I've been doing a bit of research this morning and I get it now. Cool. Some time ago I looked around on Vatsim for some virtual Mil Combat and although there are groups it seemed to have had its heyday around 2013-15. Where are you guys lurking? Or is that classified.
-
There seems to be an uptick in Political comments in recent months. Those of us who are long time members of the site know that Political and Religious content has been banned for years. Nothing has changed. Please leave all political and religious comments out of the forums.
If you recently joined the forums you were not presented with this restriction in the terms of service. This was due to a conversion error when we went from vBulletin to Xenforo. We have updated our terms of service to reflect these corrections.
Please note any post refering to a politician will be considered political even if it is intended to be humor. Our experience is these topics have a way of dividing the forums and causing deep resentment among members. It is a poison to the community. We appreciate compliance with the rules.
The Staff of SOH
Current state of naval / tactical aviation simulation?
- Thread starter stearmandriver
- Start date
I've been doing a bit of research this morning and I get it now. Cool. Some time ago I looked around on Vatsim for some virtual Mil Combat and although there are groups it seemed to have had its heyday around 2013-15. Where are you guys lurking? Or is that classified.
awstub
SOH-CM-2023
FSX/P3D offers much more immersion than the other sims out there.
To illustrate my point......Back when I was testing the SWS Coral Sea in FSX, I was able to set sail from Norfolk, Virginia and navigate into the Mediterranean Sea.
It took careful planning to make sure my arrival at the Straight of Gibraltar happened a time I would be available to steer the ship.
Once there, I launched a Phantom and dropped bombs on Mitiga airport and then recovered on the carrier. After that, I set sail back to Norfolk.....and then repeated the whole process again.
I was able to keep doing this for a little over two weeks, launching and recovering numerous times along the way...... until my system shut down due to a power outage.
Had that not happened, who knows how long i could have kept it up.
I have yet to find any other sim that allows navair ops like this ....and now with FSX@War/CCP and FSCAI it's gotten even better.
During my testing, I've been able to launch from the Tonkin Gulf and strike targets in North Vietnam and Laos.
At times, I have received battle damage and crashed....and other times I was able to recover at a land base when I couldn't make it back to the carrier.
I should add that this all has appears to work in multi-player too....though I have not been able to determine what the maximum number of connections it can handle yet.
Now, on top of all of this, carrier ops are about to get more immersive than they have ever been.
To illustrate my point......Back when I was testing the SWS Coral Sea in FSX, I was able to set sail from Norfolk, Virginia and navigate into the Mediterranean Sea.
It took careful planning to make sure my arrival at the Straight of Gibraltar happened a time I would be available to steer the ship.
Once there, I launched a Phantom and dropped bombs on Mitiga airport and then recovered on the carrier. After that, I set sail back to Norfolk.....and then repeated the whole process again.
I was able to keep doing this for a little over two weeks, launching and recovering numerous times along the way...... until my system shut down due to a power outage.
Had that not happened, who knows how long i could have kept it up.
I have yet to find any other sim that allows navair ops like this ....and now with FSX@War/CCP and FSCAI it's gotten even better.
During my testing, I've been able to launch from the Tonkin Gulf and strike targets in North Vietnam and Laos.
At times, I have received battle damage and crashed....and other times I was able to recover at a land base when I couldn't make it back to the carrier.
I should add that this all has appears to work in multi-player too....though I have not been able to determine what the maximum number of connections it can handle yet.
Now, on top of all of this, carrier ops are about to get more immersive than they have ever been.
henrystreet
Charter Member
The active squadrons don't hang out on public forums (with the exception of the VRS and FSX@War forums). They have Facebook groups and their own websites. Generally you don't hear much from them unless they are in recruitment. Some have VERY high standards of performance and participation. Some are more relaxed. All require a pretty high level of competence and technical ability.
For most of these, expect check rides and/or training curriculum.
