fixed [REPORTED] Blackout during carrier launch

[FSKRipper]

DCS 2.5.3.24436 Open Beta Update

 

Problem: Screen goes black during catshot, seems to be more serious when the A/C is loaded heavier.

 

Step to reproduce: Instant action Caucasus carrier T/O mission or first Hornet campaign mission. The heavy AG load of the instant action mission extends the blackout period.

[Emmy]

[Yoda967]

I don't believe this is a bug. I've had this happen several times, but only when there wasn't much wind across the deck.

 

Try speeding the carrier up, and see if that helps.

 

Edit: To explain a bit of what I think is happening -- the catapult power adjusts to launch the aircraft at a particular airspeed based on its weight.

 

Of course, an airplane's ground speed is the sum of its airspeed and the wind speed. If it's headed into the wind, its ground speed is slower than its airspeed.

 

With a fixed-length catapult, the amount of acceleration to reach the desired airspeed is greater when the wind speed is lower. You have to get going faster in the same distance.

 

Harder acceleration means a greater chance of blackout.

 

EDIT: DISREGARD. I WAS WRONG.

Edited November 22, 2018 by Yoda967

[FSKRipper]

I don't believe this is a bug. I've had this happen several times, but only when there wasn't much wind across the deck.

 

Try speeding the carrier up, and see if that helps.

 

Edit: To explain a bit of what I think is happening -- the catapult power adjusts to launch the aircraft at a particular airspeed based on its weight.

 

Of course, an airplane's ground speed is the sum of its airspeed and the wind speed. If it's headed into the wind, its ground speed is slower than its airspeed.

 

With a fixed-length catapult, the amount of acceleration to reach the desired airspeed is greater when the wind speed is lower. You have to get going faster in the same distance.

 

Harder acceleration means a greater chance of blackout.

 

(It's an amazing sim.)

 

So you are telling me actual navy pilots pass out for more then 4 seconds during a carrier launch? This would be the first time I hear something like this...

Btw it wasnt there before (in these missions) and I dont need to change the missions since this would be a minor bug in the ED mission design if you are correct :music_whistling:

Edited November 21, 2018 by FSKRipper

[Rescue]

Had it some times.

 

It happens if you're not lined up correctly.

[discwalker]

I'm running out of patience because of the missing track file tag.

"Instant action Caucasus carrier T/O mission" 3 of 3 blackout (mil power or full AB)

[Zarma]

Happened once to me when I wasnt looking forward at the launch.

[backspace340]

It's happening because of the weight of the plane - it doesn't happen empty or light, but if you're taking a full bomb load it bounces down the deck (sometimes breaking stuff) and you black out. Not sure if it's intentional or a bug. Couple of tracks attached. It's easy to reproduce, just start from the runway on the Stennis, load up 5xMk 84's, and take off.

heavytakeoff.trk

heavytakeoff2.trk

[SonofEil]

I've never blacked out on a cat shot before, clean wings or overloaded, until today. Definite bug.

Shot off with a 13k fuel, 2 7M's, 2 120C's, 6 9X's. Roughly 3 second blackout.

 

 

EDIT: Attached a track. Normal launch caused blackout.

BLACKOUT.trk

Edited November 22, 2018 by SonofEil

[SonofEil]

After doing a little testing it looks like blackout occurs at around 44k pounds.

Interesting though is that I actually had a mild REDout at 42k pounds.

Here's your tracks:

BLACKOUT2.trk

REDOUT.trk

[Yoda967]

So you are telling me actual navy pilots pass out for more then 4 seconds during a carrier launch? This would be the first time I hear something like this...

Btw it wasnt there before (in these missions) and I dont need to change the missions since this would be a minor bug in the ED mission design if you are correct :music_whistling:

 

No, I'm saying that I've had it happen several times (in missions of my own creation) when I'd inadvertently put a tailwind over the deck. I then changed the mission so that there was a HEAD wind across the deck, eliminating the blackouts.

 

It's an easy mistake to make: in DCS, the wind settings are for the direction the wind is GOING, not where it's COMING FROM. It's backwards from how we're taught to think about wind, at least where I learned to fly, in the US.

 

In the real world, the crew works together to maneuver the carrier and operate the catapults in real time to ensure that the jet gets airborne within a specific airspeed range (11-20 knots above single-engine minimum controllable airspeed) without making the pilot black out.

 

I could be wrong, of course.

 

EDIT: I AM.

Edited November 22, 2018 by Yoda967

[Yoda967]

AAAAND, I *am* wrong.

