Target symbol - vectors

[Kula66]

It is my understanding that the aircraft stabilised radar display shows relative vectors and the ground stabilised displays shows (IMHO more understandable) absolute vectors for targets.

 

Any way to switch the aircraft stabilised to the absolute vector display (from the front seat) ... A slow bandit flying away from me and it showing a vector line pointing towards me is too much for my brain to handled! Could the real FCS do this?

 

Thanks.

[IronMike]

Unfortunately no. As from the manual:

 

"In TID ground stabilized mode the vector direction represents track true heading and the vector length represents track ground speed.

 

In TID aircraft stabilized and attack modes the vector direction represents track relative heading (to own aircraft) and the vector length represents track speed relative to own aircraft"

 

This is unfortunately an either/or. But there is an easy Mk.1 Eyeball workaround. Since in ac stab or atk mode the vector is showing the relativ heading to your aircraft, all you need to do is take a glimpse at the line, and superimpose it on your BDHI. This will give you a rough and quick estimate of the target's true heading. BTW, no idea if that was the procedure, for one a RIO would know how to calculate it, is my guess, and for second, the RIO could also just quickly switch to verify. BIO for example says he just never used ground stab, at all. Other RIOs may have been different. But with a RIO, this was less of a concern for the pilot. The pilot flew where the RIO wanted him to fly, and fired at what the RIO told him to fire at - in most cases, but in most any case the pilot did not interfere with the RIO's radar work. So there is no such option, not only in the backseat, but ofc also not in the front seat (just like a pilot couldnt decide between ac stab or gnd stab in the first place). Hope that makes sense!

[Kula66]

Many thanks IM, yes that makes sense ... I guess I'll have to run through some practice intercepts!

[Kula66]

I've not looked into the RIO functionality, but can you tell Jester to centre the ground stabilised view on bullseye from the front seat? Or a waypoint?

[IronMike]

I've not looked into the RIO functionality, but can you tell Jester to centre the ground stabilised view on bullseye from the front seat? Or a waypoint?

 

 

No, you cant unfortunately.

 

 

 

But that's what else Navgrid would be for. This will also allow for true vectors iirc, but I would have to check. Best you look it up in the manual to be sure.

[Kula66]

Cheers IM, I'll take a look. Great to have that available on the Jester wheel for BVR MP.

 

UPDATE: Does anyone use NAVGRID? Seems very fiddly to set up from the front seat and as soon as jester goes TWS it all goes out of the window :(

Edited September 13, 2020 by Kula66

[Kula66]

Further to this, does anyone know a quick way to determine if a bandit is hot or cold from the front seat apart from doing vectors maths in your head?? I know the vector would be 'longer', but is there anything else available on the displays, apart from the vector line to help? I seem to find myself fast and firing on retreating bandits that still show a 'closing' vector :(

 

Is the idea that you only fire at range x when the vector is at least y in length?

[Spiceman]

Tell Jester to switch to Ground Stabilized. He’ll switch it for a selectable period of time, during which you’ll get the vector showing the targets true heading.

[Home Fries]

Something I'll do as RIO is go into ground stab, then use the HCU and the button on top to offset the display so the aircraft is at the side of the TID opposite its vector (i.e. on the left part of the TID if heading east). This gives you the same level of SA as aircraft stab, and you get the absolute vectors instead of relative. I'll use this early on when I'm trying to figure out who's who in the zoo.

[Kula66]

Thanks both, I've just discovered there is a key combo for aircraft/ground stab ... maybe switching between modes is the esiest way?? The jester wheel is too fiddly and VC is not reliable enough, but a button press might work.