Indeed it would seem. High standards. Too high for me. Makes you realise how much is involved flying fast mil jets. Anyone can lob it through the sky at M1.2 but the manoeuvres - to really do them well - takes a lot of time and practise. Kudos to them all.
Stinger
Charter Member
This weekend we are about to begin our Korean Campaign,built entirely by our group using FSX@war with inplaced Sam batteries,AAA ,weapon storage bunkers ,moving truck and armor convoys using ccp
Our 2 fighter squadrons have been transitioning from our home at Lemoore NAS out to the Carrier which has sailed across the pacific and is now positioned in the Sea of Japan. Our support Squadron has flown back and forth to Asugti NAS ferrying supplies from their base at Pt.Mugu NAS. Our crews are ready, trained up and ready to go. Every combat aircraft is e fly is tacpac enabled or able to get refueled in the air. But we just do modern campaigns, we love to step back in time and do ww2, both Europe and pacific, vintage Korea and My favorite... Vietnam ( since I spent 30 month there).
You can’t do any of that with DCS
... Newbies are always welcome.
Our 2 fighter squadrons have been transitioning from our home at Lemoore NAS out to the Carrier which has sailed across the pacific and is now positioned in the Sea of Japan. Our support Squadron has flown back and forth to Asugti NAS ferrying supplies from their base at Pt.Mugu NAS. Our crews are ready, trained up and ready to go. Every combat aircraft is e fly is tacpac enabled or able to get refueled in the air. But we just do modern campaigns, we love to step back in time and do ww2, both Europe and pacific, vintage Korea and My favorite... Vietnam ( since I spent 30 month there).
You can’t do any of that with DCS
... Newbies are always welcome.
After my rather hasty initial post referring to your post count - for which I apologise for my ignorance - I've spent the day researching and looking in to this Stinger - and I must say I am humbled. You guys are taking this to a whole new level. Respect to you.
I need to practice my Immelmanns and scissors a lot more before I brave the fore with some of you guys. Kudos to you.
I need to practice my Immelmanns and scissors a lot more before I brave the fore with some of you guys. Kudos to you.
henrystreet
Charter Member
It is formation and comm brevity skills that are usually the most lacking in new members.
Comms, I'm not too bad - I've had a radio license as a sailor for many years and as a rw pilot for a few - so, know brevity is the soul of being understood fast.
Formation? - Ummm - that's another matter, I'm either too quick; and overshoot, or too slow; and under achieve required speed and alt. It really is bloody difficult to match speed with 8 tons of metal travelling at 550 KIAS less than 15 feet away from you at 16 thou.
Any hints very gratefully received.
henrystreet
Charter Member
TacPack is the way I would suggest. The AAR capabilities allow you to assign any aircraft as a "tanker" plus, when you are versed enough, you can immediately do AAR.
All the Microsoft based virtual USN squadrons that I know of use TacPack as a required component anyway.
In the real world USN curriculum, the nuggets fly a couple of years learning formation. Those who end up in FRS, learn AAR flying with a buddy tanker.
That's poignant Henry as that's when I realised I had major probs with formation flying - when I installed Tacpack and summoned the Tanker. I just couldn't hit the pipe. Too fast, too slow, losing altitude, accelerate, go flying past it. It's so difficult. I certainly have a lot of work to do. I'm not long in to this so it's early days I guess. I mainly fly the F-35B (Dino's) and the SSW AV-8B - I'd say I'm better on the Harrier than the Lightening in terms of rapid speed check/ control and I've worked out it's better to come from below as from above (better energy management). Please tell me if I'm wrong. I could really do with some hints.
