Archer7

Thanks for the comprehensive answer! I already have Snoopy's checklist and some others. They're all a bit different though which is why I wanted to dig down to the source and see how it's really done basically. I want to see how it's really done and see personally which steps are completely unnecessary before I start cutting them away. I've already made some notes about which few of the pre-start check steps you actually have to do when the aircraft is set to the default start configuration such as switching the boost pumps. I still don't understand why you would start UHF before the battery, inverter and so on... but you're saying it would be used for asking start-up permission, from the ATC or something? You don't have to ask for engine start-up from the ATC though (I believe, despite the possibility existing in DCS) and when asking for taxi and so on VHF/AM is on... is it even possible to contact ATC over UHF? I've heard you don't have to ask for any start-up permissions until you ask to taxi and by then VHF/AM is on and that's how I always communicate with the ATC. Indeed CCTVS/DVADR is not modelled to my knowledge. It would be useless since you never exit the aircraft and as such can’t extract the DTC or R-whatever-the-CCTVS/DVADR-chip-is-called on your way out anyways. Still, in the first campaign mission where you start on the runway with everything on the CCTVS/DVADR is on and I would enjoy turning it on even if it isn’t being simulated. I also believe the crew chief checks the air refuelling door. I was just curious if I could see it from the cockpit. I’m pretty sure it’s marked somewhere in one of manuals. I doubt I would ever forget to leave it open but apparently it deactivates both gun stabilization and autopilot, so if it was open you could have a lot of issues. Copy on all the other stuff too.

Oh dear... you guys are flight simmers, not hardware guys :megalol: What's good about DCS is that you don't really need 60 fps for full enjoyment :) I have everything maxed except for mirrors off with a Haswell/770 in 1920x1200 and fully enjoy playing around 40-something fps. However memory and graphics card memory and two different things. I just started DCS up and I'm using about 4.4/16GB memory which are two 8GB chips that I've attached to my motherboard and close to 2GB/2GB graphics memory which is built into my graphics card. Without having tested DCS specifically I can say that if you are playing it on two monitors nearly the size of mine you should definitely be experiencing some graphics memory shortage issues. First of all you are obviously not using more than 1GB graphics memory because that's all your graphics card has but you may not experience a crash because DCS scales down how much g memory it uses to suit your graphics card. If I had a graphics card with more than 2GB graphics memory then it might use more than the 2GB I'm currently using even. I'm not sure how DCS works and what effects graphics memory deprivation causes in DCS but in most games it is quite severe and can include everything from stuff blinking to crashes. Ofcourse I'm playing on maxed settings and maybe medium uses significantly less graphics memory. Anyways 2GB graphics memory is considered a minimum for video gaming today so if you're experiencing issues with detail levels changing a lot in video games and such that's surely it. More than 2GB is not considered necessary unless you are gaming in significantly more than 1080p but I'm not sure how multi-monitor set-ups work with graphics memory. The early Watch Dogs specs were entirely incorrect. I don't believe it uses that much of any sort of memory at all or at least it shouldn't have to. Very console-ified game. They exaggerate the specs to make it seem more impressive. What? The 4670K/4770K are both set to 3.5 GHz with auto-tuning up to 3.9 GHz by default. I'm sure you must have made some typos... why on Earth would anyone downclock a 4770K to 3.0 or 3.2?! And you are all wrong about air cooling. As I've already clarified the 4770K comes air-cooled up to 3.9 GHz and using non-stock air cooling is most definitely appropriate in all other cases. Water-cooling sets are not one bit more efficient than air cooling. The only area where water-cooling really makes a difference is with hardcore overclocking and custom built water systems and the improvements are miniscule compared to the cost. And hardcore overclocking isn't something Haswell does to my knowledge.

