DCS A-10C QUESTIONS

[rickberry49]

How to save the default Center Cockpit view (ie. Num 5) and zoom (Num ENTER)

 

When looking around (cockpit or outside) I use NUM 5 (VIEW CENTER) to recenter the view looking straight out the cockpit and follow that with NUM ENTER to reset the zoom (ZOOM NORMAL). I have NUM5 mapped to a button on my joystick (Saitek 52) and this works most of the time but I have had strange results where the reset view is looking down way to much and the zoom is in way to much...

 

Is there a way to define the center view AND zoom level I want then save this view configuration as the DEFAULT CENTER VIEW or (any view port) I'm not fussy and then map this view command to a single button on the joysitck? OR can we combine commands into a single button on the joystick (ie. create a multi command aka MACRO)?

 

In panic situations it is nice to be able to snap right back to a front looking view at a predefined zoom value...

 

Any ideas are welcome, but details please, new user and not comfortable with editing LUA files yet.

Thanks in advance

[Loz]

Try HERE

[wolfstriked]

Stumped on this one.With hud as SOI and I press DMS left/right it sometimes will toggle thru weapons and sometimes it will toggle thru gun sights.Now the gun sights toggle is listed in a HOTAS chart I have but it doesn't mention that at certain times left/right DMS will toggle weapon selection.

 

Any ideas?

[Yurgon]

Stumped on this one.With hud as SOI and I press DMS left/right it sometimes will toggle thru weapons and sometimes it will toggle thru gun sights.

 

Depends on the current Master Mode, as selected by the Master Mode Control Button which will be displayed in the HUD every time you change it (GUN/CCIP/CCRP/NAV). Only with GUN selected does the DMS cycle through the gun sights, otherwise it'll go through the weapon profiles.

 

And I mostly learned this from making the same mistake and instead of selecting Mavs or GBUs, I ended up with a totally weird gunsight. Shoulda RTFM'd more myself. :music_whistling: :thumbup:

[wolfstriked]

Thanks a bunch!:thumbup: This will hopefully also stop me from the gunsight dance when spotting an enemy AFV and stumbling to get mavericks up.

[Pocket Sized]

Why is the laser delayed when you drop an LGB?

 

Why not just keep it on from release to impact?

[SnorreSelmer]

Why is the laser delayed when you drop an LGB?

 

Why not just keep it on from release to impact?

This is a guess, but because of the way the guidance works on the GBUs, I assume this is partly to maximise the ballistics of the bomb so it has enough energy to make it to the target, and partly to ensure the laser illumination system doesn't overheat and die.

 

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[Pocket Sized]

Doing some reading I saw that the LGBs don't have proportional control, I imagine flapping the canards for the entire drop would bleed energy quickly.

 

It seems every time anyone gets in an A-10C they have to mention the guidance alignment time, is it really that bad? When does it start? I heard it takes some 4 minutes, but that's nothing compared to the 10+ minute flight to the target area...

[SnorreSelmer]

Doing some reading I saw that the LGBs don't have proportional control, I imagine flapping the canards for the entire drop would bleed energy quickly.

 

It seems every time anyone gets in an A-10C they have to mention the guidance alignment time, is it really that bad? When does it start? I heard it takes some 4 minutes, but that's nothing compared to the 10+ minute flight to the target area...

The EGI alignment takes appx. 3 minutes now that the A-10C has a GPS. Pre-GPS they only had inertial navigation, and that took 30+ minutes to align (and still accuracy deteriorated constantly)...

 

The time it takes to align the EGI is so quick now that by the time you're done setting up the cockpit...

 

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Edited May 19, 2016 by SnorreSelmer
Added info..

[Vitormouraa]

Doing some reading I saw that the LGBs don't have proportional control, I imagine flapping the canards for the entire drop would bleed energy quickly.

 

It seems every time anyone gets in an A-10C they have to mention the guidance alignment time, is it really that bad? When does it start? I heard it takes some 4 minutes, but that's nothing compared to the 10+ minute flight to the target area...

 

Welcome to real life, where the things aren't easy! :lol:

[Gliptal]

4 minutes for a complete alignment.

 

LGBs guidance kits use a bang-bang guidance method for mechanical and software semplicity. Problem is, it really uses up energy.

[Yurgon]

Why is the laser delayed when you drop an LGB?

 

As an addendum to the correct answer (so that the bomb doesn't bleed its energy by going from ballistic to guided flight path too soon), this effect doesn't seem to be modeled in DCS. I've read repeatedly from people who lase as soon as they release the bomb from various altitudes and they say their hit and miss ratio is pretty much the same as with terminal guidance for the last 8 to 15 seconds. So AFAIK, in DCS it doesn't really matter, but if you want to follow RL procedures, I believe between 8 and 15 seconds should be close enough. Personally, whether I use auto-lase or manual, I always start lasing 10 seconds before calculated impact.

 

[...] and partly to ensure the laser illumination system doesn't overheat and die.

 

Never heard about overheating issues with the TGP's guidance laser. Maybe such an effect exists, but I don't think it's modeled in DCS (unlike the Ka-50, where careful use of the ranging and targeting laser is vital for longer missions).

 

It seems every time anyone gets in an A-10C they have to mention the guidance alignment time, is it really that bad? When does it start?

 

As per the manual:

 

After applying power to the CDU and EGI, the CDU and EGI automatically begin their initialization and then alignment.

 

:thumbup:

[shagrat]

That may depend on height and initial speed. I remember at least before DCS World standalone, constant lasing nearly always resulted in Laser Guided Bombs falling too short.

Never really tested in DCS World again, though.

