The beginners learning thread

[dnme]

I am a beginner as I may have stated before. I find the whole approach of the manual to be from an experts perspective and I immediately get lost with acronyms, information overload and jargon. After reading parts of manuals and browsing the forum, here's my learning wish list.

 

1. Installation, Setup controllers, calibrate controllers, get a good starter profile for controller.

 

2. Learn the sim interface

 

3. Basic cockpit overview (basic)

 

4. Beginners flight manual

4a. Basic instrument systems, explanation for each instrument, how to use them

 

5. Starting the a10 (good video already exists)

 

6. Create a basic mission

6a. Take off from runway

6b. Take off from hangar, including startup, taxiing etc

6c. Repeat the above at night

 

7. Create a basic mission (take off, land at neighbor airport)

 

8. Create a mission involving 3+ way points

 

9. Create a refueling mission

 

10. Create an array of emergency recovery missions

 

11. A guide to each system in the plane. e.g. Learn radios, learn radar, learn ILS etc. I would like to learn each system one by one and learn them well before I get exposed to acronyms, or multitasking etc.

 

12. Bring on the weapons / weapons systems

This is a whole manual all in itself. Again from the above approach starting off with the basics, say just shooting the canon, and developing from there.

 

 

How does this sound? Have I left anything out?

Any advice as to how I would go about following this curriculum?

Might this thread be of use to others? (hopefully)

 

I would really welcome feedback, correction, advice or discussion here. I adore the sim, it looks awesome. It is a landmark achievement by DCS; But as a beginner to flight sims, (never mind weapons), I am just lost and feel almost intimidated by the manual - it makes me feel rather stupid.

[FZG_Kes]

IMHO the best way is to do all the training missions :

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=61822

 

Then read the manual, then do the training missions again, the read the manual again.

[dnme]

IMHO the best way is to do all the training missions :

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=61822

 

Then read the manual, then do the training missions again, the read the manual again.

 

I'm not able to log in to the link on that thread? Also the link seems to be for flaming cliffs 2 which adds to my confusion. I thought I was dealing with a-10c ??

[FZG_Kes]

You can download it too on the DCS Website : http://files.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/704/

[Revelation]

DNME, after I get done with my next two ME videos that I'm working on, I'll get started on your list.

[dnme]

I wish there was a Thanks button. Very grateful to you all.

 

Also bear in mind, I'm not expecting anyone to do the work for me. I just need a structure and hopefully is this thread becomes popular, it can be used by others. I might do a few videos myself based on my learning / experiences (once I learn how to do that).

[WarriorX]

Welcome to the forums dnme.

 

The one bit of advice I would give to a beginner to the world of high fidelity simulations is, to be patient.

 

As DCS A-10C is very close to what real A-10 pilots train on, remember it takes dedicated professional pilots some time to master all the systems etc. You should know that it will not come overnight or give you that instant gratification that a lesser game might, but believe me it is worth it.

 

Think of it as your investing time in a Sim that you will be able to enjoy and build on for years to come.

 

So take it one step at a time, and utilize the resources here. Remember to always search the forums for the thing you need answers about, chances are very high that someone else has asked the same question. Once you get the hang of things, try to help others out who are not as far advanced as yourself.

 

Lastly, if you want to see more Flight Sim's like DCS A-10C, then by all means tell your friends and introduce them to your new addiction. The more people that join our community, the better it is for all of us.

[dnme]

Welcome to the forums dnme.

 

The one bit of advice I would give to a beginner to the world of high fidelity simulations is, to be patient.

 

So take it one step at a time, and utilize the resources here. Remember to always search the forums for the thing you need answers about, chances are very high that someone else has asked the same question. Once you get the hang of things, try to help others out who are not as far advanced as yourself.

 

Hi WarriorX

 

Thanks for the advice. However, if you read my OP, you may conclude that your advice is precisely what I am doing / trying to do. I am trying to collate and promote a learning guide for beginners that takes it 1 step at a time and builds gradually. However, I do appreciate the input.

