

Hello,

 

I’m relatively new to DCS (no to Flight sims though).
Have played the F/A-18 Hornet 3.0 then F/A 18 from Janes and even Chuck Yeager's Air Combat

Bought the F18 Module and few maps.

 

I’m struggling with some simple functionality despite hours of watching and re watching tutos from more or less everyone: Matt Wagner, RedKite, Jabbers, Spudknocker, Grim Reapers, Growling Sidewinder… even the tutos from Eagle Dynamics (they are not on point at all). Read the PDF from Chuck.

 

Anyway… 

Was wondering if any veterans (or someone who knows) would like to spend few minutes with me to show/explain me or by answering here or even better via private message or discord.

I’m sure all my questions are newbie questions.

 

Landing.

Where is the trim indicator ?
How to measure how much I’ve trimmed ?

Can we decrease sensitivity of the trim? I've pressed only once to to the left and it goes too much then pressing once on the other side it goes to much on the other side and not immediately (I mean the reaction is way too slow, not sure if it's normal)
How to select the airfield ? to input details in navigation (the correct runway etc...)
How to input the location of the airfield so I can find the exact target to follow on my HUD ?

 

Done the tuto of Eagle Dynamics on VFR Airfield Landing. Followed the instructions and had terrible time to trim the bird… after multiple accident landed “myself” without following the pattern etc..

Then looked on Youtube and watched Matt Wagner, he explained how to land on visual. Great tuto, very easy to understand. Clear diction etc… He mentioned to bank at 30 degrees and keep the constant speed… OK but how I know I’m at 30 degrees ? and why 30 as I guess depend the distance of the runway the speed, the altitude and weather condition those parameters might change ? Hence how I know when I should turn at 30 and not 20 to not overshoot my runway?

Tried with waypoints. Put all the data (N, E,) the switch CRS not working … after multiple trial made it work. Still overshoot my runway and then had to try manually.

Obviously because of the result I won’t be able to land on CV yet

My manual landing was a bit rough hence my plane was damaged when I asked the ground crew to repair, they said “denied” as I have to shut off the plane (it was off and I was on blue airfield).

 

Radar
Locking bandit ?

How to select multiple target?

How to keep the radar elevation?

 

When scanning to find a target often the elevation bar keep going down so I have to use the elevation control to raise it. Not sure why it does that.

Moving my TDC to the target pressing TDC depress button to select the target… and after few second the selection on the radar or disappear or the cursor is not on it anymore. Not sure why.

 

So if any kind spirit is in the position or have some free time to help it will great

 

Thank you

[kengou]

Quote

Landing.

Where is the trim indicator ?
How to measure how much I’ve trimmed ?

Can we decrease sensitivity of the trim? I've pressed only once to to the left and it goes too much then pressing once on the other side it goes to much on the other side and not immediately (I mean the reaction is way too slow, not sure if it's normal)
How to select the airfield ? to input details in navigation (the correct runway etc...)
How to input the location of the airfield so I can find the exact target to follow on my HUD ?

AOA is indicated during landing configuration by the location of the E-bracket in your hud relative to the flight path marker (velocity vector). A perfectly trimmed aircraft for on-speed AOA has the E-bracket centered on the flight path marker, at which point you can fly without touching pitch on your joystick, since the flight computer will hold that AOA for you. The only other way to know your trim would be to look at the stabilator position using the FLCS DDI page, or I think the checklist page as well. Trim sensitivity cannot be changed, except perhaps in LAU files, but I've never looked into that.

 

Airfields can be input via waypoint coordinates as any other waypoint, if you know the location of the airfield (via F-10 map for instance), on the HSI Data page (HSI > DATA > UFC SEQ). You can also put in the TACAN of the airfield if one exists using the UFC. The Hornet doesn't really know what is or isn't an airfield and it doesn't have a database of airfields (it's a Navy aircraft after all). You have to navigate to the airfield using coordinates or TACAN, then you must know the runway heading via ATC communications or other means, and then use the course line knob to adjust the course line on the HSI to help you orient yourself appropriately. Hornet ILS also doesn't work on airfields, only the carrier, in case you didn't know.

 

Quote

how I know I’m at 30 degrees ?

