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Raptor9

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Posts posted by Raptor9

    Real life implementation: How often are laser guided hellfires used vs radar?

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    On 3/23/2022 at 8:29 AM, KungFu said:

    So, when we get FCR and radar hellfires...will there be any use for laser guided other than maybe the situations above?   I just don't see why in DCS why a pilot would choose laser over radar.

    Real life reason...maybe cost or supply?

    Short answer, yes there is, just as you choose the right tool for the right job.  It's kind of like choosing between a GBU-12 LGB or a GBU-38 JDAM. Both have their uses depending on the tactical situation.  Now, I'm not saying that the K and L model Hellfires perform like rocket powered GBU's, just that each have their own pros and cons.

    As to how the L-model Hellfire (radar version) is used with the FCR, that is something that starts to touch on sensitive areas that we can't go into, just like the ASE defensive systems. Personally, I would just wait to see how ED implements it and then discuss its use within the DCS environment.

    But I can distinctly remember being very choosy of my weapon loadouts as well as my airframe selection in Janes LB2.  Depending on your campaign difficulty settings, you could load up all of your FCR aircraft with 16 radar Hellfires on day 1 and 2, and you could easily be out of them by day 3.  Or you get all your FCR aircraft shot down on day 1, etc. So real-life supply issues affect everything, in all facets of warfare.  You deplete all of your Tomahawk cruise missile supply on day two of the war and now your surface strike group has no more offensive stand-off land strike capability.  DCS missions don't always simulate supply limitations, but if I can do the job with other weapons without losing all my "silver bullets" today, I will; for no other reason to ensure I have weapon options tomorrow.

    Heading Hold

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    Just now, agamemnon_b5 said:

    What you posted misrepresented the "feature".  It's essential just holding trim the user inputs.  It's not really a heading hold anymore than trimming a Huey with pedal to maintain a heading and it being called "heading hold".

    No, I explained the actual logic of the actual function.  How you equate it or interpret it based on your own expectations is on you, not me.  I'm not really sure what you are trying to achieve here.

    • Like 2

    Heading Hold

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted · Edited by Raptor9

    9 minutes ago, agamemnon_b5 said:

    So it's just normal trimming, then.

    No, it's not.

    9 minutes ago, agamemnon_b5 said:

    Perhaps we should move away from using the term "heading hold".  Some people are coming from the Hind where it actually held your heading without pedal input.  The way I read what you stated, it's just holding trim.

    You can call it whatever you want, but comparing other aircraft flight control logic, especially one made in an entirely different country, to determine whether something is functioning properly is silly. 

    8 minutes ago, Fromthedeep said:

    Apache pilots unaffiliated with the product on Hoggit said that the SCAS as a whole is not working as it should in their personal opinion. Same thing is said for the attitude hold.

    Well, not everyone will ever be personally satisfied based on their own subjective opinions on how something "feels" to them in a simulated environment without the additional effects on their inner ear and seat-of-the-pants. People get a different experience based on computer graphics, different peripheral hardware (like short joysticks versus floor-mounted extended sticks), even using VR versus TrackIR.  Further, people seem to forget that everything is WIP, early access, etc etc.  Do I personally think the flight model and SCAS system is close enough to be finalized? No. But making an assessment of an aircraft the week it releases into open beta early access is just as silly as someone saying it isn't performing as it should because the DCS Hind does it differently.

    Heading Hold

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted · Edited by Raptor9

    4 minutes ago, agamemnon_b5 said:

    The problem is my heading isn't being held.  Unless I trim the pedals.  In that case though, it's not even a heading hold and just normal trimming.

    Then please reference the criteria I posted in my responses to this thread.

    Force Trim

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    Just now, agamemnon_b5 said:

    It might help if ED did a better job of explaining things rather than leave it to random people on YouTube channels and the forums.

    Not speaking for the dev team, but a lot of it is WIP, including the manual.  Not to beat a dead horse, but early access is early access, even the documentation. 361 pages still only scratches the surface of what is needed to fully explain the embedded logics and behavior, but resources and time is limited.  Any previous module had features change and evolve as things were improved. If one thing is said in the manual, but isn't implemented fully or accurately in the module at any given point, then people don't know what to believe there either.  I'm not saying that it won't get there, I'm just saying that having to create graphics, charts and long descriptions to explain how something is functioning now, but is evolving as they are fleshed out, is not an efficient use of time or resources.

    Further, even when they are explained thoroughly, a lot of people still bring their own assumptions into the forums to incorrectly explain how things work or should work, with zero reference to anything that is put out there in the manual or tutorials accurately and thoroughly anyway. Again, not dogging anyone, I was just stating for myself after someone pinged me that my efforts are going to be focused elsewhere for the sake of efficiency.

    • Like 1

    Heading Hold

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    Heading hold won't engage unless the aircraft yaw is < 3 deg per second and less, < 0.1 inches from the trimmed position, and ground speed is <40 knots.  There is some other logic as well based on what, if any, attitude hold mode is engaged, but those are the big ones.  Heading hold is a heading hold, not a "stop turn" autopilot mode.

    Force Trim

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    @Lurker By this point, there is already so much misunderstanding and inaccurate/false information in this thread, I foresee this thread continuing on with no end or resolution in sight.  There is practically no way for someone without knowledge on this topic to wade through the previous 14 pages of back and forth and know what to believe.  Not dogging anyone, just stating that there is no point in me continuing to post in this thread since any accurate posts will be lost in the sea of inaccurate posts, with no way to tell who is right or not.

