Ed Macy

Hi. I’ve done a review on the Black Shark and it will be published in Aerospace International Professional. They will launch a PDF onto the net for those that don’t subscribe. It explains how an Apache should take on the Ka-50 too and what type of fight to draw it into! I have designed 'Advanced Weapon Lessons' and 'Afghanistan' programs for the Boeing Apache Simulator before running the crews through the sorties. You should have seen the sore thumbs on the crews after two hours of ‘weapons hell’! With that in mind the ED DCS Ka-50 was great. The graphics and user interaction were awesome. I really liked the way the cockpit replicates the real thing, even down to the scuffed floor under the pedals. I have spoken to the Russian contingent on this forum in my pigeon-Russian. It’s quite difficult but some of it is translatable! A friend of mine tested the Apache at altitudes that I thought helicopters designed for sea level could never attain - seriously high. The oxygen mask fitted fine with the monocle, it worked a treat as did the British Apache with its Rolls Royce engines. I don’t get much time for reading through forums at the moment but will reply from time to time whenever I can. Best Ed PS HarperCollins released the paperback version of Apache today. The paperback version is interactive and a website accompanies it. We have MoD declassified video on the sight and its well worth a look (last video). It’s at http://www.harperplus.com/apache Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

Hi guys Attack pilots generally never speak on forums because they can be a breeding ground for trouble. The threat to us is high and there are too many idiots trying to destroy the security measures we put in place to protect our identities: British Attack pilots that is. This forum seems pretty good so I’ll attempt to integrate and participate whenever I can. Sadly I don’t have time to reply to individual personal messages because I’m still writing my second book ‘Hellfire’ and have a lot of other work on too. It’s great to join you all and as long as my security isn’t breached and there aren’t any malicious posts, I’ll stay for a while. Happy gaming Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

You lot are really nice. I have spoken with the Fighter Collection of ED but I'm also a very busy chap and need to feed the kids. One step at a time eh. I've been approached directly on this site about tactics but sadly don't have the time to to reply to individuals at the moment. I am writing all of the tactics down in my new book 'Hellfire'. It even goes into Heli v Heli tactics. I'm charitable with all profits from my books sold on the site below going to the association. A fantastic bunch of old-timers. http://www.656squadron.org and look for the shop; or directly: http://www.656squadron.org/Shop/mini01Cart/Book%20review.htm Best Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

Bumfire. Glad you enjoyed it. Have a peep at the link below> My backseater never used a laser Nemises. My wingman ID’d a target and wanted to do a laser-spot-handover so we could use our Hellfire on it. I was too busy in the front so Carl in the back actioned a missile, brought it into constraints and launched on the wingman’s laser spot whilst I dealt with something else. Boom. Total time for the entire engagement - 30 seconds. The Apache copes with all eventualities and if the crew are up to it, they can work independently on different targets too. If you enjoyed my book 'Apache' for the technical detail, wait until you read 'Hellfire'. Apache is about Op Glacier, life in the Sqn and 2 very hairy missions. 'Hellfire' is 'Apache in detail' with brand new toe curling missions and an insight into training to become an Attack Pilot. The link below takes you to the 'only official' distributor of signed copies of my books. I make no money at all from the link below. Any profit goes to the association. I just sign them. http://www.656squadron.org and look for the shop or directly: http://www.656squadron.org/Shop/mini01Cart/Book%20review.htm Best Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

ARM505 and MrReynolds Kind words Thank you. Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

In reply to a couple of posts: Jg2001 Rasputin: Just as a statement: I´m reading Ed Macy´s "Apache" at the moment and I was very surprised that he´s always telling they were running in at an attack. He never mentioned something about hovering. GGTharos: Because hovering makes you an immobile target. Even if you're 'hiding' behind a treeline, an M-1 will see you and a SABOT will happily reach you. Running in makes you a moving target = less % of being hit when you are shot at, plus you enter and exit the threat area faster. Hovering makes sense when you are standing off, your target cannot hit you, and your target is clearly available for you to strike. Once your target starts using cover/terrain/cityscape, all bets are off. Edit: also, US Army still often uses hover from battle positions while USMC tends to use more run-and-gun. BP's are cased to begin with - ie. BPs will be at known spots good for defensive fires. Guys: It’s not that the British Apache can’t hover because we can, even with the Longbow Fire Control Radar on, in Afghanistan. And it’s not solely to prevent being shot either, because the Apache can take it. It takes considerably less power to fly a fully laden attack helicopter at a relatively slow speed than it does to hover. So we use less fuel, increasing our endurance, which means we can do our job for longer. And that is, supporting the troops on the ground doing their best to stay alive. I don’t really care if Terry-Taliban survives either, just as long as everyone on our side stays alive. My very best to you all Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