In landing configuration, the HUD has markers on the bottom in an arc, and a bank indicator as well. The marks correspond to 5, 15, 30, 45 degrees, I believe.

 

Quote

Radar
Locking bandit ?

How to select multiple target?

How to keep the radar elevation?

 

When scanning to find a target often the elevation bar keep going down so I have to use the elevation control to raise it. Not sure why it does that.

Moving my TDC to the target pressing TDC depress button to select the target… and after few second the selection on the radar or disappear or the cursor is not on it anymore. Not sure why.

 

Move the TDC cursor over the radar contact and press TDC depress once to select it as lock-and-steering (L&S), if LTWS is enabled in RWS mode. Press TDC depress again to STT lock (hard lock) the contact. Nosewheel steering button will undesignate. Alternatively, place the TDC over the contact and press sensor select switch (SCS) toward the DDI screen with the radar, to STT lock it immediately. Alternatively, press SCS toward the DDI screen with your cursor anywhere, and it will lock the highest priority target, indicated by a cross on the radar screen. To lock multiple targets, you need to switch to TWS mode by clicking "RWS" on the top left to change modes. In TWS mode, TDC depress once on two contacts to select both at once. Undesignate button will toggle contacts in this mode. If you have two contacts bugged, it will toggle between them. If you have no contacts bugged, it will cycle through all contacts in order of priority I believe. You can launch missiles at any bugged target in TWS and keep bugging new targets and launching on them, and you'll keep updating the missile on each target's location, so long as you keep them on radar scope.

 

Regarding elevation: This might depend on how you've bound the elevation axis. Real jet uses a spring-loaded switch on the throttle that returns to center (a two-way hat works well on our PC joysticks). If you bind it to a slider or encoder wheel, it will keep going in one direction, up or down, until you manually center the axis. I'd recommend against this.

 

Elevation scans along a series of "Bars". 1, 2, or 4, selectable at the top left of the DDI. You'll see the elevation carrot on the left moving down in sequence through each bar, then back to the top again. This is normal.

 

Keeping a target in your radar scope is a skill for sure. Most lost contacts are a result of altitude changes. If you are in a mission with AWACS or other Hornets, you can keep track of contacts using the datalink on the SA page on your DDI (sensor select toward the HSI screen to toggle this). Make sure datalink is on (UFC > DL > ON) On the SA page, cursor over a contact to see its elevation, then match your radar's scan elevation to make sure you're spotting it. There are other possible reasons why a contact may be lost. It might be flying away from you at roughly the same velocity, in which case the doppler returns are filtered out by the radar. It also may be flying perpendicular to you and the radar thinks it's part of the ground clutter since it has the same velocity as the ground relative to you.

 

Hope this helps some.

Edited February 10, 2021 by kengou

[CBStu]

I will try to help w/ airfield landing. Let's start first in Caucuses map because nearly all the fields have tacan. Go to Chucks Guide Capter15 section 8. He goes over tacan well and that will help locate the field you want to land on. I recommend forget doing a pattern landing and forget any ATC interaction for now. Concentrate on the mechanics of flying the plane. Instead get your plane lined up on the runway at 2000ft 8-10 miles away and slow your speed to 250 and drop landing gear. You will see the E bracket appear on the HUD and it will be a little higher than the VV so add a little up trim till VV looks like this.  See CG (Chucks Guide) chapter 6 picture 9a. Stay at 2000 altitude, cut throttle back to idle, and slow to 188-190 and drop flaps. . The E bracket will now need to be re-centered w/ more up trim. The amount of trim (in degrees) you put in doesn't matter so just get the VV centered in the E. The E and the VV will move around some but think of it this way- your trim is moving the VV- up trim will move the VV up in relation to the E. Don't do it too fast because at say 170 up trim will have the plane gain altitude. You will end up at about 135 so at about 145 start adding back in some throttle. Your goal is to be on trim, VV = E, and holding a steady altitude. You should be able to see the runway by now and you want to fly like CG Chapter 6 picture 12. Remember once on AOA you fly so throttle controls altitude and bank w/ the stick controls left and right. Keep the VV on the runway and keep flying like that until you touch down. As soon as you touch down pop the speed brake. Get down to 100k and pull the stick all the way back. This adds a lot of drag. Also at 100 go to full brakes. When you have practiced enough that this straight-in landing is a piece of cake then think about pattern landings.

