One of the things I used a lot in FC2 was the Hud repeater option when panning in the cockpit. It really helped with my sa. I've been wondering if there's such an option or mod for the A-10. I know it may not be realistic, but I can sure use some sort of aid when maneuvering and panning. BTW, I have a track IR but don't always use it. I have a HUD text-size issue when I try to zoom in. The view zooms but the HUD fonts stay the same size.

Thanks,

--T

There's no helmet mounted sight mod for the A-10C that I know of. Use your TIR. You fly by moving your head and flying to visible reference points when possible - that's the basics of flying skill. You don't need a HuD repeater as long as you practice and know how to turn your aircraft while not staring at your HuD. You can cross-check it as needed.

As for the HUD text size, it's supposed to remain constant ... so I'm guessing you aren't actually zooming, but you're just moving your virtual head closer to the HUD.

I can see his point though..as a concession to the fact that your FOV on a monitor is nowhere near the peripheral cues you get in real life it would be a good option to have.

I understand. Here's how I deal with it; I don't know if it is the best way, it is *a* way.

First, my usual ride is the F-15C, and I do loads of A2A. With this in mind:

1) I know the aerobatic handling of my aircraft - I know how much to pull, how much speed I have and how much speed I will have, etc etc.. I don't need to know what the hud's showing me usually, but I do need to cross-check ... and that is what I do.

2) I need peripheral vision. I accomplish this by zooming out. As a result I lose some visual detection range, but I get a wide FoV which helps in all things air to air and otherwise (navigation, etc).

3) Lots of contact flying. You can't be staring at your HuD when you're flying formations, and many times, not when you're in combat either. Again, the HuD should be cross-checked.

4) All of this is directly transferrable to A-10C.


Finally, I've said 'cross check the HuD' a could of times. That's because most people don't understand that you look outside the cockpit and cross-check the HUD. INstead, they look at the HuD and cross-check the outside. Not a good way to fly, and not a good way to be effective in combat.

Finally, yes, it takes dedication and time to be able to operate even a vAircraft this way. No wonder you real flying guys get paid well

Ghost, your points are well taken, but what Beach said. I can compensate but would still like to have that option. As for the HUD issue, my HUD font is difficult to read in the first place so I have to zoom in to compensate (old eyes and a CRT monitor that refuses to die add to my issue). The HUD text is the main reason I don't use my Track-IR as much.

I am also guilty of flying by my HUD - I guess that is why I am not a member of the Virtual Thunderbirds. Still, I'll give your suggestions a try.

--T

Well, you are also missing some of the secondary cues that you would get in the real aircraft too. It isn't just your vision that tells you what your plane is doing (whether you are looking at the HUD or outside)..it is also the sound of the air going across the windscreen, the sloppiness/firmness of the stick, and the forces exerted on your body. Even the vibrations under your butt can tell you a lot about what your aircraft is doing. In one of our Citations the front landing gear door starts a small little vibration above certain speeds in the descent. In one of our King Airs the ball requires ever more right rudder as speed increases (not related to engine torque..it is an aerodynamic phenomenon). Our PC simulators do a very poor job of communicating the state of the aircraft much beyond the HUD, instruments, and some basic geometry looking out of the window. Force Feedback (which I don't have) is a step in the right direction..giving tactile information that is distinctly separate from your visual cues (stall buffet, force correlation to airspeed..etc..) I really enjoyed the G940 for that aspect..but I love my HOTAS Warthog.

A nice feature would be something like the mini-HUD that is available for Falcon BMS - you can see it here (at 1:55):



DCS might have such a HUD for the arcade level/game setting..

BeachAV8R

That would be great for making SPIs. You see some shilka or whatever, quickly make it a SPI with HMCS, send it to other aircraft and take it out.

Beach,

You are absolutely correct regarding the other cues you encounter during flight. I remember going on a checkride with my brother. He had to perform a stall maneuver and I remember feeling of hanging in the air (it was rather surreal) and the onset of the stall just before our wing dipped and we went into the stall. Although I rode backseat, I could definitely feel the aircraft through various phases of flight, especially that stall.

I know some people see having aids in sims as "cheating" but I see them as what they are intended to be (aids). I remember my early days of Falcon 3. There was an option to turn off SAMs and AAA. I was always frustrated when I would get shot out of the sky after flying for some time to my IP and target. Learning the aircraft and contending with air defence assets proved to be too much. So, I turned off SAM/AAA as I learned the aircraft. Once I gained proficiency, I turned them back on and accepted the challenge, which I was ready for by that time. Were it not for that option, I would have given up the sim. My point, I guess, is that these features help ease learners into the sim. They can be turned off later as we become more proficient. Without some aids, some newbies my become frustrated and drop the sims they were trying to learn.

