Constant whooshing cockpit sound

[Eaglewings]

In every military aircraft video I've watched the predominant sound is the ECS. This is realistic. You have it in the hornet too, I don't feel like it's overdone. Actually I feel that it's missing in the harrier as harrier cockpit videos are dominated by the ECS sound with the occasional buzzsaw sound from the engine at high settings. 

Hello Deephack.
Big fan of your weekly video.(Virtual Air force)
I really like it realistic. An hour flight with that constant sound is a concern. I got a way around it though. Change Aircon source to one engine instead of both. Cheers

Ryzen 5 5600: RTX 3070: 32g Ram: Virpil Cm3 Throttle :Thrustmaster warthog flight stick: Thrustmaster TFRP rudder:Samsung Odyssey plus Vr headset :

[Rainmaker]

25 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Draconis,

Could they implement a system to tone down the noise a bit, realistic or not, it is very annoying.  The noise seems to overdrive all the other cool sounds in the cockpit.  It should be heard yes, but not the only thing that is heard.

The closest I have ever been to being in an F-15 cockpit is standing on a portable stair.  So really what do I know...

 

Is it realistic for the ECS to be first turned on and then later (due to annoying loud noise) turned off for the cockpit to become almost sound proof? 

Caldera

The radar ‘thump’ may potentially be tweaked in the future. 
 

to the second point. No. ECS is equipment cooling, cabin pressurization, etc. you wear a helmet that has ear pro and you wear secondary ear pro under that. Yes, its louder in real life than you even hear in game right now. Exactly where the ‘hear like in helmet’ option serves its purpose. 

[Caldera]

Rainmaker,

OK

What is an Ear Pro?

Caldera

[Rainmaker]

2 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Rainmaker,

OK

What is an Ear Pro?

Caldera

Ear protection. Ear cups. Inserts. Foamies. Lots of pseudo names for different types. 

[Caldera]

OK Thanks!

I have much to learn...

 

Double ear protection would reduce the sound level by about 30-50 dB?  That is allot.

Typically single protection up to 85 dB and double protection for more than that depends on exposure time.  That is one loud A/C unit.

Caldera

[Miro]

1 hour ago, Eaglewings said:

Hello Deephack.
Big fan of your weekly video.(Virtual Air force)
I really like it realistic. An hour flight with that constant sound is a concern. I got a way around it though. Change Aircon source to one engine instead of both. Cheers

Ryzen 5 5600: RTX 3070: 32g Ram: Virpil Cm3 Throttle :Thrustmaster warthog flight stick: Thrustmaster TFRP rudder:Samsung Odyssey plus Vr headset :
 

And set it to minimum, avionics will be cooled same as max, but for pilot inlets get less air, and much quieter.

[Czar66]

20 hours ago, draconus said:

It would be unrealistic. The study sim is about realism not "nice" feeling.

It is hard to believe the crew would fly high stress deep strike missions with complex comms and all the jazz of a modern strike fighter with a loud hair dryer noise near their heads.

It is something wrong with volume levels, not really what the noise is.

All my modules, including F-18C, F-14 A&B, A-10CII, M-2000C (from the same devs) sounds perfect and in realistic manner not tied to aesthetics of "awesomeness".

Something is odd with the strike eagle that makes me adjust volume levels, something I haven't touched since 2014 in a wide range of different headphones.

[Rainmaker]

38 minutes ago, Czar66 said:

It is hard to believe the crew would fly high stress deep strike missions with complex comms and all the jazz of a modern strike fighter with a loud hair dryer noise near their heads.

It is something wrong with volume levels, not really what the noise is.

All my modules, including F-18C, F-14 A&B, A-10CII, M-2000C (from the same devs) sounds perfect and in realistic manner not tied to aesthetics of "awesomeness".

Something is odd with the strike eagle that makes me adjust volume levels, something I haven't touched since 2014 in a wide range of different headphones.

Have you sat in any of those airplanes to define what is realistic and what is not?  

[Nevyn]

Doesn't bother me......yet, too busy concentrating.

[draconus]

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

Could they implement a system to tone down the noise a bit, realistic or not, it is very annoying.

There is already such a system in Windows, DCS and your audio hardware - volume level.

 

45 minutes ago, Czar66 said:

All my modules, including F-18C, F-14 A&B, A-10CII, M-2000C (from the same devs) sounds perfect and in realistic manner not tied to aesthetics of "awesomeness".

I only have F-14 from those and the devs themselves and their SMEs confirm that ECS is overwhelming every sound in the cockpit and they shamelessly gamified the sounds for the players as an artistic license.

[strikeeagle]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

Draconis,

Could they implement a system to tone down the noise a bit, realistic or not, it is very annoying.  The noise seems to overdrive all the other cool sounds in the cockpit.  It should be heard yes, but not the only thing that is heard.

The closest I have ever been to being in an F-15 cockpit is standing on a portable stair.  So really what do I know...

 

Is it realistic for the ECS to be first turned on and then later (due to annoying loud noise) turned off for the cockpit to become almost sound proof? 

