jaylw314

"Correct" is a relative term . Maybe it's best left "as intended." FWIW, range-only TACAN would be tough to use for rendezvous when you have dumb AI tankers. AFAIK, IRL the tanker would help you out in a variety of ways (hitting waypoints on time, communications, etc.), all of which the AI tankers are incapable of doing. Bearing is actually trickier because you need some kind of directional antenna to broadcast bearing info. Range is pretty easy and just requires to radios "handshake" a signal--one airplane signals the other, the other signals back, and the first airplane times how long it takes to determine slant range. That takes a minimum of equipment and a tiny antenna.

Hmm, now I have a sneaking suspicion it was from updating my joystick firmware, but I don't know how that could be but it still looks ok. All the curves and responses on the axis tuners still look ok, it's very strange. Thanks for the info guys! Update: Yes, it was indeed the joystick firmware update. Recalibration fixed it, even though it looked fine on all the visual scales <shrug>

Yes, I can't recall where, but ED stated that was their intention. The why is controversial and unclear

For reference, both the ILS and TCN knobs on the audio panel default in the down/off position. All the others start out up/on. Doesn't explain why you weren't getting range/bearing. If you were receiving the TCN signal, you'd be getting range/bearing regardless of whether the audio knob is on or off, so there was probably some other step that was missed... Also, FWIW, in DCS, tankers use T/R mode, not AA T/R.

A couple updates ago, I recall the F-16 FLCS got changed, and there were some issues with gains where people complained of the controls being too sensitive, then there was a fix this last update. Somewhere around that time, I think I started noticing that the A-10CII controls became more sensitive as well. Normally, it takes 1/2 to 3/4 back stick to rotate the nose, but recently, I've been almost having tail strikes from the nose snapping up with that kind of input. Likewise, at cruise speed, the controls sometimes feel much more sensitive than I recall in both pitch and roll, and I feel like I've been yanking the plane around lately. I'm wondering if this is somehow connected to the F-16 flight control changes. The problem is, I didn't record or test anything beforehand, so I have no idea if this is all in my head. Has anyone else noticed this?

That's what I thought but I wasn't 100% sure!

Does inputting zero for EL on the waypoint page reset it to ground elevation on the WAYPT page? Or does it bury the waypoint underground?

Just for reference, that should be TMS right long. That will make your most recent mark point SPI.

There's a keeper. The girlfriend, that is

If you don't have the buttononlogy on your current controls, the China Hat switch Forward is important to map. If you don't have a 2-way switch, just put Forward on a button, it's that important. China Hat switch Aft is less crucial and can be left on the keyboard or somewhere less accessible.

Make sure you have winds set up in the proper direction for the ILS runways. In DCS, the ILS turns off if the winds are from the wrong direction, or too slow. The effects is maddeningly unreproducible, though, so it's not clear what the precise parameters are. Winds down the runway direction more than 5 knots would be a good starting point. FWIW, the true localizer indicator is the CDI on the HSI. The yellow bar on the ADI is the roll director, it's not the same thing.

Interesting, nice catch. You can actually go through the start sequence with the inverter and igniters off, then flip on the inverter and it appears to start perfectly fine.

LOL, that makes me think of those professional poker players. Whenever they check their hole cards, it's always just a show and never for real, because they make a point of knowing what their hole cards are.

That's probably a question worth asking Fairchild Republic, if they were still around FWIW, I think Coolie Hat Down Long does a quick glance at the DSMS page and should be handy, but I've found I usually keep the DSMS page open anyway

The HUD does say EMPTY in the weapon data block in the lower left when you're out of weapons for that profile, otherwise no.

Not that we've heard, I can't say I've seen a difference. It might just be that you're suddenly getting different information from FLIR and CCD now

The normal automatic start sequence starts fuel flow once the engine starts rotating, so I suspect the answer is no.

We heard you the first time

I think what @ASAP was trying to depict was climbing LATER than lead. At the end, wingman has to climb more steep to spend less time at slower speed. Think using a low yo-yo to catch up, and a high yo-yo to prevent an overshoot. Aside from geometry, the engines make more power at lower altitudes, so if you stay lower, you also get an additional small speed advantage.

Sort of. The spinning fans are like an air compressor. If you let its output bleed off, you lose energy, and that energy comes from the RPM's. With one engine running, you might be able to spin the other engine using bleed air from the good engine and the air turbine starter. However, by definition, if you're attempting a windmill restart, that has already failed to work. So now you're stuck with trying to use airspeed to spin up the dead motor. You've already determined you can't start the engine using the air turbine starter powered by bleed air (either from the APU or other engine). Now you just want to get the dead engine spun up as fast as you can. It's not that you want to save bleed air to start the engine. You don't want it being used at all. Since there's only one bleed air switch for both engines, you turn it off, and you make sure the dead engine is not in IDLE (which will override the switch and open the bleed air valve to that engine). That's at least my best understanding from the info out there

Ooooooooh. Thanks!

You turn bleed air off because it feeds off the engine compressor, causing drag. That can actually slow down the engine acceleration during a windmill start. Also why you put the throttle at max and use IGN, because the automatic start sequence when you put the throttle to idle includes opening up the bleed air valve (to the air turbine starter). Bleed air off = faster engine acceleration You turn crossfeed on so that both fuel pumps (each powered by one engine) can feed fuel to both. Nice if the other engine is still running. If both are out, and you're having to do a manual reversion dive to windmill the engines, it will allow either engine the best chance of lighting ASAP, in case one isn't working (you're also having a very bad day). Otherwise the left engine would have the advantage since it has the DC fuel pump for backup (why you start the left engine first on the ground).

You shouldn't be doing that, it's bad for your skull

Sure, if lead's making a turn or climbing

Wait, it does?? I've tried looking from the F2 external view, but it doesn't affect the pilot's head there, and people in MP have said they can't see my head movements. I must have missed something, then...