Now, I've been simming since the early eighties and sims have become increasingly complex. Steep learning curves and time-investments and not what I need right now. Real life prevents me from simming like I did back in the day. So, anything that will ease me into a sim quicker works for me. I also spend my time between multiple sims based on my mood. The result, I often have to get reacquainted with some of my sims after spending extended time away.

Anyway, if that mini-HUD is something that can be tackled through a lua script, I may have to investigate the possibility of programming one. I haven't written written a program since college, but the exercise might be good for me. hmmmm... something to consider...

--T

I think that may have been falcon's JHMCS actually, not an aid, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, I don't mean to harp on this a lot; it's your game, you play it however you like - so I'll just say this:

You're not alone flying in your hud. Lots of vPilots are guilty of this.
Flying in your HUD, and not cross-checking it, or needing a HUD aid will be a crutch. You'll think you're looking out of your pit, but you will be starting at the numbers instead.
Now, regarding the HUD text, I don't know how to address this ... my eyes aren't great either, so my solution is ... a 46" 1080P LCD TV as a gaming monitor. You might not be able to do this, so that makes things more difficult. I recommend in that case that you bind the 'HUD snapview' to your HOTAS. When you need to cross-check your HUD, just hit that control and you look at the HUD, magnified to fit your screen, for as long as you hold that down.
Another option is if you need to quickly cross-check speed and altitude, look at the steam gauges - the numbers are bigger.
Also keep in mind that you can fly an optimal turn (but not necessarily sustained turn) by riding the 2 unit AoA tone (chopped tone). Riding this tone means you will not stall, and you are max-performing your wing. However, you will lose speed in most cases doing this except when flying low, fast, and light.

I'll try to step off my soapbox now

Modern A-10Cs have different equipment than the historical snapshot that is Suite 3.1 as modeled by DCS. It's weird to think of it as a historical airplane, but it is.

Hopefully one day DCS will be more up to date with the modern A-10C. Maybe HMCS will be in store, I would hope so.

Once ED get permission from the USAF ... happy days. Until then it isn't gonna happen.

Nate

Ghost writes: "Now, regarding the HUD text, I don't know how to address this ... my eyes aren't great either, so my solution is ... a 46" 1080P LCD TV as a gaming monitor. You might not be able to do this, so that makes things more difficult. I recommend in that case that you bind the 'HUD snapview' to your HOTAS."

Dude I so envy you for your gaming monitor. however; thanks for the advice. I'll look into binding the snapview.

@Panther: I did not realize that A-10C crews are using the HMCS system. I'm looking around the net as I type for more info. Can you point me to some info links for informational/research sake?

@Nate: Understood. Let's hope the USAF gives ED permission. But still, from a game-play perspective, couldn't a minihud option, similiar to what was done in FC2, be implemented in DCS A-10? Just asking...

--T

Thanks for the conversation and input.

HMCS in F4 BMS is this




As 2:30 here:

Although HMCS is potentially in the future it hasn't made it out to to the 74th or 75th at Moody yet. Hell, even OBOGS wasn't don't to the A-10s at Moody, I know a lot of Airmen that would love to not have to LOX 10 plus jets everyday

I'm not 100% sure ours are complete, or if they are sending them off to complete them. It was talk here recently because of the higher ups freezing aircraft movement.

Wow..didn't even know HMCS was in development for the A-10C. How exactly (or roughly) does that work? You look through the helmet site at a target and hit the SPI button or something and it stores the target? Man..that would be cool. Would be really cool to have some sort of optic like the Apache that showed the magnified TGP image in one eye briefly or something to aid in target ID from higher altitudes.

Yes, that's more or less how it would work. It's the equivalent of pointing your TGP, but basically you just look. There's a lot more to the JHMCS than most people realize. It's like flying with labels on almost

Not sure if this paper has anything to do with any devices in development for the A-10C, but it gives you an idea of the development and design considerations for a helmet-mounted cueing device for the Hawg.

http://144.206.159.178/ft/CONF/16431969/16431977.pdf

Hi Einstein,

I came across that document earlier in my litte quest. What I have not been able to find is, which squadrons (if any) have integrated the system. If the system has been implemented, it would be interesting to hear what sort of difference it is making.

--T

Look at Rationale points. That's all you need to understand what sort of difference it makes. Imagine flying with labels on ... plus the ability to steer your TGP with the helmet, make markpoints with the helmet, and view TGP video in the helmet.

Basically it increases SA, increased SA means faster decisions in the cockpit, usually better decisions, and faster employment of weapons.