AcroGimp

Revised Community A-4E-C Pilot's Pocket Checklist - added a few Emergency Procedures, added initial Afloat\CV Procedures, Day and NITE versions, ready to place in Saved Games. Thanks again to the Community A-4E-C Team, this mod is simply amazing, can't wait for updates. Once we get this fully fleshed out and validated we'll move on to the Tactical Pocket Guide for weapons delivery info. DISCO | CO, vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, vCSG-1

Night CVN Ops, because Scooter DISCO | CO, vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, vCSG-1

Question for Merker and the Dev Team, is hot re-arm a coding limitation or trying to be realistic? I ask because for Naval Operations we can land on the Boat, set brakes, open the canopy and get a hot refuel but chief says 'cannot comply' for re-arm. If we are unable to start on the boat (huffer appears then disappears presumably because it geographically static, not tied to boat or Scooter) then it would be nice to be able to re-arm without having to shutdown. I am excited that these are the kinds of questions/requests I feel are needed, just trying to fit in better with our Harrier and Hornet and soon to be Tomcat brethren around the Boat. Thanks DISCO | CO VMA-131 Diamondback, CSG-1

Quick Admin flight shaking out my initial version of the DRAFT Pilot's Pocket Checklist for the excellent Community A-4E-C Mod by Hoggit Dev. DISCO | CO, vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Attached are two versions of the initial DRAFT Pilot's Pocket Checklist I am developing for the Community A-4E-C Mod by Hoggit Dev. This is based on the structure of a normal NATOPS style Pilot's Pocket Checklist, it currently includes only steps specific to the A-4E-C as currently implemented in DCS. It is very light on Emergency Procedures so far since the Sim has limited emergency potential but we have already experienced loss of hook function due to damage and failure of gear to retract so hopefully more to be developed here. I recorded a video where I flew a normal admin flight and with the exception of a couple minor improvements this should be enough to standardize with - please play around with it and let me know if you have any suggestions or changes. Weapons info will be in a separate Tactical Pocket Guide once we get out to the Test Range in Nevada and develop some weapons delivery tables. Install this in your existing Kneeboard Folder structure - if you don't have KneeboardBuilder just make a folder C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Kneeboard\A-4E-C and unzip contents of the files there. Enjoy! DISCO | CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1 A-4E-C_Pilots_Pocket_Checklist_V1.0-DAY.zip NITE-A-4E-C-PCL_V1.0.zip

Thanks for the update Merker and team. Any chance on dampening the pitch buck and smoothing out the Scooter's ability to hold a trim speed, seems very finicky - if this is an SFM limitation I would understand. Scooter seem's very difficult, for me, to set and hold a trim speed, especially if trying to fly the AOA indexer around the boat - could just be my scan or my control/throttle inputs are too slow but she is a handful trying to flying smoothly in the slow speed regime. First flight at night last night and awesome job on the lighting, truly gorgeous and extremely adjustable, great work. I am leaving my Hornet squadron to CO a stand-up Scooter Squadron in the CSG-1 org, that is how great a job you guys have done - I am sure Heinemann would approve of your tribute to the Hotrod. DISCO - CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

And now, beautiful custom HiVis CAG skin from PorcoRosso for the fantastic Hoggit Dev Community A-4E-C as embarked in CSG-1 aboard CVN 74 USS John C. Stennis DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Don't forget to set the appropriate Magnetic Variation in the INS: Caucuses - 6 deg E NTTR - 12 deg E Normandy - 8 deg E PG - 1.6 deg E See pgs 96-98 of the DCS A-4E-C Guide. DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

On the far left side of the instrument panel under the glareshield you will see the countermeasures control panel, it has a power switch, two counters and knobs, one for each of two banks of countermeasures. In the reload window you can load up 30 Chaff and 30 Flares or any mix thereof, and you can set it to discharge from either bank or both - works really well actually. See page 81 of the DCS A-4E Guide. DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Thanks to the Hoggit Dev team for the amazing Scooter and PorcoRosso for our excellent late 80's/early 90's VMA-131 low-vis skins. DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

