F/A-18C Hornet Flight Manual (chapter_1) REV18012022

[Cruizzzzer]

Hey everyone!

 

Last time I was flying with my mates, they urged me to make my "F/A-18C Hornet Manual" available for the DCS public.

 

This was never my intention, when I first started this manual about 1 1/2 years ago, and until now I was pretty reluctant (and maybe still am) making it public.

 

First it was meant to be pure checklist, leading you through all stages of flight, starting from a "cold & dark", starting up engines, taxi out, taking off, cruise, until landing and shutdown.

Later on I found I was not familiar with other systems and all the stuff that the hornet offers.

So the manual got bigger until I had to cut it down again to fit in the kneeboard so it is useful during flight.

 

Now, the manual (pdf) is build in such a way, that it is meant to read with two pages side-by-side set up in the pdf-reader.

Background is chosen to be used in both day and night ops.

 

I just uploaded the pdf in the user files section: (kneeboard will follow)

F/A-18C Hornet Checklist (digitalcombatsimulator.com)

 

Maybe it is useful to you.

 

Special thanks to "Pokeraccio" and "Minsky" who gave me the permission to make my manual public, as I used they great work in the manual.

THANKS AGAIN TO YOU BOTH!

 

Lastly, I always try to be as thorough as possible writing down all the infos, but surely there will be mistakes or certain things missing.

If you find any mistakes just let me know.

 

Maybe this manual helps you in certain situations...

 

Greets...

cruizzzzer

Edited May 29, 2021 by Cruizzzzer

[Weasel]

Thanks a lot for sharing your checklist with the community, looks really awesome

[Cruizzzzer]

Thank you Weasel!

 

Just uploaded the "kneeboard version"... should come available pretty soon (still shows "non active") ...

 

Hope the manual helps in one or another way...

[Cruizzzzer]

In the manual itself you might come across the "CASE II / III marshal consideration"...

 

Where it says "AOB = standard rate turns = tas/10 +7; AOB max 25°" it only refers to the reversal turn passing the fix for the outbound leg. This is only an "airliners thing" as this will give you a standard rate turn of 3° per second.

Of course you can pull g's like hell and do all the crazy things with the hornet if you need to reach the fix at the EAT to start the approach...

[Cruizzzzer]

Unfortunately my upload of the F/A-18C Checklist (kneeboard version) has not become active yet (for reasons I don't know)...

 

So meanwhile just use the kneeboard builder you all know to create the according kneeboard yourself...

Kneeboard Builder for DCS World (dcskneeboardbuilder.com)

 

Sorry, for the inconvenience...

[HILOK]

it might take a day or two for ED to approve uploads in the user files section. thanks for sharing your hard work!

[Cruizzzzer]

11 minutes ago, HILOK said:

it might take a day or two for ED to approve uploads in the user files section. thanks for sharing your hard work!

ah, thanks... good to know... got a little impatient here...

 

[HILOK]

in the meantime it got uploaded

...and WOW, incredibly good work! perhaps you should apply at ED, i mean stuff like this HSI synopsis here is just insanely good

Edited May 30, 2021 by HILOK

[clanitho]

20 minutes ago, HILOK said:

in the meantime it got uploaded

...and WOW, incredibly good work! perhaps you should apply at ED, i mean stuff like this HSI synopsis here is just insanely good

 

Kneeboard version isn't available for the moment.

Very good job

[Cruizzzzer]

Thanks to all for the kind words!

 

Appreciate it!

 

Though found some errors in pdf which I am correcting just right now. Upload will follow today. Version number is indicated in the lower left corner by e.g. "REV 30052021"...

 

Just renamed the "F/A-18C Checklist" to "F/A-18C Flight Manual [chapter-1]", as chapter-2 will follow, on which I am also working right now.

 

But need to say, that "chapter-2" is a bit "insane". It's a bit more of "educational" use.

 

And yeah... kneeboard shows still "not active". It's gonna take some more time for ED to release it...

[Cruizzzzer]

Just for info:

 

Just updated the pdf to version 30052021

 

Greets!

