FightsOn

145kts would be more accurate at max trap weight. The Super Hornet is 136kts at max trap, the Hornet was always a little faster in the pattern. I’d have to break out the book to get the exact number though.

Now the F-16 is pretty far along in development. Any way to get this animation looked at?

It’s not since engine start. It’s Zulu time in minutes seconds. It’s called TISM.

It’s the BIT - MI (Memory Inspect) sub level. If you pull up the BIT page, MI is at one of the top push buttons. Select that, enter the address and trim until the value is 3250. Then the jet is trimmed for 8.1 AOA. Not specific to the Blue Angels jets. Was the standard way to trim in the landing pattern before the 21X(?) OFP software update that displayed trim in the HUD.

High wind over deck (40kts +) is the answer. It’s dictated by the LSO’s, as the arresting gear needs to set appropriately for the configuration of the aircraft (half vs full). It’s not a very typical thing, I’ve done 3 half flaps traps out of my 300 or so logged.

During transition the ailerons schedule at half the speed of the flaps. During extension this means the ailerons lag behind the flaps (less extended). During retraction they remain more extended than the flaps. I can’t find this in the NATOPS but I remember that being the schedule. Rhino is similar.

I’m one of the RL Hornet pilots who reported this (and other bugs). I’d be happy to sit down and explain it to the Dev’s if they’d listen. There are multiple issues with the hydraulic / FCS system as modeled, but a couple small fixes could make it realistic enough for sim purposes without overhauling the whole system.

Awesome stuff! That is good research. I think the major problem is not with power, but with AOA capability, and the insane amount of drag on the real jet when it's at such high AOA. Currently the Hornet in DCS has the correct power, but limited AOA/drag, so it seems like a rocket ship during maneuvering flight. If the devs can give us a better model of High AOA capabilities, and the associated drag rise, I think the jet would feel less 'overpowered' to us who've flown it. Also...in DCS during BFM the jet is normally not saddled with all the crap we had to carry IRL. All the pylons, multiple external tanks, FLIR etc..

Yes. But you should be able to get significantly more than 27-30 AOA with a pull from 300kts.

The majority of my time was in Lot 12, small motor aircraft. I do have a little time in the big motor C (I believe it was a Lot 20?) as well as the E/F. My impression of being overpowered could be wrong based on the small engines vs EPE, but I know for certain the high AOA performance is wrong...

I flew the real one for 8 years. It was over-performing, yes. But the areas they tweaked weren’t the areas it was incorrect. Prior, it could accelerate too fast, but the AOA felt correct. The feeling now is that it is less capable in AOA, but is still way overpowered.

It definitely felt to me like the flight model changed. Less AOA available during BFM, and way too little drag / bleed rate. Feels more like a Viper now than a Hornet... Whatever changed, isn't good. Flight model seems like a step backwards...just my humble opinion.

If you have the ground crew rearm and refuel the jet it stows the scoop.

In the real jet the switch won’t move left. So the TM stick is accurate.

I’ve said this before, but ED nailed the interior sounds. Exterior is pretty accurate, but could use a few enhancements to achieve perfection. That said, if you don’t like the interior soundset, you wouldn’t like being in the real jet either...it’s that accurate. And no, we cannot hear the engines or afterburners from the cockpit over that whining ECS noise.

When dropping GP ordnance via a roll-in delivery (135 over bank to the target) the ASL is on the wrong side of the velocity vector when the airplane is inverted. The real jet is smart enough to put the ASL on the correct side of the HUD irrespective of aircraft attitude. This makes it very difficult to dive bomb in the sim. Any plans to correct this?

There isn’t any noticeable “ground effect” landing aboard the ship. Granted, all my CVN traps were in the E/F, but the C with its higher approach speeds and smaller wing would be even less effected than the Super. Ashore I never noticed any ground effect in the A-G airplanes.

I have flown the F/A-18C and can say the sounds in DCS are spot on. The noise in the cockpit is almost 100% ECS. You can barely hear the engines once you close the canopy. The flaps are silent; you can’t hear them at all. The landing gear is just a bunch of thuds when the lock and unlock, plus increased wind noise. Overall, I’d say the Hornet sounds are one of the most accurate parts of DCS.

NWS SHOULD NOT be active during a cold start. The FCS IBIT also shouldn’t run with the NWS engaged. The first time NWS should be on is before taxiing out of the chocks.

Also, something easy to add. Critical like some of the weapons? No. Much easier to add? Yes. So the cost to do it accurately is very low.

I used to have a document that spelled out why the change was made to the YF-16 but I can’t seem to find it now. Had to do with wear on the components from slamming into the wheel well. Perhaps they changed the hardware as well. I don’t have access to those pubs since I’m not an F-16 maintainer. But I think we can all agree that if ED gives something close it would be good enough. I also doubt that would be in the pub because the end user doesn’t need to know that info. Pubs only address information applicable to the pilot or maintainer. With this, “close enough” would be fine...and there are plenty of examples of the Block 50 exhibiting the same behavior. So, ignoring the manual digging one-up-manship...any chance of getting something like this simulated?

The main landing gear on the real F-16 retracts two different speeds. The legs retract the first 80% or so of their travel rapidly, then stop, and complete the remaining 20% of their travel at a slower rate of speed. The purpose is to speed the retraction up since the 300kt gear speed comes quickly, but also not to wear the uplock hardware prematurely. Any plans to correctly animate this feature on the DCS Viper?

I beg to differ having flown the F/A-18 with asymmetric loadouts...

The only sideslip indicator is down on the standby. You only really use it if you’re trimming out an asymmetric loadout, or before dive bombing with GP ordnance. During an engine failure, assuming you’re above VMC AOA, the Hornet is very controllable and doesn’t require too much rudder in mil thrust. A/B requires more, but it can easily be coordinated via seat of the pants feel, with a quick cross check down to the Standby ADI.

Is the CAS page planned to be implemented? Or was it added after the software load being modeled?