DCS: MiG-29A Fulcrum Mini-Updates

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DCS: MiG-29A Fulcrum Introduction

 

 

 

We are happy to release our first instruction video for our MiG-29A Fulcrum, or project 9-12A. This introduction video is based on a pre-release version, so some elements may change at or after release. 

The MiG-29A is a single-seat, dual engine, Soviet fighter that was designed in the 1970s as a light-fighter in parallel with development of the larger Su-27 Flanker. The Fulcrum entered service in 1983 with its primary role being point air defense for Soviet and several Warsaw Pact member countries. 

It’s a relatively small, twin-tail, blended-wing fighter with leading edge extensions, that is powered by two widely spaced, RD-33 engines, each capable of 18,300 pounds of force in afterburner. Air is fed into the engines from variable intake ramps below the fuselage. For unprepared field operations, the MiG-29 has the unique feature of being able to close the main intake ramps, and instead open intakes above the leading-edge extensions to avoid the intake of foreign objects.  

For enhanced maneuverability, the Fulcrum includes automatic leading-edge slats and an all-moving tail plane. Although it does not use a fly-by-wire flight control system, it does come equipped with hydraulic controls and a three-axis autopilot system. Between its impressive thrust-to-weight ratio and excellent high-alpha capability, the 9G-capable Fulcrum can be a very challenging opponent in a dogfight. Although the MiG-29A has G and angle of attack limiters, these can be overridden.

Its impressive dogfight capabilities are further enhanced by the ability of Fulcrum pilots to cue AA-11 “Archer”, R-73, infrared-guided missiles with a Helmet Mounted Sight for deadly high off boresight attacks.

Designed as a point defense fighter, the MiG-29A does not come equipped with aerial refueling capability and has a maximum ferry range of 930 miles clean, and 1,300 miles with an external fuel tank.

In the nose of the aircraft is a NO19 Sapfir 29 look-down/shoot-down radar and digital computer. Mounted forward of the windscreen is the S-31E2 Infrared Search and Track sensor that can detect and track aerial targets solely based on their infrared signature. 

The MiG-29A was primarily designed as an air-to-air fighter armed with short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles and a GSh-30-1 30 mm cannon with 150 rounds. Although the AA-10 Alamo A (R-27R) and AA-10 Alamo B (R-27T) are the typical medium-range air-missiles arming the MiG-29A, it can also be technically armed with the extended range AA-10 Alamo C (R-27ER) and AA-10 Alamo D (R-27ET) versions. These medium-range missile options are in addition to the shorter-range, infrared-guided AA-11 Archer (R-73) and AA-6 Aphid (R-60 and R-60M) dogfight missiles.

In addition to these air-to-air armaments, the MiG-29A also has limited air-to-ground attack options including unguided bombs, rockets, and strafe.
 

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DCS: MiG-29A Fulcrum | Cold Start, Taxi, and Takeoff

DCS: MiG-29A Fulcrum | Cold Start, Taxi, and Takeoff

In this DCS: MiG-29A Fulcrum video, we’ll learn how to cold start the Fulcrum, taxi to the runway, and takeoff. If you have not already done so, you may wish to first review the MiG-29A Introduction video to acquaint yourself with the cockpit layout.

In general, starting the MiG is a rather simple affair, particularly if you bypass the rather extensive tests and checks we’ll be reviewing. 

Let’s get started.

COLD START

We are sitting in the cockpit of a MiG-29A at Herat airfield in western Afghanistan. 

First, if the wheel chocks are not already in place, press forward slash (\)to bring up the radio menu, select Ground Crew, select Wheel Chocks…, and then Place. Next, go back to the Ground Crew radio options and select Ground Electric Power…, and then On. We’ll now have external electrical power supplied to the jet.

To enable the electrical system, flip the ground battery supply switch on the right wall. To make it easier to see the instrument panel and lower, center post, mouse-click the base of the control stick to hide it. Check to make sure the volage meter indicates around 28 volts. 

Next, also on the right wall, lift the “Tomb” cover to enable all the electrical power switches. Also, at the back of the right console, set the Navigation, Gyro Standby, Gyro Main, and Aircraft Systems switches on from the bank of system power switches.

