johnmjones1975 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 So I haven't seen anyone mention this on any forum here but has anyone tried using the "HUD Reticle" to align yourself for AAR? It makes it SOOOOO much easier I'm not sure when but I remember seeing a video years ago (which I can't find now) not a DCS video Discussing AAR and a pilot said all you have to do is line up the crosshairs on that reticle with the basket and literally fly right into it I'm using Track IR and really struggled with AAR until I tried this just move over and align the two reticles and put the bullseye right on the basket They even look like the basket when they are aligned Magically, everything lines up Even the Hose becomes perfectly vertical and you just fly right into it I usually shift back to center when i'm a few feet away from capturing and everything is lined up and start concentrating on the engine. It's helpful at night because it even puts the "light" right on the basket so you know you're in the right plane. I'll try to post a video later but for now, I've got my wife working from home, a 14 year old using the gaming computer for schoolwork (and fortnite), and the 17 year old doing schoolwork in there. "Honey can i get in there so i can make a video about air to air refueling?" would probably get me stabbed in the eyes right about now...... hope everyone is doing well and safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcrusty Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 I've never tried that approach. I will tonight. For some weird reason I learned to approach the basket from a slight angle. I usually gas up from orbiting S3's. Once I get close and stable and see the probe aiming directly at the center of the basket then I get my eyes glued to the tanker's pod and it's reference to my canopy bow. The throttles have to working back and forth quite a bit more then in real Hornet (I've been told). Everyone I flew with in MP does it differently but they all gas up successfully :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmjones1975 Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 It actually helped me with the orbiting tankers more than the straight ones because it got me flying everything in the same plane relative to the tanker I think the straight ones you can get away with a lot easier. definitely helped me 'get the feel' of what needs to be done to approach easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcrusty Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 So, the lights work after the last update? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmjones1975 Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 I only play the last stable release. Not the Beta. Hoping the Beta becomes the stable release at some point soon. Mainly because I want the TPOD updates to slave to waypoint. I haven't really put the time in to figure out how I'd want to set up the beta install (yet) Limited space on my HD I share with a 14 year old with his fortnite and call of duty all eating space off topic but: Probably either going to install beta to external USB drive or I put my "Nevada" map on the USB drive with a MKLINK pointing towards it works great, but takes a little while longer to load the first time probably going to move Caucus map to usb and install beta to c: with everyone home, i get limited time to play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fri13 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Interesting idea to use gun backup sight as AAR probe positioning... i7-8700k, 32GB 2666Mhz DDR4, 2x 2080S SLI 8GB, Oculus Rift S. i7-8700k, 16GB 2666Mhz DDR4, 1080Ti 11GB, 27" 4K, 65" HDR 4K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hein22 Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 So, the lights work after the last update? I was just wondering the same my self. Does anyone know? Stay safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmjones1975 Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share Posted April 4, 2020 Here's what I'm talking about it's not perfect, call it stage fright but it shows what i'm talking about I shift over at about :59 seconds when I think i have it and screw it up a little but recover Is it a "coincidence" the gun backup site and the probe just happen to line up? Also, don't forget to turn your youtube setting up as they're throttling the quality back When I checked it after posting I freaked for a second trying to figure out why it looked like dirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VDV Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 I`ve never tried with that. I didnt know that its for AAR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=Panther= Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 (edited) Here I thought that was the JHMCS alignment reticle.:doh: Wrote JHMCS but meant the view of the hud and line of sight. Caffeine hadn't kicked in fully. Edited April 7, 2020 by =Panther= Twitch Channel [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Virtual Thunderbirds, LLC | Sponsored by Thrustmaster Z390 Aorus Xtreme, i9 9900k, G.SKILL TridentZ Series 32GB, 1080ti 11GB, Obutto R3Volution, Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog, TPR, Cougar MFDs, FSSB R3L, JetSeat, Oculus Rift S, Buddy-Fox A-10C UFC, F/A-18C UFC, Tek Creations F-16 ICP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverdevil Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 from chucks guide "HUD/BRU alignment crosses Pilots line up their helmet-mounted display with the Heads-Up Display/Boresight Reference Unit by adjusting their seat height and making sure both crosses are aligned." but if it works for another purpose no one needs to know otherwise. you will just look like the AAR master ;-) AKA_SilverDevil AKA Forums My YouTube “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” — Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorlima01 Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Here I thought that was the JHMCS alignment reticle. It is. AFAIK no such thing as a back-up reticle. I fly with a monitor and track IR and what works well for me is putting the basket in the altitude indicator box of the HUD and leaving it there until you plug. I couldn't do AAR before that. I'll try using the reticle as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift. Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 afaik That is used by the ground crew for collimating things like the gun. JHMCS alignment is done through on HUD software symbology iirc. 476th Discord | 476th Website | Swift Youtube Ryzen 5800x, RTX 4070ti, 64GB, Quest 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmjones1975 Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 i'm not saying it's the designed purpose, but it seems to make it really easy. I really can't remember where I saw a video with a pilot explaining it was many years before I even heard of DCS, so when I got in the F18 I assumed that's what it was for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EAF602 Red Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 I`ve never tried with that. I didnt know that its for AAR. Its the backup A/A gun sight, incase you lose the hud Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift. Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Its not a backup sight. In fact afaik its not used by aircrew at all. 476th Discord | 476th Website | Swift Youtube Ryzen 5800x, RTX 4070ti, 64GB, Quest 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkis Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I will try it. As VR User its mostly easy to stick my ... into the basket. But maybe that will nake it easier? I will try and give Feedback. Most advices like "Put the right side of the 5° bar on X" dpnt work for me cause i allways moving the head around. But having 2 elements will give a good reference where the head should be. Nice idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EAF602 Red Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Its not a backup sight. In fact afaik its not used by aircrew at all. Funny if you look through it, it will line up with the hud reticule Aircraft have had these since the implementation of reflector sights,, nearly every aircraft had a steel back up sight in case the bulb burst,,,Spit doesn't have one cos it could carry spare bulbs Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift. Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Funny if you look through it, it will line up with the hud reticule You will find that is because of what it is used for, which is collimation of the aircraft by the ground crew. 476th Discord | 476th Website | Swift Youtube Ryzen 5800x, RTX 4070ti, 64GB, Quest 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raus Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I don't think it has anything to do with the gun at all, if you think about it, the Hornet has a center mounted gun, so having a backup reticule on a side would be less than optimal, wouldn't it? As a matter of fact, I was in the Hornet HUD repair workshop at an airbase some 15 years ago, and was told that mark was used to determine proper seat height, so the pilot raises/lowers the seat until both reticules overlap, and then he is seating at the right height to see the HUD symbols overlapping real world counterparts (I hope my explanation sounds right...) Regarding the JHMCS part, I don'T know if it plays a role in calibrating it or not, but the mark has been on Hornet HUDs since long before JHMCs existed, and it is in place on Hornets that never got it, as well. Just my 2 cents GV5Js DATACARD GENERATOR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EAF602 Red Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I stand corrected, I have been flying flight sims for 30 odd years, mostly WW2, this is where I have obviously seen it, but just happened to be watching Fighter pilot podcast where Jello explains it at the 3.50 mark Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcrusty Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I stand corrected, I have been flying flight sims for 30 odd years, mostly WW2, this is where I have obviously seen it, but just happened to be watching Fighter pilot podcast where Jello explains it at the 3.50 mark Red Cool vid. For "realism" nuts vids like this (with full commentary) are a great material for setting up their flight profiles and procedures . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmjones1975 Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 that was a really good vid So pretty cool result from this chat was I decided to adjust "seat height" to align the crosses on the HUD glass as suggested to see what it did. I did so by adjusting the Y setting in Opentrack, centering the crosses and seeing what the Raw Input was showing it needed to be and making the adjustment in Opentrack Options, for me I had to adjust the offset up 8 cm from what the standard "center" view is Never tried moving the seat up before. Makes a huge difference in field of vision not only for AAR but general game play as well guess I'm used to flying like I'm in a low rider with the seats laid back I know there's a seat height adjustment lever but I also think it needs to be adjusted and saved each time you start, haven't tried it. easy to set through track IR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fri13 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 I stand corrected, I have been flying flight sims for 30 odd years, mostly WW2, this is where I have obviously seen it, but just happened to be watching Fighter pilot podcast where Jello explains it at the 3.50 mark Red And other hornet pilots say it is back up gunsight.... That without them even using JHMCS as it wasn't a thing back then when hornet came out. You can use it for other things too, but that same thing is in many other fighters. Example in MiG's you release mechanical spring loaded sight. In helicopters you might have dots made with permanent ink by ground crews like is with OH-58, If you want to adjust seat height, you could have set similar two points anywhere else in the cockpit for that purpose, as you don't need to see through forward to do so while start up. And for JHMCS calibration you need more than that as your head roll won't compensated with it. NATOPS for Hornet JHMCS calibration is page 266, it is all performed from the HUD itself, not at all though backup sight. In tandem seat hornets there is boresight reference unit at the read, as WSO doesn't have a HUD, so there is a small circle sight similar to backup sight that is used for WSO AHMD calibration. So pilot does it at front with HUD that superimpose various tests reticles on the HUD and uses TDC and cage/uncage button to move HMD reticles and lock it. And after each calibration that pilot performs before each flight, the seat height sensor informs JHMCS from seat height changes and compensates for the magnetic field changes. When your targeting computer goes waco, you can use backup gunsight to aim cannon or boresighted missiles. As you will know where to aim even when your HUD is dark. So did the designers just really want to stick permanent two axis reticle in the HUD just so that you can move your seat up/down properly once you sit in the cockpit? Sure.... Why when a one axis (vertical only) would have sufficiently done that and being positioned anywhere away from the HUD.... i7-8700k, 32GB 2666Mhz DDR4, 2x 2080S SLI 8GB, Oculus Rift S. i7-8700k, 16GB 2666Mhz DDR4, 1080Ti 11GB, 27" 4K, 65" HDR 4K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo52 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 afaik That is used by the ground crew for collimating things like the gun. JHMCS alignment is done through on HUD software symbology iirc. I've been doing boresight alignments on legacy hornets for 20 yes now. Never used the dot and cross for any part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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