San Patricio Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 So I try to practice a Case I ot two every day using the Instant Action mission. I noticed a couple changes right off today: the TACAN is now on 74X (and not 55X) and the ZTOD is now projected on the HUD at mission start. More importantly, it seems like the aircraft handles a little differently at low speeds now. Before, I had to keep the engines at somewhere between 91-95% RPM on the turn into short final to avoid sinking too much and then somewhere around 91% on the final (depending on where I was on the glide slope). After today's patch its SEEMS (and this may just be small sample size or my own error) that the gear down produces less drag (takes longer to slow down after dropping them) and that less power is required to keep up a good descent rate on the turn into final and then the short final. After coming in too high repeatedly, I found that somewhere in the 87-88% rpm was all I needed. Anybody else notice this or am I imagining things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IvanK Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Nope its part of the Drag tweaking numbers are pretty much Book numbers now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOJOZ Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 +1 I also noticed the change in flight characteristics :thumbup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbrz Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Didn't pay too much attention to the sluggish pitch response and low pitch stability during the approach lately, but either I've got used to this behavior in the meantime or pitch response and pitch stability have noticeable improved with the latest patch. i7-7700K 4.2GHz, 16GB, GTX 1070 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyjs Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 I really like the new dragless FM! Alienware Area 51 R5 - Intel i9 7980XE (4.7 GHz), 32GB Dual Channel HyperX DDR4 XMP, Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Graphics 11GB GDDR5X SLI, 4.5 TB combo of SSDs/HDDs, Alienware 1500 Watt Multi-GPU Power Supply, Alienware 25” 240Hz Gaming Monitor, Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard, TM HOTAS, TM Cougar F-16C MFDs, Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals, TrackIR5, Win10 Pro x64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svend_Dellepude Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Seems like rollrate has been improved too. Seems more responsive. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Win10 64, Asus Maximus VIII Formula, i5 6600K, Geforce 980 GTX Ti, 32 GB Ram, Samsung EVO SSD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCU Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Yep noticed it too. And @bbrz, pitch stability in approach still needs a lot of work in my opinion. The aggressive pitch correction to achieve trimmed AoA is still there, and needs to be mitigated severely, if not removed all together. HOTAS: Thrustmaster Warthog PC: it's much better now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbrz Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 @bbrz, pitch stability in approach still needs a lot of work in my opinion. The aggressive pitch correction to achieve trimmed AoA is still there, and needs to be mitigated severely, if not removed all together. Can't comment on that since I've never flown an F/A-18 IRL, but at least the Hornet can now be controlled more precisely and more quickly. If it's still WIP, it's at least noticeable step in the right direction :) i7-7700K 4.2GHz, 16GB, GTX 1070 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCU Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Can't comment on that since I've never flown an F/A-18 IRL, but at least the Hornet can now be controlled more precisely and more quickly. If it's still WIP, it's at least noticeable step in the right direction :) I'm no pilot either, but I base my opinion on real Hornet pilots' feedback. I think they're still working on it, as was acknowledged many times by ED on the forums, and it seems that approach mode behaviour is a bit more complex than changing a line of code so they're taking their time with it. Apparently in app. mode your control over the plane is similar to your control in non-app. mode; there are some significant differences in FCS logic but for all intents and purposes it seems the pilot shouldn't feel them nearly as much as we do in DCS. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk HOTAS: Thrustmaster Warthog PC: it's much better now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbrz Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 (edited) I'm no pilot either, but I base my opinion on real Hornet pilots' feedback. I count the real F/A-18 pilots input and feedback to ED for any further improvement! Having flown quite a few different planes IRL ranging from gliders to heavy airliners (with and without FBW) and high performance jets in the last decades, I don't have any problems slamming an F/A-18 unflared onto a carrier deck every time (without a pitching and rolling deck of course!). But since the latest patch this task has become way easier :) Edited August 16, 2018 by bbrz i7-7700K 4.2GHz, 16GB, GTX 1070 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backspace340 Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 I'm no pilot either, but I base my opinion on real Hornet pilots' feedback. I think they're still working on it, as was acknowledged many times by ED on the forums, and it seems that approach mode behaviour is a bit more complex than changing a line of code so they're taking their time with it. Apparently in app. mode your control over the plane is similar to your control in non-app. mode; there are some significant differences in FCS logic but for all intents and purposes it seems the pilot shouldn't feel them nearly as much as we do in DCS. