dporter22

It's a sudden pitch, and not often, just sometimes. Almost seems like it's related to the autopilot, but the autopilot doesn't work. In the attached track you can see that the altitude hold sometimes works, sometimes doesn't, and none of the other modes work. You can also see that autotrim doesn't work, at least not how I understand it. I thought that it attempts to trim in pitch to 1g, but my airplane continually climbs or dives. autopilot.trk

No stuck keys, bindings correct, haven't changed anything, etc. Autopilot functions and autotrim simply don't work. Pitching is not from acceleration/deceleration as far as I can tell. The airplane simply pitches up and down for no reason when flying along straight and level. Will try to get a track.

The "E" is missing in "GAMBLERS" on the tail of the F-16 in the load screens.

My NWS indicator does not light up about half the time (brightness up, not at night).

Neither autotrim nor any of the autopilot modes work for me after the last update. Also, the airplane sometimes pitches up and/or down for no reason (not jetwash, gusts, etc.). Anyone else having these issues?

Thanks. I've noticed a few issues, not sure if they are bugs. For example, TMS right may or may not bug correlated L16 contacts. Seems like you have to slew the cursor over them even though neither the manual nor the training mission says so. Also, if you TMS forward a correlated contact and then TMS aft to go back, it won't let you TMS right to cycle through other contacts anymore and it won't let you TMS forward any of the other contacts. You have to TMS aft all the way back to RWS and start over.

Sorry guys, I've read the manual several times, read Chuck's guide several times, watched multiple videos, flown the training missions several times, etc. and I'm still not able to get any targets on the FCR when using Link 16. In the screenshot below there are four Link 16 targets well within radar range, but I'm unable to do anything because there are never any white boxes. Like I said earlier, I've tried RWS and TWS, TMS right, slew the cursor over and TMS forward, changed antenna elevation, changed azimuth and bars etc. but there are no targets. The Link 16 symbols just continue towards me even into visual range and still no white boxes. What am I doing wrong?

That's what I'm seeing also. Mostly unusable and definitely not how it looks IRL.

Dumb question: If moving the FCR cursor changes the radar search elevation at various distances, what's the purpose of the antenna elevation control?

I think mine is okay, but at this point I don't even know how it's supposed to look. The IR targets are discernible, but the overall view is not very clear.

Correct, but the problem is that there's no white dot to lock. That's my question. I've tried RWS and TWS with the azimuth and bars at at full and there are no dots. I shouldn't have to narrow the radar should I? Isn't the point of a long range scan to sweep a large area to pick up multiple targets. Works fine in the training missions.

Maybe I'm using the wrong terms but I'm simply asking how to lock the target. There's a red triangle, but no white dots, radar is set up correctly, how do I lock it if there's nothing to lock?

Correct, that's my question. How do I lock it if it's just a surveillance track? That's too bad you can't see your wingman. I wonder why the manual would have a whole section on how to do it, but then not say it's not implemented.

New to the F-16 and can't figure out how to lock Link 16 Targets. When I fly the training missions, all the targets show up nicely on the FCR and can easily be tracked/locked/bugged. But when flying in a server with Link 16 activated, the targets show up as red triangles just fine, but the triangles can't be locked and the white dot isn't there generally. It shows up sporadically, if at all, but then disappears by the time I get the cursor on it. Sometimes the white dot shows up long enough to get a lock, but most of the time it's just Link 16 triangles. I know scan rates, FCR modes, etc. have an affect on target visibility, but Link 16 seems to mostly eliminate the white dots. Obviously I'm doing something wrong and it's probably something simple, but could someone please explain? Also, I'm unable to figure out how to display my wingman when using Link 16. I've set up the Link 16 options with me as 00244 and him as 00245 (does it matter what these numbers are as long as they're in sequence? Could I just set 00101 and 00102?), set myself as lead, he sets himself as #2, but he doesn't show up and just remains a green circle. Does it have something to do with the callsign on the 2nd Link 16 DED page where mine will say something like PC31 and his will say CY45? I've tried to change mine to match his, but it only lets me change one of the letters with the increment/decrement button, and when I press Enter it just goes back to the original letter.