On the clock, press the right button to start the stopwatch, which is the lower, smaller gauge in the clock. After 30 to 40 seconds, the gyros will have power, and we can begin the heading alignment. Mouse click and hold the Magnetic Heading Slave button below the HSI while pressing the Compensation Zero button on the Navigation Panel. If easier, you can press J for the Magnetic Heading Slave button and 9 for the Compensation Zero button at the same time. Confirm that the HSI needle aligns with your true heading, in this case 8-degrees.

Back to the system power switches, set the Prepare switch to Operate (OPER). The FAST PREP, or fast preparation, light will illuminate once the inertial navigation system is aligned. 

In the meantime, press the Lamps Test button to ensure that all indicator lights illuminate around the cockpit. And then press the flashing Master Caution Light to reset it.

On the True Air Speed indicator, confirm that the Mach needle is showing 0.2 and the TAS shows between 110 and 190 as indication of proper operation.

From the Radar Altimeter, set the bug to 200 feet, and check that the Test button indicates about 50 feet.

On the Combined Pressure Indicator, check that the Hydraulic needles are in the red, PAK region.

Below the AEKRAN display, press the AEKRAN CALL button, and a short while later, you should see SELFTEST followed by AEKRAN READY, on the AEKRAN display. This can be either in English or Cyrillic based on your preference.

Internal fuel with no centerline external fuel tank you should be about 2,700.

On the Navigation Panel, confirm that the waypoint / aerodrome 1 button is illuminated.

We’ll now test the standby gyro by setting the main gyro to standby and confirming that our HSI heading is the same. Once confirmed, we’ll re-enable the main gyro.

On the HSI, set the course switch from automatic to manual, and then rotate the course knob to set our takeoff and landing course of 188-degrees. Then, set it back to automatic.

On the back of the left console, confirm the oxygen valve is open and the mix is set to 100%.

We’ll test the toe brakes now, you can press W, and expect to see around 8 kg/cm2. With the feet off the brakes, the value should be 0.

Energize the radio equipment by enabling the radio switch on the systems power panel.

We’ll now turn on the Recorder from the systems power panel.

Along the forward section of the left wall is the canopy lever. Right mouse button click on it once to partially close it, and then a second time to fully close it. Look to the right wall now and note that the canopy sealed pin will recess when sealed. The canopy lock light will also extinguish.

I already have the radio channels preset for the mission, so we’ll now open the radio message, contact ATC, and request engine start.

From the start up panel on the right console, we’re going to do it the simplest way. Make sure that the Start Up Mode switch is set to the center, Both position. Next, press Right Alt and Home to move the left throttle from OFF to IDLE and then press Left Shift and Home to set the right throttle from OFF to IDLE. Now, just press the Ground Start button on the Start Up panel. From here, the aircraft will start both engines for you, starting with the right engine.

As each engine starts, you’ll see the right and left engine start lights illuminating on the Telelight panel. As RPM rises for each engine, the hydraulic system light will extinguish, and hydraulic pressures will rise on the combined pressure indicator. 

As the RPM for each engine reaches 35%, its intake ramp will close, as indicated on the intake ramp position indicator. At the same time, the “gills” on top of the leading-edge extensions open.

Once both engines are started, the engine start lights should both be off, the EGT at idle should be around 300-degrees, and RPMs between 58 and 72%

We’ll now contact the ground crew again and ask them to disconnect ground electrical power and the onboard generator is supplying all the juice we need.

With both engines up and running, we’ll now run through a few post-start procedures. I’ll also make the control stick visible again by clicking on its base.

First, using the trim hat on the stick, set the pitch trim all the way forward and then all the way aft and check stick travel. Once complete, trim to center until the STAB TRIM NEUTAL light illuminates. Next, do the same thing with the trim hat left and right to test aileron trim. Once complete, enter aileron trim until the AIL TRIM NEUTRAL light appears. Last, using the rudder trim switch at the bottom of the left quarter panel, set it to the maximum left and right and then center until the RUD TRIM NEUTRAL light illuminates.

From the system power switches, enable the Automatic Flight Control System, or AFCS, switch. This will initiate a self-test and the DAMPER light on the autopilot panel will flash. Once the BIT is complete, the DAMPER OFF extinguishes, the DAMPER light illuminates on the Telelight panel, and the DAMPER green button stops flashing and is steady.

