Pylon turn and TGP relation

[WildBillKelsoe]

Hello again,

I think we all have the same problem, the targeting pod. What could be done to keep the target visualized all the time, but use the Altitude hold only (bank and altitude hold - the most aft position for LAAP mode switch), but then again, if I do a pylon turn (like the AC-130), my wings obscure the target momentarily, unless I do a very shallow bank turn, usually the side which holds the TGP.

 

Any thoughts on this? I do realise that a very large circle is to be made and probably wont be close enough to the target, but if the pod has narrow and zoom in features as well, I don't see why not..

 

Speaking of missions, I'm now in the interdiction mission for T-72's but a Buk radar and missile unit (1 x radar and 2 x missile = 8 missiles) are shadowing the AO. I have CAP, CAS, and SEAD at my disposal, and my pilot profile is set as not invincible, so I'm playing this as real as it gets. Any ideas here as well? Does seeing the mission planner to know the red zone deemed cheating?

[Heli Shed]

IMHO the TGP is poorly situated on the A-10C.

 

I'm wondering why it's not on the very outer pylon on the left / right wing or even directly underneath the aircraft?

 

PaulKrill, over to you.

 

;-)

 

'T'

 

PS: OP, our sop in the 74th is to always ANCHOR with Left wing dipped to aid TGP

[Frostiken]

Why the left wing, when the TPod is usually on the right?

 

I'd say the reason it's not underneath the fuselage is because the A-10 is designed to be able to belly land without much damage. Once you punch off fuel tanks and munitions there's nothing really left under there. If you had a Sniper XR pod, well, that's a really expensive bit of equipment to scrape off on a runway every time you have a hydraulic or gear failure. Seeing as how all versions of TPod have been in laughably short supply, well, there's your answer for that one.

 

As for why it's not on the outermost station, probably weight or limitations on the kind of pylon you can put out there. Remember that you need a lot more wiring as well to support a targeting pod.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Frostiken

[CEPEGA]

Why the left wing, when the TPod is usually on the right?

 

You can mount it on the left wing as well ;)

[Heli Shed]

Why the left wing, when the TPod is usually on the right?

 

I'd say the reason it's not underneath the fuselage is because the A-10 is designed to be able to belly land without much damage. Once you punch off fuel tanks and munitions there's nothing really left under there. If you had a Sniper XR pod, well, that's a really expensive bit of equipment to scrape off on a runway every time you have a hydraulic or gear failure. Seeing as how all versions of TPod have been in laughably short supply, well, there's your answer for that one.

 

As for why it's not on the outermost station, probably weight or limitations on the kind of pylon you can put out there. Remember that you need a lot more wiring as well to support a targeting pod.

 

Left wing dipped gives the TGP pod a better FOV to the target location and is less hindered by the fuselage of the aircraft. The only thing that gets inside it's FOV with the left wing dipped and 45 degrees are the AIM 9x's, but clearly that all depends on a couple of factors.

 

Distance to Tgt and Your ANCHORED altitude.

 

It can also be mounted on the left wing true, but default setup in the sim is right wing. In RL, there 'may' be real reasons for it mounted where it is and no where else.

 

As for belly landings, well, IMHO, i don't buy it. There's no such thing as a 'mission essential' piece of equipment, no matter how much, that comes above a soldier, let alone a combat pilot. If it would be better used underneath, then i see no reason why it souldn't be mounted there apart from an extra fuel pod. Liklihood of belly landing by pilot versus the increased use and flexibility of the TGP pod being underneath = (for me), a no brainer.

 

Snoopy?

 

'T'

[Frostiken]

Left wing dipped gives the TGP pod a better FOV to the target location and is less hindered by the fuselage of the aircraft. The only thing that gets inside it's FOV with the left wing dipped and 45 degrees are the AIM 9x's, but clearly that all depends on a couple of factors.

 

Uh, if it's on the RIGHT wing, having the left wing lower (and thus, making a left turn) means your fuselage is going to block the picture for like 60% of your turn... surely you meant the right wing dipped, making a right turn?

 

As for belly landings, well, IMHO, i don't buy it. There's no such thing as a 'mission essential' piece of equipment, no matter how much, that comes above a soldier, let alone a combat pilot.

