Why bother with the CDU?

[Rongor]

I understand what the CDU is and what it does. I know how to configure it to get an align at startup. I know how to deal with it to get the nearest airfields or the next waypoint. But what else?

The CDU consumes 81 pages of the english flight manual, that is about 12 % of the whole book. Besides making all nice thingys in this simulation making work properly like in RL, I just dont get the point to what benefit this 81 pages needing monster could have possibly been implemented so very deeply.

All I really need are the few functions given by the UFC and/or the AAP. Sometimes the alphanumerics keypad. But that's all. So why bother with the rest?

Dont misinterpret me on this. I am not just lazy. It is not me wanting to keep studying away from me to finally get into some action. I really want to learn everything in this wonderful sim:book: But all the other things offer some benefit, some usability, some profit. I cant see that in those 81 pages. Not at all.

The flight gets configured on the ground and then taken to the aircraft on a memory card. So why should I have any interest to know how I make a flight plan while already flying? What do I really need else out of this piece of electronics, that wasnt already mentioned in the training flights?

 

Please motivate me.:D

[lobo]

There's need to know and then there's nice to know. This sim has so much depth it is ridiculous! I suspect we can thank ED and the US military for allowing so much of their version of the sim to grace our version. :)

[cichlidfan]

I have always suspected that much of the CDU is there because it needed to be modeled for the military, for proper training, so the work was already done.

[GGTharos]

Not only does the CDU enable you to quickly respond to calls from ground forces when dlink is not available, and allow you to drop ordnance on target through weather, but learning the CDU is a sure way for you to enter the house of awesome. ;)

 

Please motivate me.:D

[Inseckt]

There be hidden secrets in the depths of the CDU i tells you! Wich only the pure shall gaze upon! :detective:

[LostOblivion]

You can do some fancy things with the CDU, for example plotting in your own flight plan and using it to drop 4 JDAMS on 4 targets in 4 seconds, or use it to triangulate the position of SAM threats seen on the RWR. ;)

[kylania]

CDU is vital at all stages of a mission. I'm constantly putting in new waypoints when new coordinates are given by ground forces. The Multiple JDAM flight plan trick. Marking something on the TAD then making a waypoint to it. The DIVERT page for finding the nearest airport. The STEERPOINT page for checking if I'm on target with my next waypoint. Checking for ILS/TCAN/AM frequencies for airports.

 

There's a ton of post takeoff use for the CDU. But don't NOT play the game because you haven't read most of the manual. You'll learn a lot of stuff as you play or as other pilots tell you tricks. Just fly what you know now and addon to that knowledge later. Study as you sim, not in preparation for it. :)

[dok_rp]

Why use the CDU?

 

1) To enter LASTE information when releasing ordnance?

2) To add new Lat/Long information for additional Way Points or Marker Points in-mission?

3) To check your exact altitude over the ground no matter where you are and thus avoid some pesky SAM that's been placed over a ridge?

4) To create new flight plans in-flight?

5) To manage Marker Points used to designate ground units?

6) To use the offset page and enter bullseye calls?

7) To realign in-flight because you did something you shouldn't have?

 

And of course, to show off to your friends, because you can and they can't. :smartass: :thumbup: :pilotfly:

[cichlidfan]

Perhaps the OP is refering to things like 37 pages of documentation for the SYS pages which do little more than allow you to similate testing or adjusting a simulated system that has no errors.;)

[LostOblivion]

Why does it even matter? It's there, why ask why it's there? If it wasn't there, people would want it there.

[hassata]

My question-with the MCFD Repeater and the UFC, do you ever really need to look at the thing?

[Torment]

For the OP, I too had difficulty in understanding how useful the CDU is in the sim. I spent several months picking through the manual and watching videos on YouTube (the latter I found more helpful) before I began to grasp it. Here's the common functions I use it for.

 

1. While it's in alignment, I'll rename all of the waypoints that are messed up from loading the game (awesome that this is going to be fixed in the upcoming patch).

 

2. When I'm navigating to my steerpoint, I'll often check the SYS > ATTRIBUTES page to see the "Dial HSI course to ..." once I'm done I'll switch it back to the steerpoint page via the UFC. I always keep the two dials to FLT PLAN and OTHER and will switch between modes with the UFC. So when I'm just flying along, the UFC repeater is up on my MFCD since it's easier to read than the data block on the HUD.

 

3. Punching up the coords from a JTAC is definitely handy and I think the way to go if you shooting for realism. However, it can get tiring so if I'm in a created mission I'll just do it for one or two of the targets then have the rest be pushed over the data link.

 

4. The ability to drop multiple JDAMs on markpoints is useful, but I almost never use it. I don't often carry the JDAMs and when I do it's never more than two. GBU-12/Mk-82's are more my thing since they have the versatility of TERs.

 

Things I don't use it for...

 

1. Many users on here rave about the OFFSET function, however I have had little luck (and experience) with it. The accuracy with the bearing and range seems so random, but I could see its usefulness in getting you in the right area for a SAM site. As for bandit calls, I'm not sure I get that...for the time it would take for you to go heads down to go to the offset page, create a new point, then input the bearing/range for the bandit call that dude is gonna be nowhere near that if he's screaming along at 600 kts. I'm also confused why the AWACS just doesn't push you tracks instead of bull calls. Seriously, you've got 3+ operators on there tracking all the aircraft and they can't push them across a SADL gateway? Am I missing something here?

