DmitriKozlowsky Posted May 3, 2020 Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) I have a running list if WTF why did they do it this way. Previous line item was radar vertical control which doubles as FLIT TPOD zoom. Using spirng loaded axis, for what should be an absolute axis slider control. Even with spring loaded it works like crap in TPOD zoom, it keeps over in-zooming and over-out zooming, a bit difficult to predict. Next line item is FLIR TPOD (Litening II) pointer. Or more precisely. WTF is it pointing all the way over there, when I need it point over here (at steerpoint where target is), and why is it moving so slow on HUD. Serious OMG moment for me. So with TPOD centered, in master AG mode. There is no TPOD pointer drawn on HUD? So outright there is no que as to where it is looking. OK so enable Waypoint Slew , and TPOD points at target but there is no caret drawn on HUD. Where it is looking. Next is target designate. I try to designate. Does not work with VVSL slew mode. But at least it is stabilized on target. I hit VVSL to OFF so I can control of pointer, but now TPOD recenters, and with aircraft in slight bank I have no clue where its looking. After some difficulty I manage to find the target with TPOD sensor and designate a target for JDAM. No problem. I fly into dynamic release and and off JDAM goes, guiding nicely. But as soon as weapon is released , TPOD recenters itself, instead of staying on SPI. JDAM is in TOO mode. The difficult absurd TPOD target hunt is on again. Immediately I think of how great a job ED did with LiteningII in A-10C and pretty decent job that RAZBAM did with it in AV-8B. But F/A-18C TPOD control is a hot confusing mess. We already have good working procedures for what is a same sensor just different platform. It should work the same, with same or similar enough controls. BTW, these pods have recon modes similar to some function of TARPS tactical recon pod for NATO Link-16 enabled aircraft. Perhaps not everything that dedicated TARPS does. Edited May 3, 2020 by DmitriKozlowsky
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