Bourrinopathe

Hi deeplodokus, Congratulations for completing the mission. As an almost fresh newbie like you in air combat, I've recorded my last Intercept mission (v1.2.15 track). For the two F-5, I usually wait a strong signal (around 20km), assign the first target to my wingman, and engage the second F-5. It depends on how it goes though. As the next bandits are coming from the mountains, engage them as soon as possible even if the B-52s are still intact. They won't wait for you to kill their buddies ;) The most difficult task for me is to spot an AIM-9 shot and pull a defensive maneuver soon enough. I'd try to confirm any kill before switching target unless another bandit is a higher threat. Also, don't forget to use the AWACS if you need some bearings. (I would strongly advise to use a voice recognition software (like VoiceAttack) for the AI comms ("AWACS, bogey dope", "Flight, engage my target", …) - it feels way more natural and it's efficient) For my track: you can skip the end, right after the last fighter kill. The end of the mission is seriously sloppy as I was distracted by someone in the room :doh: (sloppy navigation, forgot my active OLS, asking for Mozdok, landing @ Beslan, trashing a wheel on the runway (break and turn @ high speed), …). Don't do everything you see at the end :D R27-ER and ET fired in the action (the ET always missing iirc). Anyway, every bandit down, AWACS and wingman alive. So that's pretty decent, I guess. I really like that simple Instant Action mission as it's a very good training mission. SU27 - Intercept - sloppy landing.trk

Hi, I couldn't find any information about this key binding on the forum but it's most probably already known (internally). As the title says the "Target Designator To Center" does not recenter the target designator box but recenters the radar antenna instead. I noticed that erroneous label in the Controls configuration a while ago but I thought it could be useful to create a post for bug tracking purposes. If that post is not useful, please, feel free to delete it. Thanks.

Great skin Flogger! I'll go get it on LOF ASAP ;) Ace Combat liveries are very welcome and refreshing. Thanks!

It looks really good in closeup views but it's overbright from a distance on the replay I tried. (Mozdok, 13PM, winter, neutral HDR, no SweetFX) My guess is the mipmaping is messing with the multilayered 3D model ? (assuming you used a multilayered model for the AB) [EDIT: for JSGME users, just create those folders: NameOfTheMod\Mods\tech, and drop \Shapes, \Textures and entry.lua in there]

Smooth borders, and the color and opacity seem easy to edit. I'll test that ASAP. Thanks for sharing, Starway!

Did you check that every custom livery in your custom mission has the four "bort number" lines in their description.lua ? I remember the stock liveries were messed up because my only custom livery was missing those lines. Once I added them, everything was displayed correctly. If you still can't fix it, please join your livery in that thread (or via PM) and I'll try to check it on my side. Good luck ;)

It looks like the same issue I had with my liveries. The description.lua has changed a bit. You will have to add a few lines in each description.lua file. Please check >>> that thread <<< and let us know if it fixes your liveries. (potential solution in the last few posts)

The current manual probably uses most of the pictures from the previous version (pre-PFM). There are some minor inconsistencies but if you use the right key, it triggers the right function. I don't use the English HUD symbology but EO most certainly stand for EOS (Electro Optical System). You can try the sensors training mission to make sure you have the right system activated. The warning lights panel differentiate an EOS passive lock from a Radar lock (two different lights). The manual is not final ;)

You're probably using the brakes too soon after the touchdown. Afaik, the sim does not model true progressive pressure on the brakes - they seem to apply all the breaking power almost instantly. I'm not sure about the safe speed value, but I start using the wheel brakes around 100-150 km/h. With a touchdown speed around 220-250 km/h max, you should be ok. [EDIT: What Ironhand said ;) Your weight is obviously an important factor.]