Very true Big Les. It's Invaluable... Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

Hey EagleEye I like your choice. I used to carry a copy of 'Low Level Hell' around in my jacket and hand it to the new kids in the squadron. I told them it was the bible for recce pilots and they’d be tested on it. They gave me a few scares out flying after reading it but it sharpened their mind on how to operate as a recce pilot and what the sacrifices were. Lessons; Ed Macy, Recce Pilot: Failure is not an option. The mission WILL fail without accurate and timely information on the enemy. Ed Macy, Attack Pilot: Don’t turn your back to the enemy without your wingman facing up. Billy Spencer, Attack Pilot: Never leave a man behind, better to die trying. 15th Jan 2007 Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

Hi Guys I’m not one for posting replies on websites as there are usually nutters out there who just like to goad the likes of me and attempt to bust the security issues we use to protect our identities: UK Attack Pilots. This site seems pretty grown-up so I’ll try to get with it. If I disappear you should be able to see the reason why in the replies. Nemises I only spoke of the radar being used once. It was switched on and tested before every mission and only switched off when safely on the ground. It was used 100% of the time. It gave us amazing situational awareness, was brilliant at detecting targets and invaluable at avoiding a mid-air collisions. Read Air Forces Monthly this June (2 weeks time) and you will see how effective it was. Read the detail in ‘Apache’ carefully and you can see that the cannon, rockets and even a laser guided Hellfire too were fired from the backseat of my Apache by Carl – without the use of TADS whatsoever! Thanks for reading Apache. Hews500d See the links at the bottom of this reply. Cowboy10uk I know the lads in the other book very well and they’re friends of mine. I can assure you that there is no competition between us – unless we’re in the bar and the pints are stacked up in a boat-race challenge! The differences are unfortunate but I can assure you that Apache is true and correct, even down to the callsigns. I’m glad you liked ‘Apache’ as my next book ‘Hellfire’ is due out end of August. Best Ed www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

over 4 hours Flight simulator - games - experience [see maximus above] TrackIR for sure. I only spent a day on Black Shark and managed without pedals but it would have been a different ball game without the TrackIR. Taking off without even holding the cyclic was possible within 5 minutes if you trim it out after rolling with the holds in properly. Firing on-axis weapons like rockets requires a lot of attention to balance as this is paramount before releasing them - unless you want to curve them! I had no problems without pedals. If you want to fight air-to-air and get into the furball you are going to need a TrackIR. Ed Macy – Absolute beginner www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

It's my pleasure to join you all. Ed

Whose do you want to be on? Thanks wags “Fighter pilots may make movies, Bomber pilots make history [bobero- 10/08/2008] but Attack Pilots make ‘trouble’ – whose side do you want to be on? :music_whistling: Can’t wait to see the AH-64 www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy

Hey I'm new to this business and was asked by Tim Robinson of the Royal Aeronautical Society to review Black Shark. He will be adding a PDF link to it at the beginning of June on his website. I can hear some gripes about the graphics but as a real Apache simulator instructor they are very good. Things are always improving in graphics but being able to display the outside world in such detail as well as inside the cockpit in 3D without freezing up is amazing. I was an Apache pilot in the British Army until a very short while ago and wrote a book all about this stuff called Apache. But if you want some tactics on how to fight and more importantly how to stay alive, my new book in August ‘Hellfire’ explains how to fight against the ground threat and the air threat. I was an Air Combat Tactics Instructor and a Weapons Instructor so I know what I’m talking about when it comes to Attack Aviation. Having flown the Ka-50 in the sim I now know what its strengths and weaknesses are. More useful to you; I know that the tactics I describe in 'Hellfire' work for the Black Shark too. Top tip: Master the ‘trim’ or the ‘holds’. Then your pretty much hands off and heads down for targeting before the merge. Top gunnery tip: Don't take the shot unless you're 100% sure. Happy gaming Ed Macy www.edmacy.com www.harperplus.com/apache www.twitter.com/edmacy