Lace

I'm in. Movember plus Phantom, how can one reasonably refuse?

+1 Or even, import from Excel. Unit ID, orientation, LL, properties, etc.

Yes, I mean using the HMD as a pointer, click with the HOTAS. The mouse works fine, assuming it is within reach (personally I don't use it).

The problem with this is that it is impossible to 'hover' accurately enough using an HMD to trigger the tips. Works fine in 2D with a mouse, but not in VR, so a VR-only user might not realise they are already there. It would be nice if there was a higher tolerance for the cursor position for VR users.

No, the OP is probably too steep, or too slow, which is why they cant arrest the rate the nose sinks. By definition you can't be 'too heavy' to land a Viper. Like any technique, it just takes a bit of practice, that's all. There is no need to get all defensive.

I believe the reason is engineering (and therefore cost & complexity). The Russians are often fond of simple solutions. A Western AI requires additional internal complications to show the 'correct' indication, for example, if you pitch up 10deg, then in order for the AI to show a correct 10deg pitch up then the ball needs to pitch itself up (i.e invert the movement). The Russian one simply remains aligned with the horizon and shows a true 10deg pitch down - which with training is interpreted as a pitch up.

Just to circle back - I ended up with a used Dell Optiplex Mini, 7040 i5. I put 32GB RAM and a spare 500GB SSD I had in it.

LDA is always a factor with any flight planning (which begs the question - why are you trying to land on a runway which is too short?), but the fact is most people just aren't doing it right. I can put the viper down and have it stopped before the intersection at most ADs, and have never felt like I was going to run out of room. Fly the right landing technique and you will not have a problem, none of them have 'crappy brakes' if you land correctly (but if you are trying to compensate for a bad approach and landing with brakes, well you might have an issue). If you can't, well there is no shame in dumping the ordnance before landing and boards and burners is always an option - not as if you have to justify it to anyone and the virtual ammunition depots are always full.

Already reported here: Mods, feel free to delete this thread.

Same.

Anybody having issues? Mine gets to the splash screen (running as admin, clean install, dedicated Win10 PC) and then that's it. Just sits there with the splash screen, for several hours (until I close it). Any ideas?

^^^ Correct, there is no MLW for the Viper. If you can take off with it, you can land with it. OP - chances are you are too steep in your approach. It is possible to be on-speed/on-AoA, but above glideslope which will result in an excessive rate of descent. Don't slam it into the runway, and use a small amount of flare just before touchdown to arrest the landing. I usually get the slightest side-to-side rock as one wheel touches first (depending on crosswind component), but the nose won't drop if you are gentle enough.

In the meantime... Gunner HEAT PC Still very early in development and requires optimisation, but very promising.

In a word. Coherence. To expand, coherence and a time machine. I get that DCS has evolved as a sandbox, and that is great. A sand box offers almost unlimited re-playability, it allows users to be creative, and doesn't tie them to a particular era, or war, or set of SOPs. But it is also the problem. With a time machine, lets go back, pick a time period, and a theatre, and fill it with land sea and air units relevant to that conflict. Rather than the bit of this, and bit of that, and orphaned modules, and temporally irrelevant maps, build DCS: Desert Storm, DCS: Fulda Gap, DCS: Allied Force, and of course DCS: Vietnam. Not just maps, but complete warscapes, with units and assets and tweaked AI tactics to make them feel individual and complete in their own right. But that's not how it works, and DCS as it is, is still way better than 10 year-old me imagined sims could get after seeing MSFS 3.0, and for all of its faults it offers an experience unlike anything else on the market. So in reality what I really want is the DCE, and a bit better performance. That'll do.

An XBox controller is small enough to tuck away in your luggage without any fuss, and offers a number of axes and buttons which can be configured for DCS. You can pick up a cheap clone for next to nothing too. Give it a try, a lot better than keyboard IMHO. Edit - This is my Viper XBox map, I use VR and this covers 99% of functions required to operate the jet. The only time I touch the keyboard is for a view change which is rare.

Buy the one you like. That way, you'll be more inclined to spend the time to master it. An emotional attachment is more meaningful than some arbitrary better/worse criteria. However, if you love naval aviation, and want true multi-role, then go with the Hornet. There is no other option really.

There should be an option for all modules. Instant rearm/refuel for the impatient air-quakers, and realistic rearm/refuel timings (i.e. much longer rearming) for the dedicated mil-simmers.

The documented limitations are one thing (and mostly incredibly obvious). They don't however mention any altitude, speed or asymmetry limitations, even though these do seem to be a factor in-game. The failure to maintain pitch within the proscribed limits is the issue the OP has reported, not in incorrect flight regimes. At least, that is how I read it. I don't think anyone is trying to engage George while inverted, gear down, with a FLCS failure.

I only find it struggles a bit at high altitudes (above FL350) or above M1.0, or, with an out-of-trim loadout. It struggles to maintain a coordinated turn if you are heavily asymmetric. Once you manually trim the aircraft it works ok again. No idea if this is how the real aircraft behaves though.

It could be fixed by ED though, by having two types/skins of each bomb, and properly allocating them to the warehouses. That way, whenever you arm an aircraft, you receive the correct ordnance for that site.

Monstertech do offer the Viper TQS plate now on their website. Joystick / Throttle Mounting Plate – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH

^^^ I can only imagine the bug reports and general outcry from the MP community if comms jamming becomes a thing. "We want realism!!!", wait, not that much realism. It would be nice to have a loitering AI EC-130 just ruining everyone's day though...

'Fixed internally' means just that. It has been fixed on the ED internal testing version but it has not yet been pushed to a publicly available version. I'd imagine it will feature in the 2.9x Beta, and then follow later in 2.9x Release.

I fly VR so the cursor is in the centre of my vision, which combined with a LMB/RMB/Scroll HOTAS bind means just a look and click - no mouse required. However, I still spend a lot of time setting up the aircraft on the ground, countermeasures, MFD master mode config, TGP setup, RADAR modes, etc. (you have 8 minutes of INS alignment - might as well put them to good use), and then FENCE etc during the ingress legs. Make use of the ALT HOLD/STRG SEL autopilot modes if needed. You'll find with the Viper that once set up there are very few non-HOTAS controls you will need to manipulate, and the majority are on the left AUX or gear panel. It is possible using modifiers to multiply the number of HOTAS inputs you have, so in theory you could have all these additional controls mapped too and not need the mouse at all - the difficulty here now becomes remembering what is mapped where.

The style of recent wars has been low threat SAM/ADA and essentially zero threat A2A. Loitering looking for targets of opportunity is not something you would do in a contested environment. CAS and BAI would be a tough fight without air supremacy or superiority. The F-15E was developed as a replacement for the F-111, i.e. low and fast striking against pre-planned targets. This was the how it would have worked against a near-peer threat in the 80s, and it would probably perform a similar role in a near-peer war today. Once the 5th gen doorkickers have done their thing.