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Pretty sure that IvanK guy who replied first is an ex-Hornet pilot (judging by some of the photos he's posted) and has been working with ED to get the drag numbers right - he's saying they're now essentially as they should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCU Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Pretty sure that IvanK guy who replied first is an ex-Hornet pilot (judging by some of the photos he's posted) and has been working with ED to get the drag numbers right - Yep. Actually IvanK is one of the Hornet pilots I was referring to. he's saying they're now essentially as they should be. If you're talking about his earlier post in this thread, he was actually talking about gear drag; not FCS behaviour in app. mode. HOTAS: Thrustmaster Warthog PC: it's much better now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhorne Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 I noticed the change too. I thought something was wrong with my HOTAS settings at first. I had gotten used to the previous version and the change was very noticeable going into landing configuration. Took me a few runs t adjust to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Patricio Posted August 16, 2018 Author Share Posted August 16, 2018 I have no way of judging if it is more realistic or not, but after breaking the muscle memory habits of doing CASE I's under the old flight model, the changes definitively makes it easier to control the aircraft on approach. I don't know if it's just the revised drag numbers of whether they've also tinkered with something else, but the plane now seems much less liable to sink like a stone when banking into the short final and it just generally seems easier to control the rise/sink rate than it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucky-hendrix Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Guys, I have been practicing Case I as usual. But I can't get it to work well anymore. And then I notied that in the Instant action Case I recovery mission, the CV is only traveling @ 11kts with 5kts wind. I thought the wind over the deck should be around 25-30kts ? did they change it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IvanK Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 PA pitch response is still being worked on :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilbur81 Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 (edited) Hey, IvanK. Question for ya if you have time (no worries if not): Is the Hornet's roll rate below 400 kts pretty accurate at this Early Access stage? With a clean hornet (no pylons), the rate doesn't seem as snappy as what air show/youtube videos seem to suggest. Of course, I could be completely wrong. Just curious your thoughts as I'm surprised sometimes at how 'mushy' the roll feels below 400 kts. On another note, I wasn't going to mention this because of the potentially subjective nature of such things, but the Flight Model really does seem to have been tweaked pretty significantly, and not for the better in certain flight regimes. I like to keep a mission saved with a clean hornet on the runway for airshow/aerobatics. I've tried 10 to 15 of those (low and aggressive) flights since Wednesday's update just to make sure I wasn't going crazy. The low speed handling of the Hornet (it's # 1 jewel) seems pretty significantly diminished. Anyone else notice this? This, of course, may bring us closer to realism, but it sure is hard to swallow after getting used to this bird being so excellent when slow. It also seems way more prone to unwanted roll inputs when pulling hard pitch. For example, before the update, it was fairly easy to make a low, flat, max performance break turn with the VV on the horizon throughout. Now, when initiating the break-turn, the nose bounces all over the place and speed seems to bleed at twice the rate as before. Am I just imagining all of this? :-) Edited August 17, 2018 by wilbur81 i7 8700K @ Stock - Win10 64 - 32 RAM - RTX 3080 12gb OC - 55 inch 4k Display Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biga42 Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 For me it's more difficult to get correct pitch for landing and the Throttle are far more sensitive. Took me 24 minutes to refuel, I used to spend no more than 4 for a complete full. When the gears are down it's climbing much more and 8.1 angle for landing.... have to re learn.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjolner Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Noticed the changes immediately and I must say things will be easier after some retraining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhorne Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Noticed the changes immediately and I must say things will be easier after some retraining. Its the retraining part that's a pain...After months of practicing carrier landings with the old model the new changes are really noticeable. I am starting to get used to it but I figure I have a few more days of practicing to get back to where I was at on the previous model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski01 Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 yep - more anticipation needed for power reduction on roll-out. That was getting me for a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilbur81 Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 It seems nearly every comment here on the FM is related to landing. Is anyone else doing edge of the envelope aerobatics, wvr gunzo dogfighting, etc.? I'd be curious to see, if so, what people are finding with the FM changes. i7 8700K @ Stock - Win10 64 - 32 RAM - RTX 3080 12gb OC - 55 inch 4k Display Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelco Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Easier to get stable and trimmed for air refueling, in my case. Real and Simulated Wars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antagonist Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 PA pitch response is still being worked on :) So my having issues keeping the nose from rising to 30° after dropping gear and flaps is an issue with the FM? If not, how is the pilot supposed to bleed off the excess speed while keeping the plane from rocketing up 500 ft before he has to turn for final approach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CypherS Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 It seems nearly every comment here on the FM is related to landing. Is anyone else doing edge of the envelope aerobatics, wvr gunzo dogfighting, etc.? I'd be curious to see, if so, what people are finding with the FM changes. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it seems the instantaneous rate has gone up while the sustained rate has gone a bit down. I'm probably wrong though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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