F-14 Acls

[mynamehanz]

Hello, I am in need of some help with the F-14 Acls, i have the datalink setup correctly, ACL is enabled and the ACL ready light shows as well as VOICE and AP REF, as I get closer to the carrier I get LANDING CHK. However once I am at roughly 3nm, the LANDING CHK light stays on as well as ACL READY and the acls doesn't engage.

Edited May 24, 2022 by mynamehanz

[ASW]

Release the flaps and press the DLC button. Autopilot will not turn on without DLC.

[Dentedend10]

Also, you have to press the nose wheel steering button to actually engage it. Also depends on which version you are on, I don’t think it works in the stable version currently!

[mynamehanz]

12 hours ago, ASW said:

Release the flaps and press the DLC button. Autopilot will not turn on without DLC.

Ahhhhhh, I had no idea, thank you

 

[lax22]

In my opinion Heatblur got ACLS working really well now.

Always had trouble with the system during the last few months but the last patch did the trick.

What I noticed is that the ACLS system now also takes control of the inner and outer spoilers which not only works well but also looks great.

Edited May 26, 2022 by lax22

[Comes]

On 5/24/2022 at 4:36 AM, ASW said:

Release the flaps and press the DLC button. Autopilot will not turn on without DLC.

Thank you so much, I was going crazy over that. Did not know that you had to turn on the DLC. This is something that is not mentioned in most Tutorials on Youtube etc...

[RustBelt]

That's because the DLC comes out well before engaging ACLS. On case 1 it's when you're downwind on the pattern after the break.

[Top Jockey]

On 5/24/2022 at 3:36 AM, ASW said:

Release the flaps and press the DLC button. Autopilot will not turn on without DLC.

 

Exactly !

Came to that conclusion by mere chance after trial and error today.

As in the last times I did ACLS landings (many months ago - many Open Betas ago), employing the DLC wasn't a mandatory step of the procedures.

 

Some doubts:

- why is it necessary to engage DLC, in order to get the " AP / CPLR " light on ?

- is this step in any manual ? Heatblur or Chuck's manual ?

 

Thank you.

[draconus]

22 hours ago, Top Jockey said:

is this step in any manual ?

It's in every landing check list.

[Top Jockey]

2 hours ago, draconus said:

It's in every landing check list.

 

That I didn't know... maybe overlooked it sometime, as many of the steps for manual / pilot controled landings I already know from long ago.

But I meant specificaly the ACLS landings - many Open Betas ago the DLC wasn't mandatory, and now it is.

Edited October 3, 2022 by Top Jockey

[draconus]

NATOPS says DLC should be engaged for all approaches (except for single engine, secondary mode). So it is engaged also for ACLS Mode I/II @6nm DME.

More, it is specificaly noted that in the autopilot ACL mode, the ACLS control laws utilize DLC to augment glideslope control. DLC engaged is an interlock requirement for the ACL mode. DLC disengagement during the approach will result in automatic downgrade. You'll have to watch for any actions that can disengage DLC like flaps up, paddle switch or MIL throttle.

[Top Jockey]

3 hours ago, draconus said:

NATOPS says DLC should be engaged for all approaches (except for single engine, secondary mode). So it is engaged also for ACLS Mode I/II @6nm DME.

More, it is specificaly noted that in the autopilot ACL mode, the ACLS control laws utilize DLC to augment glideslope control. DLC engaged is an interlock requirement for the ACL mode. DLC disengagement during the approach will result in automatic downgrade. You'll have to watch for any actions that can disengage DLC like flaps up, paddle switch or MIL throttle.

 

Very well.

In my DCS pilot's log I have + 900 Carrier Landings in the F-14A and + 600 in the F-14B.

I'll admit, a great part of those landings with many 'bad habits', procedures wise.

(TOPGUN Fire at Will, and SF2: North Atlantic, were much more simplified than DCS.)

 

For instance:

- I have the F-14 since 2019, and only very recently I've started to use DLC system for the first time;

(only use it in quick engage / disengage fashion, as my TWCS throttle's pinky wheel isn't very 'healthy')

- never did the correct route - upwind, crosswind, downwind, and base leg... 100 % of the times I go directly to final approach;

- majority of the times, when 3 or 4 seconds before catching the deck wires, I suddenly found myself slightly above the glide slope - causing me to apply airbrake, reduce power and slam the aircraft in the deck... causing the tailhook to rebound up and fail to grab a wire;

... came to read about it and there it was - "Carrier wake turbulence, burble / bounce effect" ; then I understood the DLC's utility and started using it.

(Recently I ended up disabling the "wake turbulence" in the options.)

 

Even though, the Carrier Landings don't cease to amaze me.