One thing you learn about the Air Force after being in the Air Force - the bottom line is always money :D

 

Additionally did you think about how the pod underneath would greatly complicate a gear-up landing? It's also probably extremely difficult to fit other stuff under there if the TPod was there, in addition to causing issues with released munitions. It could also be situated on the outside of the wings to avoid the rocket exhaust from Mavericks which would seriously cause damage to it.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Frostiken

[Heli Shed]

Uh, if it's on the RIGHT wing, having the left wing lower (and thus, making a left turn) means your fuselage is going to block the picture for like 60% of your turn... surely you meant the right wing dipped, making a right turn?

 

One thing you learn about the Air Force after being in the Air Force - the bottom line is always money :D

 

Additionally did you think about how the pod underneath would greatly complicate a gear-up landing? It's also probably extremely difficult to fit other stuff under there if the TPod was there, in addition to causing issues with released munitions. It could also be situated on the outside of the wings to avoid the rocket exhaust from Mavericks which would seriously cause damage to it.

 

Uh.............D'oh! :doh:

 

Always keep your target area to your right! in other words have left wing dipped AWAY from the Target location, not ontop of it.

[Eddie]

There's no such thing as a 'mission essential' piece of equipment, no matter how much, that comes above a soldier, let alone a combat pilot.

 

True, but if you knew how few of these pods there are, and considering that without said pod an aircraft is not usable for operational flights on Herrick or in most cases any A/G mission you'd see just why they are treated like gold dust.

 

When things like this are built into jets, these things are most certainly considered.

 

And if you think about it, you couldn't stick the pod on stn 6 as you'd loose the ability to have stores on 5 & 7. If you stuck it on 4,5,7 or 8 you'd loose a 1760 station (they'll have even more wiring looms than the TGP alone needs), and if you had 2 or 10 upgraded to 1760 in lieu you'd need even more wiring, and more wiring alway means more wiring faults, which means reduced servicability, which means reduced aircraft availablility, which means more chance there will be no aircraft available for CAS when needed.

 

If you wired up 1 or 11 for the pod, you'd have to sacrifice either the AIM-9s or the ALQ-131, and you'd need longer wiring looms (see above). Not an issue for Afghan/Iraq, but certainly a big issue for other ops such as Libya, for example.

 

An even putting all that aside, having the pod directly under the aircraft wouldn't nessesarily lead to a larger FOV. While the FOV would be equal on either side of the aircraft, it may actually be smaller than with the pod off centre. Take the F-16 for example, it has its TGP fitted under the engine intake and it still suffers masking at high bank angles. So does the Typhoon with its LITENING III mounted on the centre line station.

 

So in conclusion, while you may gain a few extra degrees FOV, the disadvantages certainly seem to be greater than any advantages, at least to me. Seems the USAF would agree. :D

 

Well, that was a good brain excercising post to start a monday morning. I suppose I should get to work and get some real aircraft flying.....

[Snoopy]

IMHO the TGP is poorly situated on the A-10C.

 

I'm wondering why it's not on the very outer pylon on the left / right wing or even directly underneath the aircraft?

 

PaulKrill, over to you.

 

;-)

 

'T'

 

PS: OP, our sop in the 74th is to always ANCHOR with Left wing dipped to aid TGP

 

Tyger, honestly have no idea why they choose stations 2 and 10. That being said this is from the -34 on Masking Zones.

 

I don't believe it has anything to do with belly landing but could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time :D). I've seen an A-10 belly land with TERS (plus 3 each BDU-33s), mavericks on 3 and 8, ECM pod on 1, and CAP-9 on 11. Pilot didn't jettison stores and belly landed, only damage was to both mavs (they were training so no threat of detonation) and the lower portions of the vertical stabs.

 

Also, as to the TGP always being loaded on one side or the other, there is nothing that stops them from loading it on the right or left wing. I would say at Moody our jets are half on the right and half on the left (same with ECM and CAP-9s).

 

Well, that was a good brain excercising post to start a monday morning. I suppose I should get to work and get some real aircraft flying.....

 

From one maintainer to another this was my favorite line!! :thumbup: