So I finally got to go flying yesterday!!!! Wooohooo! The FM is beautiful to say the least. And unlike that other aircraft with beautiful FM which shall remain unnamed this one actually makes sense!

I was quite amazed at how acrobatic the Hawg is. Not in the conventional sense mind you, but the thing can do a split-S/Immelman within 2,500ft at 300knots. (with 25% fuel and clean)

It actually reminded me of flying the P-51 in Il-2, you can't be jerky with the controls or you'll burn up your E and snap into a spin.

Flying nap of the earth in the mountains is also a lot different then anything else, you can't go all out like you can in the Viper, you don't have enough thrust, and you can't wait until the last moment to pull up.


Wow, this is going to be an assload of fun

And yet the FM is still off. The roll rate is needing some work, actually a lot of work.

As one who has witnessed many a Hawg FCF (Functional Check Flight), I would say you have to see it to believe it. In an unloaded state, this aircraft can do amazing things. So nimble, so quick, so powerful. Straight up, straight down, split S, hard G horizontal turns, you name it it can do it.

That said, with a big bomb and missile load in CAS configuration, of course that limits those performance envelopes. But watch it unloaded, doing what it can do. And watch your jaw drop.

Wow 20mm that sounds sweet, is there a video available where the hog shows off how nimble it can be?

I don't know. I'll look. Maybe, time permitting, I'll see what I can in sim.

Saw an A-10 at an air display back in the 80's, before todays restrictions.
Still remember it, very impressive, and tightest display of any jet (slowest too of course...)
Cheers,
Keith

Nice Panther...Thanks.

Aww heck I had to go try it. Zero Weapons, No bullets or countermeasures and 50% fuel.

It freakin JUMPS off the runway. Was having a great time till I decided to fly down the runway inverted. Both engines and Inverters shut down after about 6 or 7 seconds of inverted flight! Fuel starvation????

Anyway, I rolled over, I was at maybe 200 ft, did a 180, dropped 1 notch of flaps and some how landed on the runway with the stall horn screaming at me.

Really agile compared to normal.

That first video had the best commentary I've ever heard! Talk about Gung Ho!! Reminds me of being a kid in Berlin at the USAF Tempelhof open day, for a Brit, these Americans were just too feckin cool. If you got something to shout about, then shout!!

Domestos

I also went vertical, lost E, ended up tailsliding.

Then I think I think the engines underwent a compressor stall

The aircraft naturally righted itself, so it was going nose down, dead stick, 2,000 feet above the deck. Pushed the throttles forward a couple times, then the engines kicked back in and I was able to pull out.


By the way, is there a way to switch the HUD altimeter from barometric to AGL altitude? Even if I'm under 1,500 feet it still reads barometric

This is odd... no inverted fuel system on the A-10?

IIRC, all the fuel boost pumps are on the bottom of the tank. I know at least one of them is installed at the bottom because it's externally mounted, I believe the rest are too.

Don't you just LOVE watching a pilot work an aircraft like that from inside the cockpit - delicate in all things unless brute force for instant manouvering are required - he's just about tugging that stick out by the roots at several points!

Constant adjustments on the throttles, reminded me of the videos of demo flights at the E3 Thrustmaster Warthog preview event that seems so long ago now.

Good grief! I should stop visiting this place - all it makes me want to do is buy kit and fly DCS A10

Soon as my next fees come in - it's a Warthog for me (sadly, just the stick, the plane wouldn't fit in the drive anyway)

Martin...

Wow Panther, fantastic videos. I had no idea that the A-10 is that agile. I mean obviously for CAS and staying out of harms way when flying low you need agility, and that aircraft had no payload, but I never knew the A-10 could fly like that.