[Vuilen]

Thank you all for the help.

I reckon the landing will come by itself after practice.

 

Regarding radar well I still have to practice some of the tips you gave me but still keep loosing them or perhaps it's me. Especially in Campaign 1st mission.

 

Will update with further info once I've practiced. It will be I guess more accurate

 

Thank you once again

 

PS : Anyone has a discord channel to recommend where I could discuss with someone for further tips ?

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by Vuilen

[Vuilen]

I would like to land in Senaki. 

The heading apparently is 88 or 268. As you can imagine it didn't put me in line to land in Senaki or at least not in line with the runway.

 

How you guys align with the runways ? I'm not talking adjustment/trimming>

 

Thanks

Edited February 13, 2021 by Vuilen

[CBStu]

Here I am NE of Senaki

 

I don't know what is wrong. My pics don't show up. Trying to fix.

Edited February 13, 2021 by CBStu

[CBStu]

Here I am NE of Senaki. On the F10 map I clicked on the black circle w/ yellow slash which brought up the info in the lower left. Tacan is 31x and as you said runway is 270. So on the left display I bring up the HSI page.(double click the center lower button and click on HSI button on left side).

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kBikGr][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50938931661_9a06f7487c_z.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2kBikGr]Senaki 1[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/152454123@N04/]craig stuard[/url], on Flickr

I don't know WTF the problem is but I give up. PM me and maybe we can email directly.

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by CBStu

[Foka]

TACAN and HSI on your pictures are showin correctly, I don't understand what's your problem.

[Glide]

The runways are 090 and 270, but you see 09 and 27 reversed in that pic. 

 

One tip on "trimming" the Hornet.  You can "trim" by lowering the throttle until you can almost take your hands off the stick and the Hornet should feel balanced.  This is the "trim" that everyone talks about for landing the Hornet.  Practice flying around the map a few times like this.  I never touch the trim controls unless my jet is damaged.  When I have an uneven load that's pulling in one direction I use the autopilot until I'm on approach. 

[Vuilen]

I'm using the kneeboard as on the map it doesn't give you the exact heading of the runways. Kneeboard it's 088° and 268°

Let's imagine you guys are located somewhere in the map and planning to land. How you "organize" to arrive and align with the runway ? Visual only ? 

[Vuilen]

15 hours ago, Foka said:

TACAN and HSI on your pictures are showin correctly, I don't understand what's your problem.

You mean me ?

[Glide]

13 hours ago, Vuilen said:

I'm using the kneeboard as on the map it doesn't give you the exact heading of the runways. Kneeboard it's 088° and 268°

Let's imagine you guys are located somewhere in the map and planning to land. How you "organize" to arrive and align with the runway ? Visual only ? 

Visual only.  You get to know the airfields after awhile, and you start building approach habits.  Later on, you can add a bit of wind down the runway to add some realism.  Then you can land according to the active runway. 

[Foka]

5 hours ago, Vuilen said:

You mean me ?

I meant CBStu

[CBStu]

On 2/14/2021 at 7:00 AM, Foka said:

I meant CBStu

I don't understand. I wrote a long post w/ 5 pictures. I used Flickr just like I always do here and other forums and when I was done, all the pics did not appear, just the links. Then I saw the note at the bottom of the window saying max size 5 MB. Figured 5 pics is probably over 5 MB. So I tried a second post w/ just the beginning of my text and one pic. Same thing, all I see is a link, not an actual picture. 

[Brun]

Have you posted images in that way since the forum was changed? Doesn't look like it supports BBCode now. You'll need to use the 'image' button in the toolbar and paste a direct link to the image.

 

 

The 5MB limit only applies to attachments, it doesn't affect linked images.

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by Brun

[CBStu]

Oh great. I am not sure that I have since the forum change since I am not sure when that was. I will try again tomorrow. 

Heck w/ tomorrow, I will try now. Yeehaw. I got it to work using the 'choose files' below. I like it because it looks like I don't need flickr or other host, it pulls right from my pictures on my PC. Thank you Brun.

[Brun]

You can also copy and paste images straight into the reply box. That will automatically add them as attachments.