Zilch

Your Saitek software sounds very similar to my CH stuff. It is insanely powerful once you get used to it. Personally, I haven't used it much for the A-10C, since my real world HOTAS buttons closely resemble the real setup in the plane and unless I need an OSB, I rarely take a hand off the controllers. However, keep that macro system in mind for other aircraft! You could, for example, write a one-button macro for a startup sequence, weapon configuration, or perhaps a weapon engagement sequence if you're really fancy. I'm thinking of these to shortcut some configurations for some of the older craft (P-51, F-86, FW-190, etc.) At first I resisted this idea. I was thinking that this would be unrealistic, since those planes didn't have a HOTAS. However, I think it's even less realistic to have to use my POV hat to look down into my on-screen cockpit, zoom in or out to see what I'm trying to hit, and then use a mouse cursor to (hopefully) hit the right switch. This is especially confounding in a plane where the switch is obscured behind something and you don't have TrackIR. For example, the rocket select knob in the P-51D is obfuscated behind the flight stick. In the real plane, no problem, but to hit it with the mouse, I need to roll my plane to the right and take my eyes off target...This kills your SA and it may well kill you in the process. Nuts to that. Sitting in a real cockpit, a person would just reach out and hit a knob, probably without looking since you've spent so much time training it the craft, like we do with our car stereos and headlight switches. Since it's a simulator, you can use these setups to "simulate" the effect of being in a real cockpit with switches you can hit without thinking about it too much. If you think it's cheating, you can even program in a delay between when you hit your HOTAS button and when the effect takes place in the sim to simulate hand travel time.

And then, you're very nearly flying old school, like the A-10A. This is why I'm thankful for my prior LOMAC/FC2 time. It prepares you for when your TGP, MFD and PAC all get shot out and you have to get a bit more hands-on with the bad guys, and how to operate low level, using eyeballs to acquire targets. That said, the TGP and especially the PAC are awesome and I use them constantly. More tools for the toolbox. They directly lead to me getting more GAU-8 kills and fewer times getting shredded by those pesky damn BMP's. "Hey, wait, I no longer need to get within their guns range to detect and ID the target? My Pk on gun runs is higher, so there's one less bad guy to shoot my engines full of lead as I egress?" Awesomesauce! Survivability goes way up. I am certainly more effective with the -10C than I ever was in LOMAC/FC2 with the -10A, but it's nice to be able to adapt when things aren't going your way after you dive to the deck away from those MiG-29's.

Logical. It's quite possible that it was developed for the PVO and the GDR picked them up, as well.

It was donated to the museum by the German Luftwaffe. It is formerly of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany.) I'm not sure if the original variant was intended for the PVO or not. Honestly, I was hoping someone else here could fill us in on this particular model, as I am no expert on the MiG-21. I understand instrument flight, but having your front vision about 60 or 70% obstructed seems pretty insane. :) This cockpit felt...eh, "cozy."

Yeah, that's an accurate description. I'll have everything going right, and then plug in my headset for that one MP match, and bam, there go my DCS settings. Once I unplug it, it goes back to my previous settings. So I guess this is a Windows/DCS issue, and not a CH one?

I'm betting on F6F Hellcat, P-38 (awesome!) and F-14.

Hey, folks. This is more directed at other CH Control Manager users. I have a Fighterstick, Pro Throttle and Pedals. I love them to death, and have a nice profile set up for DCS and Star Citizen (my other crack) all set up. The problem is, any time I plug in a few USB device, it seems to invalidate the CH profile and DCS goes back to whatever the default key/button settings were. This is a real pain, considering I don't want my headset/mic plugged in all the time. I'd like to be able to plug and unplug this thing for MP matches without having to rebind all the keys each time I run DCS. Is there a solution for this?

Here are my pictures. Unfortunately, the cockpit was roped off so I couldn't get in there. However, I have some pics from a previous trip so you can get the idea. What a lovely plane! http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2313846#post2313846

This P-51D is the only one known to have survived Korea. It's currently in natural metal, I think they're working on it. Below it you can see a couple of pans to collect coolant and oil. This horse is alive. I got all misty walking up to the cockpit, I ain't gonna lie. I think the P-51D is the most perfect looking machine ever. I hope my pictures to some justice to it. The P-51D: http://imgur.com/a/z2Dlh?gallery The TF-51: http://imgur.com/a/kzw5x?gallery

This museum is especially notable because almost everything (including these) are actually flyable, or close to it with some maintenance. That may have something to do with the state of the cockpits...the museum very much has a "Keep 'em Flying" mentality, which I appreciate.

