I feel like a fool (Ka-50 simmer, some advice about learning!)

So I watched part of the start up tutorial a few days ago to learn how to start up the Hog. Got about 2/3 of the way through convinced it'd be easier to learn than the shark...I mean..Starting an engine by just moving the throttle...EASY!

Anyway, 48 hours later and I have learned the truth and feel quite stupid! Could anybody please tell me which the best plce to start is? I am presuming navigation and the EGI system...What do you guys think? The tutorials are a great start but too fast/focused to be a particularly useful as an in depth learning tool.

If somebody could maybe hint at a few areas to focus on first that'd be amazing :)

Thanks

I know a lot of people are going to say Nav, but personally, I am motivated by delivering weapons, so the part in the manual on SPI/SOI is where I started.

the a10 is in all honesty pretty easy to start up, I'd start with that. Watch the ingame tutorial again, but this time, write it all down. Now, next time you have to ramp start, turn over the list and see how far you can get without looking at the list, if you forget something take a quick look at your checklist, then resume the process. All trial and error really ;)

If you can stomach it, you might try reading clear through the manual once before you dive in and try flying. That's what I did. It took me about a week, but it was great to have things feel familiar to me once I got into the cockpit! :pilotfly:

As you read the manual, right down all the acronyms; you'll need to know these!

I'm a civilian flight instructor in the real world, and if I were training you in the A-10 I'd have you start small:

1. First, sit in the cockpit with the power off and just look around. Learn where the electrical panel is, the fuel panel, the radios, the CDU, the MFDs, the UFC, and all the other acronyms. :smilewink: Just sit and take it in. If you've done a read-through of the manual things should look familiar when you take a close look at them.

2. Learn the CDU and MFDs by sitting in the cockpit, turn on the battery, inverter and AC Gens (left and right). Start up the APU, then turn on the APU Gen. Now you can turn on the CDU and the MFDs (CICU switch) and click through the pages, set up waypoints, etc. etc.

Go through each and every MFD page with the help of manual. Do the same with the CDU (and note that you can mirror the CDU onto the right MFD). Learn to use the UFC with the CDU.

3. Once you feel comfortable with all the MFD pages and the CDU, now you're ready to try flying the airplane. You can't do combat effectively without knowing how to work the avionics, and if you're like me you won't be able to make yourself sit down to learn them once you start flying and shooting stuff! :D So learn it now while you have the self control. :P

When you get to flying the plane, I'd learn the startup and shutdown procedure first. Print off the checklists. Just start the plane up, get everything going, then pull out your shutdown checklist and shut it all back off again!

Your next series of flights should build on what you learn previously. Do each flight as a ramp start, and finish it by properly shutting down the plane on the ramp again.

1. Learn to take off, climb up, and just fly the plane for a while. Do turns, climbs, descents, maybe a stall or two to get the feel of it. Then go back and land.

2. Practice taking off, flying the pattern, and landing again. Over and over. :D

3. Load up your plane with fuel tanks and travel pods and do the same takeoff and landing practice with a heavy airplane.

4. Now do the same thing with a bit of wind, then with some crosswind!

5. Go out and practice running through some of the emergency procedures. Do it over and over until you can practically do it in your sleep!

6. Set up a bunch of waypoints and go practice navigation out and back to the airport. (be sure to refresh your memory with the manual first).

7. Set up a cross-country flight from one airport to another that's somewhat far away. A couple times.

8. Set up an in-flight refuelling mission to practice that.

9. Now do one of each of the above at night..

10. Now you're ready to start playing with the weapons, one at a time... :P

Of course, most people aren't going to go through all that... But that's my recomendation to you as a flight instructor. :thumbup:

(and yes, I flew this sim for a month before I ever dropped a single bomb or fired a single bullet) :D

--NoJoe

Nice syllabus, I'm going to follow it. Re acronyms: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=61313&highlight=acronym

You may be inclined to dismiss it at first but the "Short Manual" in the docs directory is really great. You can do a whole load of things just by reading through that. It has a nice over view of how to use the weapons. This combined with the in game training missions is a great starting point.

Good post :-)

You may be inclined to dismiss it at first but the "Short Manual" in the docs directory is really great. You can do a whole load of things just by reading through that. It has a nice over view of how to use the weapons. This combined with the in game training missions is a great starting point.

+1

NoJoe, thank you so much, great post and I'll follow that advise! Also, I can only find the A-10 quickstart manual in Russian??? Can somebody link me the English one please?

Cheers!

NoJoe, thank you so much, great post and I'll follow that advise! Also, I can only find the A-10 quickstart manual in Russian??? Can somebody link me the English one please?

 

Cheers!

http://www.mediafire.com/?trhgf907o5anv9b :thumbup:

Thanks very much! Strange that it isn't on the website!

NoJoe, thank you so much, great post and I'll follow that advise! Also, I can only find the A-10 quickstart manual in Russian??? Can somebody link me the English one please?

 

Cheers!

You're welcome, and thanks! It's always really fun to apply my job to bombing simulated things, and not just to goin' places. :D

And yes, the "short-manual-eng.pdf" in the Docs folder of your A-10 install is very useful! It should have come with the beta.

--NoJoe

Personally I would suggest writing your own notes as you watch the tutorials. I watched the engine start several times and wrote my own notes as I would if I were learning to drive or fly. I now use them each time I fly. The challengemwith this sim is that for the first few weeks it feels like you are starting a new job, mostly because, well, you are. people learn these systems for a living and here we all are doing it for 'fun'

Take the time to RTFM. Don't fight it. You don't have to like it.. just do it :) . Trust me, I talk to people all the time in multiplayer that skimmed through the manual and tried to click learn, and they're at about 60% effectiveness with the platform, at best.

Definitely study the manual first. It's the slowest way to start but the quickest way to "master". Memorise the location and proper names/acronyms of every system in the cockpit (pgs 82-171; the CDU can wait). Take notes if required. This may sound tedious, but its only a couple of days work and everything will be much easier to learn once you have memorised the basics. You will end up learning in half the time.

Nothing's worse than reading a passage such as this....."Line up the PLKT with the GRTS until the HRT starts flashing 'READY FOR FDO AQUIRE' " and not having a clue what any of it means. If you can't understand it, it means you have not properly learn't what was written before.

It's all there for you in the manual and tutes. Slow and careful will get you through quicker than skimming and hacking.

....but most of all have fun. If it all gets too much then "kick the tyres and light the fires".

...or, if you are an American, you can "kick the tires and light the fires" instead.

20 people 21 opinions on this one,

BiPod.

I think it is ok to focus on one weapons delivery process at a time as well...

JUST learn to drive the mavs, or JUST learn to drive the LGB's, or JUST the JDAMS, or JUST the iron bombs....it's a hell of a lot to try and take on all of it at once......each system has a sub system, and each sub system has it's own special settings