DCS in VR - What are you supposed to see in the HUD of the A-10C II?

[lBlackMambal]

For now I only flew the AH-64D where I don't have any issues regarding its IHADSS. Recently I started trying out aircrafts I bought in the last sale. One of them is the A-10C II and even after searching around I still wonder, what you normally "should" see in its HUD.

When resetting the VR cam, I noticed that specifically the upper elements of the HUD content are cut off (e.g. the HUD menu cuts off the first 2-3 lines) - it slightly gets better if I reposition the pilot camera - but still not optimal.

The irritation increases even more with threads that have been created some years ago, telling that back then the HUD was correct for VR but not for desktop usage. Is that still the case or has the desktop option been corrected and meanwhile it's vice-versa, i.e. that VR is messed up?

 

A good first indicator would be, where the center line of the artifical horizon should be located. Is it supposed to be slightly below the upper metal frame part or far more downwards, i.e. at the actual center of the combiner?

 

P.S. or am I really supposed to always bend forward (in real life) to be able to view the complete HUD content?

 

Thanks a lot in advance

 

Edited March 21 by lBlackMambal

[jaylw314]

59 minutes ago, lBlackMambal said:

For now I only flew the AH-64D where I don't have any issues regarding its IHADSS. Recently I started trying out aircrafts I bought in the last sale. One of them is the A-10C II and even after searching around I still wonder, what you normally "should" see in its HUD.

When resetting the VR cam, I noticed that specifically the upper elements of the HUD content are cut off (e.g. the HUD menu cuts off the first 2-3 lines) - it slightly gets better if I reposition the pilot camera - but still not optimal.

The irritation increases even more with threads that have been created some years ago, telling that back then the HUD was correct for VR but not for desktop usage. Is that still the case or has the desktop option been corrected and meanwhile it's vice-versa, i.e. that VR is messed up?

 

A good first indicator would be, where the center line of the artifical horizon should be located. Is it supposed to be slightly below the upper metal frame part or far more downwards, i.e. at the actual center of the combiner?

 

P.S. or am I really supposed to always bend forward (in real life) to be able to view the complete HUD content?

 

Thanks a lot in advance

 

It's not a very big HUD.  Where I sit, the gun cross is just out of sight above the top edge.  I find that gives me plenty of room to see the bottom of the HUD where more of the important stuff is.  If I need to see the very top, it just takes a little leaning forwards.

Note that on the ground, this means the top of the HUD is just about on the horizon, since the Hog sits fairly nose-down on the ground.  Once you're up in the air, the typical AOA will have the horizon going through the middle of the HUD.

I've heard you're supposed to line the two bolt heads on the top of the HUD frame, but not sure where that comes from.  

[Ready]

5 hours ago, lBlackMambal said:

For now I only flew the AH-64D where I don't have any issues regarding its IHADSS. Recently I started trying out aircrafts I bought in the last sale. One of them is the A-10C II and even after searching around I still wonder, what you normally "should" see in its HUD.

When resetting the VR cam, I noticed that specifically the upper elements of the HUD content are cut off (e.g. the HUD menu cuts off the first 2-3 lines) - it slightly gets better if I reposition the pilot camera - but still not optimal.

The irritation increases even more with threads that have been created some years ago, telling that back then the HUD was correct for VR but not for desktop usage. Is that still the case or has the desktop option been corrected and meanwhile it's vice-versa, i.e. that VR is messed up?

 

A good first indicator would be, where the center line of the artifical horizon should be located. Is it supposed to be slightly below the upper metal frame part or far more downwards, i.e. at the actual center of the combiner?

 

P.S. or am I really supposed to always bend forward (in real life) to be able to view the complete HUD content?

 

Thanks a lot in advance

 

Set a Hotas binding to your seat elevator. I lift the seat up at startup and before take off just high enough so I can see the compass bar above the metal frame of the front dash. During flight I sometimes just adjust it if needed, but rarely have to adjust. This way I have the best possible view of the HUD. I VR recenter when needed. 

[lBlackMambal]

Am 21.3.2025 um 02:18 schrieb jaylw314:

It's not a very big HUD.  Where I sit, the gun cross is just out of sight above the top edge.  I find that gives me plenty of room to see the bottom of the HUD where more of the important stuff is.  If I need to see the very top, it just takes a little leaning forwards.

Note that on the ground, this means the top of the HUD is just about on the horizon, since the Hog sits fairly nose-down on the ground.  Once you're up in the air, the typical AOA will have the horizon going through the middle of the HUD.

I've heard you're supposed to line the two bolt heads on the top of the HUD frame, but not sure where that comes from.  

Thanks for your reply. Right, I guess I was spending too much time thinking about the proper position when being on the ground and going back and forth between Cockpit and Aircraft view. Once airborne it definitely looks a little different, yes.
You mentioned to line the two bolt heads, I guess you refer to those ones (below using Desktop rendering):

What exactly would be the idea behind, I mean, line those bolts, but relative to what?

 

vor 20 Stunden schrieb Ready:

Set a Hotas binding to your seat elevator. I lift the seat up at startup and before take off just high enough so I can see the compass bar above the metal frame of the front dash. During flight I sometimes just adjust it if needed, but rarely have to adjust. This way I have the best possible view of the HUD. I VR recenter when needed. 

Good input - I will try it out. Thanks to you too.

[jaylw314]

16 hours ago, lBlackMambal said:

What exactly would be the idea behind, I mean, line those bolts, but relative to what?

LOL, sorry, I meant the two bolt heads on the RIGHT side, you can see there is one behind the other.  You adjust your eye height to make those two line up.  I've found it puts the HUD a little too low for my taste.

[ASAP]

1 hour ago, jaylw314 said:

LOL, sorry, I meant the two bolt heads on the RIGHT side, you can see there is one behind the other.  You adjust your eye height to make those two line up.  I've found it puts the HUD a little too low for my taste.

You put it so that one of them bisects the other, not line them up. At least when I start DCS in VR they are already lined up where they are supposed to be though.

[lBlackMambal]

Am 21.3.2025 um 07:07 schrieb Ready:

Set a Hotas binding to your seat elevator. I lift the seat up at startup and before take off just high enough so I can see the compass bar above the metal frame of the front dash. During flight I sometimes just adjust it if needed, but rarely have to adjust. This way I have the best possible view of the HUD. I VR recenter when needed. 

I must admit, this seat adjustment is really awesome. Thanks once more for bringing it up.

[jaylw314]

23 hours ago, ASAP said:

You put it so that one of them bisects the other, not line them up. At least when I start DCS in VR they are already lined up where they are supposed to be though.

Yeah, I think it was actually you who first mentioned that.  Was I correct there was no reference, just something you heard?

[Ready]

7 hours ago, lBlackMambal said:

I must admit, this seat adjustment is really awesome. Thanks once more for bringing it up.

Good it helped! With regards to what should be realistic; I once saw/heard a comment somewhere that IRL you look on top of the dash/UFC and should be able to see some screws/bolts or something like that. Can look it up but would take a bit of digging. I did not bother since I just move the chair to where I like it. I don't like bending forward and look up to peek into the hud, I much rather just have it lined up when I am sitting straight. Call me lazy

[ASAP]

On 3/23/2025 at 3:15 PM, jaylw314 said:

Yeah, I think it was actually you who first mentioned that.  Was I correct there was no reference, just something you heard?

That is an official technique published TTP.  Pilots are not required to do it that way, but it is the officially recommended seat height, and all the canopy rail references assume that the pilot uses it.

Edited March 25 by ASAP