Shadow86

As MAXsenna said, ATC issue, and you can run into similar things on the runways proper. Whether it's someone landing on your face, taking off in the opposite direction, crossing the runway or simply entering it at a different point.

This was my point. Anyone and everyone can get together with like-minded people who enjoy similar things. So what's the problem? Do you want everyone to think the way you think, and otherwise they have a "mental condition"? That's not going to happen, and it's a waste of energy. Perfectly, physically capable, if the length is sufficient. And it is an arbitrary procedure in the context of a videogame where there aren't lives and million-dollar planes at stake. Also, if the runway is damaged or otherwise obstructed (by wrecks), which can often happen in DCS, it may actually be the only way. Even in real life, if physical conditions permit, and especially if there's military urgency (war). Again, not my cup of tea in most circumstances, but I was objecting to the virulence of the judgment, more than anything.

It's a bit of a stretch to suggest a mental condition for not conforming to arbitrary procedures. A taxiway is perfectly capable to being a runway, in a physical sense. I agree it's most likely jarring if it's not something you'd like to see. It wouldn't be my choice, either. But that's why squadrons of all kinds and groups of like-minded people exist. Expecting randoms to behave like one would behave in an online videogame is a fool's errand, whether it's DCS, Squad or Battlefield.

It is a sound design decision to restrict the F-14 (and the MiG-29 as the REDFOR analogue) since the F-5/AJS-37 and MiG-19/21 are meant to be the mainstay. If everyone could freely use the most cutting-edge Cold War jets, they would be the norm, and the earlier planes would find themselves in a similar position as in traditional servers: outclassed, hard mode without substantial skill. It is totally valid to give them the spotlight. The "dedicated sim pilot" smugness is entirely irrelevant.

An update on my end: it doesn't happen every time you respawn, which I assume is why this bug is so elusive. It had happened to me twice in a row in the F-14B. I don't remember the circumstances of the second instance, but in the first one I had simply ran off the side of the runway when recklessly taking off on afterburners. The aircraft wasn't completely destroyed, but it ended up in flames and most definitely not air-worthy, nor even land-worthy. From my humble (humbler than before) perspective, the plane has some issues resetting damage states. Just like repairing doesn't fix jammed flaps or blown tires, it may be failing to reset certain specific engine damage at least after respawn (Shift+R).

Long-standing issue since 2019 at least. Bought the Tomcat this year and haven't been able to repair basic damage, like jammed flaps or popped tires.

It's a pretty major bug if you have to restart the game every time you need to have an effective respawn. Complete buzzkill.