Really learning the A10 this time...

[JughedJones]

I'm OK with setting SPIs and have a cursory knowledge of the MFDs. I'm about to do the the gun training and perhaps the maverick.

 

 

What is the first mission I should do to get my feet wet?

 

 

I don't want to be overwhelmed, but I want to keep on learning.

[DrDetroit]

When I first started out I setup a small mission with static targets at the range. Then I could practice takeoff, nav (flying wp), armament, ILS/NDA and landing, all in one little mission.

 

If I felt really good, I'd dial in another airfield to see if I could navigate to it...get the ILS, and nav settings as well as radios working for a proper landing. Then after awhile I started learning how to setup and use SPI, then the CDU and other little goodies (CDU is a pretty neat little piece of equipment - lots of functionality)...it took awhile to become proficient.

 

Just take it piece by piece, and learn in increments. Become proficient in one thing before moving onto the next.

 

Good luck!

 

DrDetroit

Edited October 7, 2015 by DrDetroit

[JughedJones]

When I first started out I setup a small mission with static targets at the range. Then I could practice takeoff, nav (flying wp), armament, ILS/NDA and landing, all in one little mission.

 

If I felt really good, I'd dial in another airfield to see if I could navigate to it...get the ILS, and nav settings as well as radios working for a proper landing. Then after awhile I started learning how to setup and use SPI, then the CDU and other little goodies (CDU is a pretty neat little piece of equipment - lots of functionality)...it took awhile to become proficient.

 

Just take it piece by piece, and learn in increments. Become proficient in one thing before moving onto the next.

 

Good luck!

 

DrDetroit

 

Thanks very much.

 

I think this is good advice. I just did the guns/rocket training and I was able to blow everything up, go back to base and land without breaking anything. Not too bad!

 

I was changing steerpoints like a champ and everything!

 

I have no idea how to do ILS landing or mess with the CPU, but I have a pretty good eye when it comes to glideslopes.

 

I'll need to learn how to use the ILS in case the weather is crappy, but I'll burn that bridge when I get to it!

 

Is there a good target range mission you know of? I'd like to learn how to use the mavericks, and get decent with the TGP without that dude yelling at me the whole time!

 

 

Thanks!

[DrDetroit]

I think there are a few training missions in the user files section on the main page at digitalcombatsimulator.com > downloads > user files.

 

I generally setup static objects at the target range just north of Batumi and practice what I need. Just go to mission editor and play in there a bit to figure it out. Also alot of youtube tutorials. BunnyYap has some nice detailed tutorial on radios, nav, and the CDU (I think that's his user name - maybe bunnyap)...loads of tutorials to help you.

Edited October 7, 2015 by DrDetroit

[EntropySG]

I really like the mission 'Surrounded' its one of the stock missions from ED that come with the A10-C.

Its a great training mission that puts you right into action without the need of startup and long travel.

 

Tip: use guns on the first two waves of enemy armor, you will need your mavs and bombs for later ;)

[fjacobsen]

Look at these videos:

 

FinnJ

[Sabre-TLA]

When you feel ready you can try our A-10C Qualification Campaigns.

 

These are payware campaigns based on real world qualification specs.

 

The Basic Flight Training Qualification campaign is a set of missions to test your knowledge and techniques to operate the A-10C.

 

For the A-10C BFT campaign we also provided a practice mission package which is a set of single player missions that you can try first before trying the campaign missions. The practice mission package has extra dialogue to help you understand the procedures and what you need to do to pass the qualification missions.

 

Your mission key for the BFT campaign will unlock the practice mission package and all documentation packages related to the BFT campaign.

 

Once you have done those then you should have enough knowledge and experience to pass the qualification missions.

 

We recommend training in this order:

 

1. Read the DCS A-10C manual and review our A-10C Amplified Checklist provided with the BFT campaign.

2. Watch the training videos and watch other videos that others have done (

are very good).

3. Do some test flights of your own using the in game missions.

4. Use the BFT practice missions to get good at understanding what the qualification missions will be like and what you need to do to pass.

 

Then when you feel ready, do the qualification campaign to get your qualification.