 

REVISION RECORD:

1. front page

2. index page reformatted

3. deck personnel added

4. page 50; HSI radial errors corrected; DOL = "Distance of Lead" added to clarify abbreviation

5. ENG START: notes added (page 13)

Edited May 30, 2021 by Cruizzzzer

[Cruizzzzer]

1 hour ago, HILOK said:

perhaps you should apply at ED

hehe... that would be it! just need their address

[Bulldog_1]

This is excellent! Looking forward to more info. Thanks!

[Cruizzzzer]

Thanks Bulldog!

 

Right now I am working on chapter 2. Reformatting pages and adding each index to jump easily to the according chapters and key words.

 

HILOK pointed out the HSI display and everyday I am fascinated in what depth the hornet is modelled.

 

Just lately I stumbled across the display of the "XTRK distance" on the HSI indicated by "xx.xC" which either I never saw before, or was patched in and I just didn't notice.

Many of you will be aware of what "XTRK distance" distance means, but for those who aren't:

When  you dial in a TCN with the according radial, the XTRK distance shows how far away you are at the moment from the dialed in radial, so it is the offset distance from that radial. This info gets useful when you are flying e.g. a CASE III.

While you are flying perpendicular to intercept the radial, you just watch the XTRK distance decrease.

Now, when do I turn in?

Here comes "DISTANCE OF LEAD" which is a function of the turn radius. Turn radius is defined as 1/2% of the ground speed. Now keep it simple: you are flying about 360kts of ground speed, meaning your turn radius is 1.8NM. This applies to every aircraft: B747, A380, paraglider, whatever...

So, when you hit 1.8NM XTRK distance just turn inbound the radial, and you will be perfectly aligned on the radial, without any offset...

Edited May 31, 2021 by Cruizzzzer

[thrustvector]

man this is good, if you could just revise EDs manuals now

just to add after going through it all, you have put outstanding detail in here, easy to understand and informative, graphics are excellent too.

only thing i would change if being picky, would be to change heading page colours, as they blend in to the rest too easy, be better to spot separate chapters.

really good job mate

Edited May 31, 2021 by thrustvector

[Cruizzzzer]

Ideas of making this better are helpful and wanted...

 

Maybe like this?

[Cruizzzzer]

Kneeboard can now be downloaded under...

F/A-18C Hornet Flight Manual (kneeboard) (digitalcombatsimulator.com)

[Cruizzzzer]

gonna try "white" section deviders...

 

maybe you can give me a feedback as I am not sure yet...

[mongo52]

This is on of the most comprehensive kneeboard I've seen. Love it. Thank you for your work. 

[thrustvector]

yep, anything that when your just scrolling down can differentiate the chapters

[Cruizzzzer]

k... I will be playing round a bit and waiting for your feedback!

 

And thanks again to everyone for the very positive responses!

Never thought it would that positive... so, many thanks from my side

[Cruizzzzer]

just updated the manual to REV01062021 (kneeboard needs to updated yet)

 

REV01062021

GENERAL:

Reformatting issues…

OTHER:

Page 5ff             highlighted advisories

Page 13              added timing for “apu start”

                           “timing” deleted on “throttle idle”; added “timing” on “crank” to observe “starter limit” timing

Page 30              entry of coords procedure revised

Page 54              changed format of “ldg checklist” to match rest of the manuals format

Page 54ff           changed headline color during vfr landing pattern for better distinction

Page 78              “aoa limit due to mach” headline revised

Page 88ff           rules of thumb added

 

REV 31052021

GENERAL:

Reformatting issues…

OTHER:

                           Reversed colors of headlines for better recognition (thanks to “thrustvector” for input)

Page 36:            clarification of NOTE for „external lights MASTER SWITCH”

[Cruizzzzer]

kneeboard has been updated to REV01062021

[thrustvector]

thank you, that might b a bit big for a kneeboard tho , but nice all the same

 

[Cruizzzzer]

Yeah, you name it. I only take bits of it for flying like checklist and so on. Just tear it down as you need it

Edited June 18, 2021 by Cruizzzzer