Basic Flight Training Qualification - EFATO Mission

[SGunard]

Hi,

 

I've just purchased the BFTQ campaign and am stuck on the EFATO mission.

 

The first time I flew it all went well, until I reached the waypoint to turn towards the EFATO waypoint. The FE gave me positive comments on roll out and climb out but when I reached the waypoint to turn towards EFATO he reprimanded me when I turned. I turned back on to the original heading but heard nothing further from him.

 

Subsequently, I tried again, this time flying on after Waypoint 1, and waiting for instructions to turn towards Waypoint EFATO but none came, even after flying several miles past the waypoint.

 

Since then I have tried the mission twice more, only to have the FE run in to the back of my plane and damage it while I was holding short of the runway!

 

Another attempt, (in which I didn't turn at Waypoint 1) had the FE tell me I'd missed the departure time - even though I was in the air well before 7:00am!

 

I am sure I am holding the correct heading, altitude and airspeed (and I receive no reprimands for departing from the assigned values).

 

Another bug is that, although I have not set the Batumi frequency on my AM radio and the options are blacked out when I use the mike to bring up communication options, I can still communicate with the tower!

 

FYI, I am using version 2.5 of DCS World.

 

Please help!

 

Many thanks,

 

Steve

[Sabre-TLA]

Make sure your video card drivers are updated and if the triggers still are not working properly try a DCS Repair or uninstall and reinstall the campaign.

 

We just recently flew the mission in 2.5 and it worked fine on our system.

[SGunard]

Hi Sabre,

 

I already tried a clean-out and a repair, and Windows reports that my video drivers are up to date.

 

If I re-install, do I have to uninstall first? Will this use up one of my three allowed authentications?

 

Many thanks,

 

Steve

[Sabre-TLA]

Yes I think it will. I have no explanation for why the triggers aren't working on your system.

 

Maybe before reinstalling play the mission again and record a trk or video and we can review it.

[SGunard]

OK, will give recording a track a go tomorrow night.

 

After having saved a track, where will I find it? And I guess I just attach it to a post?

 

Many thanks for your prompt responses and help with this,

 

Steve

[Sabre-TLA]

I believe the trk files are saved in your My Games or Saved Games folder for the version you are playing.

 

Make sure your campaign version has the Mission Success Criteria section in the briefing. If it doesn't then re-install the campaign.

 

You have 3 activations but they regenerate after 31 days: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/564/

[SGunard]

Hi,

 

Sorry I didn't come back to you yesterday. I tried the flight again last night and the FE worked perfectly! All calls and instructions were made at the right time. The only problem was my flying! I landed too early on the runway and got an unqualified rating.:(

 

I tried again tonight, and the problems were back! It seems like the FE doesn't realize I've taken off. When I'm in the air I get a 30 second warning and then after a while he says I've missed my departure time!

 

I have saved the track and tried to attach it to this post but it fails to upload, with a message that says it exceeds the size limit for files of that type!

 

I await your comments/instructions!

 

Steve

[Sabre-TLA]

Not sure why it would play fine one time and then not the next.

 

If you are late for your takeoff time you will hear the message about missing your departure time.

 

Do you restart your computer before you try the mission?

 

Try and limit the number of programs you have running in the background when playing as it may interact with the memory and cause the triggers to mis-behave (it only takes a 1 bit flip in the memory to have the triggers fire incorrectly).

 

You can compare your flight to Recon Stewarts (they haven't changed much for 2.5):

[SGunard]

Well, I've given it another go tonight and, as has happened before, that prat of an FE ran in to the back of me whilst I was holding short of the runway :mad:

 

To take your points one at a time:

 

I got the messages despite NOT being late for my takeoff. Takeoff was around 06:55. I was already in the air well before the 30 second warning!

 

Yes, have tried restarting, but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

 

I never have anything else running when I fly (it's a habit you get into when you fly FSX!)

 

Looking at Recon Stewart's video I can't really see any major differences in our start-up routines. In any case I use exactly the same start-up routine each time with different results (ie mission calls work, mission calls don't work, or the FE runs into me).

 

The only major difference between his flight and mine was that on the one occasion the call went correctly I didn't restart my engine like he did, but landed with the engine out. However, this can't be the source of my problems because they happen WAY before that point!

 

Help!

[imacken]

Hi Sabre,

 

I already tried a clean-out and a repair, and Windows reports that my video drivers are up to date.

 

If I re-install, do I have to uninstall first? Will this use up one of my three allowed authentications?

 

Many thanks,

 

Steve

 

Sorry to butt in, but I’m sure if you de-activate and reinstall, you will not lose one of your 3 activations.