What I tested though is the initial setting of the bomb if its ballistic trajectory is optimized for Guidance or Free fall, as you can drop LGBs as dumb bombs, as well. That one has an impact!

[St3v3f]

As an addendum to the correct answer (so that the bomb doesn't bleed its energy by going from ballistic to guided flight path too soon), this effect doesn't seem to be modeled in DCS. I've read repeatedly from people who lase as soon as they release the bomb from various altitudes and they say their hit and miss ratio is pretty much the same as with terminal guidance for the last 8 to 15 seconds.

Not only that, the LGBs bleed that little energy, you can easily drop them early.

At least two years ago, I could drop a GBU-12 from ~15k ft when the 20s CCRP countdown appeared. Then I started lasing immediately after release. At least against stationary targets, PK was not significantly lower than a normal CCRP drop, but stand off range was much higher.

It's even possible to hit two targets in one pass by releasing the first bomb like that, then going into a 5° climb and release the second with the CCRP cue. Then shift laser two second target after first impact. Works like a charm if the targets are either close together or a mile apart.

 

Never heard about overheating issues with the TGP's guidance laser. Maybe such an effect exists, but I don't think it's modeled in DCS (unlike the Ka-50, where careful use of the ranging and targeting laser is vital for longer missions).

Using the aforementioned technique, the laser is used a lot more and breaks eventually. In that case, you need to rearm once to remove the TGP and a second time to get a new one.

[SnorreSelmer]

Using the aforementioned technique, the laser is used a lot more and breaks eventually. In that case, you need to rearm once to remove the TGP and a second time to get a new one.

At the level of simulation of the A-10C I would have expected nothing less. Any laser as powerful as those used in military systems generate a lot more heat than your average presentation laser pointer. I'm sure there's a very good reason why the manual recommends 8-10 seconds auto-lase time. It's enough for the bomb to find its target and minimal chance of the laser being on when the bomb isn't even looking in the right direction.

 

 

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[wolfstriked]

Not sure if this is an A10c bug or a map bug or not a bug

 

When I start a mission the runway heading does not match with my HSI.Most runways are off by exactly 10degrees and this coincides with the ILS not lining you up corrrectly dropping you 10degrees off runway center.One airfield is correct and that airfields ILS works correct.

 

Is this a known bug?

[shagrat]

Not sure if this is an A10c bug or a map bug or not a bug

 

When I start a mission the runway heading does not match with my HSI.Most runways are off by exactly 10degrees and this coincides with the ILS not lining you up corrrectly dropping you 10degrees off runway center.One airfield is correct and that airfields ILS works correct.

 

Is this a known bug?

No, it is most likely the adjustment for Magnetic North, you need to take into account.

Which map? Caucasus or Nevada?

[Nooch]

I've been using unguided bombs lately and I always get a cross inside my reticle. It appears below 8000ft I think. I checked in the weapon profile and no minimum altitude is set though. It's like that by default and I don't understand where it comes from and how to remove it.

Sorry if it has been answered already but I did some research and couldn't find any useful information. Thanks for the help!

[will-]

I've been using unguided bombs lately and I always get a cross inside my reticle. It appears below 8000ft I think. I checked in the weapon profile and no minimum altitude is set though. It's like that by default and I don't understand where it comes from and how to remove it.

Sorry if it has been answered already but I did some research and couldn't find any useful information. Thanks for the help!

 

"An “X” in the middle of the reticle indicates the aircraft is below the set Minimum Range

(MRS/MRC) altitude."

 

pg. 374 from the manual.

 

ttp://srv4.files.eagle.ru/dcs/manuals/DCS-A-10C_Flight_Manual_EN.pdf -keep trying to embed the manual in the post, add a H.

 

try flying level and tilting the nose of the aircraft down to see the reticle, get the hang of seeing it go from ready, to a X. If you using LGB you can still release and lase.

Edited May 22, 2016 by will-

[Nooch]

I see. The problem is that the MRS is set too high. But I don't understand why though, again I'm using the default weapon settings in the DSMS. I didn't change the altitude alert or anything... I consider a sub 10,000ft CCIP release to be perfectly "normal". Kinda weird.

[wolfstriked]

No, it is most likely the adjustment for Magnetic North, you need to take into account.

Which map? Caucasus or Nevada?

 

Its the Caucasus map.Are you saying "adjustment for Magnetic North" that I have to make adjustments on the fly in my head?

[SnorreSelmer]

Its the Caucasus map.Are you saying "adjustment for Magnetic North" that I have to make adjustments on the fly in my head?

The magnetic deviation in the Caucasus map should be ~6° clockwise (if memory serves me right). That way you get Tbilisi International runway 31L being 302° true and 308° magnetic (or was it the other way around?) Anyways, that should explain the difference.

 

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[shagrat]

Its the Caucasus map.Are you saying "adjustment for Magnetic North" that I have to make adjustments on the fly in my head?

Yes, or use a map with magnetic corrections.

IRL it's even more interesting as the magnetic north pole changes over time, and depending on your position on the planet, the difference between true north and magnetic north changes :)

 

https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/declination.shtml

Edited May 22, 2016 by shagrat

[wolfstriked]

I read about magnetic north changing recently but I think the airports changed their runway headings to coincide.But ILS is different as that is not based on magnetic north but rather the localizer sending false information.

[shagrat]

Not sure, but the ILS should send a glide slope and localizer signal, which gives deviation information from the signal? Your indicator needles show how much you deviate from the optimum glide slope and how far left or right you are from the runway. The runway heading/the course you want to steer, should be set manually in you HSI, including correction for magnetic variation.

I have no pilot licence, so this is more theoretic knowledge, may be some real life pilot can elaborate more precisely. :dunno: