Simviation Updated F/A-18 Hud

[idahosurge]

Someone posted an updated hud over at

http://www.simviation.com/simviation/?ID=64&page=1000

Before I go through the hassel of installing this I was wondering if anyone has installed this and checked it out.  I so, do you think it is worth it or just a waste of time!

Rod

[Razgriz]

That goes along with this thread.
http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=1192.60

[Sludge]

Yeah, Rod...

We've had this HUD going for the last week or so, full bore.  We've had some problems that I dont think he has fixed either.  Mainly the NAV1/2NAV2 steering cues, and ACLS tadpole behavior.

Plus, if you know this fella, tell him he forgot to add the "background.bmp" into the .zip package.  If you dont have that file in the main panels directory outside of your HUD or HUD_VC directories, you will get a black background for your HUD Control Panel.  If you want it, at that same website, there is a file called "Realistic HUD for FA-18" by KBT SuperHornet team.  Download that, and ALL the required files are in there.  Any questions, shoot my way, or at DOUM, or SPAZ.

However, in short, I think the New HUD is a blast.  It was the original KBT SuperHornet HUD, FS 2004 version, modified by peeps like us to fit FSX FA-18.  I love it.  If you dial in the numbers right, its a great time.  Read this boards' "HUD waterline" thread for more info and pics of how the new HUD looks.

Also, if you want, modding your "aircraft.cfg" file in the flaps section at the [flaps.1], change the "manuevering_flaps=1" (1=auto logic) to "maneuvering_flaps=0" (zero=manual).  This overrides the default "auto-logic" flaps for the trail flaps will give you 15 deg HALF and FULL 45 deg TRAIL FLAPS on command.  Lower them below 200 KIAS half/160 KIAS full for some sim realism.  Talk about really getting on-speed AoA's for carrier landings.

Laterz
Sludge

[Sludge]

Here's a screenshot from what I have installed now....  mind you its .60 zoom on 1920 x 1200.

Enjoy.

[SpazSinbad]

‘Head Bob’ fix at FSX Blue Angels has been incorporated in another 'formation flying' fix that may be relevant for some also. Getting rid of this headbob/head movement is essential for any mil jet flying IMHO:

http://fsxproblueangels.com/downloadswingfix.html (WING CLIP FIX [Stops wings from disappearing when flying close formation] + HEAD BOB FIX)

Other fixes for other issues can be found here:

http://fsxproblueangels.com/downloads.html

+ of course their most excellent 'how to carrier land video' at: http://fsxproblueangels.com/videoscreen%20ok3.html

[SpazSinbad]

Installed 'Head Bob' fix and 'Wheel Brake fix' from FSX Blue Angels in Win7RC with FSX Hornet with revised HUD at 'full screen' showing AoA indexer. Video shows final turn to RW26 at NAS Nowra, NSW Australia (where else?) - poor scenery is a feature of FSX in this region. The Google Earth scenery does not work in Win7. I'll try to make a carrier video soon. Have been pre-occupied making the 4.4GB A4G PDF etc. Forgot that Blue Angels Hornet was going to be dark making flap situation (at manual) difficult to see so video 'brightness' is enhanced for this reason.

http://www.filefront.com/14571943/FullScreenNewHornetHUDflapsManualNowraCCTfsxWin7ed.wmv (49Mbs .WMV video)
this video now deleted - scroll down for new version that hopefully displays the flaps/HUD modified properly

(music: Roxy Music - Avalon - which is the airfield near Melbourne in Australia with a regular air show just by co-incidence)

BTW for testing the KAHU purposes I take off with everything down - including the Hornet - that way I can be bamboozled by all the new 'thingamebobs in the HUD' (and not concentrate on flying a circuit).   I think I see the flaps move once airspeed goes above / below 145KIAS but that might be my imagination. Anyway the flaps should be full down with 45% fuel by weight?

[neutrino]

SpazSinbad, your flaps are definitely still on auto Check your video at the moment your main gear touches down - the close-up shot - you will see your trailing edge flaps extend fully at that moment, but earlier they were not. This is because when on the ground the auto-flaps logic extends the flaps fully.