I did a two hour start-up, one hour flight and half hour shut-down tonight. First of all during the flight I accidentally pulled out the left engine fire t-handle which immediately shut my left engine off. I have no idea how to do engine restarts so I just moved the left throttle handle down to off then up to idle then max again and that worked well initially. After a while I believe there may have been some strange flight behaviour but it might have been the wind. Did I do something wrong above? On the ground I also had an issue I’ve never had with nosewheel turning being very slow which made me slide into the dirt a few times. Is there anything that can cause nosewheel turning to become delayed and sluggish? Also if you slide off the runway and on to the grass how come you stop dead? Can the wheels really not handle soft ground at all? Anyways, next I have numerous questions about the start-up. I used the T.O. 1A-10C-1 start-up sequence. 9th Shrek Air Strike Squadrons checklist is basically identical but conveniently condensed: http://www.shreksquadron.org/documents/checklists/9th_Shrek_A-10C_Checklist.pdf 1. First of all steps 9-11 of the pre-flight check of the left console tell you to “VHF/FM OFF/Set”, “UHF ON/Set” and “VHF/UHF controls OFF/Set”. What does Set mean in this context and why are you supposed to turn UHF on at one of your first order of business way before you even turn on the battery? It won’t actually start up until much later. 2. Second I can’t find the “emergency disconnect lever” which I’m supposed to depress to apparently disengage SAS and maybe even Anti-skid? 3. Third you are shortly thereafter supposed to “Speed brake control - Set to centre (HOLD) position if speed brakes open; set to closed position if speed brakes are closed”. Is this possible in DCS? If I understand correctly you are supposed to do this using the switch on the throttle but doesn’t it return to centre unless held down? 4. Fourth in the pre-flight check of the right console you are supposed to an OBOGS PRICE check and the first check is for pressure to be between 55 and 145 psi and before taxiing you are supposed to do another OBOGS PRICE check against 25 to 40 psi, but my oxygen supply psi is always around maximum… what’s that, 500 psi? Why so high? 5. Next is still in the pre-flight check of the right console and this time it’s the head switch that has to do with environmental control I can’t see anywhere. Supposed to be off. I’m also curious if flow level control or temperature level control do anything in DCS. 6. Next I’m supposed to set the HARS controls… I don’t have any idea where there are any “controls” for HARS. 7. Finally before engine start I’m supposed to “Colour Cockpit Television Sensor (CCTVS)/DVADR remote control panel” off and verify DVADR off… one of the first things I did was turn DVADR off on that black box on the bow after being instructed to “CCTVS/DVADR remote control panel” off earlier. First of all is the CCTVS “remote control panel” indeed that black box? If so then why are they telling you to turn it off two times then check that it is certainly off? There are more crazy CCTVS/DVADR instructions later on. 8. Next is “prior to engine start” after testing the oxygen indicator when I’m supposed to see “OBOGS PRESS LOW” on the caution lights panel but I’m not seeing it and the oxygen supply pressure is still sky high as ever. 9. Next is when I’m turning the inverter off and testing it. When off several instrument panels stop showing anything and one of them is supposed to be “oxygen quantity”… but to me that stays up on 5 whatever the unit is. It did drain during flight though so the needle wasn’t stuck or anything. 10. Next is when I’m doing the second OBOGS test and I’m supposed to press some OBOGS MON TEST button that is supposed to start a Master Caution and OBOGS FAIL caution light for ten seconds. I’m not seeing it anywhere. 11. Next is before taxiing when I’m supposed to check the air refuelling door. Where it at? 12. After that I’m supposed to set EXT TKS to WING/FUS and check the pressure or something but it’s not changing at all. 13. Next I’m supposed to turn on TACAN and ILS… isn’t that a bit early? Are they supposed to be on but muted during flight? They make a lot of noise. 14. Next is when I’m supposed to “check” pitot tube heating. How do I do that? I switch it on, nothing happens, I switch it off. 15. Next is when I’m supposed to verify DTSTAS data… is that even necessary? 16. Next is testing IFF on the MFCD STAT page, which does not seem to be possible at all in DCS. Correct? 17. Next is that I’m supposed to switch to HARS mode, check the HSI, ADI and see the HUD mode change but nothing is happening and CICU isn’t even on yet… what’s up? 18. Next I’m supposed to set the “DVADR remote control panel” to STBY… does that mean the black box on the bow? Doesn’t make sense to set it to standby after having spent so much work making sure it is off during pre-flight check and then turning it on and setting it to REC before taxiing. 19. Next is the CMSP bits. How to? 20. Next is during a flight instrument check when I’m supposed to check ADI movement somehow and sync HARS if necessary. How? 21. Next I’m told to engage SAS despite it already being engage (before taxiing step 46). Why? 22. Next how do you set the altimeter properly? Would be more helpful set to 30 than 3000 when the airport is 30 feet high. 23. And finally: exterior lights, again. Still don’t understand. In these instructions you are told to set the throttle master exterior light switch to aft early during the pre-flight check but before taxiing it simply says “exterior lights – as required”. During landing the landing light is supposed to be as required and after landing as required (I would use taxi lights), then position lights bright/flash and anti-collision off. What I’m missing is what they should be set to when taxiing to the runway, before going up in the air if there’s any change and what they should be set to during flight if there’s any change until landing. Also what are they supposed to be set to during landing? The manual only really tells you what the lights are supposed to be set to when taxiing home basically. Other than that the near 400 steps are quite clear.

