Set SPI as Waypoint

[Slydog486]

Hello DCS community! As this is my first post, it's quite exciting so please bear with me.

 

So, on to the problem! Earlier this week, though I've been flying the A-10C for... A long time (I don't know exactly how long, but a significantly long amount of time), I just got around to learning to set waypoints, create new flight plans, etc. through the CDU. After hours and hours spent trying to figure out the fastest way to set up waypoints, I'd like to know something. Is it possible to say, create a markpoint on the map where you'd like to go, set the markpoint as SPI, and then set the SPI as a new waypoint? I'd like to reduce the time to do this as much as possible, as I'm currently in that phase where I'm erasing the waypoints on the server I join just so I can make my own flight plan for practice, and I'd really like to not spend 45 minutes setting one up EVERY SINGLE TIME I FLY. Any feedback is appreciated, even if it is to just say "Sorry, this won't work, back to typing forever!".

 

Thanks,

Slydog486, Veteran DCS Noob

[Hansolo]

Hi Slydog,

 

Please bear with me as I may be misunderstanding what you are trying to achieve.

 

First of all as you probably already know your current SPI is shown in the lower left side of the HUD.

What I read is that you want to make your flight plan based upon Mark Points you make on your TAD (Tactical Awareness Display)?

 

That is definitely possible. With TAD as SOI, slew the TAD cursor where you want to make the Mark Point and press TMS right short to make the Mark Point. The CDU will automatically show last Mark Point entry, e.g. MARK A for the first. You can now change the name for something easier to remember, e.g. DEP (Departure) and press RLSK3. Name of the Mark Point will now change name to DEP. You can also change the Elevation of your Mark Point so that you have something in the air to fly at.

Repeat the procedure for the next Mark Point. Once you are satisfied you go to the FPM and call up all the Mark Point you want to use in you flight plan.

 

Remember that IMHO this isn't stickly the idea behind Mark Point thus you can only make 25 Mark Points. Eventually you want to use the Mark Point for combat thus

A better way is to make Waypoint and then enter the coordinates and elevation then enter this into a flight plan. You have only 25 Mark Point but 2500 Waypoint.

 

create a markpoint on the map where you'd like to go, set the markpoint as SPI, and then set the SPI as a new waypoint

If your lower left side of the HUD says STPT then steer point is set as SPI generator. If you want to make a Mark Point SPI you need to set the STEER knob on your Aux. Aviaonics Panel (AAP) into Mark Point.

 

If I misunderstood I appologize. Hope this helped a little bit :-)

 

Cheers

Hans

[paulca]

I believe he is asking for a way to plot a flight plan using the TAD as opposed to having to type in the coords of each point on the flight plan.

 

So create markpoints using the TAD, then convert the markpoints to waypoints of the flight plan and then fly that plan.

[Slydog486]

paulca is correct, though thank you to HMA (it didn't help my problem a whole lot but I did learn a few things throughout that). I'd like to be able to have as little CDU typing as possible. As little coordinate-punching as possible. I love the A-10C, and I'd also love to find a way to do this without constantly typing numbers into a keypad that I can barely use because I have to look up every time to see where my mouse is clicking.

 

Thanks for all the Replys,

Slydog486 - Veteran DCS Noob

[WHOGX5]

IIRC, this is how you would go about doing it:

 

• 
  Create a markpoint at your SPI

• 
  Bring up the markpoint on your CDU by setting the STEER PT rotary to MARK

• 
  Create a new waypoint by pressing appropriate right hand OSB or LSK key on your MFD or CDU panel (the one with a question mark, a number, and a bullseye next to it). When you do this, all the coordinate and elevation data of the selected markpoint will automatically carry over to the new waypoint.

• 
  Repeat the previous steps until you have all of your markpoints turned into waypoints
  

• 
  OPTIONAL: Set STEER PT rotary back to MISSION and adjust coordinate and/or elevation data
  

• 
  Finally, add all of your newly created waypoints to a flightplan as described at page 467 in the A-10C Flight Manual (don't remember off of the top of my head how to do this)
   
  

 

Good luck! :D

Edited May 3, 2016 by WHOGX5

[Hansolo]

I believe he is asking for a way to plot a flight plan using the TAD as opposed to having to type in the coords of each point on the flight plan.

 

So create markpoints using the TAD, then convert the markpoints to waypoints of the flight plan and then fly that plan.

 

Then I think we are one the same page. The method I describe doesn't require entering any coordinates. In fact he doesn't even have to change the name of the Mark Point before making the flight plan.

Simply make all the mark point, go to the flight plan. punch in letter A and press LSK3 where it says []01. Type letter B and press LSK5 where is says []02. and so on.

 

Cheers

Hans

[WHOGX5]

Then I think we are one the same page. The method I describe doesn't require entering any coordinates. In fact he doesn't even have to change the name of the Mark Point before making the flight plan.

Simply make all the mark point, go to the flight plan. punch in letter A and press LSK3 where it says []01. Type letter B and press LSK5 where is says []02. and so on.

 

Cheers

Hans

 

This works too. It is beneficial though to convert them into waypoints as you can clear up space for more markpoints. You can only have 25 markpoints, while you can have 2,050 different waypoints.

[Hansolo]

This works too. It is beneficial though to convert them into waypoints as you can clear up space for more markpoints. You can only have 25 markpoints, while you can have 2,050 different waypoints.

Agreed but OP wanted it simple with as little interaction with CDU.

 

Cheers

Hans

[BimC]

a keypad that I can barely use because I have to look up every time to see where my mouse is clicking.

 

Little of topic. But, you can hold Left CTRL and Shift down while using the numeric keyboard to enter digits into the CDU. Though you still have to punch those numbers into LSK's with the mouse.

 

Alternatively, you can use an iPad as CDU...

[Slydog486]

Wow! Didn't expect this threat to get this many replys! Thanks to all of you for your generous help throughout this. WHOGX5 and HMA deserve a lot of brownie points for helping me out with this, and I want to thank BimC for steering (ha... ha... steerpoint... CDU Jokes c:) me into the whole, phone or tablet as a CDU thing. I'll probably be using both HMA and WHOGX5's strategies on how to do these things, depending on whether I'm setting this up while on the ground, where I have a little more time (WHOGX5), or in the air, trying to change this stuff on-the-fly (HMA)

 

Thanks Again for Being a Great Community,

Slydog486 - Veteran DCS Noob

[vstolmech513]

... you can hold Left CTRL and Shift down while using the numeric keyboard to enter digits into the CDU...

 

Is it just me or does anyone else that uses the HOTAS TM remap all of your letters from CDU to your keyboard keys, i.e. a=a, b=b, etc., and remapping your keypad numbers to the UFC numbers?

[BimC]

Admit that I haven't even have considered it.

[Aginor]

I was close a few times, but then I got a touchscreen and used Helios for the CDU.