Ryano4242

Of course if its also merged then I must politely ask the adversary not to shoot during my routine!

I will give that a try...trying to get callouts during the Tomcat Demonstration...

I searched and I didn't see this covered? Is it his calling out an enemy aircraft? Master Arm ON? Just wondering...was seeing if I could get him to all out airspeed in more benign situations... Thanks!

Are any of Snort's liveries in the downloads section? I am even having a tough time finding any shots of any of his rides except from the demonstration videos. Sure would be fun to do the banana pass in that plane! RIP Dale...

Thanks to all the videos and all that's been written I pulled off something I thought impossible in the Tomcat: The Double Dirty Immelmann on takeoff! :) In a clean configuration with about 50% fuel load I usually do it from the roll break into the pattern then touch and go. I've also done it from a standstill breaking the no afterburner rule. :P It really demonstrates listening to the airframe, an easy warbird-like touch on the controls (pulling a bit harder at the top of #1 and backing off when the shuddering increases, keeping ahead of the aircraft. The hardest part is the half roll at the end of #1, fighting with rudder to initiate and halt the roll; the fighter skidding and wanting to nose over. The engines really keep you from staying slow too long and as Victory said "If you are over 100 kts. you are still flying" just wiping the controls back and forth to try to stay wings level. It's impossible not to lose some altitude in the transition. #2 is easier, scanning airspeed and AOA again keeping everything level, remembering to keep from over speeding the gear. This is where Jester calling out airspeed would be so helpful. You have more speed from the F110's and a gentle pull gets its over the top. At the top of #2 things are easier and as you top over you clean the Tomcat with a crisper half roll. With all the touchy handling I never thought it could be done but this plane teaches you more about touch and being smooth than anything else!

I hope you can look back at the year and realize what earthshaking things you have created! You deserve a bit of rest and the best of holidays! Cheers!!!

Too late! It already is! :D

As mentioned before it was a few things: - Dale Gardner, USN F-14 RIO for VF-1, Top Gun grad and NASA Astronaut, and my cousin. He traveled to see us and give a very inspiring presentation the Santa Clara reservation. I got to ask him so many questions about the Tomcat, Top Gun and flying the MMU in orbit! I asked him if they had time for volleyball were issued motorcycles... He gave a very NASA PR response saying that the movie "took certain liberties" :D He said it was lesson brief, fly, debrief, fly again, debrief and collapse every day. 5-6 hours of pulling G's and all you wanted was to lie down! - Building/testing avionics at Honeywell. We built some small parts for the Cat but I mostly worked in production on the F-15 AHRS and B-52 DAFCS. (Autopilot) We did build a super complex relay array for the A-6...what a pain to test! My size and my coke bottle glasses kept me from my dream and service but I got to be a part in a small way. - "Splash the Zeros. I say again. Splash the Zeros!"

No I think we should skip the F-14D and go to the Super 21! Talk about everyone hiding in the mountains unwilling to engage! :D

There are some great sim packages out there, such as PMDG's amazing 777 and A2A's Beechcraft Bonanza which is as close to owning the Doctor Killer as you can get... But Heatblur has done it. Everything else regardless of platform will be judged against the sky high standard... :D

Warbirds were so helpful in learning the Tomcat! No wonder Snort Snodgrass is a natural in real life in a P-51 or F-86! Stick and rudder! What really helped me was Milviz's F-4! A plane literally hanging on it's engines to stay aloft. The shudders and strange behavior was there too when you pushed too hard or indelicately... My first impressions were I couldn't believe I was flying so slow down and dirty in the F-14 in landing config! If you yanked too hard you realized that you weren't too far removed from the Phantom however! :D

One of the coolest things in VR was to part the Cat with the nose over the edge of the Stennis... Just stand up and lean over...yikes! :O

FYI: Quick hop last night with a Rift S... IPD 67, Pixel Density 1.6. Looked good and was getting great frame rates.

I got the Viper and had just enough time to take it for some touch and go's... I has a factory fresh look...antiseptic... I will give HeatBlur the finest compliment; they have made flying other fighters laughably easy! You could feel the layers of software and hydraulics between you and the airplane! It's fun to fling around the sky don't get me wrong! But the Tomcat is...ALIVE. :D

New Mexico Air National Guard...The "Tacos" :D

I seriously doubt I could ever get bored with this module! :D I only fly on weekends (thanks life) and going from TrackHat to VR has been a complete re-learn especially the Case I Recovery! The 3D visual queues and having to REALLY turn your head to see made for erratic altitudes and had to work hard get smooth again! Training never stops! I trapped two consecutive 3 wires and the pride (and relief) was as much as 5 months ago. :) I've also got all the maneuvers in the F-14 Demonstration ok though I am too high and the transitions need work! It helped to much with ACM which I haven't really pursued much...did bag my first SU-27 mostly because I knew how much to push it! Formation is another challenge...refueling...air to ground...I mean there is so much to become proficient at... I flew the excellent PMDG 777 and after you learned the program the FMC and do some real flight profiles, engine out and other challenges that was pretty much done. Never tried a carrier landing... :P This work of art however...the never ending story!

I had mentioned this in another section: I was completely happy with TrackHat and having a big awesome flat monitor. Loved the 4K plus graphics...until... In San Diego I sat in a F-14D cockpit at the USS Midway museum. It was great! I knew where everything was, the layout familiar... But the POV was completely wrong! I had to look down to see things where on the flat screen everything was sort of squished into your field of view. The ACM panel in reality was really close to you! In yo face even! It was easy to see around the rails of the canopy and windshield; something head tracking didn't seem to address. I knew I had to see what VR looked like... Rift S later and though not as crisp, the POV was EXACT to the Tomcat on the Midway!!! It was jarring...not to mention actually craning your head to see the ship in the pattern...the 3D advantage in refueling...ACM... And your inner ear being fooled by your vision when pushing the aircraft around...whoa!!! Never going back...

TWO VF-1 shirts are here! In honor of my late, great cousin Dale Gardner... VF-1! First Baby! Really nice and I dare say...WORTH THE WAIT! Thank you!

If Graywolf ever get bored and has time... (right!) It would be amazing to have some demonstration call outs from Jester! I am sure Graywolf would know what I mean... I could really use speed call outs during the double Immelmann and especial the high speed passes: "Wings moving...wings moving..." ".97... .98... .98.... .99!!!....DUDE!!!!" :D

Thanks for the quick patch! Until official release by ED this song has changed: 'Til I make you take me On your<blackish> wings Make you take me On your <kinda darkish> wings across the sky Take me on your <that's not rightish> wings Take me on your <patchish> wings tonight! :D

Wait...if Jester is counting down that slowly...that isn't a Navy approach! :D

How does the VF-1 look? My cousin was a back seater when they deployed the first Tomcats...

Considering the great reviews I've seen from people who have received them I think it will be worth the wait! :) Too bad somehow they shipped them to the USA via Contiki Raft parcel service! :P

Heck I don't even mind the speakers on the Rift S! I know, right?!? We've got cats running around and my wife stalking me when I am flying. She took pictures of me while I was air to air refueling...such a strange look on my face locked onto something no one else is seeing! It's nice to have some of the real world leaking through...I can keep tabs on jumping pets and people trying to embarrass me! :D Really happy with it so far and I think it will only get better with updates and upgrades.

Noticed this as well...in VR (Rift S) Case 1 framerates were good, over land really slowed down! :(