You can fix the mouse hotspot alignment issue in VR by selecting the Scooter, then another jet, then back to the Scooter - verified in multiplayer. DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Some musings on the little Scooter - being a Scooter Driver is a calling, like the priesthood, or the mob. Lots of work, grueling hours in the cockpit, doing by hand or in your head all the navigation, math and thinking that HAL in the cute Gen 4 jets does in seconds. The Scooter, like her soon to be released big sister the Tomcat represents a generational shift in many ways. The things the kids flying these electric jets take for granted like knowing where they are, how long they can fly before running out of gas, where the bad guys or their friends are, how many weapons remain onboard, where the boat is and such - the Scooter does not help with this is in any way - that is all up to you, the steely-eyed missile man in the cramped front office. YOU are the flight computer, YOU are the Nav system, YOU are the Flight Planning Advisory System, YOU are the Link 16/SA page. Do you have what it take to master this most basic of jets? She is known by many names - Scooter, Bantam Bomber, Kiddiecar but make no mistake she is a demanding mistress Heinemann's Hot Rod awaits, if only you have the testicular fortitude, the will and the stunning good looks. DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Cribob, thanks for the update to add the Scooter - much appreciated. Curious if you have seen where the radio effects and clipping don't work - previous versions worked fine for me, great immersion by sounding more realistic with clicks when I hit PTT, etc., but not in 1.5.5.5 - will check new stable but loved the effects when they worked, not sure if it is on my install or a change in SRS. Thanks for any info you can provide. 'Gimp | DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Well, in a previous life I was a technical writer and I have written NATOPS spec Flight Manuals, Pilot's Pocket Checklists, Functional Check Flight Manuals, Advanced Handling Characteristics training Pamphlets and such. SO, I have undertaken to develop a NATOPS style Pilot's Pocket Checklist for the Community Scooter - will be a WIP for a while but with a full NATOPS Flight Manual available it will be quick to draft the PCL then modify for DCS limitations. Intent is to be KneeBoard Builder friendly when done. I'll post up the WIP as it is developed but here is the cover.... we'll test it in the Diamondbacks to ensure it is accurate. 'Gimp | DISCO CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

ALL - cribob has updated SRS with support for the Scooter!! 'Gimp | DISCO, CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

It's real, the Scooter really was just that bad ass - could carry everything, and the kitchen sink. Even Nukes. 'Gimp | DISCO - CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

By the book, the Bantam Bomber is something else. 'Gimp | DISCO CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

This is real world, not sure how it compares to DCS yet. 'Gimp | DISCO CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

As a Mod this aircraft cannot engage with the Carrier system, just line up, hold brakes, set flaps full, trim is 7 or 8 I think, then run the engine up, release the brakes and it will accelerate like it is on the catapult but it won't raise the JBD or get a reply from the boat. Hook does work although it disengages quickly so be ready to get on the brakes once you've caught a wire and decelerated and keep throttle low when on the boat due to the built-in carrier takeoff code. 'Gimp | DISCO CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, CSG-1

Pylons 2 and 4 only. Use the Rockets/GM slection on the weapons knob. 'Gimp / Disco

Merker and Dev Team, Again, I cannot say how impressed I am with the level of functionality and detail present in this mod as released, you have brought the Scooter to life in a way that is far beyond my expectations and I suspect many others as well. Can you provide an outline of any additional planned features or identified workarounds for some of the limitations? I apologize if some questions are dumb, I have really only used the full fidelity modules and am not familiar with limits for FC3 type systems or mods - basically wondering if some of these are simply not possible, either for you as a recognized dev (meaning you share the work and can't use other code) or simply are not possible outside the professional modules. Also if there are potential workarounds (e.g., the SRS .txt file for preselect channels on the UHF radio) please let us know. Since TACAN nominally works for example, will there be an ability to set a course line for the HSI so we can track an inbound/outbound radial? Maybe A/A for yardstick? Do you foresee any kind of ILS or ICLS? Will we eventually be able to tank (so A/A TACAN and probe/refuel mechanics)? And of course for radios, is there a way to get the plane to interact with the DCS system for ATC, AWACS and the Carrier for lighting, etc.? Thanks so much for an excellent module, we're including the Scooter in our carrier strike group at CSG-1 and I want to see if there are planned improvements we can look forward to or if we may need to examine alternative approaches. 'Gimp / Disco | CO vVMA-131 Diamondbacks, vCSG-1

