Clever way to remember TMS vs China Hat commands

[latearrival]

Hi guys

 

I'm not getting any younger and I'm really struggling to remember which HOTAS commands to use when I want to designate a target with the TGP and launch a Maverick. There's a reason pilots start their training young, right!

 

I have the sequence of commands written down, I understand the principles behind what's going on (sort of!), and I'm ok with the Coolie Hat and DMS. But I'll be damned if I can remember when to use TMS vs China, short vs long!

 

I thought one of you clever blokes might be able to help. Does anyone have a way to help me remember the TMS and China Hat commands that I need so that I don't have to keep referring to my notes?

 

The things that I keep having to turn to my notes for are:

 

• China Aft Long - Slave TGP to steerpoint
  
• ### TGP to SOI ###
  
• TMS Fwd Short - TGP to point track mode
  
• TMS Fwd Long - Make SPI
  
• China Fwd Long - Slave all to SPI
  
• ### MAV to SOI ###
  
• TMS Fwd Short - MAV lock
  
• TMS Aft Short - Mav ground stabilise
  

At this rate it's going to be years before this becomes muscle memory for me!

 

Thanks

Edited June 10, 2011 by latearrival
corrected/clarified list as per Dragon's suggestion. Changed "Down" to "Aft"

[STP Dragon]

China Fwd Long - Slave all to SOI

 

Hi,

 

it's SPI

 

And maybe you add what sensor is SOI, else it is defusing.

 

 

• China Aft Long - Slave TGP to steerpoint
  
• ### TGP to SOI ###
  
• TMS Fwd Short - TGP to point track mode
  
• TMS Fwd Long - Make SPI
  
• China Fwd Long - Slave all to SPI
  
• ### MAV to SOI ###
  
• TMS Fwd Short - MAV lock
  
• TMS Down Short - Mav ground stabilise
  

Edited June 10, 2011 by =STP= Dragon

[RogueRunner]

setup a short mission and play it 3 or 4 times in a row. That did it for me, memorized!

[cichlidfan]

The things that I keep having to turn to my notes for are:

 

• China Aft Long - Slave TGP to steerpoint
  
• TMS Fwd Short - TGP to point track mode
  
• TMS Fwd Long - Make SPI
  
• China Fwd Long - Slave all to SOI
  
• TMS Fwd Short - MAV lock
  
• TMS Down Short - Mav ground stabilise
  

 

The 'senior' moments and the volume of information gets to me as well sometimes.:cry: Plus I have a lazy/OCD streak that makes me look for easy ways for most things.

 

Anyway, my two cents:

 

First, you have two functions MAV Lock and TGP Point/Area Track that use the same switch, and if you look at them sideways they do the same thing for two vaguely similar systems (one just doesn't fly off and go boom). One less command.

 

Next Slave All to SPI will also perform the Slave TGP to Steerpoint function if your SPI is the steerpoint (which it frequently will be). Those are fore and aft on the same switch where forward slaves everything and aft just slaves the TGP. In most cases (it seems to my limited experience) that slave all will suffice for many situations. One less command. Also C is for camera which is what you are moving (sort of, not always but) and C is for China Hat.

 

MAV Ground Stabilize is TMS (remember T is for Target) down/aft is for (pulling it to) Ground.

 

Make SPI, this is the same for every Sensor Of Interest. TMS FWD Long is like pointing (stabbing the map with your finger) at the (T is for) target. Plus you will use this one so much that it will just become muscle memory in no time.

 

EDIT: --I know some of that is a stretch. Some one else probably answered better while I typed this anyway.

 

I hope this helps, if not, sorry, my mind works in mysterious and convoluted ways most of the time.;)

Edited June 10, 2011 by cichlidfan

[mooshim]

These are quite old...( a few months?)

 

I hope they still are accurate...

 

 

It was way back in the beta stages...( how far we have come :thumbup:)

 

Anyway... I do hope they help someone.

 

The lighter one is for printing.

 

Cheers,

 

Moosh

 

I assigned INS and Pageup to China hat keys

[cichlidfan]

At this rate it's going to be years before this becomes muscle memory for me!

 

 

Inspiratonal desktops help too!

[latearrival]

@dragon - corrected, thanks.

 

@RR - hasn't worked for me so far!

