What a ride this has been so far. This sim is really deep, but I am getting it SLOWLY. And that is the trick to this. You need to take it a step at a time, and acquire the knowledge a little at a time. For example, every time I get in the F-16, I ramp start. Now I do that by memory. Second, any time something doesn't make sense, or there is a mention of something in the manual, eventually I circle back on it. I did that with the radios, communicating with the towers, airport procedures, use of auto pilot, etc.

The key is making sure your foundation is solid. There's no hurry. I am on my second week, and I feel like I am learning this bird. But every time out I find another detail. And my understanding grows just a little more. I have not dropped any bombs, or fired missiles. Not even close to that level yet. But when I do get there, the idea is to have a solid foundation.

What a ride.

Funny thing.

I have been flying the F4 product since release in 1999 andso I have learned all of its iterations over the years as it got progressively more complex.

Now I just fly and fight this bird without thinking.

As I sit here I think, heck it isnt that complicated...

But is it?

I dont know any more.

Welcome to the Brotherhood BTW, sir.

Thanks Helo! I agree with you that it isn't that complicated. But it is just a lot of information to absorb, and it takes time. The ramp start seemed really daunting when I did it the first time. Now, piece of cake. But I do pick up a little (and not so little) detail here and there, and that knowledge just builds over time.

There's just a crap load to learn. But loving it!

Okay, so you can rampstart. Next thing to learn is A-G stuff. CCIP, CCRP, toss, etc. Then comes A-A stuff. Whoohoo! When you think you have everything down (or are satisfied with your proficiency level), you join a virtual squadron and learn how to fly with other people....

Dropping bombs and shooting missiles is easy. Coordinating and cooperating with other human pilots brings a whole 'nother challenge!
Plus massive radio comms skills needed! If you think you were busy just prior to the merge or prior to going "in hot," try doing that while communicating to other flights!

In conclusion, I just climbed a pretty steep hill, and you are saying "welcome to Everest". Lol

And one minor correction. Before i get to the A-G stuff, i need to sort out navigation! Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Ice haha.

"So are we going to tell him about the Moon mission?" Heard at top of Everest.

Lol

Haha! Just showing you how big the "mountain" is.... don't worry, if you have fun learning new things, Falcon will keep you interested for a long time.

I really need to get started learning 4.33 though... been too busy updating my Helios profile and fixing my .key file and my TM WH profile.... time to actually crack open the books and fly!

Do you still fly online with any specific squadron or group, Ice?
I've never flown Falcon online and am considering it but not sure what squad to approach about it.

Need to fix my throttle first (right now it's pretty much either idle or AB lol).

Just finished my IQT for a new group but have not flown with them yet.

AFAIK, there are three ways to go about this:
1. Fly with friends you already know. Lots of fun, but perhaps not as organized.
2. Fly on an online server with friends or by yourself. Again, fun, but when going up against human opponents, expect your butt handed to you on a regular basis. A great opportunity to learn.
3. Fly with an online squadron. Some do just co-op missions, some do just PvP, and some do both. Much more fun when playing with someone who can show you the ropes. Again, a great opportunity to learn.

Get crackin Ice!

Just finished printing out the Training manual.

I think I'll skip the Dash-1 since it's mostly reference stuff and I have a copy of the 4.32 Dash-1 anyway.

Some new stuff is in the Dash-1, still worth reading to catch those items.

Also some good info an how take full control of a squadron.

For the tiny amount that's new in the Dash-1, it doesn't justify re-printing 200+ pages for now.

I recommend learning AA first.

So you begin with learning cockpit switches, startup, basic navigation and scenic flying, then do night ops and landings. Remember, campaign runs 24/7. Not knowing where you interior light switches, NVGs and FLIR are, would be embarrassing.

Then progress onto using radar modes, AIM120, AIM9 and gunz. Air combat maneuvering is huge area in itself and one could easily play BMS on air superiority only. This is also where you learn about RWR and countermeasures. First days of campaign will mostly be AA to ensure air superiority.

Save the AG for last. IMO it will be easier to learn, once you wrap your head around all other stuff. Learn to use ground radar, RWR for SAM threats, targeting pod, HARM, maverick, laser-guided and dumb bombs. And there are some other types of bombs. AG has much bigger variety of weapons, compared to AA.

I recommend joining MP once you can fluently fly various campaign missions.

Of course not. I have a 10" tablet I use instead of printing this all out.

The reason I recommend A-G first is because A-A is such a challenging skillset to master. Everything you do depends on what your opponent is doing and what your opponent is in the first place. In A-G, your opponent is fixed in a place and you can attack and escape at your own terms. It's much easier to plan and execute an A-G attack... an A-A engagement is so fluid that it is very easy to get overwhelmed.

I would say try to learn at least a few DEFENSIVE A-A skills and basic A-A employment. Once you know how to fire a -120 then crank, or fire a rear-aspect heater, that's good. Do the fine-tuning later.

This is also why A-A engagements is very interesting to watch on TacView. A-G stuff is mostly "how did he do his attack" whereas A-A stuff is massively complicated.

As for the campaign missions, I would recommend doing SEAD work during the first day or two of the war. Get yourself a clean corridor from which you can launch your A-G attacks later on.

I have to agree with you, Ice. There won't be a lot of "learning" going on if I tackle A-A first. Okay, where is he? What the hell is that alarm going off? Was that an explosion i just heard?

With A-G, at least i might get a bomb or two off before getting shot down. Or not. Lol

I believe AA should come first, turn invulnerability on and practice (you can justify it as dogfighting with the master switch in SIMULATE as IRL). Unless the target is undefended, AG missions are normally much more complicated and the AG avionics are much more complicated as well. The challenge in AA is mostly that it's very dynamic. AA training will also give you improved overall SA, jet control, defensive maneuvering, and quick decision making which are considered a given in AG. RL airforces teach AA first, there's a reason for that too.

Read pete bonannis art of the kill book and or find the video omline, it's around, for A2A.