Your videos are great. I've watched the Hideout one and am going to watch Smerch Hunt next. I agree tutorials showing context are great. I just did basically the same thing tonight. It's a very good idea to go up for a while and experiment with the systems for a while. Two hour start-up, one hour flight and half hour shut-down. If you start in the evening like in the Black Sea free flight mission it's really cosy once the sun starts going down and you have to turn on the cockpit lights. Having a smartphone, pad or laptop by your side with your Dropbox synced to it with the manual/s inside and YouTube open really helps. I wouldn't print out the manual for the sheer cost of it... 300 pages printed two-sided. I agree good gear is ideal but you don't really need it if you know your way around a keyboard.

Do the training missions, missions (Hideout is a very detailed and easy mission), campaign... If there's something you can't execute well then train doing that. You can also check out Sabre’s qualification campaign: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=62992 The two currently available training campaigns cost $10 total with the final one on the way which will cost an additional $5. The missions are based on what we currently know about the A-10C training procedures.

What does the first trigger stage do? P by default... makes PAC-1 show up on the HUD I believe. When the gun is shot PAC-2 shows up.

Cool, everyone are winners then. To clarify: of the 5 stand-alone missions 2 are only start-up/shut-down and the 3 other are included in the AATQ? So, knowing where all the start-up/shut-down buttons in the cockpit are, I will divert my attention toward the campaigns instead. I love the dedication to realism around here... it's very respectable. Not only because it’s amazing to be able to experience flying an aircraft as accurately as you will ever experience it unless you join the military and agree to murder civilians at the whims of politicians and what not... (ahem) But as an avid video gamer I come from a world where the rules are made by people... and people are the worst :P With simulators there will ideally not be any game mechanics to speak of. It’s a different beast entirely.

I'm very knowledgeable when it comes to computers but if I entered to the PC hardware section I'd be there a while… I’m not sure what cards are on the upcoming horizon, or how well the 770 2GB handles multi-monitor set-ups but I believe two 1080p screens is enough to call for a 770 4GB which isn’t all that more expensive anyways I believe. Question is how well DCS will work. A 770 handles the game well even maxed on one monitor but two..? Anyways I can speak about the other components. 4670K*, EVGA 770 4GB, 128GB Samsung 840/840 Evo, 1TB Western Digital Blue or Seagate Barracuda (mind the 64MB cache) and an ASUS Z87-A or MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate if you’re definitely not going to use dual graphics cards (you’re not). I wrote an explanation but what the hell… if there’s something you don’t understand just ask. * Unless someone can show me a benchmark where the 4770K outdoes the 4670K in DCS that is because they’re basically identical except for $100-150.

I'm interested in this. How many A-10C missions are there in total? 37, grouped into 3 campaigns that cost $15 total? What's going on with the tactical campaign though? Not all 15 missions done? Checking our website there's no tactical thing yet so I suppose it’s not out yet at all? But there are stand-alone missions called ITT and AFT... what're they? Not mentioned in here. $15-20 to the starving unofficial editors to an obscure simulator video game doesn't sound so bad.

Aha. I haven't been through the documents so haven't checked if the -1s contain the 1-1s... I only saw This manual is incomplete without TO 1A-l0A-1-1.on the covers. The 34 isn't as easily available as the A/C-1 but it's out there. According to one document I've seen in addition to the above material and about three or so classified documents it seems "AFI11-214" (available) is used by A-10 pilots and contains A-A/A-G training ops procedures it seems after a quick check. I've also seen some dull documents containing weight data and some which I couldn't quite understand what their purpose is just by browsing through them quickly... such as the 11-2A-10C v3 and 11-A/OA10C v3.

What about official documents? If I understand correctly there exist some documents called TO-1A-10A-1, TO-1A-10A-1-1, TO-1A-10C-1, TO-1A-10C-1-1 and TO 1A-10A-34-1-1. The TO-1A-10A-1 I understand to be an old A-10A flight manual and it is quite easily available on the interweb. The TO-1A-10A-1-1 I have no idea what it is but I understand it used to be easily available in the documents thread. The TO-1A-10C-1 I understand to be an A-10C flight manual and is easily available in the interweb though apparently it ought not to be. The TO-1A-10C-1-1 I again have no idea what it is and understand it is not available. The TO 1A-10A-34-1-1 I understand is an A-10A weapons employment manual and is quite easily available on the interweb though again apparently it might not ought to be. Would anyone that has the TO-1A-10A-1-1 mind sharing it or explain what its contents are anyways? I’m only searching for start-up information really but the general content of manuals seem interesting too.

