Questions I always wanted to ask

[Kenan]

1. If there's no FPM in russian HUDs, how do for example, pilots land on runways which do NOT have any kind of ILS? US pilots use the flight path marker, what do russian pilots do?

 

2. If the real HDDs in Sus and Migs do NOT have those range bars, how do the pilots know exact range from the target, especially if the range displayed on the HUD (upper left corner) is only approximation (at least according to what is shown in FC3). Do the russian pilots have the ability to tell the exact range at all?

 

3. Why am I so awesome?

[GGTharos]

1. If there's no FPM in russian HUDs, how do for example, pilots land on runways which do NOT have any kind of ILS? US pilots use the flight path marker, what do russian pilots do?

 

Same thing all real pilots do: Land visually.

[Kenan]

^^Yeah but, isn't that bit of a risky? Yes, it can be done but..I don't know, seems kinda weird to do it in a millions $ worth bird packed with avionics and stuff..

[104th_Maverick]

There are more ways to land than just ILS, that's just one landing system albeit the most reliable.

 

As GG said they would always have the Non Precision Approach (visual) option weather permitting.

 

If no ILS is available at an airfield 'generally' they will have some other sort of landing / nav system in place to help the aircraft get down if the airfield is large enough, this can vary from just having a VOR localizer on the airfield set up with a DME approach to NDB approaches.

 

Not sure about your second question, I will foolishly go out on a limb and 'assume' they get that information from the ground or other controllers as it's my understanding that the Russian's emphasis more or being talked or controlled onto a target than the West do..... but huge scope for being wrong here!

 

Question 3 is all about perspective ;)

[GGTharos]

Not really, all pilots are trained to land without a HuD, never mind the FPM. You really don't need it at all. All landing technique is taught without that, AFAIK. It's just a nice-to-have.

 

^^Yeah but, isn't that bit of a risky? Yes, it can be done but..I don't know, seems kinda weird to do it in a millions $ worth bird packed with avionics and stuff..

[Cali]

Look down at the gauges in our cockpit.

[fitness88]

Page 52.

Vertical velocity indicator (VVI) is the instrument you would watch. [in Metric]

The Vertical Velocity Indicator measures the aircraft’s vertical speed, i.e. rate of climb or sink.

Edited January 23, 2013 by fitness88

[cichlidfan]

3. Why am I so awesome?

 

That comes from exposure to the rest of us! :P

[maturin]

And what about question two?

[Kuky]

2. If the real HDDs in Sus and Migs do NOT have those range bars, how do the pilots know exact range from the target, especially if the range displayed on the HUD (upper left corner) is only approximation (at least according to what is shown in FC3). Do the russian pilots have the ability to tell the exact range at all?

 

And what about question two?

 

How exact do you want it? Within 1m? :D It's irelevant to have super accurate shown on HUD, only tracking missile needs to know accurate range ;)

 

By the way its not that Russian aircraft aproximate (better word is round off), all aircraft round off these values, in US aircraft it's to 1/10th of a mile.

[OttoPus]

Not really, all pilots are trained to land without a HuD, never mind the FPM. You really don't need it at all. All landing technique is taught without that, AFAIK. It's just a nice-to-have.

 

This.

[Kenan]

^^In modern US jets you have 15 miles range, 14 miles range etc..It's fairly accurate. Definetelly not the same as approximation in russian birds, at least that's how it's modelled in FC3 and yes, I think it's pretty important to know the range of the target and not just guess it's somewhere between 50 and 25km.

[marcos]

What's the longest range A-A kill in operational history? So far the longest anyone has found is 9km. Any advances on 9km? There must be.

[Lange_666]

Live A-A kill?

I don't think you find much higher then that simply because there haven't been much modern confrontations. After the Korean war, A-A combat all goes down the drain. There was a bit in the Vietnam War, a bit in the Middle East and the Falklands, all others where/are unidirectional (ie only one side has aircraft).

Being a pilot in a dogfight machine (in a live environment) is a pretty boring job these days. But one that keeps you alive.

[ФрогФут]

1. If there's no FPM in russian HUDs, how do for example, pilots land on runways which do NOT have any kind of ILS? US pilots use the flight path marker, what do russian pilots do?

They did land 50 years ago, you know.:) No problems for them to land the plane with HUD off.

2. If the real HDDs in Sus and Migs do NOT have those range bars, how do the pilots know exact range from the target, especially if the range displayed on the HUD (upper left corner) is only approximation (at least according to what is shown in FC3). Do the russian pilots have the ability to tell the exact range at all?

It is shown very exact in FC3 or am i missing something?

[marcos]

Live A-A kill?

I don't think you find much higher then that simply because there haven't been much modern confrontations. After the Korean war, A-A combat all goes down the drain. There was a bit in the Vietnam War, a bit in the Middle East and the Falklands, all others where/are unidirectional (ie only one side has aircraft).

Being a pilot in a dogfight machine (in a live environment) is a pretty boring job these days. But one that keeps you alive.

I was hoping for details on the AMRAAM kills over Serbia.

[Kenan]

It is shown very exact in FC3 or am i missing something?

 

If I understand correctly, the range "bars" in HDD aren't supposed to be there and there's only approximated range displayed on the upper left of the hud.

 

For example, if in "32 range" HDD mod, on the HUD it will display "25", if in "16 range" HDD mod, the HUD will display "10". However, there's no exact range counter. Is this supposed to be like this IRL as well and if yes, why? How would Mig and Su pilots tell the exact range, would they solely rely on GCI or Awacs? Seems kinda strange..

[Pilotasso]

Live A-A kill?

I don't think you find much higher then that simply because there haven't been much modern confrontations. After the Korean war, A-A combat all goes down the drain. There was a bit in the Vietnam War, a bit in the Middle East and the Falklands, all others where/are unidirectional (ie only one side has aircraft).

Being a pilot in a dogfight machine (in a live environment) is a pretty boring job these days. But one that keeps you alive.

 

It was down to IFF capability and ROE. Things would be different today (even when compared with the last few AA conflicts), and you can positively identify targets much further away.

[GGTharos]

14nm on targets that were not head-on.

 

There is an F-14 drone shoot with AIM-54 at 142nm, but that was obviously not a real battle.

 

What's the longest range A-A kill in operational history? So far the longest anyone has found is 9km. Any advances on 9km? There must be.

[ФрогФут]

Is this supposed to be like this IRL as well and if yes, why?

It is only the scale of the range gauge for the HUD and HDD.

How would Mig and Su pilots tell the exact range, would they solely rely on GCI or Awacs? Seems kinda strange..

Move the eyesight from the target mark to the range gauge on the left and you get the approximate range.