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    When is something a target ?

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    Target and Control Measure are just types of points in the database. You could mark an enemy position with a waypoint if you wanted, but it might not allow you to keep your TSD sorted and maintain situational awareness.

    However, as for intended use, think of it like this: Control Measures allow you to control your team movements during a mission, whereas targets are confirmed target locations. Prior to a mission, intel may say there is a tank battalion at a given location. Mark that with an enemy armor control measure so you can avoid unnecessary enemy contact, or know when you are approaching that location so you can start to approach more cautiously. This is how you use a control measure.

    Once you start visually seeing enemy locations with your sensors, you can start marking their locations with target points.

    • Thanks 1

    Force Trim

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted · Edited by Raptor9

    I think there may be some confusion with some people over the difference between force trim and the different terms related to "tail rotor trim".

    "Force trim" refers to magnetic brakes that provide resistance to the flight controls (in the AH-64's case, the cyclic and the anti-torque pedals). Whereas fixed-wing aircraft use trim tabs or some other flight control function to manually adjust the flight controls for level flight with minimal effort required by the pilot on the flight controls, helicopters use a magnetic brake system that provides resistance to assist the pilot in keeping the controls in place to maintain the current flight condition/parameters. When the force trim release is pressed (also called the force trim interrupt, or the "trimmer" in other DCS modules), the magnetic clamps release, removing the spring resistance to the controls. When the force trim release button is no longer pressed, the magnetic resistance re-engages, trying to hold the controls at the new position.  I recommend a google search of "helicopter force trim" to understand this, or just watch your virtual controls in the DCS cockpit when using the function.

    Referring to a helicopter being "in trim" is describing flying in coordinated flight with the "trim ball" centered on the flight instruments. This is also called "aerodynamic trim". Alternatively you may also hear the terms "nose-to-tail trim" or "NOE trim". This is adjusting the pedals so that the tail is following right behind the nose, rather than adjusting the pedals to keep the ball centered.

    "Force trim" and "putting/keeping the helicopter in trim" are two different things.

    EDIT: "Trim Reset" in other DCS helos is a notional cheat to re-sync your virtual cockpit controls in the DCS aircraft with the physical HOTAS controls in your hand that is plugged into your computer. However, "Trim Reset" as it is implemented in DCS isn't present in real-life helos since you would only have physical controls in real-life, no virtual controls.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 3

    Force Trim

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    Just now, dburne said:

    What is the nose to tail trim mode I see Wags mention in his landing video? 

    He just means purposely adjusting the tail rotor thrust to keep the velocity vector straight up and down in the symbology, so the tail is aligned with the nose toward the direction of travel, versus "aerodynamic trim" in which the ball is kept centered but may cause the nose to be pointed to the side while crabbing in flight.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 2

    Force Trim

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted · Edited by Raptor9

    If anyone wants to see where their controls are trimmed to, look at them. The pedals are visible, as is the stick in the cockpit. You can physically see their positions. The cyclics even have little white arrows showing their relative displacements from center, albeit one of them is missing for the pitch axis.

    • Like 5

    How to increase Betty/CMWS volume?

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Nealius said:

    That's what got me. I started digging through manual pictures and found all the squelch switches were up, but none of the checklists or video tutorials mention this step during startup.

    It's because they aren't implemented properly yet.

    occasionally any aux tanks refuse to be selected

    in Bugs and Problems

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Rongor said:

    Or are external tanks on outer stations simply unavailable if there aren't any at the inner stations as well?

    Yes. The only time fuel would be loaded on outer stations would be if 4x tanks were ever needed for long-range self-deployment scenarios. In which case they would feed the inner tanks, which would in turn feed the main tanks.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

    SCUD Busters mission problems

    in Missions and Campaigns

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, frostycab said:

    I *think* you don't need to worry about selecting the point type on the TSD, as the actual type will correct itself when you enter the type code

    Currently, the TSD is auto-correcting to the correct point type if the wrong IDENT code is used for that type (WP, HZ, CM, or TG), but this is inaccurate behavior. What should be happening is if you try to enter EU as the IDENT code without selecting CM as the point type first, the KU should flash at you to indicate an invalid IDENT code entry. If this is properly corrected in the future, you will have to ensure you select the correct type prior to pressing IDENT>.

    • Like 1

    Force Trim

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, dburne said:

    Do we know when one uses center spring trim method how quickly the stick must be returned to center for it to take effect?

    When using Central Position Trimmer Mode the axis will not respond to inputs until it is brought back to center. There is no time limit. But this can incur a mistaken conclusion the axis is broken if the player doesn't bring the stick all the way back to center before trying to make another input after pushing the force trim button.

    • Like 2

    cannot set gun to auto ranging

    in DCS: AH-64D

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, razorseal said:

    so if the auto ranging is using radar elevation and lookdown value.... correct, it won't give correct range if target is on a hillside or something...

    So why doesn't it lase the target to get an accurate range? that would give the correct distance. the apache is capable of lasing targets for distance, correct?

    Yes, the CPG is capable of using the laser rangefinder/designator for calculating correct slant distance to the target, but only when using the TADS as his selected sight while he is using the gun. There are times when it may not be appropriate to use the laser, and the pilot is not capable of lasing a target when employing the gun.  This is why a manual range is typically used for HMD gun engagements, and azimuth and elevation corrections are manually performed by adjusting the aiming point of the helmet. But with training, the gun can be quite effective, even with the HMD and a manual range.

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