What are plans for SRS for the Scooter - possibly 2 radios? We've faked it with one FC3 UHF.txt file for now but would love a better implementation. 'Gimp

Thanks to the incredible efforts of the Community A-4E-C team, CSG-1 is making it official - we're standing up virtual Marine Attack Squadron 131 Diamondbacks to fly the Scooter! Custom period-correct skins from the awesome PorcoRosso are in-work - come live the adventure. Expect Persian Gulf Shore and Carrier Operations along with a tactical training event at NTTR in the coming year. Scooter Drivers - because even fighter pilots need heroes. From a previous post by one of the CSG-1 braintrust... "The group already contains ~60 active pilots split into two F/A-18C squadrons, one F-14B squadron (currently squatting in the F/A-18C), two AV-8B squadrons, and a fledgling UH-1H squadron. Pilots are "locked" to their squadron's air frame during dedicated flight nights, but are open to fly whatever they want in our causal pick up flights. We fly twice per week, Sundays and Tuesdays at 2000 eastern standard time, and we run two missions per month (2nd and 4th Sundays of the month), as well as a manually managed dynamic campaign once per year. Our tagline is "Serious fun". We enjoy attempting to replicate US Naval doctrine, but acknowledge there are a number of limitations of the DCS software, as well as limitations by not being staffed by full time professional naval aviators. There are no ranks or long training pipelines. We just ask that you bring a mature attitude, and a desire to learn something everyday. We're a fun casual group in between flight nights with a dedicated server running a "for fun" mission during the week. Each squadron is independently managed and allows for a variety of levels of "seriousness". If you're interested in the group, or in being a plank owner in an A-4E squadron, come by our discord and chat us up! https://discord.gg/SE9dvFd If you'd like to see how we operate in pit, below are a couple of YouTube playlists that show our playstyle on "game day". Operation Iron Gauntlet Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...-EsEL85nF7I6R9 Flight Night Streams: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...KhARRS410vkRKP" 'Gimp

Shameless plug for a Squadron mate at CSG-1 - BONZ used to fly Scooters as adversary back in the day, along with some other really cool stuff when he was in the Fleet but he has put together a nice tutorial on MK-82 LD bombing in the Scooter. 'Gimp

Just a caution - My DCS VR install has been wrecked now twice in 3 days and so far the Scooter is the leading suspect, only change previously stable installation of 2.5 OB. Reinstalling DCS from scratch again, just did this yesterday evening. Near as I can tell it has to do with putting the Scooter into certain mission types, I put together a CVN CQ mission with a hot start Scooter on the boat, an air start 20 miles out, and a cold start from the ramp at Al Dhafra. Previous mission had cold start Scooter at Creech with an air start option. I have removed both missions and done a complete search and destroy of all A-4E-C files outside my download folder. Have not had issues like this since the Oculus/Shader conflict many folks had back in May or June - DCS just hangs on the 2nd mission loading splash screen. I hope it is not the Scooter but it's the only actual change other than latest update that has been applied to system in over a month. Weird that it worked fine for 2 or 3 days and then just crapped out. Open to ideas but for now Scooter won't be reinstalled until I see I have a stable installation again with functioning VR. I hope I can put it back in as I was really enjoying the Scooter, really great mod. UPDATE it appears my issue may have been a result of a change in Rift behavior on my installation - looks like it is back to OK, I just need to ensure the Rift is on my head before it gets to the second launch screen - I used to be able to watch the entire load process on the mirror but now it is acting different. 'Gimp