Caldera

No, the ECS ALWAYS runs.  It provides cooling air for the avionics.  W/out it you’ll get a “DISPLAY FLOW LOW” light and the scopes will turn off from overheating. 

[Harker]

Shouldn't the radar be standby with WoW?
Turning ECS off will have consequences implemented some day.

The radar is still operational and working normally, just doesn't radiate when the WonW interlock is engaged.

[Ebphoto]

Even when your flying a small airplane like a Cessna 172 there’s constant noise! In military helicopters it’s also very loud, there always seems to be a type of white noise in your helmet. Also the radio’s are constantly sounding off. Operating an aircraft is  noisy! So far the sounds in the SE don’t bother me. It would be nice to be able to tune them up or down to your taste. Personally I’d love to be able to turn that sound down to hear the engines kicking into afterburner. Maybe ED & Razbam will look into something like this. Time will tell.

[Eaglewings]

And set it to minimum, avionics will be cooled same as max, but for pilot inlets get less air, and much quieter.

Nice find. So much better with the air-conditioning set to min. Thanks.

Ryzen 5 5600: RTX 3070: 32g Ram: Virpil Cm3 Throttle :Thrustmaster warthog flight stick: Thrustmaster TFRP rudder:Samsung Odyssey plus Vr headset :

[Mogster]

I do think sounds are one area where several options are needed, that way users can choose their own preference.

As someone who works in an environment with constant machine noise and roaring AC it’s amazing how your brain ignores these constant sounds quickly. It seems more odd when the background noise stops… I can imagine an aircraft cockpit would be similar.

[Bazz_Mulder]

Just put ECS on from one engine, L or R and you will be good and no warning.

[Czar66]

7 hours ago, draconus said:

There is already such a system in Windows, DCS and your audio hardware - volume level.

 

I only have F-14 from those and the devs themselves and their SMEs confirm that ECS is overwhelming every sound in the cockpit and they shamelessly gamified the sounds for the players as an artistic license.

Well...thanks... But I don't refer to ECS sounds vs other sounds. I just refer to the ECS volume itself on the Strike Eagle. Is too loud. (Bleed on 'Both' and 'Auto' Setting).

Yes, the other cockpit sounds on the Tomcat sounds gamefied and holywood stilized. It is not what I was pointing at.

Note: If that volume level is really just like how it is irl, whatever. Let it be it. No further complain.

 

2 hours ago, Bazz_Mulder said:

Just put ECS on from one engine, L or R and you will be good and no warning.

It is a very good tip. Also there is a switch that lowers the ECS power around the bleed knob, further decreasing the volume.

Edited June 25, 2023 by Czar66

[Hayrake YE-ZB]

10 hours ago, Rainmaker said:

Have you sat in any of those airplanes to define what is realistic and what is not?  

They “demand” realism, but they don’t really mean it. Not if it’s annoying, difficult or bothersome.

[Rainmaker]

12 minutes ago, Hayrake YE-ZB said:

They “demand” realism, but they don’t really mean it. Not if it’s annoying, difficult or bothersome.

 

The problem is the picture has been painted wrong by so many for a very long time that unrealistic has morphed into what's thought as realistic.  

[Hayrake YE-ZB]

49 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

The problem is the picture has been painted wrong by so many for a very long time that unrealistic has morphed into what's thought as realistic.  

Often painted wrong by people who have never flown, which is understandable to a degree. They tend to be unfamiliar with the basics variables of flight.  

The other aspect is the expectation that everything works perfectly. Radars always paint every target, RWR always detect and depict every threat perfectly, missiles always work, and so on. 

The players who want to learn and are having a blast doing it make it worthwhile.

[evilnate]

It would be great if users could adjust volume of ECS airflow independent of other sounds. 

[deephack]

If it's so troublesome for people then of course adding the option to adjust this independantly would be a good thing in the specials menu. Personally I would rather my simulated aircraft sound like the real thing which I think that this does.

[draconus]

There's a tip in the briefing of the navigation training - decrease a volume slider for the cockpit audio.

There's also air flow Min setting on the Air Cond. panel.

You can't just ask for control of every sound whenever it does not suit you.

Edited June 27, 2023 by draconus

[av8orDave]

Just an observation / commentary on the quest for "realism" in DCS and sims in general:

- Everyone loses their ever-loving mind if the smallest system doesn't function as they expect

- People pour over charts to ensure that the flight model performs exactly like the real-world aircraft

- Developers take years to study the aircraft and replicate it to represent the real-world aircraft as closely as possible

- Then, when real-world pilots repeatedly say "you never hear the engines at all... the noise from the ECS is so overwhelming it is really all you hear", the customers are like "turn the ECS noise down, I want to hear the afterburner!"

[AhSoul]

5 minutes ago, davidrbarnette said:

- Then, when real-world pilots repeatedly say "you never hear the engines at all... the noise from the ECS is so overwhelming it is really all you hear", the customers are like "turn the ECS noise down, I want to hear the afterburner!"

I think partly the reason though is in RL you'd *feel* the afterburner, whereas you can't in a sim. So being able to *hear* it becomes more important.