Special option: Safety locks/covers/features "auto/off"

[Ishigami]

I bought the Mosquito impulsively after having watched The Shadow in my Eye.

And there is one thing that irritates me to no end: Safety covers and locks e.g. on the landing gear lever, flaps lever and arm switch etc.

I would assume most virtual pilots do not have a setup where they can adequately bind those. Fumbling around with the mouse in the virtual cockpit during critical stages of flight e.g. take off and landing to release those is kinda annoying. And remembering key binds for such really minor functions on the keyboard is also annoying.

I get that the real one operated like that and I'm not suggesting to outright ignore stuff like this in the future.

However I would suggest to have a option in the aircraft's special option menu to basically put them in an auto mode or off mode. Similar to how ED has an option to enable or disables gates for afterburners.

E.g. in auto/off mode if the gear down button is pressed the safety lock is operated automatically and gear selector lever is moved down directly. No need to worry about the safety lock anymore.

This is btw. not just the Mosquito the P-47 has a safety cover for the Camera, Gun & Camera switch. This is one of those switches as well as it can not be operated with the cover in place. It is just that the Mosquito is the worst offender as it has several of those and also linked to actually important controls.

[Bozon]

I am 100% in support of this.

It has been requested before, so far it looks like this will not happen.

[HotTom]

It's a great idea! Fumbling with the Mouse to flip open safety covers is hardly realistic. And I don't have nearly enough HOTAS switches to cover them.

Big +1 on this!

Edited February 11, 2023 by HotTom

[Nereid]

Agreed. And their silly idea to close the covers automatically makes it just worse.

[jackd]

Stuff like this fiddling makes using this great plane a lot less fun, it's also the reason i almost never use the helicopters i bought DCS for in the first place.

[MAXsenna]

On 9/11/2023 at 11:27 AM, jackd said:

Stuff like this fiddling makes using this great plane a lot less fun, it's also the reason i almost never use the helicopters i bought DCS for in the first place.

Which ones? Both Hip and Hind have "auto covers". 

There's a reason the Shark has its implementation for the gun. 

Huey doesn't have any covers, can't remember the Apache from the top of my head. 

The Gazelle could benefit from some. 

[jackd]

Well i must confess i gave up quite a while back on fiddling around with helicopters also as i have no collector USB stick etc, and maybe lazy to fiddle around that with my warthog and saitek pedals.

Helicopters was why i bought DCS in the first place BTW.

I was used to the Mosquito in IL2 and it's quite easier to control there. The DCS version of it is great, but the gaming fun is quite less as it's quite more complicated to handle as it's now.

That is with a lot of DCS stuff; f.i. tried the F15C in a standard DCS mission just out of curiosity; couldn't even get it started in some automated take off mode just to see what the mission looked like in an automated demo show. Me being too lazy to figure it out for now, so i rather spend my sparse time on other & easier planes etc. Or the ME LoL.

[MAXsenna]

Well i must confess i gave up quite a while back on fiddling around with helicopters also as i have no collector USB stick etc, and maybe lazy to fiddle around that with my warthog and saitek pedals.
Helicopters was why i bought DCS in the first place BTW.
I was used to the Mosquito in IL2 and it's quite easier to control there. The DCS version of it is great, but the gaming fun is quite less as it's quite more complicated to handle as it's now.
That is with a lot of DCS stuff; f.i. tried the F15C in a standard DCS mission just out of curiosity; couldn't even get it started in some automated take off mode just to see what the mission looked like in an automated demo show. Me being too lazy to figure it out for now, so i rather spend my sparse time on other & easier planes etc. Or the ME LoL.

I see... I assume you have tried training missions? Helicopters in DCS are a blast to fly, while they're daunting at first! Just like AAR.
The F-15C is an FC3 module, and very simple systems wise. It doesn't have any training missions, still we are in luck, N22YF has made some.

Cheers!

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313014/


Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Rapierarch]

Mirage F-1 has this setting.

They added it to Apache after user requests so it has it too.

 

[Gunfreak]

Well, the Mossie should have an AI navigator that deals with all that stuff.

He should out up gears and flaps. He should get the bomb panel in order. He should deal with the radio. As well as call out speed, altitude, range/time to next waypoint. Call out time to target.

Call out ground targets and enemy aircraft.

[Holbeach]

On 10/8/2023 at 8:56 AM, Gunfreak said:

Well, the Mossie should have an AI navigator that deals with all that stuff.

He should out up gears and flaps. He should get the bomb panel in order. He should deal with the radio. As well as call out speed, altitude, range/time to next waypoint. Call out time to target.

Call out ground targets and enemy aircraft.

From the stuff I've read, the pilot gets the gear and flaps up, so if it's good enough for a teenager in the real thing, I should be able to manage it.

I like it just as it is, thanks.

X-52.

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..

Edited October 12, 2023 by Holbeach

[Slippa]

I’m ok with it as it is too.

To switch the fuel tanks on I use a snap view to see the buttons and switches and use mouse buttons to select tanks and turn the pressure on. i have both side windows bound to a two-way switch on the throttle so I can open and close them as I want. I ask the erks to prime the engines, rearm etc.

Another snap view of the cockpit panel shows my starter buttons, bomb panel etc and I use the mouse to open starter covers and start the engines. It isn’t a lot of trouble.

I have the undercarriage lock bound to the same button on the HOTAS that I use to toggle the gear on the Spit, Pony, Jug etc. To then lower or raise the gear I use another two-way switch on the throttle.

Flaps lock, I use a switch on the throttle that toggles it on or off. I use the same flaps switch on the throttle to raise or lower the flaps as I use for the Spit, Jug etc..

The bomb panel I open before taking off using the mouse and I switch the master arm on the same way. I have each bomb panel switch bound to one four-way button on my stick, each toggling them on or off so I can choose which bomb I want to arm and drop.

Snap views I have set so I can see directly at either side panels to set my trim, rockets, extinguishers, etc.

I have most things bound pretty well in the Mossie and while it did take a bit of sorting out I’m happy with the way it is.

The Engineer/Nav/WOp position is another debate but I don’t really have any real trouble there.

I love our Wooden Wonder and wouldn’t want it simplified though the option to choose say game or sim setting wouldn’t hurt I suppose? Automatic or simpler settings for your safety covers as an option maybe?

if changes were to be made, I’d be more keen to see them in the shape of target indicators, flares and a fully operational bleedin windscreen wiper. A pet (and petty) gripe of mine. The bomb aimer nose (different marque) Tsetse? The list could go on and often does.

I’m ok with it. Blue skies all.