Oh, so much for trusting the unofficial thread I suppose :p I assumed every bit of info there was based on interview statements and such. Which makes me curious: what have they officially said? Do they usually say anything until stuff just pops up on their website like the Dora did (to me, who hadn't heard a word about it before I saw it there)?

Aha. I've seen that switch. I'm also going to try out Lobo's and Snoopy's checklists. Snoopy's seems detailed.

Where's the strobe button? Also are you supposed to have your exterior lights on for the entire flight or only during take-off and landing? I'm also curious if there is any definitive start-up checklist. The detailed one in the manual works well though it tells you to arm the ejection seat during pre-flight prep which seems a bit early to me and it forgets the Oxy Ind Test, IFFCC Pre-flight Bit, JTRS and SAI. The condensed one never mentions EAC, RA, Anti-skid, CDU Nav, NMSP EGI, CMS mode, CMS system, SAI and tells you to turn on boost pumps and arm ejection seat during pre-flight prep. Also none of the instructions tell you to set TACAN or ILS which I would include somewhere and the detailed one doesn't contain detailed exterior lights instructions which is inconvenient as well. Both tell you to start the targeting pod during start-up which I'm not sure if you are supposed to do or wait until you are in the air. Both contain about 5 minutes of pre-flight checks, 15 minutes of start-up and 5 minutes taxi. Considering they both contain so many omissions I definitely feel the need for one that's more complete and more efficient. Is it possible to use some true non-DCS A-10C manual? I've seen someone on YouTube click that anti-G thing at your left elbow and I'm also curious about the box to the left of the gear handle... it's not in the manual it seems.

Oh, the struggle between doing a start-up by the book or in the quickest way possible... Some things also bother me about starting up according to the manual such as it saying to arm the ejection seat already during pre-flight check... what's up with that? I don't believe the training missions tells you to arm it before you are on the runway and that makes more sense to me... I'd like to establish a complete and realistic start-up procedure including pre-flight checks and then one that's as quick as possible not checking anything, for playing the standard missions. Maybe I can turn to a real manual for a good start-up procedure? I switch the pitot heat on before take-off. Not sure what it does yet and I thought it was completely un-modelled, not only overheating not being modelled. CDU and EGI turns on without APU gen? I've tried turning on CDU and EGI then seeing how far I need to go until the screen lights up and they don't light up until the APU gen is on... maybe they still work and the screen simply doesn't come on until APU gen is on? I also didn't know the APU gen could be off while starting any engine.

Maybe I'll upload one :P Well, not all med students and video game collectors have $600 lying around :P At least not dedicated to one game that I've been playing for a few months. I've only spent $600 on two or three of my favorite video game series so far. I could buy headtracking, HOTAS, stand, pedals, quality headset, eyefinity monitors, an aircraft chair and why not build a whole cockpit while I'm at it but I'd rather wait for a $300 Thrustmaster, build my own headtracking device and kick back in my IKEA chair. I'm not crazy about flight sims and after searching around some DCS seems to be one of the few with modern aircraft and that suits my taste but I'm quite confident I could sell off the Thrustmaster if I get completely bored with the A-10C and ED get side-tracked making WWII craft for several years.

Any reason to believe F-15C ASM will be delayed beyond 2014? Not that I've seen them say it's going to be out this year but that unofficial thread says so and I would assume there's been some mention of ASM being on the way.

Is the Allied Flight Reports setting realistic? Also is the IFFCC bit test necessary? Also here's my current start-up: 1. Battery, Inverter, AC, Oxygen, Canopy. 2. APU 100%, Tests, APU generator, CDU, EGI. 3. VHF AM, VHF FM, UHF, Set, Contact ATC (engine start-up). 4. Boost pumps, Engines 60%, 1 minute controls check, APU generator off, APU off. 5. SAS, TO/TRIM, Anti-skid, Nose-wheel steering, Ejection seat arm. 6. MFCD, CICU, JTRS, IFFCC, Enter. 7. CMS, Load all, Enter, IFFCC, TAD, CDU, FLT PLAN. 8. Nav, EGI, EAC, RA, SAI, Contact ATC (taxi). 1. Basics 2. APU 3. Contact ATC 4. Engines and controls 5. Ready avionic stuff 6. Electronics 7. CMS then more electronics 8. Navigation and contact ATC again 6 and a half minute. Some considerations: minimal noise (canopy then APU) and APU on as short time as possible which I believe is a good thing because I believe it is some sort of battery? Anyways... 6 minutes seems to be the minimum since it takes about 45 seconds to start the battery, inverter, APU, APU generator, CDU and EGI and alignment takes 5m15s. If you do: 1. Battery, Inverter, APU. 2. AC, Oxygen, Canopy, APU generator, CDU, EGI. Skipping the tests, then you can come down to 6 minutes. If you do stuff while the engines are spinning up you can go a lot lower than that but since you have to wait for alignment you may as well mediate a while as the engines start. Only things I'm not happy about is that the tests are during APU start when otherwise is a good time to take a general look around the cockpit and CMS and FLT PLAN don't quite fit where they are now. Oh and I don't have anything about the exterior lights included in there because I still don't know how I'm supposed to work them... when to have them on and in what setting and when I turn them off again.

