Zeke

After a few days of constantly trying to get this down, it's been very, very frustrating with each successive failure. I can get it hooked up, but staying on the boom is another story all together, either to much or too little speed, or to much movement from side to side. I've changed my joystick settings to get them where I can handle the bird ok, but it seems like no matter what I do the trimming part is a little off, once I get it trimmed well, the change of speed messes that up. So, I guess what I'm asking is for some help on the finer points on air refueling. What are the reference points. I've watched a ton of vids on you tube, searched and read whatever I could find on this forum, and read what is in the manual. I have a Cougar HOTAS and am using Viper's profile for it. HELP!

I know this is fun to practice and try in this sim, but with those conditions they wouldn't try that in real life would they?

Did the whole uninstall thingy and reload thingy just like Wags had instructed and noticed no difference at all. Ran a test mission before and afterward, load times were the exact same and FPS where also.

Tried twice, got down both times but blew out all the tires each time and ended up in an awkward position at the end.

What other systems are in the area that you are trying to fight off the SA-8's? I've been practicing defeating different types of SAMs. If all you want to do is find the sucker and kill it, here is what I've been doing without ever getting shot down. Once the SAM paints you move slowly to a 3/9 line of the system, just keep it there in the RWR, then slowly move into the SAM a little at a time (quicker if time is of the essence). Once he fires at you invert you jet and dive. Turn on JMR and pump chaff, find the missile and keep him on the 3/9 line and if he keeps tracking you (a lot of times they blow up well before they get to you or they go ballistic) if he keeps tracking your jet turn away to increase the distance if you keeps tracking at the last second pull up and into the missile. I forget how many missiles the SA-8 has but once he fires those off go get him, he needs to reload. I usually kill them with Guns, feels GREAT! :) Keep an sharp eye out to wear the missile came from so you can hunt him down afterward. I've been thinking it would be fun to co-op this with the wingman finding and shooting up the SAM while the other guy draws his fire. Used to do that in the old Flanker days online. Good luck, have fun!

Great discussion so far! One thing I really like messing with in these sims is how to defeat the missiles in each system. Been doing that a lot lately and it appears that if you keep them on the edge of their max range they can be defeated very easy, in fact I haven't been hit once this way just diving and keeping the missile on my 3/9 line. One time was real, real close but I pulled up and into the missile at the last second and it went right under my jet. I guess the biggest thing is to not get surprised by a shot, be ready to react quickly. Also, semi and auto modes didn't work out to great, I did everything in man mode.

Very cool! That gives me some ideas, maybe I can kill the bugger before he fires then.

I kept turning it on before he fired but it turned itself off all the time. Fact is I wanted him to fire so I could practice evading the missiles to see what it takes to get away. Everytime I turned into the missile I was hit in other sorties so I really got tired of that fast so I tried to angle away instead and had success with that. Is the JMR supposed to turn off all the time?

Finally after a bunch of attempts I was able to dodge 4 SA3 missiles and then run in to cluster bomb the bastards. :D All those sorties in my old Flanker and Lomac days all came back to me eventually. What I found out was I had success once I went to Manual CMS mode and handled that myself instead of semi or auto. For some reason in those modes the dang plane kept pumping out flares instead of chaff. What I did was keep the radar on my 9 and turn into it slowly hoping to get the thing to launch at me at his max range. When the SA3 fired I hit the JMR, pumped chaff and did a split S to now keep him on my 3 and turned slightly to my 4 while pumping out chaff and hitting the JMR again. Both times the SA3 fired off two missiles and one exploded early, one hit the ground, one went ballistic. I was happy, still have a lot to relearn and learn all over again, but this sim rocks so far. Anyone else have some experience to share on different SAM's. I love SEAD missions, even if the A10 isn't tasked with those in real life.

When I was looking for information on how to turn on the lights that is the procedure everyone used, 'Pinky Aft'. Don't know if it matters though, but it's been working for me.

Hi Warrior X, Thanks for your pdf's I use them and they are very helpful. Something you may want to change in your 'cold start' checklist: The control for turning power to ext. lights should read 'pinky switch Aft' not 'forward', key press is LCTR + P. Also, I could not turn on the ex lights in the place your have them being turned on in your list. Only after the APU Gen. is on will the lights turn on. This drove me bonkers yesterday until I learned the lights wouldn't work till the APU Gen. is on.

Thanks guys, I guess in order to figure out a good landing speed it will be a good idea to check fuel, and maybe subtract the weight of the stores you use in the mission. Nice pdf there too.

Is there a way to tell what the aircraft weighs at any given time or do you have to manually figure it out?

Viper, I've been using your profile, thanks for it. I've noticed that sometimes I can snap to the MFDs, sometimes I cannot. Here is what I do: I press the H3 button with the S3 pressed in to get the front snap view, then I hit either H3 L or R to get the MFDs, sometimes I can, sometimes it will not work. Is there a sure fire way to get it to work every time? Surely I must be doing something wrong. On a side note, how can this sim NOT have a snap view for MFDs and such easily modeled from the start? Weird.

Yea, and who really knows what those 'real' tactics and proceedures are? Rich, I enjoy all your work and this is one virtual pilot whose flight sim experience you've helped a ton over the years. Thanks, and keep up the great work. Louie 'Zeke'

Wow, Awsome Mark! I've been hoping the 333rd will fly again someday, some of the guys still don't like LOMAC. I think ARM505 said it best, we all have better puters. Personally I think LOMAC is much better then the last version of Flanker was. Anyway, I've just been flying the A10 lately, something different then the Sue. ;) Lou 'Zeke'

Looks like everyone is getting back into Flanker/LOMAC! Lou 'Zeke'

Yes, THANKS Rich!! I know I wouldn't know now where as much without your efforts to help the rest of us. Lou "Zeke'