Sounds like the Ultimate is the one to get. Too bad it's never in stock.

It is definitely not working correctly. IR targets should be very visible, even from long range. You can see how it's supposed to look from various youtube videos of real A-10 action and even from older DCS videos.

Thanks. My last question though was whether the tops of the hats and mini sticks (not the module, the part that you actually manipulate with your thumb) are removable and swappable. Also, if you've happened to have used both, what's the difference between the Gladiator base and the Gunfighter base, and is the there a noticeable difference in performance for the extra cost?

Sorry, I didn't clarify. I'm interested in the Gladiator or Gunfighter MkIII Modern Combat Edition or the Gunfighter MkIII Modern Combat Edition Ultimate. I don't see an MCG Pro on the website. So the Gunfighter MkIII MCG does not come with any hat switches to replace the mini sticks, but the Gunfighter MkIII MCG Ultimate comes with two, correct? Therefore I would need the Gladiator Premium or the MCG Ultimate if I want all hat switches and no mini sticks, correct? And is it correct that the tops of the hats and mini sticks can be removed and swapped onto either, or are they permanently attached? Thanks

I'm looking at upgrading to a VKB stick (that's if they'll ever be in stock), but am confused about the differences and options with the hat switches. Sorry if this has been covered, but could someone please specifically explain what is included with each regarding hat switches, mini sticks, which can be changed or not, which can function as a hat switch if you press them, etc.? I will be using it for the A-10 and F-16, so I need solid hat switches and have no use for mini sticks. The Gladiator says it comes with a mini stick which can be pressed to make it a hat switch, or a physical hat switch can replace the mini stick by taking the entire stick apart. Is this correct? The Gunfighter appears to have two mini sticks and a hat switch. Does pressing the mini sticks change them to hat switches, and can either/both of them be replaced with hat switches. According to the description it appears not. The Gunfighter Ultimate appears to be the same as the Gunfighter with two mini sticks and a hat switch, but it says a replaceable ministick module and hat switch module are included. Does this mean only one of the mini sticks can be replaced with the one included hat switch module? And does pressing the mini sticks change them to hat switches like on the Gladiator?

I have not. I can just delete them?

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yes there are workarounds, but as I'm trying to learn all the new controls and systems I find there are a few important functions that could have been implemented better into the HOTAS controls which would improve pilot efficiency and effectiveness. It would also be nice if there were a HOTAS range control and North pointer on the HSD, and if the AA missiles were labeled correctly on the SMS (why are AIM-9L and AIM-9M both listed as AIM-9LM?). And why does the system still shift all my steerpoints when I slew the SPI? I understand that that's how it needed to work 40 years ago, but it's now 2021. And I just discovered there's no HOTAS markpoint control, or make last markpoint SPI, or TMS forward long to designate a SPI with the TGP (unless I'm not understanding correctly). Just some opinions.

Yep, that's the same thing I've been seeing. TGP is basically useless now. For a system that's so central and important for the A-10 it would be nice if ED would work on fixing it quickly.

Brand new to the F-16 and having difficulty transitioning from the A-10 because it seems there is much more heads down required in the F-16. Most everything can be done with the HOTAS controls in the A-10, but in the F-16 there is no HOTAS radar range control, no HOTAS steerpoint control, no HOTAS master mode control, etc.

After the last update the TGP FLIR is broken. Targets have very minimal IR contrast and appear essentially the same in CCD, BHOT, and WHOT. Adjusting brightness and contrast help only slightly. In the attached screenshots, there are two trucks in the center of the MFD. First is WHOT, second is BHOT, third is CCD. Targets in FLIR should be highly visible, not basically invisible. Also, when I adjust brightness and contrast to make WHOT better, it ruins BHOT and CCD, and vice versa.