We’ll now do a quick Automatic Direction Finding, or ADF, check by setting the ADF/RSBN switch to ADF on the Navigation panel. Then, set the UHF/VHF radio panel on the left console to ADF mode. We’ll then hear the inner ADF beacon code. We’ll also see the yellow needle on the HSI align with the selected ADF beacon. With that check done, set the radio back to non-ADF mode and the navigation panel back to RSBN.

Enable power to the SPO-15 radar warning receiver by selecting the RWR power button. Let’s run a self-test by first holding the Test switch to the right in the AUTO position. Upon doing so, the function light, off the nose of the aircraft symbol, will extinguish but all the other lights will illuminate. After a few seconds, the function light will illuminate, and you can release the switch. You can also repeatedly move the switch to the right to manually test the azimuth indications. The knob allows you to adjust the panel’s brightness.

From the Flaps panel, set the flaps to the takeoff, left button. Note that although the left and center flaps buttons are marked as down, they are different. Left is for takeoff, and the center is for landing, they have different scheduling, particularly for the leading-edge slats. 

Moving to the back of the right console again, we’ll enable the Weapons and Armament Control System, or ACS, switches.

Check that the neutral stabilator, aileron, and rudder lights are all lit on the Telelight panel and press the AEKRAN call button until all messages are cleared.

Bring up the radio menu again and contact the ground crew to remove the wheel chocks and then ATC to request taxi to runway.

TAXI

Time to taxi to the runway. We’ll first test the toe brakes by pressing W and advancing the throttles to about 80% RPM. 

When ready to roll, release the toe brakes and bring the throttles back before getting too fast. 

Once at the hold short, turn on the pitot heat, arm the ejection seat, contact ATC again, and request takeoff. Once cleared, enter the runway and align yourself down the centerline takeoff course.

TAKEOFF

Takeoffs and generally performed at military power, but afterburner should be used if the aircraft is heavy loaded like today. The real MiG-29A has a latch that must be lifted to move the throttles in and out of afterburner. This can be done automatically or based on an input as selected from the MiG-29A Special Tab Throttle Auto Latch option. When checked, you can move the throttle in and out of afterburner without having to activate the latch with the 0 key.

Ensure that the flaps are set to the takeoff position, left-most flap button, and confirm with the flaps, slats, and gear indication. Wipe the controls and check that stab, aileron, and rudder trim is neutral on the Telelight panel one more time. Confirm your takeoff and landing course on the HSI, the altimeter is zeroed out, and the FEEL UNIT TAKEOFF-LANDING lamp is lit.

It’s a sunny day, so let’s lower the visor.

Start the stopwatch with a click of the right clock button.

While standing on the brakes, gradually run up the throttles to military power as the nose strut compresses. Confirm that the EGT gauges are in the yellow region and that there is no more than a 4% RPM difference between the engines.

Release the brakes and engage afterburner. Use gentle rudder inputs to track down the center of the runway. At 230 to 250 kph, apply back stick with 8 to 10 degrees of pitch, or keep the horizon right above the IRST sensor as a rule of thumb.

Maintain this climb angle and retract the landing gear at 10 to 15 meters of altitude. Confirm that the landing gear is stowed on the flaps, slaps and landing gear indicator and that the hydraulic pressure is normal on the combined pressure gauge.

At 100 meters, raise the flaps by pressing the right flaps button.

Once you’ve reached 500 kph, adjust throttles to 83 to 85% for an efficient climb rate of 5 to 7 meters per second.

… and that is how you cold start, taxi, and take off in a MiG-29A Fulcrum.

Before I leave you, a common question we got from the previous Introduction video was the ability to display either Cyrillic or English cockpits. We’ve made both an option. From the MiG-29A Special Tab, you can select ENG or the default Cyrillic from the Customize Cockpit option. This determines the language of the cockpit.

To determine the language of the avionics systems like the HUD and AEKRAN, go to the Gameplay tab and select either English or the Native Cyrillic from the Avionics Language option.

I hope you enjoyed this video, and I’ll see you next time. Thanks.

NOTE: This video was created with a pre-release version, and elements will likely change at release and after.