 

I'm seeing blackouts now for all my carrier launches, even with missions that worked before yesterday's update.

 

Track file attached.

TAKEOFF_BLACKOUT.trk

[Woody01]

I saw this for the first time today. It happened as I had gone full throttle then "Shit! trim!" I was looking down to the left when it shot me off the deck and I blacked out for a couple of seconds. I wouldn't be surprised if you were not fully back in the seat with your head hard against the seat that this could happen, every cat shot I have seen the pilot is braced for it, not looking down leaning forward fiddling with settings that should have been already set. Interesting...

Wind was not a factor, it was only coming in over the deck at a 27kts head wind.

Edited November 22, 2018 by Woody01

[Yoda967]

Yeah, I'm not sure that's it. I screwed up in my track file there and advanced the throttles too early, but retarded them again to fix the problem that gave me an alert.

 

It's consistent now...every launch. And I'm ready for it. Still blacking out.

[rinch]

There's no way a pilot would black-out on a cat launch. Ever.

The maximum G on launch on the Stennis, should peak around 3-4G. (3 secs, 150kts)

 

The bug here, and it IS a bug, is not just transverse G though. Turn off G-effects in Options/Gameplay/G-Effects, you will not black-out and you then can clearly see the aircraft bouncing oddly down the deck on launch.

In a mission (Operation Eclipse V2) that I have flown with no issue several times last week, this new feature causes the nose gear to break (it will not retract). I think this is 100% repeatable?

[Yoda967]

It appears to be repeatable.

[NineLine]

Hey guys, I am able to reproduce internally, will try on our dev build and report as needed.

 

Thanks for the reports and tracks!

[NineLine]

I'm running out of patience because of the missing track file tag.

"Instant action Caucasus carrier T/O mission" 3 of 3 blackout (mil power or full AB)

 

Then please don't take part in reporting bugs, we require tracks, it makes it easier in 99% of cases to check quickly and report.

 

PS, bug is reported thanks to supplied tracks.

[SC86]

I've had that a few times, I think it has to d with the seat Belt tensioner, it needs to be pushed forward to tighten. Most if not all quick starts and mission the tensioner is on the loose setting, also the ejection seat is not armed

[discwalker]

For me seat belt tensioner nothing to do with blackout.

But i discovered a workaround to during blackout phase nosewheel stuck in erroreous position:

right alt + J twice (pass to AI and back)

Without this workaround ground crew needed to fix this, and during stop you may not has nosewheel steering.

If needed I can upload a track with nose gear damage during blackout (4xAA, 4*MK84, 1*CL TANK)

I uploaded plenty of tracks that not lead to testers to report or devs to fix bug.

Edited November 22, 2018 by discwalker

[Cskelly]

Same here. Blackout during every launch.

[Racoon-1-1]

Am 22.11.2018 um 18:24 schrieb NineLine:

Hey guys, I am able to reproduce internally, will try on our dev build and report as needed.

 

Thanks for the reports and tracks!

Now I have the same issue with the hornet again on carrier start. Same when the aircraft is passing me supersonic in the F3 view.

My VR screens (Reverb G2) just go completely black for 5 seconds. I am flying in Steam VR and MT.

Edited April 27 by Racoon-1-1

[Racoon-1-1]

Am 22.11.2018 um 18:30 schrieb NineLine:

 

Then please don't take part in reporting bugs, we require tracks, it makes it easier in 99% of cases to check quickly and report.

 

PS, bug is reported thanks to supplied tracks.

Hey NineLine,

is the ED Team currently aware of this bug? It happens to me in MT and ST as well by the way. Very often when the catapult launch starts the left screen of my g2 goes black instantly followed by the right screen a second later. After approximately 5 seconds both screens go back to normal.

Should I open another bug thread for this since this discussion is almost 5 years old?

kind regards

Edited April 29 by Racoon-1-1

[BIGNEWY]

On 4/29/2024 at 10:03 AM, Racoon-1-1 said:

Hey NineLine,

is the ED Team currently aware of this bug? It happens to me in MT and ST as well by the way. Very often when the catapult launch starts the left screen of my g2 goes black instantly followed by the right screen a second later. After approximately 5 seconds both screens go back to normal.

Should I open another bug thread for this since this discussion is almost 5 years old?

kind regards

 

Hi, 

this issue was fixed some time ago, if you are seeing an issue still its best to create a new thread. 

If you do not get the issue in 2D I would make sure the G2 firmware is up to date as I seem to remember a sound issue that created a black screen on the G2 

thank you