I have the good fortune to live near War Eagles Air Museum, which contains two MiG-15 variants. Both are from Poland, and you can see both single- and two-seat flavors. The cockpit to the single-seat one is roped off, but the "Midget" is quite accessible. You can see the sticky-tape English labels. If you're interested, I also have a MiG-21 album posted there and some more on the way (P-51, TF-51, F-86 and P-40.) MiG-15's: http://imgur.com/a/pC8mG?gallery MiG-21: http://imgur.com/a/OfrhQ

I'm already on it! Let me get the album together and I'll post it over on the Belsimtek area. Some P-51, P-40 and F-86 on the way, too. Edit: http://imgur.com/a/pC8mG?gallery Shortcut to the MiG-15! The museum actually has two, a single seat and a two seat trainer. The cockpit shots are all of the two-seat MiG. The single-seat was roped off, but you get the idea.

Bad angle, I guess. I think they may have had problems with the mannequin, also. He always looks like he's drunk or something...I'll assume on Spaten Optimator, because that stuff is awesome. :thumbup: The worst one is actually by the P-51...I'll link to all the rest later today, after my flight in a Ford Trimotor (which I'm really excited about.) Later, folks!

Glad you guys like them! I'll post the others in their respective sections once they're organized.

The War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, NM has a lovely, restored MiG-21. The ex-GDR bird has no internal gun and the cockpit is dominated by a radar scope and a sight of some kind. I'm not sure why there's an iron gunsight, with the lack of gun and all, but you'll be interested to see lots of familiar features and some different ones in this MiG-21 variant. If you think forward visibility in the DCS MiG-21 is bad (due to canopy framework, etc.,) just wait till you see this one... Here's the imgur link to the MiG-21 album: http://imgur.com/a/OfrhQ?gallery If you like those, I have more of a P-51D, a pair of MiG-15's, a P-40, and a few of the F-86. Unfortunately, my phone died at the F-86, so I'll have to go get more pics. What a hard life, eh? Enjoy the photos. You can really see what a good job LNS did with our version of this bird. EDIT: Linked the whole album this time.

Not sure about helos, as I've never taken the controls in one. However, in a fixed wing plane (excepting fly-by-wire, of course,) it's something like a firm resistance when you deflect the control surfaces, and the tendency is to recenter, because the airflow is pushing the surfaces back into streamline. In a simpler plane, it's all just mechanical linkage, so it's a simple push back, roughly equal to the effort you put into the initial deflection assuming you haven't changed airspeed or anything. Closest thing I can think of is like letting go of your steering wheel when it's turned...it kinda wants to recenter. You can feel it in the wheel when you turn, especially if you don't have power steering. Still, that's not quite it, but you get the idea. Trim tabs are designed to take advantage of this effect. You deflect the trim tab in the way you don't want to go, and the air stream pushes the larger control surface back in the opposite direction (the way you do want to go,) giving a net counter-force which relieves pressure on your yoke or stick. You do this every time you change attitude and power settings, unless you want to deal with fatigue trying to keep your attitude where you want it. Not sure about how it feels in hydraulically boosted controls, as I'm not quite that fancy, but I can't imagine it's much different. Maybe softer? As I read, in the prototype YF-16, with its fly by wire system, the stick didn't move at all (it didn't need to,) but only responded to pressure. Pilots ended up not liking it, so they put a few degrees of throw into the stick in later builds. The fly by wire system doesn't need actual motion from the pilot at all, it's just a comfort thing. So, if it re-centers (not sure if it does or not,) it's probably due to a spring or something similar.

And a pretty high mission capable rate, I remember reading somewhere.

But, wait, maybe it's actually an F-111 wearing a Tomcat suit!

I was just reading about the TARPS pod. It seems like it would be a very cool thing play with in a potential F-14 sim. I'm also betting on the -D model. It seems like DCS has a tendency to favor a later model of each simulated aircraft.

And, as has been pointed out elsewhere, a lot of flight time can be counter-productive if you're just using it to reinforce other bad habits and tactics. A line or two of valuable dope on the forums can be great to make you realize you've been doing something wrong, so next time, you won't make that mistake. It's been especially helpful for me regarding BVR tactics in the F-15C, and ATG with the P-51. So, I don't think compulsively reading the forum is a bad habit. There's a lot of great knowledge here.

You're using the yoke instead of a stick? Brave man.

Sometimes it's all you can do, between work and other obligations. At least you can read forums and news at work, depending. It would be hard to explain my CH HOTAS hooked up to work computers, however.

HA! You know, if you live near the Washington, DC area, a trip to the Museum of the Marine Corps may be worth your while. They have one of these rocket powered, human-guided bombs hanging from the ceiling. I was amazed that anyone had one these days.

I hear you on the F-5. It seems popular internationally, and looks like a demon hotrod. I've always loved it. And, perfect NATO/UN counterpart to the MiG-21.

Impressive to see, if you get the chance. Another group operates an F-4 in a similar way...I'd hate to see their operating costs.