INS BIT shows "NOT RDY", but I have aligned

[Mistermann]

I have done a bunch of forum searching before posting this.  Unfortunately, I haven't found an answer.  Even checked Chuck's guide.

When doing a cold start (land or sea), my NAV BIT for INS shows "NOT RDY".  I believe I am aligning the jet properly, but at this point, I am starting to question that statement.  Here's what I am seeing.

From a cold jet on the carrier deck, I startup the engines and then turn my attention to the INS alignment.

Step1 - Set INS knob to "CV"

Step2 - Turn on STD HDG on HSI

Step3 - Wait for QUAL:0.5 OK

Step4 - Set INS Knob to IFA (yes, I am flying a mission in the GPS era)

Step5 - Check NAV BIT

 

QUESTION:  Shouldn't the INS BIT now be something other than "NOT RDY"?  

The reason I ask is I flew a mission this morning after doing these steps above and my JDAMs were not accurate, nor was my targeting pod (it seemed to think targets were not where I marked them with the HMD (I did align that as well before flight)).  I am starting to wonder if my INS alignment is incorrect.  Sure this could all be piloting mistakes by me, but that NAV BIT is nagging at me.

Am I missing a step in INS Alignment somewhere?

Thanks.

Edited September 28, 2022 by Mistermann

[Harker]

Your INS alignment steps seem correct, considering you're flying with GPS available (post 1994 in DCS).

The BIT status is probably a placeholder and not implemented fully. A lot of BIT items remain marked as not ready, with the corresponding systems working as intended. The BIT implementation will be updated at a later date, probably.

As for why your JDAMs missed, it's hard to tell without a video or a track.

[Phantom711]

Have you tried a normal alignment without pushing the STD HDG option? Since stored heading alignment is a rather special case of alignment where the INS needed to be fully aligned before and then being shut down without going to a NAV mode. I don´t know how or if that is being implemented (i.e.: if it always assumes, that the jet is ready for a STD HDG alignment). 

Edited September 28, 2022 by Phantom711

[rob10]

6 minutes ago, Phantom711 said:

Have you tried a normal alignment without pushing the STD HDG option? Since stored heading alignment is a rather special case of alignment where the INS needed to be fully aligned before and then being shut down without going to a NAV mode. I don´t know how or if that is being implemented (i.e.: if it always assumes, that the jet is ready for a STD HDG alignment).

In DCS, stored heading at mission start (may not be the case if you land to rearm/refuel or something, I haven't checked that) is assumed to be correctly available at all times.  No extra steps needed.

[Mistermann]

Does the INS BIT ever say anything other than "NOT RDY" for you guys?

I suspect I am just getting confused by that and attributing my poor skills with JDAM and ATFLIR with alignment issues.  

@BIGNEWY - can you confirm that the INS BIT is not working properly at this time in EA?

Thanks

[Lane]

Yes same here, it allways show "Not Rdy."  If you look on NAV BIT page it is same and if you try launch the test of INS in this submenu, nothing happend.

So i think it is just not implemented yet.

What is important, on FCS screen, you should see the "INS DGD " disapear after alignement is done.

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Lane

[opps]

It's funny that Wags said that they forcused on BIT systems very early stage of F/A-18, then it turned out most of BIT is just not functioning and even did not touched or updated throuh out loooong EA stage.

 

[arilm21]

On 9/28/2022 at 2:10 PM, Mistermann said:

Does the INS BIT ever say anything other than "NOT RDY" for you guys?

I suspect I am just getting confused by that and attributing my poor skills with JDAM and ATFLIR with alignment issues.  

@BIGNEWY - can you confirm that the INS BIT is not working properly at this time in EA?

Thanks

If I air start or hot start the INS BIT shows Go but doing cold starts and doing stored grading always causes the “not ready” to show I haven’t hone a long alignment since stored heading became a thing but I did notice the “not ready” but at some point I just mostly ignore it because there seems to be no real issues with it/ because of it.

[NineLine]

On 10/7/2022 at 7:26 AM, opps said:

It's funny that Wags said that they forcused on BIT systems very early stage of F/A-18, then it turned out most of BIT is just not functioning and even did not touched or updated throuh out loooong EA stage.

 

Not sure I get the joke? We put a lot of work into the BIT system and most of it works. There still are items to tune and add as stated in that news item.

It's an item we are well aware of, but a rather minor one that we will look at when time and resources allow. In the meantime, we have much more pressing matters for the Hornet.

[Mistermann]

46 minutes ago, NineLine said:

We put a lot of work into the BIT system and most of it works. There still are items to tune and add as stated in that news item.

It's an item we are well aware of, but a rather minor one that we will look at when time and resources allow. In the meantime, we have much more pressing matters for the Hornet.

Thanks NineLine.  100% support that approach.  Its good to know BIT is still a WIP.  Bigger fish to fry at this point in time.  Thanks for being there for the community.

[jeffham222]

On 9/28/2022 at 5:58 AM, Mistermann said:

I have done a bunch of forum searching before posting this.  Unfortunately, I haven't found an answer.  Even checked Chuck's guide.

When doing a cold start (land or sea), my NAV BIT for INS shows "NOT RDY".  I believe I am aligning the jet properly, but at this point, I am starting to question that statement.  Here's what I am seeing.

From a cold jet on the carrier deck, I startup the engines and then turn my attention to the INS alignment.

Step1 - Set INS knob to "CV"

Step2 - Turn on STD HDG on HSI

Step3 - Wait for QUAL:0.5 OK

Step4 - Set INS Knob to IFA (yes, I am flying a mission in the GPS era)

Step5 - Check NAV BIT

 

QUESTION:  Shouldn't the INS BIT now be something other than "NOT RDY"?  

The reason I ask is I flew a mission this morning after doing these steps above and my JDAMs were not accurate, nor was my targeting pod (it seemed to think targets were not where I marked them with the HMD (I did align that as well before flight)).  I am starting to wonder if my INS alignment is incorrect.  Sure this could all be piloting mistakes by me, but that NAV BIT is nagging at me.

Am I missing a step in INS Alignment somewhere?

Thanks.

 

Why would you go to In Flight Align? I always go to NAV when I get a good alignment and stuff seems to have worked fine. 

TBH, I haven't flown in a good bit of time, but IFA is not the position you want the switch in.

[markom]

IFA *is* the switch you want it in if GPS is available.

[jeffham222]

1 minute ago, markom said:

IFA *is* the switch you want it in if GPS is available.

I stand corrected.