Abahji

LOL, that's hilarious! Illustrates perfectly what actual maintainers do in combat aviation. After our SpongBob Squarepants episode finishes up, let's do one showing how we fix sticky throttle levers with cake frosting from the mess. I think Jester should really be able to spread the cream, since he brings lunch. It would really elevate and promote HB's graphical decision here, in what otherwise is a brilliant thing. Nothing like doubling down on bad decisions, works just as well with Maintenance Chiefs as it does with LSO's. Enjoy your pronouns.

Kapton tape is wonderful and useful AF. Scotch tape, as exhaustively explained, not so much.

You (Dawger) didn't use Scotch tape. I have had to stop drill and safety wire bullet holes in plexiglass canopies, and a ball pean hammer to unstick relays, 2x4s to wedge radar plates, and 100MPH tape to cover sheet metal impact splits for one time ferry flights. There are literally thousands of sea stories around. The aluminum plate from scrap metal, or the 0.020 safety wire to cover buttons on the ACM panel is absolutely something I, or any other maintenance chief would have certified for flight. And yes, we have plenty of different types of tapes for specialized instance or temporary repair, but Scotch tape is a household item. Not authorized for use. Never has, never will. And agreed, the story that some aviator, while in-flight, reached into his flight bag, found a solution and used it, then relayed that story to someone over a drunken zoom call, is plausible. You have to do what you have to do while up there. A "Bic pen cap" for example. Or in my case a swift kick to get things going. But, it (scotch tape) would have been stripped out immediately upon landing. It is the very idea that we would launch an aircraft with that, as a temporary repair to an aircraft going into combat, that is ridiculous and frankly a little disrespectful I suppose. We were and are professionals, and actually know how to repair aircraft. That knowledge has been written in blood. Things are much easier these days, but it still is not done with silly scotch tape. Does anybody actually believe you could walk out and maintain an aircraft using scotch tape, crayons, construction paper and the like? Ridiculous. And then launch the aircraft repeatedly like that?

I seriously doubt you or anyone has used scotch tape. The scrap aluminum plate and 0.020 safety wire is fine. But I challenge you to find an approved procedure using scotch tape for anything. If that tape thing was done at all, it was probably done by an aviator inflight getting field expedient using <profanity> he found in his flight bag. It would have promptly been ripped out with prejudice upon landing. "Held together with scotch tape and bubble gum" is a saying, an anecdote, amongst technicians. And a joke amongst others who have never bent a wrench. Not something actually done in the field, I don't care what airframe you're working on, let alone a $40 million Grumman. There is no procedure in any manual, TM, NATOPS, or FAA approved manual where this is acceptable. Scotch tape is for paper, it would be like using it to repair your breakfast burrito or omelet. No inspector would sign off on such a repair, and the 18 year old getting "creative" would be "schooled" post-haste, probably violently, in using approved for flight methods. Scotch tape implies a complete lack of understanding and standards in a profession built on those exact things. Some of the most technically proficient technicians in the world came from maintaining Grumman aircraft in precise fashion, in high flight hour, real world mission environments under extreme pressure. In all weather, in all climates, with the ground moving beneath their feet. Just as some of the finest aviators in the world have deep roots with the "Ironworks." Walk into any civilian flight operation anywhere in the USA, and tell them you were an Ironworks technician or stick monkey, and they would instantly want to know more, and consider hiring you on the spot. Grumman aircraft were demanding and challenging, and your absolute "A" game was required everyday, with every operation. The learning curve was steep. That "temp repair" with scotch tape is really a slap in the face. Well maybe not to the Air Force... <grin> May seem a grouchy rant, but I earned my wings in the Ironworks and have held my A&P for almost four decades now, and seeing that when I boot into the acft, well it's just a little ridiculous.

The scotch tape is a little ridiculous. One those wive's tales or something. "Slightly stupid" comes to mind.

That's wild. Did you lost all flight controls? Or was the Hi-Low emergency stuff still there for you? Did you get to use the hand pump to lower the gear?

That's wild! And well done. That is one emergency I was worried about because no fire bottles implemented yet. How did you survive? I guess securing the engine with the power lever in OFF, just cut the fuel flow to engine and starved the fire?

