Auto-Lazing and Weapons Balance

[Captain Orso]

Doesn't sound like these two would actually have a lot to do with each other, but they do.

 

You can create or modify a profile for GBUs implementing Auto-Lazing On and LS-Time. Then when you select this weapons profile and you drop a GBU, the auto-lazing process takes over the activating of the laser for you, as designed.

 

However, if for example you have two hardpoints of 3*GBU-12 each opposite each other on opposite wings, the board computer picks which weapons it will drop, and it ALWAYS picks ALL the bombs from one hardpoint on one wing on one side of the aircraft first - absolutely no attempt to keep the aircraft in balance.

 

Am I missing something? Is there a way to tell the board computer to select the bombs alternately, one from one wing, the next for the other wing, etc?

[CageyLobster]

I think the only way to manually handle this is by selecting only 1 station on the DSMS page.  When you want to drop another you will need to select the opposite wing station on the DSMS page.  This is how I understand it to work.  Also Mav's have a Quickdraw function on LAU-88's so they will default to launching all Mav's on the same LAU-88.

 

I just use trim.  The first bomb drop isn't really bad.  I start to notice it usually after the second bomb and will trim before I drop the 3rd.  As I drop off the opposite wing I just hit trim reset at some point.  I am still learning, so this may be absolutely the incorrect way of doing things.

[Captain Orso]

Which ultimately means, if you want to use Autolase AND keep your aircraft balanced, you have to use the "manual" default profile, which means, before every drop, you must set Autolase and LS Time again and again for every bomb.

 

From my reading on the AGM-65s on a LAU-88 using Quick Draw, the LAU-88 allowed the AGMs to rudimentarily communicate with each other, so that the next AGM had the same aim and the previous AGM. With GBUs that is completely superfluous. They drop as dumb-bombs. Their laser codes are actually entered on the ground by the ground crew.

 

I know the weight difference between Mk-82s and AGM-65D/H (I like to call them the baby-mavericks  ) are minimal (just ender 500 lbs) but why unnecessarily exacerbate a situation without having a gain for it? I kind of feel like this when the IFFCC keeps picking the next bomb from the same TER .. in the square hole..

[Frederf]

With paired stations the A-10 does release bombs from alternating wings. (Checking: yes, it does). It does "forget" when a profile is reselected and resumes from the initial side. For manual balance select the weapon profile and then deselect the stations you don't want to release from.

[QuiGon]

Hmm, this issue has never really bothered me when flying the A-10C, as the relatively small imbalance that even three GBU-12s cause is absolutely managable in the A-10C, which is much less affected by imbalanced loadouts than other aircraft like the F-16.

Edited August 25, 2021 by QuiGon

[Captain Orso]

Hi Fredert, thanks for the reply.

 

Yup, all you've said checks out. It does require some minimal hands-on work, but better than nothing. Thanks 

[Faelwolf]

The trim function in the A10C is more than capable of countering any imbalance.  If anything, it's a little too enthusiastic at times, and could use some finer control   Once you fly the A10C long enough, it becomes intuitive, and you don't even think about trimming, you just do it out of habit. 

 

Edit to add:  Once you find yourself dealing with multiple targets in a small area, you'll learn to love the quickdraw function of the Maverick!

Edited August 25, 2021 by Faelwolf

[Captain Orso]

It's far less a question of trim, but of maneuver. Even with the aircraft trimmed perfectly, maneuvering is greatly affected by imbalance.

[QuiGon]

2 hours ago, Captain Orso said:

It's far less a question of trim, but of maneuver. Even with the aircraft trimmed perfectly, maneuvering is greatly affected by imbalance.

 

Hmm, we must fly different A-10Cs then. This sounds more like the F-16

Edited August 26, 2021 by QuiGon

[Captain Orso]

Naaaa you just have to be desperate enough 

[ASAP]

what stations are you putting a TER of GBU-12's on?

I could be wrong about this but, If you have them on station 5 or 7 they will drop all 3 off station 7 before going over to station 5. If they are on any of the other stations they should step between symmetrical stations (8 center, 4 center, 8 left, 4 left, etc...). The imbalance between stations 5 and 7 should be pretty negligible becasue they are so close together.

[Frederf]

5/7 aren't paired stations which prohibits pairs from being released from them. That might also preclude the normal station release order alternation (but it really shouldn't). Anyway, in real life GBU-12s on TERs on 5/7 are no-go. They might allow MK-82s but training rules are BDU-33 only.