Cheers.
henrystreet
Charter Member
Everybody is terrible at first
No substitute for daily practice.EDIT: Some, hopefully helpful advice: 1) Lower your sim settings until you have sustained (and locked at) 30FPS when at the tanker 2) Check out BlueZone on youtube.
stearmandriver
Members +
Funny you mention this... I've always had a little trouble flying formation in the sim (though I never seriously practiced it before) even though I've been flying RW formation work for years, including acro. I'm talking about civilian aircraft in the RW and sim, but obviously the mechanics are the same. There seems to be some kind of cue - probably visual, sight picture related - that's missing for me in the sim. I've not been able to put my finger on it, but SOMETHING is just different enough to throw me...
Everybody is terrible at first
EDIT: Some, hopefully helpful advice: 1) Lower your sim settings until you have sustained (and locked at) 30FPS when at the tanker 2) Check out BlueZone on youtube.
I'll check it out, thanks Governor. Daily practise definitely and I'll get good frames to have an even shot at realistic actions/ movements.
Yes, that is interesting. I've only ever flown formation in rw once - and that was from Lee-On-Solent across the Solent to Sandown where we had a fly-in. My CFI told me to keep the other Warrior's nose on the edge of the right windscreen and maintain a separation of at least 100 yards; so, wasn't really a good lesson in formation flying. I wonder what that difference is in rw and sim cues for positioning is; I wonder if it's not another case of simply 'hitting the ceiling' with dear old FSX.
I'm off now - going to spawn some AI tube-liners at FL300 and give them a poke. I'm from the UK and tempting though it is - I guess I'm going to have to get used to the F-35. I do love the Harrier - but that's in the past. Mind you, I'll go off the Queen Elizabeth by CIMOGT - and that's pretty good.
Clear skies and thanks Henry and all for the hints - will definitely research.
edakridge
SOH-CM-2023
As far as AAR, Tacpack is the way to go. As far as tanking from one pilot to another, you can only do it with the Superbug as tanker for now. I have been tinkering with a gauge that was sent to me by another member of the VRS forums that will enable this, but only in P3D or FSX multiplayer. This means that both of you must be running the same sim and version. As to finding us at the USNVA, we are easy to find: www.usnva.com We are a part of the DigitalThemePark community on Teamspeak. ( ts3.digitalthemepark.com ) We welcome guests, but you will be stuck in the lobby until someone notices you and drags you down to our channels. This is a safety measure that helps prevent children from disrupting things. As to our campaigns/operations: We welcome all skill levels as long as you are over 18. We do not allow minors. We develop all of our own FSX@War packs "In House". I have tried collaborating with others, but I am too old and pigheaded to work well with others anymore.
Stinger
Charter Member
Nothing to apologize about, there are not enough “Naval Aviators” out there, just glad you’re enjoy it. If you ever need any advise ... hit me up... i’d be glad to lend you my expertise
stearmandriver
Members +
Man, lots of great info / discussion on this topic. Thanks everyone! (I think... This may get expensive lol.) You've really got me fired up to get into study mode with all this. I'll definitely be going the Superbug / Tacpack route... Any advice on study material or tutorials? I assume VRS provides some good material, and that Blue Zone channel mentioned above looks great as well. Any others?
For you USNVA guys... I assume you're looking for basic aircraft handling proficiency around the boat for any new "recruits"? Or are there additional prereqs? Just curious.
For you USNVA guys... I assume you're looking for basic aircraft handling proficiency around the boat for any new "recruits"? Or are there additional prereqs? Just curious.
henrystreet
Charter Member
Here is an example curriculum I wrote for my own use. It's a good bit more effort than most squadrons will require. And for good reason, real world aviators have their life on the line and practice way more than we do. Still, with some reading and flying the rides, you will get a good idea of some lesser used skills, learning a lot in the challenges. Reference the real world CNATRA website for PAT PUBS (training manuals).
https://uchisworld.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/the-idle-mind-is-the-devils-workshop/
Enjoy!
Stinger
Charter Member
Our only prerequisite is that you have fun while enjoying the camaraderie of our membership. We’ll teach you the rest.. And for those who find Carrier Ops beyond their capabilities we have a support Squadron that flys heavies and rotary