[FZG_Kes]

I wish there was a Thanks button.

 

There is one, it's the reputation one :)

[Heli Shed]

One you have mastered this wonderfull Hi-Fid sim and want to move onto engagement (my advice is to master navigation first), then please feel free to take a look at my Instructional Video Series located on my youtube page.

 

Regards, good luck and most importantly of all......enjoy!

 

'T'

[Heli Shed]

having read your OP again. my sincerest advice is don't concentrate your time on teaching others a skill you have not mastered yourself. Learn the sim, Fly, Navigate, communicate, engage.

 

Once you can do that, give some of your time to teaching others, but until that days arrives, look after no 1!

 

Good luck anyway

[dnme]

One you have mastered this wonderfull Hi-Fid sim and want to move onto engagement (my advice is to master navigation first), then please feel free to take a look at my Instructional Video Series located on my youtube page.

 

Regards, good luck and most importantly of all......enjoy!

 

'T'

 

Tyger, from a few days of reading the forums, I came across links to your youtube page and have seen a few of your vids. They are awesome. What makes a great game more than the sum of its parts is a great community, and people like you make a great community.

[Heli Shed]

Thanks 'dnme' - appreciated.

 

Regards

 

'T'

[dnme]

Help me land please (Beginner)

 

Hi folks,

 

I have been trying to follow the landing training mission all evening. By the time he tells me to switch on ILS, I am way out over the sea, he tells me I should soon have visual on the airport etc.

 

I have tried slowing the plane down to well under 200KIAS. I have paused to read instructions etc. I'm finding this mission impossible.

 

There's a stage where he gives you control and you have to navigate to the airports heading. I steer to that heading but find I am always having to over correct. Is there a way to tell autopilot the heading and have it fly there more precisely? Also is there a way to tell auto pilot the required air speed?

I have been trying to trim the aircraft also but I end up chasing it, up, then down etc.

 

This training mission leaves me wondering where I am, whats gone wrong, how do I get back without having to load the whole thing over and over again etc.

 

Can anyone help me with landing. Is there a simpler approach to start with?

 

Many thanks

[kylania]

Check the Christmas Cheer link in my sig. Way simple landing practice mission. All you need to do is drop the gear and flaps and bring her home.

 

Once you get the actual landing part down then you can deal with all the ILS and radio and EGI things the landing training deals with.

[636_Castle]

Just practice visual landings as kylania said until you're a pro at it. Maybe actually fly the whole circuit and pattern though after takeoff, otherwise your initial approach problems will still be there if you don't practice those. If you noticed, the final approach course of 130 the instructor tells you to set is off by alot, which might add to some of it.

[wickedfastball]

A poster here (headspace) has a couple of video tutorials. Very worth a watch.

 

[dnme]

Thanks folks. I had already tried a lot of the suggestions here and watched headspace's videos etc. I have been trying kylania's mission and it is quite tough. I think the sim is being very kind to me as I plummet to the runway though.

[Lange_666]

Can anyone help me with landing. Is there a simpler approach to start with?

 

Yes there is but not directly in this sim. Reading through some topics of you i think that this is your first flightsim? If yes, then you picked one with a very steep learning curve. It's like putting a military pilot directly into an A-10 without any other flighttraining before it.

So you could start with a sim that has a less steep learning curve but where you are still able to fly the A-10: LockOn (it's cheap these days).

It has auto-ILS setup on the HUD once you called inbound and are on the approach line. You then fly the ILS needles and can keep an eye on your speed and altitude which all sits nicely grouped on the HUD.

In this sime, you have to move your view from in the cockpit (looking at the ADI to fly the ILS approach) to outside through the HUD to get an idea of what you are doing. Besides that you have to have your radio's set, ILS set up etc... which makes it a lot more demanding and frustrating when you "learn".