BTW, nice video and music - I watched it a couple of times, and not just because of the flaps issue

[SpazSinbad]

neutrino, thanks for checking back. I find the auto / manual flap confusing. What was done was the flap mod as per: "Also, if you want, modding your "aircraft.cfg" file in the flaps section at the [flaps.1], change the "manuevering_flaps=1" (1=auto logic) to "maneuvering_flaps=0" (zero=manual).  This overrides the default "auto-logic" flaps for the trail flaps will give you 15 deg HALF and FULL 45 deg TRAIL FLAPS on command.  Lower them below 200 KIAS half/160 KIAS full for some sim realism.  Talk about really getting on-speed AoA's for carrier landings." by fgrimley32. So I dunno. I'll check the .cfg again.

Is there another way to get full flaps? (easily?)

EDIT Oops! I changed the [flaps.0] section to "....flaps=0" instead of the [flaps.1] section. Pays to be careful eh.  

[SpazSinbad]

The OLD video to demo the flap/HUD new combo will be deleted to be replaced by another that I hope shows the flaps at full (during a space shuttle like approach - I think wheels hit concrete but hook takes a rampstrike on the runway edge) - yikes: [50Mb .WMV video - part of drum solo from 'Inagaddadavida' by Iron Butterfly]

http://www.filefront.com/14577161/FullScreenNewHornetHUDflapsManual2NowraCCTfsxWin7.wmv

As an aside I'm finding flying with a HUD at full screen with the AOA indexer on the carrier quite different. Still getting used to it because with a full screen HUD there are a lot more distractions that sometimes also get in the way (but at least only temporarily) to a good view of the deck. What I need is a giant computer screen. :-)

It would be nice to have the HUD only with indexer in view WITHOUT the support structures in black obscuring the view.

[SpazSinbad]

By now you all would sense that I have a sense of humour. I need it to upload this 'instructive' .WMV video of a carrier approach with 'zoomed new HUD and full flap' from the FSX 'carrier instruction' tutorial scenario. For sure I'm getting used to the new hud & gizmos and tend to be distracted by irrelevant stuff and it shows. Video was made with FRAPS running as Hornet was flown - so this is what it was like. I'll attempt to critique the approach but acknowledge it is a poor one; and in real life I would have been waved off at the start for being 'too long in the groove' and of course waved off 'at the ramp' for being low etc. Forgive me.  

http://www.filefront.com/14577703/FullHUDcarrierApproachBADtestTAXI_1.wmv  (22Mb .WMV)

Hook was not down at base turn but down by the (long) start which was lined up left. At that distance I mistook the right hand foul line (edge of runway) as the centreline. I hope not to make that mistake again. Too fast at start of course - drifted to the right of angled centreline midway but getting back to speed. None of this was 'gradually getting back' BTW - but the result looks like it - so NOT GOOD. In close things look a bit better - then I get low. At this point the LSO would have waved me off but I continue because FRAPS is running. At this stage the LSOs would be all in the safety net! I'm 'low flat at ramp' to get a TAXI 1 wire and lucky to have not actually hit the ramp. WipeOut indeed.  

Anyway I'm getting used to flying with the HUD as you see it. Many thanks for all those who have contributed to having a clear and more informative HUD with FULL FLAPS. I would prefer to fly with less fuel but the carrier scenario does not seem to allow it to be changed. And of course I need to practice practice and practice some more.  

[SUBS17]

I would prefer to fly with less fuel but the carrier scenario does not seem to allow it to be changed. And of course I need to practice practice and practice some more. 

Hey SpazSinbad the Hornet has a fuel dump switch on the left side panel use that to lower the fuel to a safe landing weight.

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, thanks I'll have a go at that. Also for the carrier landing HUD video (above) the 'realism' sliders were all the way to the left (EASY) so I guess that helped with the 1 wire arrest.  

[Sludge]

SPAZ...

I'm not sure if your FSX is showing this, but on my "missions" screen, there is a checkbox below the actual missions window that says "enable changes".  Just check that before you click on the "go to briefing" and you should be allowed to make changes in-sim with regards to pulling up the top menu.  You sound like you know how to change the fuel loadout in-game via the "aircraft" pull down.  If not, let me know and I can talk you thru it.  

Either way, I say a "balanced" fuel load out is 60%/60% "left/right", 40%/40% "left aux/right aux", and 30%/30% for "wingtips".  This should give you 'round 5-6k fuel which is plenty below max trap for a Hornet but gives enough to take 5-7 traps as needed.

Also, on the same "missions" screen, just above the acutal missions window, there is a "show saved missions", I check that... so that I can load my presaved carrier missions.  I save them, using the in-game save pull-down menu, with fuel as listed above, my parking brake set, w/my Hornet just before the JBD (deflector) on CAT2 (or whatever cat you like the best).  I also have the weather changed to give me 10 kts of headwind over the deck with no gusts or turbulence.  I also save it at dusk, as thats the best time of day for me, I like the change in colors and how the carrier lights up.

