Timing to all activity

[WeakLink]

Not totally familiar with the F/A 18 systems but I have a question on it, and this is a good place to start, With all of the advanced system in the jet is there not a system onboard that will create the ETA to the next waypoint or target or new waypoint inserted into the system? I can add the clock and projected ETA from the waypoint countdown, but I find it hard to believe that this jet does not include a HUD reference to the project ETA to point X. If this is so ( no project ETA to the point) wow! But if it is somewhere in the Chuck's manual and I have overlooked it, PLEASE pass it on. The count down timer and the count up timer is cool but the ETA to the next point would be a little more helpful at least to me.

 

 

Just a personnel note we need that AMRAAM, no chance against the Mig 29A off subject, but just my two cents, Overall I love the model Kudo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[David OC]

Not a home right now, it's in one of Wags video's

 

Could be this one.

 

There is no timer, it's only an arrow under the speed on the HUD, you keep that centered by changing speed to be on time.

[WeakLink]

Thanks OC that helped, watched that Vid before but for got all about it.

[Eaglewings]

Thanks guys for pointing out how to do this.

I was actually flying yesterday and got curious about the ETA display. I was going to ask same question when I found out someone was thinking alike with me.

 

 

But I would appreciate if someone can explain my other concern.

 

Is the display of ETA on the Hornet hud a function of pilot input in the cockpit or mission creator?

 

I know in other sim, during mission creation, ETA to the various waypoint in the mission is factored in so Estimated Time of Arrival will automatically be reflected on the HUD for each waypoint when flying the mission.

 

 

In Wags video, the pilot inputs variables to make ETA pop up on the HUD, I want to know if the Mission Editor offers means of putting ETA for each waypoint that would automatically shows in hud of the hornet.

 

Or is this tied to the lack of data cartridge function in the Hornet currently?

[AvroLanc]

I was curious about this too. It does appear from reading through the RL NATOPS manual that the isn’t a dynamic waypoint ETA display anywhere in the jet.

 

Sure you can set a Time On Target for one specific WP in the sequence, but this only gives you a fast/slow indication in the HUD, +/- 30 knots. It doesn’t give your actual ETA to compare to planned ETA, nor does it give any late or early indication in seconds.

 

You can manually calculate your ETA by adding the current time to the time-to-go in the HSI, but it’s a bit labour intensive.

 

It seems strange that the Hornet was designed this way, most other aircraft have such simple functions, but maybe this is correct.

 

Actually the HUD fast slow indication in the sim is currently incorrect, the marker should be reversed. The marker should be to the left to indicate TOO SLOW and the the right to indicate TOO FAST.

[Eaglewings]

I was curious about this too. It does appear from reading through the RL NATOPS manual that the isn’t a dynamic waypoint ETA display anywhere in the jet.

 

Sure you can set a Time On Target for one specific WP in the sequence, but this only gives you a fast/slow indication in the HUD, +/- 30 knots. It doesn’t give your actual ETA to compare to planned ETA, nor does it give any late or early indication in seconds.

 

You can manually calculate your ETA by adding the current time to the time-to-go in the HSI, but it’s a bit labour intensive.

 

It seems strange that the Hornet was designed this way, most other aircraft have such simple functions, but maybe this is correct.

 

Actually the HUD fast slow indication in the sim is currently incorrect, the marker should be reversed. The marker should be to the left to indicate TOO SLOW and the the right to indicate TOO FAST.

Avrolanc thank you for taking the time to dig into the NATOP manual for this.

Quite laborious for the pilot to calculate the ETA in his/her head while flying and thinking about lots of stuff.

[Dangerman]

no idea how USAF and USN do this... but for RAF, Tactical Weapon training at TWU teaches these aspects to pilots. You wont get far in the real world of military aviation being a "kit baby". The Nav kit is a backup to map and stopwatch and a general situation awareness of your progress and the hack time for the mission. In addition you are taught techniques such as timing trombones, hack times, specific rule of thumb times from brakes off to cruise speed at low level etc etc. Couple that with having SOP speeds and you have a foundation to know what is going on.

 

420kts is 7 miles/min, 480 is 8 miles per minute etc etc... now its easier to mark your map with timing marks.. (you are a ground attack pilot so you ARE carrying a map, right?).... because sometimes you get so far off the plan its quicker to look at at and see the best shortcut rather than going heads in and cycling through waypoints..... and also the nav kit topples and you lose it....are you the guy that goes home just because the nav computer dumped all your waypoints???

 

Pilots are taught free nav using the TLAR method a gloved thumb on a 1:500000 low level chart is 7 miles= 1 minute ..... and i suspect all fast jet pilots know how to estimate heading on a map.

 

Now you have that mastered using no kit but a map and stopwatch we will send you to a conversion unit for a jet with all the goodies so that you can consistently hit targets on time with the ASSISTANCE of the nav kit without being a slave to it.

 

 

 

Top tips:

 

1. Fly at your planned speed of 420/480/540 kts and stay on it.... your wingman will thank you later... and so will your fuel flow.

2. Maintaining (mostly)a constant speed, adjust your track and thus distance to go to centre your timing mark or whatever widget you have.

3. adjust speed within small parameters for small changes, your wingman will know what you are doing cos he is as qualified as you are and is running it all in his head too rather than just following.. he sees you need another 10 kts on his kit too.

4. Have doglegs in your route for cut-short

5. Have a 90 in your route preferably before the pre-IP so you can turn on the waypoint time (either before or after the waypoint)whilst maintaining your constant speed and a relatively small change of track into the pre-ip.

6. on time is not just about getting to the waypoint on time...it is on time AND on speed

7....and then brief all of this because I wont be talking to you on the radio about it... bad guys are listening and looking for you.

 

All this should only take you a couple of years to master and then we will send you to a Squadron so you can put it into practice and learn the squadron SoPs.

 

Happy hunting

[Nealius]

I heard a rule of thumb saying that your mach number is approximately equivalent to your nm/min, e.g. M0.8 = 8nm/min.

 

Is there any truth to that? It seems slightly fishy since your planning speed would be based on ground speed, right?

[Dangerman]

I heard a rule of thumb saying that your mach number is approximately equivalent to your nm/min, e.g. M0.8 = 8nm/min.

 

That is correct.. we would use it as a rough estimate for you timing on a high level transit. Your actual planning and estimations would need a groundspeed ... and for that you need wind of course. But the .8 = 8 miles per minute is a close approximation to base your in flight calculations on.

 

The secret is not to get bogged down in tiny microscopic detail on timings at the start of the trip because no plan ever survives contact with the enemy.... but if you have an accurate plan you can work around its framework to hit the target.

 

only one waypoint and time actually matter.... the target..(actually the IP is most important place cos it all flows from there). you can be late/early at the waypoints and not even fly over the waypoints.... but be on time/speed where it matters.

 

Hi level transit should always have some leeway afterwards ..... cater for worst case by having dog legs on the low level portion to adjust timings.

 

being a fighter pilot is about quick thinking, keep it simple, use your judgement..... and prioritise

[CallsignFrosty]

Dangerman- keep going, this stuff is gold.

My mate has transitioned onto typhoons now but when he was doing this stage of training it was fun chatting about these little techniques. Of course I was and still am hugely jealous of his career choices lol.

 

 

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