Hm, difficult to decide. I’m not too interested in the uncomplicated MiGs or Sus. The A-10A is more appealing as comparison to the A-10C and the F-15C as something different and it will soon have ASM. The Huey and Magnificent can wait until I understand how the Black Shark works at all. The WWII aircraft currently don’t interest me too much either. Next sale I’ll consider the A-10A and F-15C… maybe even the Su-25 since it has AFM+ in which case I may be up to the cost of FC3 so I might as well get them all. Too bad I missed the last flash sale. Anyone knows what the costs were down to? I’ve signed up to the newsletter and I’m hoping they announce sales through there.

So what start-up sequences do you guys use? I've been through the detailed one in the manual, checklist and training mission and I believe they are all a bit different from each other. If I’m not mistaken some of them also miss some things… notably the detailed one in the manual never tells you to turn on JTRS, I believe. There are also some confusing steps such as turning on and off SAS about three times and exterior light switches not on the panel. I’ve written my own 23-step post-it for now and it took about 10 minutes, doing stuff while other stuff was aligning and turning on so it was really efficient. Everything from battery on to ready for take-off on the runway. Includes everything except some emergency switch tests and exterior lights. I know there are some good checklists on the wiki. I’m going to go over there and compare them to my own. Wouldn’t want to miss something. I want a start as quick as possible but without skipping anything that usually matter... and maybe I'll do every step in the book when I'm recording a track and want to show off. By the way does the “random systems failure”-or-something-such option in the options menu make it so there are sometimes broken systems in the very start of a mission or does it only simply make your aircraft randomly stop working mid-mission? With all switches always set the same I see little reason for a lot of pre-flight checks, speed brake checks and so on unless there’s a chance for failure. I know custom missions can include failures but can the built-in missions? Oh and one thing I don’t understand: there are some “disable” switches (engine, fuel, something) on the left console close to the boost pump switches that are supposed to be “depressed” according to the pre-flight check section in the manual. Does that mean up (no-pressed) or down (pressed)? I’m not sure if the word “depressed” in this context is a bit like the word “inflammable” confusingly meaning flammable. I have those switches not pressed down, up, but at the start of all missions they are down it seems.

Aah! What's PFM? :huh:

I'm enjoying A-10C a lot and one big charm is how you don't have to remember any commands other than the HOTAS commands. Everything else is clickable in the cockpit. So if you want to find something you can and if you see something but don’t know what it does all you have to do is click it and see. What about the A-10A? In the modules without clickable cockpits you can still see the switches move? So why couldn’t the developers also make the cockpit switches clickable? It seems like a very easy thing to code if the buttons already can be clicked using convoluted keyboard commands and to me intuitive, clickable cockpits is the entire charm of DCS. So why didn’t they? Maybe I’m missing something. How does flying the A-10A work? Do you actually have to remember the keyboard combination for each and every of the hundred switches in the cockpit? How does that not take most of the charm out of the simulation? Or is the A-10A uncomplicated? Currently the only modules I’m interested in are the modern ones with clickable cockpits which are criteria only four modules currently meet which of three are choppers. Are the SU-25T and SU-25 modules different from each other in any technical aspect? Model quality, textures…?

I'm fairly sure the issue was CDU alignment. I believe I tried switching to EGI navigation before alignment was complete but it wouldn't let me and I couldn't understand why so I restarted alignment and then probably moved before INS was done aligning. What’s the easiest way to switch between enemies with the TGP? Yesterday I came to think of using mark points, switching to mark mode and simply toggling between them while using the china hat to stay slewed towards them. Is that the ideal way?

This, basically?

Yeah, I'll be waiting. In Sweden the new price in stores dropped to just under £350 last summer. If that happens again, meaning full warranty and easy returns, I'll strongly consider it. Otherwise I’m waiting for at least under $300. Especially if it's used and without warranty etcetera. A gun run? What sort of gun run? :lol: Any sort of gun run? Hitting targets on the ground with the cannon? Doesn't take nearly as much insane clicking as a level turn without autopilot. I've never liked the look of the X52. Somewhat too "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Their Warthog-style stick doesn't compare to the Thrustmaster, IMO.