External lights are confusing...

[Donut]

For some reason, the external lighting controls seem overly complicated and not very intuitive.

 

At first glance, I would take each external lighting switch/knob at face value as they are labeled, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

The FORMATION lights knob does not control the formation light that illuminates the tail.

 

The FUSELAGE POSITION lights switch does not control the fuselage position lights located on each side of the engine intake.

 

Can someone explain why this is and also give an in depth explanation on how these switches should be positioned for startup, taxi, takeoff, and during flight?

Edited January 17, 2020 by =BJM=

[QuiGon]

Have you set the Master Light switch to NORM?

[Alfas]

EXT lighting working as describe in -1

 

ANTI = control only top of vertical tail strobe light.

FUSELAGE = control only white floodlights at base of vertical tail.

WING/TAIL = control all others white red green lights.

 

FORM knob = varies white lights (if WING/TAIL is OFF varies red green lights too)

[Donut]

EXT lighting working as describe in -1

 

ANTI = control only top of vertical tail strobe light.

FUSELAGE = control only white floodlights at base of vertical tail.

WING/TAIL = control all others white red green lights.

 

FORM knob = varies white lights (if WING/TAIL is OFF varies red green lights too)

 

Thank you for posting that...yes, does seem to be working as designed. They could have designed it better though...

 

For the FORMATION knob, does "varies" mean that it controls the intensity of the white lights?

Edited December 18, 2019 by =BJM=

[HereThen]

Thank you for posting that...yes, does seem to be working as designed. They could have designed it better though...

 

For the FORMATION knob, does "varies" mean that it controls the intensity of the white lights?

 

More explained from the legend himself:

[Donut]

It's still confusing and doesn't make sense, as the knobs and switches do not do what they are labeled as doing.

 

 

Does anyone, hopefully with real life experience, know the external lighting switch and knob positions for startup, taxi, takeoff, inflight, etc.? Maybe this will help me to better understand. Thank you!

[Frederf]

Before the engine starts: Position flash and strobes as briefed. Exception is night (ground stationary, rejoin, tanker) where position may be steady and strobe may be off. Normal daytime is: A/C pattern per your airplane, FLASH, BRT, BRT, refueling/formation off, master NORM.

 

The covert master options are various combinations of covert and visible. The strobe and formation halves of the lighting can either be half covert or both.

[Donut]

Before the engine starts: Position flash and strobes as briefed. Exception is night (ground stationary, rejoin, tanker) where position may be steady and strobe may be off. Normal daytime is: A/C pattern per your airplane, FLASH, BRT, BRT, refueling/formation off, master NORM.

 

The covert master options are various combinations of covert and visible. The strobe and formation halves of the lighting can either be half covert or both.

 

Thank you for the info.

 

In your normal daytime configuration, the formation light that illuminates the vertical stabilizer would be on...is this correct and normal operation?

[=Panther=]

It's still confusing and doesn't make sense, as the knobs and switches do not do what they are labeled as doing.

 

 

Does anyone, hopefully with real life experience, know the external lighting switch and knob positions for startup, taxi, takeoff, inflight, etc.? Maybe this will help me to better understand. Thank you!

 

Light Panel is confusing because it isn't working correctly.

[Deano87]

Light Panel is confusing because it isn't working correctly.

 

Can you explain any further for us mere mortals who don't get hands on these jets on a daily basis?

[Donut]

Light Panel is confusing because it isn't working correctly.

 

Thank you for the feedback, I knew I wasn't crazy...do you know what exactly isn't working correctly?

[Frederf]

Thank you for the info.

 

In your normal daytime configuration, the formation light that illuminates the vertical stabilizer would be on...is this correct and normal operation?

 

I don't use formation lighting at all during the day and I don't think real squadrons do either. There's no point since they'd not be visible compared to the sun. I looked at some videos and the closest I found was the tail flash lights on at Osan which wasn't night but it wasn't midday sun either. I'm sure light policy is a squadron/wing/base thing so might vary.

[=Panther=]

Thank you for the feedback, I knew I wasn't crazy...do you know what exactly isn't working correctly?

 

With master mode in Norm, the switches should do just as they say. They don't. With 1.16 not a whole lot I can say.

[Donut]

Needs ED response...

 

With master mode in Norm, the switches should do just as they say. They don't. With 1.16 not a whole lot I can say.