 

@mooshim - thank you, but it's the cheat sheet that I'm trying to wean myself off.

 

@cichlidfan - that is exactly the sort of thing I'm after (the memory tricks not the wallpaper ;) ), thank you!

[Kaiza]

I don't have any clever way of remembering it, but what I do think helps is to actually get it clear in your mind what the switches are called and why they are called that.

 

DMS is data management, so it will always be related to aranging data, changing scales etc

TMS is target management so it will always be related to tracking/locking targets, making SPIs.

 

If china hat had an name similar to these I think it would be something like SMS- Sensor management switch. It it used to change sensor settings, field of views, slew etc.

 

So when you approach a situation where u are not sure what to do think what am I trying to do here? Am I trying to target or untarget something? If so TMS. Am I trying to manipulate a sensor? If so china hat.

[shu77]

Personally I just printed a poster for myself, that maps my joystick to the functions, and keep it on the wall next to my screen. Old version below, I actually ended up adapting the symbols from another chap for the current version, of this poster which bases each hat on a cross or bar type setup, but cant find it now for the life of me, but you should get the idea. Far easier to glance across when looking for something then to try and memorise everything

[Helios]

I prefer having a mental map of the procedure as a set of actions. It's easier to remember (because it makes sense), and eventually the brain/muscle starts remembering which button triggers what action.

 

• Locate target and set it as SPI
  
  • TGP view
    
  • slew to target
    
  • lock target (TMS fwd short)
    
  • set target as SPI (TMS fwd long)
    

  [*]Slave mav to target and lock

  • MAV View
    
  • slave sensor to SPI (China fwd long)
    
  • try to get a lock (TMS fwd short until blinking cross)
    

  [*]launch or abort

Action list speaks for itself. Button-wise there are only three things to remember here, TMS fwd short will "lock stuff", TMS fwd long will "set SPI", and China fwd long will "slave sensors to SPI".

[hassata]

Some commonalities (in general, and not by any means definitive):

 

TARGETS:

TMS forward locks things up; TMS forward long makes things SPI (SPI is the thing that's about to go boom);

 

TMS back unlocks things; TMS back long makes Steerpoint the SPI (sort of it's default);

 

SENSORS:

China Hat forward zooms sensors; China Hat forward long makes all sensors look at the SPI;

 

China Hat back cages sensors (makes them look forward); China Hat back long makes TGP look at Steerpoint (sort of it's default);

 

Very, very basically:

TMS forward, then TMS forward long to make something the thing that's about to go boom;

China Hat forward long gets sensors looking at thing about to go boom;

 

At the end of the day, it's supposed to become muscle memory, you (and I) just have to do it long enough.

[shu77]

Thats probably the thing to keep in mind it does become second nature after enough hours of stick time.

[Shez]

I find learning things is easier if i break the big process down into smaller processess and learn them individually then build up to the big process. This way I'm not trying to remember 15 steps. But maybe 4-5 at a time. Then put them all together.

[latearrival]

I just put a couple of hours in and I feel like I've made some progress thanks to you all.

 

@Helios - you made it seem nice and simple, which made the whole exercise less intimidating.

 

@Hassata - you somehow managed to make it even simpler for me than Helios. Awesome! I wish the whole manual was written like that ;)

[Mule]

I have to admit after getting the HOTAS Warthog all that stuff after a few flights really does become second nature. Although after a few beers i do find i have to think a little harder :)

[Nu-NRG]

Actually there is great logic to the buttons on HOTAS. I have no problem using it. It takes practice, very little at that. There is no - little brain storming / muscling required.

 

China aft long is to command TGP look (and only that) to your currently selected STEER POINT.

China forward long is to command everything (TAD, MAV, TGP, TDC) to *look* at what your CURRENT SPI.

 

And remember that TMS forward long will command *make SPI*

 

When lost what your SPI is, take a look at HUD.

 

At same time should you require to dig in to short commands, just group them in your mind.

China aft short is in other words ... center / boresight what ever your current SOI is.

China forward short will manipulate the SOI. In Mav and TGP it will change wide/naro view. Uncage AIM9, change EXP in TAD and when HUD is SOI it will switch to MAV as SOI.

 

TMS again, there is logic to it which makes it all so easy.