[SGunard]

Hi Y'all,

 

Sorry for the slow reply to suggestions, but I've been away for a few days.

 

Just to wrap this one up for anyone who encounters the same problem, I did the complete re-install of the Campaign and everything went through fine in the mission - which I passed first go. :thumbup:

 

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

Steve

[reyco1987]

So I'm having trouble as well with this mission. My problem is the trigger at the first waypoint isn't happening. I get to 6000 feet and 220 knots but the FE never tells me to turn right to the EFATO waypoint, like he does in the practice mission.

 

All of my drivers are updated, and I have attempted uninstalling and re installing...I did this through the module manager...is there a better way to go about un/re-installing???

[Hippo]

I've had three attempts at this mission (so far):

 

1st attempt. Requested taxi, moved slightly but then waited a bit (I was trying to work out where my wingman was). Wingman beat me to the threshold. I taxied around him and took off, but he never took off and the mission never progressed any further.

 

2nd attempt. Requested taxi, didn't hang around. Requested takeoff, we did both take off but I had the same result as previous poster. If I tried to come off 300 course to get to the EFATO WP, the wingman would complain.

 

3rd attempt. When moving from threshold to takeoff, I must have hesistated slightly and wingman crashed into me.

 

I'm guessing this must be related with getting the taxi / threshold / takeoff sequenc having to be just so.

 

This is not the first time I've tried this campaign. I've been away from DCS for a while, and I'm on a new install of 2.5. I had managed to complete this mission previously on 1.5.

 

I just have a few questions, which relate more to DCS quirks that anything to do with this campaign. Sorry for the trouble, but it's the price you guys pay for knowing your stuff ;).:

 

When holding at the threshold before requesting takeoff, I think the aircraft has to be very close to the runway for ATC to respond, i.e. at the point where the runway and taxiway meet. Is this right? Realistically, the aircraft should hold at the threshold holding point (solid yellow line on taxiway); but I think that if I do this ATC will never respond to clear the takeoff.

 

Why is the takeoff on 31 and the landing on 13? Aircraft should be taking off and landing from the same runway, according to wind direction. Is this a DCS thing, or a mission thing? This actually bugs me quite a bit: considering the trouble that the mission designers have gone to make a very realistic campaign, this spoils the effect, as it's completely wrong. I've seen this on other campaigns as well, so I'm guessing DCS "feature"?

 

Is it necessary to make the radio calls to ATC (request startup / taxi / takeoff) for this mission to play out correctly?

 

I checked out Frooglesim on YouTube the other day (he's put up a video RE this very campaign in VR). Noticed that he replied to the wingman's radio check request (through the Other... menu). I'd never noticed this before. Are there other comms options like this in the campaign?

 

Thanks.

[reyco1987]

I can at least add my two cents onto two of your questions, Hippo.

 

You definitely have to ignore the hold short lines and stop basically right at the runway before asking for clearance to take off. Even though this is obviously super un-realistic I've just picked up the habit of clearing the runway myself, lining up, then asking for take off. Again, I know this would get me kicked off of a real airfield lol...Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think the Caucasus map has had hold short lines at the airfield (without mods of course) up until the new and improved map.

 

To my experience, I believe all of the other airfields still use the exact same runway for take off and landings. Batumi seems to be the odd one out...My hope is that DCS is so awesomely realistic, that Batumi in real life may not allow landings on 31, due to the terrain to the SE...but who knows.

 

I'm still stuck at the first waypoint before the EFATO waypoint...the FE never tells me to turn towards it. He just keeps me at 030 at 6000, 220 knots forever....

[Sabre-TLA]

We were finally able to reproduce the issue that causes no response at the first waypoint.

 

If you fly a more aggressive climb 12-15 degrees and get to altitude sooner you will hit the appropriate trigger that will give the turn instructions.

 

We found that if you make a slow gradual climb to angels 6 it's possible to miss the trigger that supports the turn instructions.

 

We will submit a fix to ED so that in future it won't matter what rate of climb you decide.

 

With respect to the AI and ATC, we don't have much control over that but I can confirm that the ATC will respond to the takeoff request if you are stopped at the runway threshold.

Further back you won't get a response.

 

Also the AI will start taxiing as soon as you request clearance for taxi so you should not call for taxi clearance until you are ready to taxi and then proceed immediately.

 

Likewise when requesting takeoff it appears the AI will start moving as soon as the ATC responds so if you watch you can avoid him running into the back of you by taking the runway as soon as you hear ATC say you are cleared. If you wait for the full ATC message before moving then the AI will run into the back of you.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Sabre-TLA

[reyco1987]

Roger that, Sabre. Thank you for the info and support!

 

Excited to make my way through more of this campaign!

 

 

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