Help with my Flight Path reticle ( Probably a Noob Mistake )!

[Perfeckdarkk]

Hi everyone, hope you're all well! Just bought DCS a few weeks ago and am having a blast with the FA/18! I'm having some trouble with my Flight Path reticle and can't seem to figure out what's going wrong. It must be something I'm doing.... I do a cold start, everything is all good. After flying around, it seems that the longer I fly, the more wonky the thing gets until I get to a point where it's nowhere near accurately representing anything. It seems to drift down as the flight goes on until I'll be heading for the horizon and the thing is hovering down at the -15 or -20 angle markers.  It's really giving me trouble trying to practice my ILS landings in FOG. Am I damaging the systems while flying by pulling too many G's or something? Is there a way to reset it while in flight? I've tried caging/un-caging the HUD.... Anyways thanks so much for any help, it's much appreciated!

[SteelPig]

There is something in the plane you can "damage" by pulling G's. It's your alignment. That's why after the alignment process has finished you should switch to IFA (In Flight alignment). In this mode the drifting will be corrected by GPS Data.

But: That shouldn't affect your flight path marker too much. 

Are you aware of your speed? That behavior sounds like you are way to slow.

[Perfeckdarkk]

Thanks! Perhaps that's the issue although I haven't really gone over 6 G's in the flight. Is that enough to damage the system? I'll give the IFA a try as well. And speed doesn't seem to matter with the issue. But yes that's exactly how it's behaving - as if I'm going way to slow and dropping out of the air.

[AKULA_OPTIMUS]

Yea, that´s an alignment thing, you are doing something wrong at start up. Does it happens when you start with engines on?

[Perfeckdarkk]

I think I figured it out. You're right,  I don't think I was allowing the FCS calibration to go on long enough at start-up.

[rob10]

You can chose "Std HDG" (stored heading) on the SA or HSI DDI pages to reduce the alignment time from 6-8 min (can't remember exactly how long) to 90 seconds.  Wait until you see OK next to GRND QUAL on the HSI or SA then make sure you set it to IFA (unless GPS isn't available -- primarily if you're using a date before GPS existed -- pre-1986ish then set it to NAV).

[AKULA_OPTIMUS]

And don't disconnect the parking brake until the alignment is complete, important

[Perfeckdarkk]

Thanks guys so much! And Yes Rob10, I finally figured that out! I was following the in-game tutorial for start up and I guess it's outdated because I don't remember any mention of that stored Data System. And since I thought I had start-up figured out I didn't bother watching any updated YouTube videos on the subject. Now, while we're on the subject just a quick question if you don't mind - Is there any advantage of setting NAV over IFA? Like, is there instances where the GPS system might not work in bad weather or what not? Also, once I'm airborne can I switch freely between the two without any negative effect?

 

[Tholozor]

Currently, DCS doesn't simulate any perceived loss of GPS signal, so if it's available, always use IFA. Switching to NAV will disable GPS-coupled POS/AINS (Aided INS) mode, and switch to POS/INS mode, and will begin to accumulate positional drift. The current position-keeping POS mode is indicated and can be selected using the top-left OSB on the HSI. If GPS is available, and the INS knob is in the NAV position, a 'P/INS' advisory will appear on the DDI advisory line.

If GPS is not available (usually through deliberate mission design), NAV should be used after alignment, as the IFA position will perform the in-flight alignment procedure.

Edited October 22, 2021 by Tholozor