F-18 Aerial Refueling with AVA base and Original Warthog Stick

[Bob1943]

Recently replaced my old Warthog base with the new AVA base and then put the Warthog stick on the AVA.

I have tried about every combination of DCS Axis curves, Dead Zones and spring tension on the AVA base and I still am not having much luck with aerial refueling in the F-18.  Just getting too much sensitivity when getting in close to the drogue basket and getting the dreaded pitch oscillation, with barely even touching the stick.  Wake turbulence is turned OFF, so that is not a factor.  And, No, I don't focus on the basket, I use the refueling pod as a reference.

Anyone care to share their DCS Axis curve settings that works for AAR with the F-18 and an AVA base?

For background purposes, I am a former F-100 pilot who actually did AAR across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans behind a KC-135, it wasn't that hard in real life!  Picture attached that I took as we were over the Pacific, enroute from Vietnam back to the U.S in late September 1970.

I think the lack of peripheral vision and un-natural stick forces in flight sim hardware are complicating factors.  The stick forces in the real jets that I flew did not have that "springy" feel to them, i.e., they had a much more smooth and fluid feel.  Thrustmaster needs to add some much heavier dampers to the AVA base in order to smooth things out and reduce that springy feel.

Edited March 22 by Bob1943

[Bob1943]

I found the problem.  I had the mission setup with too high an airspeed.  I had the tanker in a 16,000-ft MSL orbit at 330 KIAS.

I did some research on F/A-18 AAR specs and saw that I needed to be down around 275 KIAS at 28,000 to 30,000-ft MSL, staying below Mach 0.8.  Plus, the probe has a max 300 KIAS limit for extending and retracting.

So, I reset the mission to 275 KIAS at 28,000-ft MSL and that made all the difference in the world.  That higher airspeed that I was originally using was just making the pitch control way too sensitive, even with adjusted DCS axis curves set up around 25.

Even at 275 KIAS, I have still dialed in axis curves of 18 in pitch and 14 in roll, Dead Zone of 3 for both axis.  I am getting hooked up pretty consistently now, just need a little more practice to be consistently smooth on every attempt.

Thrustmaster still needs to release some heavier dampers for the AVA base in order to reduce that springy feel in the stick.  I understand that they are planning on offering optional dampers at a future date.

[Lange_666]

If you want normal curves for regular flying and additional curves for refueling you can use Target and set additional curves with the press of a button, another press will then revert back to your original curves.

 

[Bob1943]

Good tip, thanks.

Yes, the refueling curves are definitely too sluggish for normal flying.  I will try to trim those refueling curves back a little more with practice.

[Lange_666]

This is what I use:
I also use 2 of the 5 leds on the throttle base to visualize in which state the curves are.

SEQ( // (OU) Change Stick Axis behaviour - open the sequence
        CHAIN(
            EXEC( // curve 1 reduced input
                "SetSCurve(&Joystick, JOYX, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0); SetSCurve(&Joystick, JOYY, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0);"
            ),
            LED(&Throttle, LED_ONOFF, LED_CURRENT+LED2),
            LED(&Throttle, LED_ONOFF, LED_CURRENT-LED4)
            ),
        CHAIN(
            EXEC( // curve 2 even more reduced input
                "SetSCurve(&Joystick, JOYX, 0, 0, 0, 4, 0); SetSCurve(&Joystick, JOYY, 0, 0, 0, 4, 0);"
            ),
            LED(&Throttle, LED_ONOFF, LED_CURRENT+LED4),
            LED(&Throttle, LED_ONOFF, LED_CURRENT-LED2)
            ),
        CHAIN(
            EXEC( // reset to normal stick input
                "SetSCurve(&Joystick, JOYX, 0, 0, 0 ,0, 0); SetSCurve(&Joystick, JOYY, 0, 0, 0 ,0, 0);"
            ),
            LED(&Throttle, LED_ONOFF, LED_CURRENT-LED2),
            LED(&Throttle, LED_ONOFF, LED_CURRENT-LED4)
        )),        //close the Sequence

[Bob1943]

Much appreciated, thanks.