Hello aviators, in the F-14B, what are the most common emergencies you guys have encountered? Worded another way, what are the most common F-14B damages you receive in battle that I need to prepare for? EPs to memorize?

Seems pretty obvious he is demonstrating centering. He is simply releasing the longitudinal input. This is basically one of the flight tests conducted IRL to evaluate the longitudinal stability of any airframe. The Strike Eagle module has what is called a “Positive Centering” characteristic in the longitudinal axis as it is currently programmed. Especially evident with full CFTs at high GW. If the nose returned to the exact same pitch attitude when the control stick is released that would be called “absolute centering.” Centering makes the nose want to bounce or snap back to its previous trimmed state (position). The positive centering effect of the nose bouncing back several degrees upon control release can also be dramatically affected by aircraft CG IRL. It has been pointed out by some really smart dudes in previous posts, that the nose in the Strike Eagle became very heavy compared to the Chuck. This moves the CG forward and increases the positive centering characteristics and also positively affects longitudinal stability (read, not as nimble). Additionally, the Strike Eagle’s CG moves quite a bit during normal flight, the CFTs and external tanks gradually empty, etc. etc.. Which is wonderfully evident I might add. Long winded and pedantic way of saying that the positive centering characteristic of the Strike Eagle at high GW might be exactly what Razbam is aiming to simulate? And thinking about it, can we do accelerated stalls in the Strike Eagle, or DCS for that matter? I’m not sure, but I am really starting to fall in love with her, warts and all. Such a cool module! Centering = The ability of the longitudinal cockpit control and the longitudinal control surface to return to and maintain the original trimmed position when released from any other position. Control System Oscillations — oscillations in the longitudinal control system (elevator and cockpit control stick) resulting from external or internal disturbances.

So update DCS 2.8.7.42583 didn't fix this. Running a 5950. MT is borked. Rolling back to older updates is not a good option for those in online squadrons. I saw here where some smart dude said he submitted a ticket. Not sure how to do it, but I'll look around. Seems like these threads exist in "BUGS AND PROBLEMS" to inform ED of such things, but I guess sometimes you just have to bear with the process.

Okay, in an attempt to fix this I have done a format and fresh install of windows 11. A fresh install of DCS, and Varjo Base. MT simply won't launch in VR for some of us Aero users. I have spent a good deal of time in the Varjo Discord with folks way smarter than me on VR and DFR etc. No joy for any of us, and the list is growing each day. I feel like we are going to need ED at this point to see what got borked.

DCS won't start in MT for me. Rmvd/reinst of Varjo base, no joy. Full repair, nada. Deleted saved game items and DCS regenerated and still nothing. Don't know what to do from here.

I'm not rated, so cannot fully explain the gyroscopic forces at play here. I can offer my observations though. The flight model from what I understand is a work in progress, and from what I've seen since release it has taken some pretty fantastic steps forward, and I doubt what you are seeing is a flight model bug? In fact, it seems like the condition went from almost instantaneous when the module dropped, to now taking some seconds to develop in the new flight model adjustments. Which I would guess is closer to RL. Again I am no expert, but if you have a lot of power pulled in (blade pitch), and have a lot of forward cyclic input for a fast forward acceleration or just flying faster, and then suddenly drop the collective, without centering the cyclic in conjunction with flattening the pitch, the bird will go zero G or even negative. With a whole bunch of forward cyclic and the sudden unloading of the system, I guess it is the gyroscopic forces taking over, and rolling her right over? You can readily duplicate this behavior, at will, by simply trying zero or negative G maneuvers with the collective bottomed. You can get some pretty wild roll rates going if you hold it fwd and allow the roll rate to gain momentum, giving yourself plenty of room for recovery (Pull in collective and center/correct for roll the cyclic). For some real fun, throw in some pedal deflection. It is probably something to practice so you can quickly identify it developing, and correct your inputs. Much the same way you learn to quickly identify VRS or "settling with power." Pretty soon it's second nature for you, and you may even start using it to your advantage, just like you do with many other maneuvers that leverage the natural forces. Gravity, right hand turns, etc. To solve, as you lower the collective, simply make a corresponding adjustment of the cyclic, this helps the system stay loaded and avoids the condition entirely.