[Cibit]

I did the first quick mission till I learned every aspect of dropping ordnance and the use of tms dms etc:)

[marluk]

I've took stock training missions for a-10c after that there is really simple mission 'sitting ducks'. First kill Sam in the middle with maverick.

 

Read parts of the manual as you go through various systems.

 

Take a look on chuck's manual for a-10c. Search the forum.

 

Watch YouTube videos when you feel you miss something.

 

Play other missions like surrounded.

 

Play campaigns stock and from community members.

 

BFT campaign.

Edited October 7, 2015 by marluk

[Tejkr]

I'm still mostly flying my trainig mission, with some static targets, nicely marked in editor. There's some air traffic and crowds all around the airport. Because my pilot is a star.

So my advice is do your training mission and just fly around. I must say I have never played training missions and I never finished first campaign mission. Maybe that's why I can't use all those fancy easy ways of landing :D

When I want to check my skills in "real war", I generate fast mission (or how it's called), edit it a get in action. And watch youtube. Watch other people fly!

 

And read manual. Not all at once, but keep it opened and check it if there's something you're not sure about. Important is to keep flying, it's easy to take off, to fly around, to land and shoot your guns, but it's really hard to fly well and effectively.

[BSS_Sniper]

Shooting Gallery is a good stock mission to do while learning. Nothing is shooting at you and there are a lot of targets and it's not far away.

[JughedJones]

Thanks a lot for all the advice and suggestions, I really feel like I'm making headway this time!

 

Please feel free to post more tips for learning this thing, but again, I appreciate you all!

[Gliptal]

When you feel ready you can try our A-10C Qualification Campaigns.

 

These are payware campaigns based on real world qualification specs.

 

The Basic Flight Training Qualification campaign is a set of missions to test your knowledge and techniques to operate the A-10C.

 

For the A-10C BFT campaign we also provided a practice mission package which is a set of single player missions that you can try first before trying the campaign missions. The practice mission package has extra dialogue to help you understand the procedures and what you need to do to pass the qualification missions.

 

Your mission key for the BFT campaign will unlock the practice mission package and all documentation packages related to the BFT campaign.

 

Once you have done those then you should have enough knowledge and experience to pass the qualification missions.

 

We recommend training in this order:

 

1. Read the DCS A-10C manual and review our A-10C Amplified Checklist provided with the BFT campaign.

2. Watch the training videos and watch other videos that others have done (

are very good).

3. Do some test flights of your own using the in game missions.

4. Use the BFT practice missions to get good at understanding what the qualification missions will be like and what you need to do to pass.

 

Then when you feel ready, do the qualification campaign to get your qualification.

Basically this.

[Zimmerdylan]

Ah- Haaaaa, This is something that I have told myself repeatedly for a couple of years now. I feel your pain my friend.

However! This time I've got a secret weapon that will hopefully help me with my plight. I just recruited a new student (Music teacher) and this guy is hot off the Air Force base here in Tucson. He just retired from being an A-10 pilot. I told him about DCS and he's literally peeing his pants to have a look at it. If all goes well, he'll be joining DCS and becoming my personal flight instructor. I am sure that there are differences between the DCS model and a real A-10 but this guy has to know all of the ins and outs of the plane. His wife is also an A-10 pilot. So....I have enlisted him to come over and check it out.

The guy currently is flying for Delta Airlines and has flown many different AC so his experience should be pretty invaluable to me. I'm pretty adept at the A-10 and at time I find it to be kind of easy and possibly borderline boring. But this is most likely because I'm not using all of the tools I have at my disposal. I am familiar with all of the weapon systems but I know there has to be more. So hopefully this guy can shed some light on it all for me.

What I really need is a person who has experience with single prop, high performance planes. I have a hard time with effective flying in the P-51. And the two German planes....forget it. I can only be effective in air support roles with them. Power management, and not understanding aerodynamics have been my shortfall with these planes. I'm sure that this guy can give me some insight on all of this.