 

2. Creating flight plans...um yeah. I'll manage my existing ones that I created in the ME sure, but I don't make new ones on the fly.

 

So I too, have some gripes about the usefulness of the CDU. BUT some of the features are invaluable to me and I found it enjoyable reading/youtubing then loading up the game to try out that new feature. If that new feature is useful to me, awesome. If not, then I'll put a mental checkmark of one less thing on the CDU checklist and move on to another one. It's all part of the thing that keep me coming back for more. The replay on this sim for me is high because I'm curious on what I haven't learned yet.

[Joyride]

I find that I use the Waypoint and Flight Plan pages almost every flight. Many of the missions we fly in our squadron don't have preloaded flight plans, or they need to be changed mid-mission to respond to something or hit a tanker, and/or require responding to emergency CAS situations at given coordinates - lots of fun to be had in those types of missions, and the CDU is a must! We also often set up anchor points or IPs on the fly, another good use when flying multiplayer.

 

Granted, that's about 5 pages of the 81...

[kylania]

My question-with the MCFD Repeater and the UFC, do you ever really need to look at the thing?

 

In a real world setting I imaging not, but as a computer game the full screen "straight down" snapview of the CDU is a LOT easier to use than switching between UFC/MFD snapviews or leaning forward to try to use them both in cockpit. Than again my eyes suck. :joystick:

[jeffyd123]

I got my CDU to download iTunes stuff! One time, I tuned in and watched Oprah on a long ingress.

[wess24m]

I got my CDU to download iTunes stuff! One time, I tuned in and watched Oprah on a long ingress.

 

LOL @ long ingress, One thing that always has bothered me with all these missions, Is it modeled as in RL that your bases are always 20-50 miles away from your AO? I'd like some more realistic ingress distance.

[Megagoth1702]

You can do some fancy things with the CDU, for example plotting in your own flight plan and using it to drop 4 JDAMS on 4 targets in 4 seconds, or use it to triangulate the position of SAM threats seen on the RWR. ;)

 

You can do the first by simple marks,setting steerpoint to mark mode and slaving your TGP to steer point. But the second one, is a beech. Please explain!

[kylania]

LOL @ long ingress, One thing that always has bothered me with all these missions, Is it modeled as in RL that your bases are always 20-50 miles away from your AO? I'd like some more realistic ingress distance.

 

In a single player mission an hour long ingress might be somewhat OK, but even some MP missions out now with 50 mile ingress take too long to get back into the action. One guy dies and instead of a team game now you have a bunch of guys all playing single player since they can't work as a team anymore due to being split up and running out of fuel.

 

Downtime in games, even sims, isn't a good thing. :)

[Supersheep]

You'll learn a lot of stuff as you play or as other pilots tell you tricks

 

use it to triangulate the position of SAM threats seen on the RWR

 

 

Please, tell me this one. You have the chance to create the motivation that's neccessary to take on the CDU ;-)

 

 

 

Supersheep

Edited November 1, 2011 by Supersheep
spelling

[Joyride]

In a single player mission an hour long ingress might be somewhat OK, but even some MP missions out now with 50 mile ingress take too long to get back into the action. One guy dies and instead of a team game now you have a bunch of guys all playing single player since they can't work as a team anymore due to being split up and running out of fuel.

 

Downtime in games, even sims, isn't a good thing. :)

 

Tough balance between realism and playability for sure. Long ingresses in MP do add a bit of "investment" into the flight...you might not hold that gun run on the BMP quite as long or being lax over threat areas knowing you can't just respawn and be back in the action in 5 minutes. But, they do tend to get boring.

 

I usually bring the phone and play Words with Friends to pass the time. :D

[Jimmytime]

New and improved iCDU from apple in A-10D.

[wess24m]

I loving how detailed the CDU is and use it for everything except what i'd like to use it most for.....entering cords from jtac into it. Ive read lots of tutorials and videos and "hacks" to get it right and when i enter the cords that i get from jtac (even when i add missing numbers) it gives me a point far away. if i go back and enter the LL from jtac on the msg screen on my right mfd all goes well. It's not a matter of knowing how to enter these things, it's a matter of being given bad info..

[cichlidfan]

It's not a matter of knowing how to enter these things, it's a matter of being given bad info..

 

Incorrect. It means that you need to change which spheroid you are entering coordinates for.

 

See this thread, among others.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=76127&highlight=spheroid

[Inseckt]

Tough balance between realism and playability for sure. Long ingresses in MP do add a bit of "investment" into the flight...you might not hold that gun run on the BMP quite as long or being lax over threat areas knowing you can't just respawn and be back in the action in 5 minutes. But, they do tend to get boring.

 

I usually bring the phone and play Words with Friends to pass the time. :D

 

SpaceChem is now available for Ipad :) Playing an addictive game while playing the boring part of a even more addictive... ehem.. "game".. Just kidding; "sim".

Edited November 1, 2011 by Inseckt

[wess24m]

Incorrect. It means that you need to change which spheroid you are entering coordinates for.

 

See this thread, among others.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=76127&highlight=spheroid

I've tried that as well, I may not be doing that correctly and havn't seen a how-to for changing that. The way I was doing it was looking at my position info then using the "spheroid" from that because i know i'm close to wqhere jtac wants me. I still don't see how it's incorrect that we're not getting bad info if jtac is missing numbers of the cords...sounds like bad info to me.