I was trying to change the Su-27 pilot helmet/skin and it's a simple pilot_su.dds variant. (the russian helmet texture alignment tends to be messed up, so there's no point to go hires) It has to be added to the description.lua in the specific livery folder. Using pilot_su_whatever.dds, just add this line : {"pilot_SU_body", 0 , "pilot_su_whatever",false}; There's a pilot_parashut.edm model in the \Bazar\World\Shapes folder which is used for the ejected russian pilots. I have no idea if it could be modified to be livery-specific though (otherwise, it's a common model and texture). It's the old gen clone pilot ;)

Once you roughly get the tires resistance limits it's way more comfortable to taxi at your own pace (exceeding the recommendations). :thumbup: The Su-27SK manual suggests a 50 km/h taxiing top speed and a turn speed below 20 km/h within a 15 m minimum turn radius. The tires squealing sound is a perfect audio cue to spot the limit (get below).

Same slight issue with the taxi lights (left projection), but at least we can see the taxiway/runway again. The wide beam is very welcome. I can't remember it was that large. :thumbup:

Indeed. :doh: My mistake. I was too hasty and made a sloppy translation (I must have been really tired, because I try to be careful about those details). Sincere apologies. Here's the original text from the Su-27SK Flight Manual: So, when the roll angle is superior to 80°, the AP first decreases the angle to a value inferior to 80°, and then achieves a simultaneous correction (roll + pitch). Thanks for spotting the error, Azrayen :thumbup:

I'm not sure how it's modeled right now but the "recover" autopilot has a specific behavior (Su-27SK Flight Manual (which could very well be different from what we have, of course) - please grab the salt ;) ): - with a roll angle inferior to 80°, the autopilot recovers the pitch and roll angle simultaneously. - with a roll angle superior to 80°, [EDIT:the autopilot recovers the pitch angle first, then the roll angle.<<< WRONG! (the AP reduces the roll angle first (<80°) and then recovers the pitch and roll angle simultaneously)] Time to test "H" and "Level Flight" modes ;) [EDIT: "H" and "Level Flight" autopilot modes act differently here: "H" just tries to lock and stabilize the baro altitude and "Level Flight" achieves to recover the aircraft with more than 90° bank, inverted flight, high positive and negative pitch. Did I understand you correctly? ]

From what I've understood, it seems the current autopilot implementation is close to the real Su-27. While trying to bind and make sense of the autopilot modes, I had to dig in the "autopilot" part of the Su-27SK Flight Manual (and I barely understood what I found :huh:) I think all the different modes we have in the key configuration options are inherited from the common Flaming Cliffs autopilot modes. I might be wrong, but the Flanker autopilot modes are pretty similar to the Ka-50 "channels logic" as you can add different flight assistance modes. Based on the Su-27SK manual, the barometric altitude mode keeps the bank value if it's superior to 7°. There should not be any "altitude + roll" mode as the radar and barometric altitude modes both include the roll/bank conservation. Some specific modes are still missing but we don't have the chance to pilot a DCS-level Su-27. The current available modes and functions should cover the essential functions, though. Attitude hold = АВТОМ (pitch + roll) Route = НАВИГ (pitch + roll, following the different waypoints (?)) Barometric altitude hold = Н БАР (roll + baro alt) Radar/radio altitude hold = Н РВ (roll + rdr alt) default autopilot (default key: A) = НАВИГ+Н БАР RESET = СБРОС (cancels any mode) And the specific "level flight" which has a very special place on the Su-27's stick (ПРИВЕД К ГОРИЗ). Nevertheless, I had some difficulties with the radar altitude autopilot as it was constantly climbing instead of stabilizing the aircraft (from a stable 120-150m rdr alt). The radar altitude autopilot is supposed to be functional between 100m and 1000m (Su-27SK Flight Manual). It may struggle with the new PFM (or I'm doing it wrong, or something else). At least the DCS Su-27 manual tells us 'H' is an alternative to Alt+4 (baro hold) (and similar to Alt+2 (baro+roll))… If it's not too much trouble, ED should modify the Su-27 key bindings to remove the useless and confusing modes. In any case, it's still WIP and we should have a more polished autopilot. In the meanwhile I should go back testing that AP…

EOS stands for Electro-Optical System (or Sight). It's the russian IRST (ОЛС-27 (OLS-27) in the Su-27). In combat, the target's altitude and speed are only displayed in the BVR mode and not WVR (radar or/and EOS). I assume it's because the visual reference should provides enough information to engage the target. The ОЛС-27 laser range finder is effective to about 2800 m, but I have no idea how it would provide the target's speed and altitude farther away. Afaik the radar should remain silent to keep the passive tracking and avoid detection. We could run a test mission with a target (rear aspect) within the 100km EOS detection range and see if we have the alt + spd. I'm confused (and curious) now ;)

Afaik that problem occurs because the current engine uses an additive shader (the light effect is added to the ground surface texture luminosity). It may be different with DCS World 2 (or not). It would be more realistic.

Certainly. I meant "blinking" navigation lights. I think I've seen a Russian Knights video with visible nav lights. I believe they used the standard navigation lights but I might be wrong. (around 4'38") [EDIT: another bad quality video >>> here <<< (5'04")]

Afaik, that slide switch on the stick is not used to select the different modes. It's a weapon type selection based on the range: Д. БОЙ --> ДРБ дальний ракетный бой (long-range missile combat) Б. БОЙ --> БМБ ближний маневренный бой (close-range maneuver combat) The actual mode selector is on the left console, below the clock: My only source is the Su-27SK flight manual: So, I may be wrong about the general slide switch function. I have no idea if it changes anything other than the weapons (general/group) selection. (there is a specific weapon selection button on the Su-27's throttle) (I use the 3-position slide switch on my Black Mamba for the BVR / Navigation / Vertical Scan Mode - and the other modes are on a hat on the throttle) If anyone has more details, feel free to share (in a relevant thread) :thumbup:

That's good news and a perfect temporary fix! Thanks PowerBroker! I've made a JSGME-ready file with your attached .lua. Just extract the content in your JSGME MODS folder. If ED is improving the code, let's hope the Flanker will have better navigation lights too. The lack of actual landing/taxi lights fix with the latest patches could be a clue :music_whistling: Fix - Su-27 landing lights.rar

As SiThSpAwN and GGTharos have confirmed trimming is essential, here's another huge evidence :smilewink: The trim command sits right as one of the most used button on the stick. Let's say its use is more intensive than its modern counterparts ;) (it has the same function on my stick and it's what I use to land smoothly when it's possible) Learning to pilot the Su-27 is now much more interesting with the PFM and explains an important part of the HOTAS commands logic. It would be immensely valuable to have access to a Su-27 flight manual with detailed piloting techniques. (online-su27-flying-lessons.com ?) :pilotfly:

Indeed. I assume, we could also test the roll inertia with the second warning light ON as the wing tanks are supposed to be empty at this stage. But I have no idea, how significant the difference should be.

Clever comment. ----- Does anyone know if the Su-27 fuel system (and tanks location) is part of the PFM? The automatic fuel management system should ensure that the centre of gravity stays within prescribed limits as fuel is burned. I have no idea how it's modeled in the sim. Based on ED's definition of the PFM, at least a part of the fuel system should be modeled. (a few details are available in that post)

I'm not 100% sure about this, but the red rotary knob next to the "direct control" switch should be used to choose the proportional multiplier on the commands (while the direct control is ON). That multiplier is shown on a semi-circular window with the values: 0.5 - 1 - 1.5 - 2 Of course, we don't have access to that button. That would be a DCS-level Su-27 ;) (derived from wikipedia article: "Supermaneuverability") (and apparently, the Flanker has a rear center of gravity) What we have should depict the highly unstable behavior and violent command response. And based on the proportional value visible on the SDU (FBW) panel, it's a breeze compared to a higher value (but of course it may not represent the current implementation). Nose bleeding may occur ;) [EDIT: (great video)]

^ Absolutely! But I'm pretty confident a PFM has no reason to be dumbed down in any way. Fortunately. As a virtual pilot with not much experience in flying (fighter) aircrafts, I'm really enjoying the Su-27 so far and the few acrobatics I pulled didn't end in a stall (yet). Obviously, I still have to explore the flight envelope limits. I shut off the engines several times though ;) I messed up a take off once but it was because I pulled the stick like a savage beast, and was punished accordingly. My very first landing was surprisingly easy (from what I recall the SFM was not so imperfect). As I'm now lucky enough to own a very precise and smooth stick (VKB Black Mamba), I tend to think a good control device is part of the key to fly the Su-27 with confidence.