Navigation Question (from a noob)

[epoch]

Hi

 

I bought LockOn and FC a few weeks ago. I love a game with a steep learning curve, so this is right up my street! I've been into Microsoft Flight Sim for many years so I understand the principles of flight etc.

 

I'm just concentrating on the A10 at the moment, and I've got the basics of takeoff/landing and weapons pretty much sorted.

 

The one thing I honestly don't understand is the NAV mode. I've been playing on some of the 'instant action' missions. I understand that pressing tilde (~) will cycle through waypoints. Fair enough. But what I don't understand is what pressing '1' repeatedly is cycling through?

 

I've done the A10 training missions and I don't recall it being explained.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[IvanK]

Grab some of the training missions at Flanker training. There is a great training video on the A10 Nav system.

 

http://flankertraining.com/ironhand/news.html

[vadIL]

Hi

 

I bought LockOn and FC a few weeks ago. I love a game with a steep learning curve, so this is right up my street! I've been into Microsoft Flight Sim for many years so I understand the principles of flight etc.

 

I'm just concentrating on the A10 at the moment, and I've got the basics of takeoff/landing and weapons pretty much sorted.

 

The one thing I honestly don't understand is the NAV mode. I've been playing on some of the 'instant action' missions. I understand that pressing tilde (~) will cycle through waypoints. Fair enough. But what I don't understand is what pressing '1' repeatedly is cycling through?

 

I've done the A10 training missions and I don't recall it being explained.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

 

1 will cycle from nav to ILS (Landing) Mode

[S77th-GOYA]

I've done the A10 training missions and I don't recall it being explained.

 

Pressing "1" cycles through the nav modes while "~" cycles through the waypoints in the main nav mode.

 

Assuming you start from a mode other than one of the nav modes:

 

1. First press of 1 gets you in main nav mode

2. Next press puts you into return mode. (Pointing you to the initial ILS point, also called the IAF or Initial Approach Fix)

3. Next press puts you into ILS mode

 

Beware that going to return mode from the main nav mode shows a waypoint of "2" on the HUD.

[cool_t]

:)

 

Pressing "1" cycles through the nav modes while "~" cycles through the waypoints in the main nav mode.

 

Assuming you start from a mode other than one of the nav modes:

 

1. First press of 1 gets you in main nav mode

2. Next press puts you into return mode. (Pointing you to the initial ILS point, also called the IAF or Initial Approach Fix)

3. Next press puts you into ILS mode

 

Beware that going to return mode from the main nav mode shows a waypoint of "2" on the HUD.

 

Yaaaa what he said.

 

:holiday:

[epoch]

Ah, I think I understand!

 

So if I'm on a mission and I take off from 'A', then pressing 1 twice will put me in return mode to that airbase, then pressing 1 again will activate ILS mode for the approach?

 

I'll have a look at the flankertraining.com stuff too (when I can get away from family duties long enough to have a game!!).

[TekaTeka]

Actually, you can not switch to the return mode manually in A-10 (and F-15). You can switch between NAV and ILSN mode only. The return mode will be activated only when you are in NAV mode and have reached to the last waypoint before landing.

 

[S77th-konkussion]

The Russian planes automatically create a set "return" or initial approach waypoint that makes the NAV mode much easier to interpret. It's obvious what mode you're in and where to go to make your approach.

 

The US planes are obviously not set up like this so it's helpful to add another waypoint somewhere in the vicinity of the approach leg. At least this way you are heading to the right place, and you are in position to manually bring up the ILS if it doesn't come up on it's own.

 

Printing out the theatre maps and simply knowing where you are at / where you are going to is also helpful- not to mention realistic.

 

Personally I think something was left woefully incomplete in this area- and this would be a nice fix in the 1.13 patch.