[BUG] F-14 Won't Launch From Carrier, All Parameters Met

[609_Relentov]

Having the same problem, after enough times I see what "appears" to be the pattern.

 

Basically, as you creep forward to line up with the shuttle, if the nose gear/bar goes past the shuttle, even if when you hit "u" and it pushes you back slightly and raises the blast shield, hitting the salute key combo (LShift-u) does not initiate the catapult launch. Also, I notice that when you've gone past the shuttle and hit "u", the plane (from the cockpit POV) is shaking quite a bit. Whenever I see the shaking, it's pretty much guaranteed not to launch after the salute.

 

So basically the solution I've seen, is to release the shuttle ("u"), enable nose wheel steering and move (i.e. in a circle) to re-align with the shuttle again. But this time, I'm very careful about not passing the shuttle... almost like you have to be just short of it when you latch to the shuttle ("u"), and not observe any (major) shaking - then the salute launches OK for me.

[IronMike]

Thank you all for reporting, we are currently not sure if this is a DCS bug or a bug on our part, but we are looking into it. Hopefully we can find a fix soon.

[chaser]

Hi Guys how are you spawning onto the carrier ?

Ive noticed that this sometimes happens if i leave my throttle open when spawning ready on the runway also check that you don't spawn with your flaps down

it normally fixes if I do a quick throttle down and or move my flaps up

Hope that helps ?

[Bones308th]

Guys, this is still happening! Do we have an idea yet what can be causing this? This bug might have been introduced a couple of updates ago. I have missions that I built a couple of months ago, and I don’t have a problem launching the Tomcat on those. Whatever it is, it may have something to do with engines. I noticed that as soon as any of the engines are started, the airplane starts to slide towards the forward part of the ship. When I shut the engines down, the airplane stops sliding. I’ve made changes to parallel the old missions, but I haven’t been successful in braking the code! Is there a workaround for this yet? Have we identified a cause? Thanks.

 

Bones

[SonofEil]

Unfortunately I’m out of town this week so I can’t access the tests I’ve already done, but I’ve managed to narrow it down so that I can at least avoid the problem. The problem is directly related to the Tomcat’s deck sliding and/or relative wind speed.

The Tomcat can’t launch at “realistic” carrier speeds, meaning ~25kts wind over the deck. If your carrier speed is set higher than around 15 knots then you’ll experience wicked deck sliding in the F-14, attached to the shuttle the plane will shake fairly consistently, and you won’t launch after salute. There may be a weather/wind component required (ex. 17kts carrier/8kts wind or 10kts carrier/15kts wind), but with realistic winds over the deck the Tomcat won’t launch after saluting. Lower the carrier speed and/or wind velocity (below realistic values) and the ability to launch returns.

[Bones308th]

Unfortunately I’m out of town this week so I can’t access the tests I’ve already done, but I’ve managed to narrow it down so that I can at least avoid the problem. The problem is directly related to the Tomcat’s deck sliding and/or relative wind speed.

The Tomcat can’t launch at “realistic” carrier speeds, meaning ~25kts wind over the deck. If your carrier speed is set higher than around 15 knots then you’ll experience wicked deck sliding in the F-14, attached to the shuttle the plane will shake fairly consistently, and you won’t launch after salute. There may be a weather/wind component required (ex. 17kts carrier/8kts wind or 10kts carrier/15kts wind), but with realistic winds over the deck the Tomcat won’t launch after saluting. Lower the carrier speed and/or wind velocity (below realistic values) and the ability to launch returns.

 

Man, I’ve tried at a default of 11 and 27 knots for the carrier, and I have not been successful. However, on an older mission with the carrier set to 27 knots and a wind of just 4 knots, I can launch without a problem. On the newer missions, as soon as I start the number 2 engine, I can see the airplane drift starting. Shut down the engine, the drift stops. On the older missions, the airplane wobbles a little on the deck, but it stays in place.

[erniedaoage]

For me it seems that the F-14 is not physically attached to the shuttle because when the deck sliding starts to happen, i could observe that the Launch Bar icon on the caution panel also starts to come on and off. It seems to me that the aircraft is sliding out of the shuttle area even if you are already hooked. My solution to the problem is that i observe the caution panel for the Launch Bar to light up again and hit salute as quickly as possible.

[Bones308th]

Check out a Tomcat mission named Bone or something like that. Is the one where you escort some B-1s to target. I’ve deleted the carrier, added a new one, changed its course, speed, changed altimeter setting, temperature; I’ve even changed the weather from static to dynamic, and nothing!

[Bones308th]

For me it seems that the F-14 is not physically attached to the shuttle because when the deck sliding starts to happen, i could observe that the Launch Bar icon on the caution panel also starts to come on and off. It seems to me that the aircraft is sliding out of the shuttle area even if you are already hooked. My solution to the problem is that i observe the caution panel for the Launch Bar to light up again and hit salute as quickly as possible.

 

Yeah, the airplane is always on a constant drift in the same direction as the carrier.

 

Bones

[Firebird1955]

Bump: Any movement on this?

[Shavik]

Figured nearly a month was enough to bump this again and see there has been any progress?

 

Our group is still experiencing this on our mission. Seems an easy fix is to try another catapult. Then we get launched as normal.

 

We've just got used to saying "Cat 1 is out of service! Moving to Cat 2!" :lol:

[wyx]

updates on this?

[Reflected]

Any updates please? I still can't take off from the carrier sometimes.

[Cowboy10uk]

Just bumping this, had the same issue last night on a MP server. Cold and dark startup on carrier, taxied and hooked up fine, powered up, salute and nothing.

 

As it’s been ongoing for what looks like almost 6 months, any chance of an update please.

 

I’ve only just started learning the F14, hence why I’ve only just come across this issue. But not being able to use a carrier aircraft, on the carrier, is kinda a major issue

[EntropySG]

it probably has been mentioned many times, and its in no way a good solution, but just in case,you can alwas taxi back and take off with full burner, no cat required

((better than no take off at all))

[r4y30n]

This but seems to have worsened with the last OB. Previously I was able to hold the kneel switch for a couple extra seconds and I could launch, on the current version there doesn't seem to be any workaround to get the cat to fire.

[Silvrav]

I can launch fine from the carrier, but the bouncing is a major problem