 

If it isn't your first flightsim: just practise...practise...practise...:D

 

TIP: if you oversteer a lot, you chase the ILS needle's. Don't do that, make only small adjustments and set your stick up with zero deadzone.

[Frederf]

A lot of time asking for landing help will give you a serious landslide of info. Patterns, overhead break, ILS, etc. are all fine things to know but can distract and overwhelm one from the core practice of safely putting tires to tarmac.

 

Breaking down the landing into its basic components you have:

 

• Approach
  
• Final
  
• Flare & Roll
  

Approach is all that fancy stuff one does to transition from en route flight to final approach. One could write whole books about the many ways this can or should be accomplished.

 

Final is the path from the end of the initial approach to the flare point. Defining characteristics of final are: aligned with runway, constant speed, landing configuration, constant decent slope.

 

Flare is the process of transitioning from final to the runway surface, usually only a few tens of feet above the surface as you pass over the threshold. The roll is what you do after touchdown until you are slow enough to transition to typical taxi behavior.

 

 

The simplest approach would be something like 10nm from the airport along the extended runway center line, 2000' above the runway surface, roughly 200 kts, and in the clean configuration. From this position the runway will appear ahead as a vertical line somewhere slightly below the horizon.

 

As you fly toward the runway at 2000' the runway will appear to drop visually. As the near end of the runway moves to -3° visually (3/5ths of the way between the horizon line and the -5° ladder rung on the HUD), lower the flaps and drop the gear. Place the TVV on the near end of the runway. You've now established yourself on a 3° glide scope which will fly you right to the near end of the runway.

 

While keeping the TVV on that spot through any necessary adjustments, add or decrease power until the v o ^ angle of attack symbols illuminates only the "o" symbol. Now you are on the correct path to the runway and the airplane is in the correct attitude for landing. Fly this picture until you are about a wingspan above the runway surface at the flare point.

 

If you continued flying the final approach picture onto the runway, you would impact the ground where the TVV was pointed and at whatever vertical descent rate the final was at. The aircraft would probably survive but it would be rough. To soften the landing you want to reduce the descent rate to nearly zero as you near the runway. To do this simply pitch up slightly to walk the TVV symbol toward the far end of the runway. As you do this relax the throttle to idle (full back). As the main wheels touch, set the nose wheel onto the runway and apply the brakes.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Frederf

[aaron886]

I think it's already been said, but to address your questions about the autopilot... the short answer is no. And the right way to go about this is to learn to do it by hand... its not so bad right? It's fun! Just keep practicing. Many or most of the difficulties in landing a real airplane are here in the simulator, so expect a bit of a learning curve. Best of luck, and don't shy away from messing up or asking questions!

[leafer]

Hi folks,

 

I have been trying to follow the landing training mission all evening. By the time he tells me to switch on ILS, I am way out over the sea, he tells me I should soon have visual on the airport etc.

 

I have tried slowing the plane down to well under 200KIAS. I have paused to read instructions etc. I'm finding this mission impossible.

 

There's a stage where he gives you control and you have to navigate to the airports heading. I steer to that heading but find I am always having to over correct. Is there a way to tell autopilot the heading and have it fly there more precisely? Also is there a way to tell auto pilot the required air speed?

I have been trying to trim the aircraft also but I end up chasing it, up, then down etc.

 

This training mission leaves me wondering where I am, whats gone wrong, how do I get back without having to load the whole thing over and over again etc.

 

Can anyone help me with landing. Is there a simpler approach to start with?

 

Many thanks

 

This is a stupid question that must be asked.

 

Are you using only the keyboard to fly this bad boy?

[dnme]

Frederf

Sounds like a dream:), wish I could do it so smoothly. Many thanks everyone.

[Lange_666]

This is a stupid question that must be asked.

 

Are you using only the keyboard to fly this bad boy?

 

dnme's signature contains the following: :joystick: Saitek X52 Pro Flight Controller :joystick:

[leafer]

whoops. missed that. carry on.