I knew that being a teacher would someday be rewarding......................:joystick:

 

I should add that I have had Huey pilots, commercial pilots, and an old retired A-10 pilot from the Viet Nam era sit at the controls here in my studio. I got mixed results on how they all felt about DCS and another sim that I fly. All in all, DCS was hands down the better sim, but none of the people that I brought here were at all interested in pursuing flight simming on any level. I'm guessing that it's kind of the same thing as people asking me to go to Karaoke, or to whip a piano or guitar and sing them a tune. I do it for 6 to 10 hours a day almost every day. I don't need to do it for the other 12 hours.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Zimmerdylan

[lanmancz]

Try this!

 

Try this. Is is a mission that I use to learn new aircraft. It's pretty much just a shooting range. On the island (marked on the briefing map as location #2 is a tank (immortal and will not shoot back at you) that you can use as a target practice - a script will show you your bombing precision (ie. a distance of the bomb impact to the tank) and report if a hit was registered or not. Also on the location marked #1 (between the V shaped forest) you can spawn (and respawn/cleanup) trucks via the F10 comms menu that you can also use for target practise. Feel free to edit the mission to your liking but I think it works pretty well as it is. I've been using it lately to teach the A10C to a friend who is also just starting.

A10C - TRAINING PLAYGROUND.miz

Edited October 9, 2015 by lanmancz

[JughedJones]

Wow.. awesome. Lots of reps coming inbound to all this help!

[JughedJones]

Look at these videos:

 

FinnJ

 

These are the best videos I've come across, something about his style makes it easy to pick up for me. Too bad there's no more!

 

Quick update... I just got home from work, and with the help I got from these forums, I was able to do pretty darn well!

 

I was setting SPI's, changing SOI's, flipping waypoints, blowing things up with Mavs, guns, and rockets, slewing, and zooming!!!

 

For the first time, I felt like I had a little bit of an idea what was going on! That was fun!

Edited October 10, 2015 by JughedJones

[lobo]

Completely agree with you Jughedjones. The vids linked in the above post ^

are excellent. Lots of good info. :thumbup: Well done Kmbtkrl!
Edited February 29, 2016 by lobo**

[FeistyLemur]

I decided to devote this weekend to starting to learn the a10c finally as well. I bought the module last fall on a sale and kind of set it aside for another day because it seemed overwhelming.

 

I just finished the in game training and found the plane so far to be a breeze to operate. The in game training seemed like a good basic overview of the systems. I think compared to the black shark it's just laid out so well with hotas controls that makes it a treat to operate in comparison. And after mastering landing the Mig-21 all I could do is laugh as the a10 lazily set down onto the runway for the first time attempting a landing.

 

I think I'm going to have a ton of fun online with the GAU-8. Now I'm sorry I waited so long to start learning it. It's really a pretty fun and easy to learn aircraft with a great control setup. I guess having the TM warthog makes it a lot easier as well.

Edited February 29, 2016 by FeistyLemur

[Gliptal]

I decided to devote this weekend to starting to learn the a10c finally as well. I bought the module last fall on a sale and kind of set it aside for another day because it seemed overwhelming.

 

I just finished the in game training and found the plane so far to be a breeze to operate. The in game training seemed like a good basic overview of the systems. I think compared to the black shark it's just laid out so well with hotas controls that makes it a treat to operate in comparison. And after mastering landing the Mig-21 all I could do is laugh as the a10 lazily set down onto the runway for the first time attempting a landing.

 

I think I'm going to have a ton of fun online with the GAU-8. Now I'm sorry I waited so long to start learning it. It's really a pretty fun and easy to learn aircraft with a great control setup. I guess having the TM warthog makes it a lot easier as well.

The A-10C is really easy to fly, but really complicated to employ effectively in combat.

[FeistyLemur]

The A-10C is really easy to fly, but really complicated to employ effectively in combat.

 

Well, it is a lot to remember especially when you're on the spot in combat. But repetition and experience should take care of that.

 

After I mastered the basics of starting and flying the plane and the individual weapons systems I decided to take it out on an online server and blow up some tanks. I found just this though. Without the experience and confidence in what to do it's very easy to just panic and forget what to do in combat.

 

So much more practice is needed for myself before wading into a target rich environment like the multiplayer server strike areas tend to be.

 

I still find it much easier to pick up the basics than I found the Black Shark though. Because the plane is basically a really logically laid out and well organized flying computer.