cannot repoduce and missing track file Storage alignment with autostart

[Toro]

Hi! Every now and then I use  autostart but would like to use storage align instead of full NORM alignment.

Until now I wait for the coordinates and altitude to be entered and then I rotate the ins knob to STOR HDG. Is that the right procedure? Should I do it before the coordinates are entered? Does it matter?

I have had a few issues in the past and wonder if I should turn it off, wait 10", store align and confirm the coordinates instead?

Thanks!

[skywalker22]

No, you don't need to enter anything, you just simply rotate that Inertial Navigation System Selector Switch to STOR HDG position, and wait until alignment counts down to 10 and RDY appears beside it on the DED (and at the same time ALIGN starts to flesh on the left bottom corner of the HUD. This whole process only takes around 90 seconds.

But you have to make sure the plane does not move, not even for an inch, you are not allowed rearm your jet either, else alignment can get screwed. If its get screwed, just put the Inertial Navigation System Selector Switch (that knob) to OFF and back to STOR HDG position.

You only have to confirm coordinated while doing the Normal alignement, and you have to do that in the 1st 2 minutets when initiating it.

Edited April 9, 2024 by skywalker22

[Toro]

Thanks so much but just to be clear: when you say that I can simply rotate the switch to STOR HDG, you mean that I can interrupt the NORM alignment that has already started with thr autostart sequence, right?

Many thanks as well for clarifying that I don't need to confirm coordinates, wasn't sure of that! 

 

Edited April 9, 2024 by Toro

[skywalker22]

What do you mean with autostart? Do you HOT start the aircraft (all set and ready to fly)? If so, then the alignment is already done and you don't need to do it again by your self.

If not, if you are in so COLD start (aircraft with no power and shut down), then you have to do the alignment process one way on another (so or choosing Stored Heading or Normal alignment)

[Toro]

I meant the one you get by pressing L_Win+Home before when you don't want to do all startup when starting on the ramp and cold.

I can do it manually, actually just did it on a MP sortie,  but just find it more convenient when I need to do other things like sortie planning, discuss something, or maybe go for a beer

The issue is that the autostart procedure is configured to do a NORM alignment. My question boils down to knowing if its OK to switch to a STOR HDG once the NORM alignment has started. 

Thanks

[skywalker22]

Never tried that, but I would say that since DCS is still just a game and thus does not simulate the drift and inaccuracies over time, you can always do a Stored heading instead of Normal Gyrocompass alignment. I know I always do, and it always work.

IRL the Stored alignment as said, it would result in drift and inaccuracies over time, and it should only be used in emergency situations. But DCS does still not simulate all the things about alignment, so you should no worry about that. 

To make sure the alignment will be done correctly while using Stored heading, you can verify, but do not enter, the latitude, longitude, altitude, and true heading for that particular starting location. And if the alignement is successful, on DED the alignment status will count down to 10, RDY will be displayed, and you ALIGN will start flashing on the HUD.

[itn]

INS drifts regardless of the initial alignment type. It’s also modelled in DCS F-16C, even if in a simplistic manner. However, we get an INS re-work in today’s patch, so some of the DCS-specific details are bound to change.

[RyanR]

There's a patch today?

The F-16 starts so easy, I just do it myself. Two stitches and advance the throttle to idle.

When I've auto-, hot-, or air-started, I feel like I have to "undo" more things than I have to do with the DIY-start.

-Ryan 

 

 

[Toro]

Thanks all for your answers. It is indeed not complicated and i would say i do it myself half the time because it is just more convinient sometimes.

Just wanted to know if i could switch from NORM to STR HDG once NORM alignment has started. From all the messages above I gather its not an issue. 

Thanks again

[Jackjack171]

On 4/9/2024 at 11:32 AM, skywalker22 said:

What do you mean with autostart? Do you HOT start the aircraft (all set and ready to fly)? If so, then the alignment is already done and you don't need to do it again by your self.

If not, if you are in so COLD start (aircraft with no power and shut down), then you have to do the alignment process one way on another (so or choosing Stored Heading or Normal alignment)

I have this problem. I hot start, everything is already on yet, my INS drops out of alignment. I see the VV in the briefing screen but as soon as I hit START, I lose INS. I get an associated WARN caution in the HUD as well. Everything is on but there's no VV and my DED which had radio info read's:

INS INFLT ALGN

COMPASS HDG ***
 FIX NECSSARY

And this occurs at the start of every mission, airborne or not! If I recall, that didn't happen before. Am I doing something wrong? Inflight should already be good to go without me influencing in a hot start scenario, or so I thought.

Some advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

[skywalker22]

There are issues with F-16 since last 2 updates. Wait until ED fixes all in a year or two. Btw, I stopped flying it, just can't stand all the bugs it has atm.

[Tholozor]

@Jackjack171 Do you have a track we can look at? Do you have the option enabled that synchronizes cockpit controls with your physical controls that might be changing something? 

[Jackjack171]

19 hours ago, Tholozor said:

@Jackjack171 Do you have a track we can look at? Do you have the option enabled that synchronizes cockpit controls with your physical controls that might be changing something? 

I will check and produce a track.

[Nedum]

On 4/18/2024 at 7:24 AM, Jackjack171 said:

I have this problem. I hot start, everything is already on yet, my INS drops out of alignment. I see the VV in the briefing screen but as soon as I hit START, I lose INS. I get an associated WARN caution in the HUD as well. Everything is on but there's no VV and my DED which had radio info read's:

INS INFLT ALGN

COMPASS HDG ***
 FIX NECSSARY

And this occurs at the start of every mission, airborne or not! If I recall, that didn't happen before. Am I doing something wrong? Inflight should already be good to go without me influencing in a hot start scenario, or so I thought.

Some advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

Hi,

 

could it be, you are sync your flight hardware (HOTAS) with the game and your switches are set to false positions after you hit start?

Try to check your DCS settings and make sure that Synchronize Cockpit Controls with HOTAS Controls at Mission Start is disabled. Try it again and report back.

null

[Jackjack171]

17 hours ago, Nedum said:

Hi,

 

could it be, you are sync your flight hardware (HOTAS) with the game and your switches are set to false positions after you hit start?

Try to check your DCS settings and make sure that Synchronize Cockpit Controls with HOTAS Controls at Mission Start is disabled. Try it again and report back.

null

I'm sure that had something to do with it. I swapped controls from my Winwing F-18 HOTAS setup to my Winwing F-16C setup to fly the Viper and something in there went crazy. I still don't know what exactly, but she hums like before now. Thanks!