 

Roger that...thank you so much for the feedback.

 

Can we get an ED response and move this to the bug section?

[diveplane]

multiplayer i do see some issues with nav lights and tail beacon, not working with other clients ingame.

 

also lod distances need increased imo.

[DerekSpeare]

Get Manual T.O. GR1F-16CJ-1 and refer to pages 1-150 through 1-158.

[Donut]

ED response needed...

 

Get Manual T.O. GR1F-16CJ-1 and refer to pages 1-150 through 1-158.

 

Thank you for suggesting that.

 

From what I am reading, when the MASTER knob is in NORM, the FORM knob should control the formation lights brightness and turn them off...this is not the case in DCS.

[Tholozor]

The FORM knob only controls the formation light brightness if the WING/TAIL BRT/DIM switch is OFF.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Tholozor

[Donut]

The FORM knob only controls the formation light brightness if the BRT/DIM switch is OFF.

 

I believe this is incorrect.

 

Due to forum rule 1.16, I unfortunately cannot show you why.

[Tholozor]

Just saying, that's how it's working at the moment. If you think it's wrong and have something that says otherwise, send it to BIGNEWY, Nineline or Wags to confirm.

[=Panther=]

The FORM knob only controls the formation light brightness if the WING/TAIL BRT/DIM switch is OFF.

 

The form light should still control the form regardless of the wing tail brt/dim switch.

[Tholozor]

Again, all I'm saying that's how it works right now; Wags even mentions that's how it works in his November video. If it's wrong, talk to the team.

 

Skip ahead to 4:40.

[Donut]

Needs ED response...

 

Again, all I'm saying that's how it works right now; Wags even mentions that's how it works in his November video. If it's wrong, talk to the team.

 

Yes, that is how it works now and how Wags explained it in the video...I strongly believe that it is incorrect.

 

 

The problem right now is with the FORM knob. When the MASTER knob is set to NORM and WING/TAIL, FUSELAGE both set to BRT, the FORM knob should control the intensity of all formation lights from off to bright.

 

Other than that, it seems that all other external lighting controls are working correctly.

[Eagle7907]

Is there any proof or something to back up that the taxi/landing light is correct? Seems illogical to use such a narrow focused light for landing, while the wide beam for taxi illuminates better. Maybe its just a DCS thing, but that doesn't seem very well engineered with what we got now.

[Frederf]

No, the formation knob only has an effect on the wingtip position lights when WING/TAIL is set OFF. Whenever WING/TAIL is set BRT or DIM the formation knob has no effect over those lights. That's correct behavior.

 

 

OK, let's summarize the external lighting of the F-16 item by item:

 

Anti-Collision Light (1; top of tail) On and patterns for power supply setting #1 selectable by ANTI COLL knob. Flashes visible in master NORM and COVERT FORM otherwise flashes covert in COVERT A/C and COVERT ALL.

Position Lights (7; intakes, upper wingtips, lower wingtips, aft center)

Master NORM or COVERT A/C: WING/TAIL BRT or DIM and STEADY or FLASH sets all position lights to bright steady, bright flash, dim steady, or dim flash. When WING/TAIL set to OFF wingtip position intensity set by FORM knob and all other position lights are off.

 

Master COVERT ALL or COVERT FORM: STEADY or FLASH as above. BRT all upper position lights covert bright. DIM all upper position lights covert dim. OFF all position lights off. Lower wingtip position lights are off regardless of BRT/DIM/OFF setting.

 

Fuselage Lights (2; floods onto tail sides)

Controlled by FUSELAGE BRT/DIM selecting bright or dim visible or covert intensity.

Master NORM or COVERT A/C light is visible.

Master COVERT ALL or COVERT FORM light is covert.

 

Formation Lights (2; dorsal and ventral)

Master NORM or COVERT A/C dorsal and ventral visible intensity by FORM knob.

Master COVERT ALL or COVERT FORM ventral formation light is off, dorsal formation light is covert on. Formation covert lights are not variable intensity.

 

Taxi and Landing Lights (2; Nose landing gear door)

Not affected by exterior light control panel.

 

Aerial Refueling Lights (2+; dorsal fuselage onto rear of airplane, slipway illumination, tail-mounted forward to receptacle)

All AR lights enabled with AIR REFUEL switch and variable intensity with AERIAL REFUELING knob in all modes. All AR lights are not NVIS compatible.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Frederf