So, all in all, I can jump from starting FSX, go to missions with the "show saved missions" and "enable changes" buttons clicked and click on my saved mission (it should be listed in an off-blue color just below the default mission) and start up with engines up at idle in the above configuration.  Now I all I have to do is set up the HUD, drop the launch bar, hook up, and hit the cat launch button and I'm doing Traps and Cats.  Just like the screen shot, except with the default carrier, not the one in the screen which is the AICarrier Nimitz.
EDIT:  btw, my first screen is a day setting, and the other two are my usual dusk settings.  Just love the sun/water reflections and the contrast between carrier and lineup lights/meatball.

Any questions, holler....
Laterz
Sludge

[SpazSinbad]

Sludge, Thanks. Had not noticed that  'enable changes'. Certainly will be convenient. I'll check it out. Until the other day I had only occassionally used FSX other than with the KAHU testing (explanation in other threads). Now that I have discovered this new way to use FSX for carrier landings (via new clear HUD with flaps etc.) I'm enthused again about Fsim Carrier Landings (which before could be terrible disappointing due to the lack of a good view on a computer monitor etc.). As demonstrated in the video with the clear HUD filling the screen with the AoA Indexer to the side in view then carrier landings in FSX are much more feasible (rather than NOT).  

AND what you have highlighted - carrier landings at dawn/dusk - can really help due to the deck lights making the deck orientation much more visible at a distance (for correct line up) along with the mirror being more visible. And it looks better - as you say. BTW why not maximise the WOD without turbulence? I'll give that a go if possible also.

YES at mission front there is an option to 'change realism' which I had not noticed. Nice one. Changing the wind to 45 knots is realistic (no turbulence and gusting only to same 45 knots) really helped for 'time in the groove'. However you will have to make sure you turn abeam the stern because the wind is going to push you downwind more than you realise (also if ship is moving). Much better all round - thanks again.

[Sludge]

SPAZ...

Not a problem.  Try to get everyone on an even keel, so we can get as much fun and realism out of this sim as possible.

Ok, during my time on the G-Dub (USS Geo Wash), we never did more than 20 kts headwind for flight ops that I remember.  So I usually just put 10 kts and am happy with it.

Also, on your latest landing video, you scared me.  First, you gotta enable your RADAR ALTIMETER on the HUD control panel, either before you takeoff or before you start the ABEAM turn.  I would say before you take off.  And I would start by basing your approach on 600 ft AGL.  1st, once you are on the 180 from Base Recovery Course, get FULL DIRTY (gear down, hook down, full flaps) but no speed brake.  You should be 140-130 kts, FULL DIRTY w/out speedbrake, and once you are abeam of the carrier(I pause, while using a spot locked cam, looking left from the right wing at .50 zoom), then I count to 5 and slowly pull up a tad and start a lefthand 25-30 deg Angle-of-Bank (AOB) turn.  Using the AOB tick marks on the bottom of the HUD, they go in 15 deg, so I start with just short of the 2nd or 30 deg tick mark and maintain that to the 90.  At the 90, I expect to be around 475-500 ft, and approx. -150 to -200 ft Rate-of-Descent.  With my HUD and zoom (1920 x 1200,widescreen, .70 zoom), I keep my same eye level but pan left to where the HUD is just visible on the right side, so I can see the carrier as soon as possible.  Once I have the carrier in sight, I maintain my RoD, but I increase or decrease AoB as needed.  Usually decrease it til I cross the wake then I go back to full 30 AoB and am set up for line up as in my previous screenshots.  Im usually right on for a 15 (1-onethousand, 2-onethousand, ...) sec groove.  From there is just maintaining the meatball, lineup, and attitude, til touchdown as we have talked about before in this sim.  Speaking of which I would recommend using the + 5 deg hud ladder and work on keeping the "W" waterline close to it.  Either just a bit above or below but nothing over 10 deg and definately nothing close to the horizon line or below.
BTW, what resolution are you running at?  And do you still fly at a .40 zoom, like the video? 
I wish I could make a video, so you could see... damn, I can almost do them in my sleep now.  Thats why this sim is soo fun.  I know its really not that way, it takes alot of work, but also, this is just sim, so once you set it up right, the sim is definately true to the numbers and gets you down to the deck.