Pre-flight and start-up communication with ground crew

[acino]

Hey guys! I am contemplating creating a mod that will attempt to recreate the real start-up procedure including the communication and checks with the ground crew. (Something akin to this: http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3519800/1)

 

I have done some coding in my life, including some in LUA, but many many years ago, so I realize the begining will be quite rough. Though, it does not seem too complicated - just adding some options in radio communication and then just playing some sound files and running checks similar to those in training missions.

 

But anyway, the problem right now is, I don't know what the launch of A-10Cs looks in real life. When and how the communication with the ground chief commences, what is checked and discussed, and how it ends (I hope you know what I mean). I wanted to ask if somebody had a document that describes this in detail, ideally including the exact phrases used (or if there is somebody who has done this in their life).

 

Thanks in advance!

[Snoopy]

My post on this subject at simhq. The only things that happen prior to what I listed below is starting the APU and Engines, which basically goes:

 

Pilot: Chief, 3 (APU) clear

Me: 3's clear

 

Once the APU stabilized and APU GEN is on...

 

Pilot: Chief, 1 clear

Me: 1's clear

Pilot: 1's coming up

Me: (Walking back to the tail of the ACFT)

Pilot: 1's up and stable, chief controls clear

Me: Controls Clear (pilot moves the control stick 360 degrees moving ailerons, elevators as well as rudder pedals to move the rudders. This is to check he has flight control authority with just 1 engine).

Me: Controls look good, 2's clear

Pilot: 2's coming up....

 

we then go on to do what I originally posted on simhq (below)

 

Pilot: Chief, Flaps Clear

Me (aka Crew Chief): Clear

Me: Flaps at 7

Me: Flaps full down

Me: Flaps full up - Speed brakes clear

Me: Partial (speedbrake is partially open)

Me: Full Open - clear to cycle (opens to 100%

Me: cycling (moves stick left right)

Me: Full closed (speedbrakes completely closed)

Pilot: Flight controls Clear

Me: Clear

Me: Elevators up (pilot pulls back on stick moving the elevators)

Me: Elevators down (pilot pushes forward on stick moving the elevators)

Me: left up, right down (pilot pushes stick to the left moving the ailerons)

Me: right up, left down (pilot pushes stick to the right moving the ailerons)

Me: Rudders Right (pilot pushes on the rudder pedals)

Me: Rudders Left (pilot pushes on the rudder pedals)

Pilot: Ready on SAS

Me: Ready, Kick Left (pilot tests SAS)

Me: Kick Right (pilot tests SAS)

Pilot: Ready on Trim

Me: Ready, Elevators up (pilot uses trim hat on stick moving the elevators)

Me: Elevators down (pilot uses trim hat on stick moving the elevators)

Me: left up, right down (pilot uses trim hat on stick moving the ailerons)

Me: right up, left down (pilot uses trim hat on stick moving the ailerons)

Me: Rudders Right (pilot uses YAW trim knob)

Me: Rudders Left (pilot uses YAW trim knob)

Pilot: Ready Override

Me: Ready, Elevators up (pilot uses trim hat on emergency flight control panel moving the elevators)

Me: Elevators down (pilot uses trim hat on emergency flight control panel moving the elevators)

Me: left up, right down (pilot uses trim hat on emergency flight control panel moving the ailerons)

Me: right up, left down (pilot uses trim hat on emergency flight control panel moving the ailerons)

Pilot: Trim's in the green (presses TO trim button)

Me: Looks good here

Me: Ready on the right (run to right main wheel, watch the brake)

Me: Pumping

Pilot: Skid Off

Me: Pumping

Me: Ready on the right (move to left main wheel, watch the brake)

Me: Pumping

Pilot: Skid on

Me: Pumping

Pilot: Heats off, ready on the right

Me: (Actuate the lift transducer, watch left slat to make sure extends) lefts good

Pilot: Rights good, heat coming on

Me: (Check lift transducer, AOA vein, pitot tube) Heats good

Pilot: heat coming off

[acino]

Thanks a lot! I just want to make sure I understand it correctly, when it says "Me: Partial (speedbrake is partially open)", does it mean you first tell him "partial" and he opens the speedbrake partially, or he first performs the action and you tell him what you see?

[OttoPus]

This, integrated with some animated ground crew, would be a step forward in immersion and simulation fidelity :pilotfly:.

 

Motion capture systems are not so pricey today :smilewink: :

[zaelu]

+1 to life around plane on ground. we should have at least the cars and some people connecting wires and fuel lines... maybe upon rearm some cool rearming animations.

 

maybe a third party should do this... I am sure people will pay for it.

[acino]

So far, I am not considering any animation of the crew chief and stuff, mostly because I have zero knowledge on modelling, animation and/or how difficult it would be to implement a brand new animation (i.e. marshaling) into DCS.

 

Perhaps someone has this knowledge and would be interested in executing this; perhaps we could found a team that would try to accomplish this mod.

 

P.S. If anyone (coders, modellers, animators) would be intersted in cooperation, make sure you drop me a message!

[Konrad Friedrich]

Motion capture systems are not so pricey today :smilewink: :

 

Right.

To be precise you need little more then:

a camera, the will to learn Motion Capturing and Blender 2.65.

Blender is open source software and developed to remarkably high standards.

An artist friend who has worked with 3D Max now abandoned it because it offers little more functionality and is fabulously expensive...

 

However, I do not think that motion capturing is necessary to animate a ground crew.

Non linear animation should be good enough to animate your characters walking around.

 

Unfortunately I'm not that good with Blender and have no experience with motion capturing.

Otherwise, I would be there.

A ground crew would be great for the immersion of the simulation!

 

But if you need a decent Photoshop artist - drop me a note.