General Category > Unofficial F/A-18 Acceleration Pack board
Sludge Hornet Modifications
Orion:
Hope I haven't missed or forgotten something obvious (bit lost since I just got back from my trip), but what exactly is new in the Sludge Hornet 1.1?
Herbie:
Well Orion if you like to read it first before install, Here are the highlights:
New HUD/Gauges:
- Newer Realistic HUD
- PLAT Cam
- Carrier Wire Trap Gauge
- Refueling Gauge
- UpFrontController "BlackBox" Gauge w/2D HUD Indexer
- Improved Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System Gauge
- Landings Lights Gauge
- Nose Gear Approach (AoA) Light Assembly Gauge
Recommend download/install Orion Lyau's Multiplayer SFCarrier2 multiplayer Mission. As it
compliments the Sludge Hornet and works very well with the PLAT CAM gauge for all potential LSOs.
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Features
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1. New Realistic HUD. Great looking, correllated, realistic VC HUD. Shift-2, opens HUD Control
Panel. Excellent symbology and spacing, along with ICLS needles and TACAN from either the
default, AI Carriers, or Javier's Carriers. Using 47X or 57x for default or Javier's carriers.
2. GPS-9 Panel. Shift-3. Standard GPS-9 for navigation.
3. Beech Bonanza Radio Stack and Autopilot Control. Shift-4. Allows setting all comm/nav radios
w/standby frequencies available for quick switching. Also allows easy autopilot
manipulation on lower portion of the panel.
4.# 2D HUD Indexer. Shift-5. Lower left side of HUD for non-TrackIR, 2D HUD users who
like to fly "meatball, lineup, indexer" on carrier approaches without the physical HUD
brackets getting in the way when flying in VC.
5.# Improved Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System (IFLOLS) gauge. Shift-5. For VC and/or
TrackIR flyers who would like to see the "Meatball" all the way down to the wires. Based on
IFLOLS 12-ball system, w/cut lights and reduced datum lights. Gauge position can be moved.
6. Carrier PLAT Camera Crosshair Gauge. Shift-6. Required for all FSX LSOs.
7. Carrier Trap Gauge. Shift-7. Modified gauge that gives Wire Trapped, Landing Speed, Alpha, and
Rate-of-Descent at carrier touchdown.
8. Refueling Gauge. Shift-8. Allows air-to-air refueling w/internal fuel percentage/status
updated on the HUD.
9. UpFrontController "BlackBox" Gauge/2D Indexer Logic. Shift-9. This Gauge is similar to the
Super Hornet's UFC by look, and has several integrated features. It controls Betty BARO
and RALT warning calls, fuel state is displayed in nearest hundred pounds in decimal form
(ie 5500 lbs = 5.5). Refuel Probe button extends refueling probe and opens Refueling Gauge
(shift-8) for use. Fuel Dump button activates the fuel dump switch. Bingo can be set using
your mouse wheel over the Bingo knob on the Fuel Panel in the VC, and will get accompanied
"Bingo" call from Betty when indicated Fuel State is reached.
2D Indexer Logic. Hook button will toggle between Carrier/Field, and will flash/not flash
Indexer according to real-world NATOPS-based logic if hook is lowered/retracted. Betty will
also call "fuel low" and illuminate the Master Caution when fuel drops below 800 lbs. in either
Left or Right Main Feed Tanks.
10. Landing Light will now auto shutoff when gear raised. User will not be able to activate
until landing gear is lowered. Can be selected AUTO via UFC gauge for automatic activation,
once landing gear is deployed.
11. Lowered landing gear profile and better behavior (ie, no-crashes or spin-outs on even
slighly off-center carrier traps).
12. Higher landing gear and flap drag values. Higher realism lower speed on-approach flight
profile. 85-88 percent N2 RPM on approach p/NATOPS standards.
13. Manual Flaps Modification. Allows manual command of Flaps (Leading Edge Flaps/Trailing Edge
Flaps): Flaps Up (0 LEF/0 TEF), Flaps HALF (15 LEF/20 TEF), and Flaps FULL (30 LEF/45 TEF).
14. Hook force change. More realistic time for hook to slow Hornet to a stop when wire caught.
15. Realistic Sound Pack. Real-life sounds for the Hornet, utilizing FSX Sound Cone
technology.
16.*Newer "Grunge Sludge" VMFA-323, dirty "desert combat tour" paint scheme. Selectable within
FSX in-game menu as the 5th Sludge Hornet paint.
# Only one of these two gauges can be installed, either the 2D HUD Indexer OR the VC
IFLOLS "Meatball" in the shift-5 slot. So the user will have to choose which one to install and
follow the instructions below.
* Both Basic/FX "Sludge Hornets" have 5 paints: NASA (416 FLTS), Aggressor (VFC-12),
USN (VFA-132), USMC (VMFA-314), and USMC (VMFA-323). They are now properly designated and
FSX-selectable by their squadron names. The "Grunge Sludge" will also be selectable from the
default Hornet paints, as it needs to be installed there as well, to work as a Sludge Hornet paint.
** However, anyone who doesnt install the "Grunge Sludge" Hornet paint MAY see a partially drawn
Hornet if they select the VMFA-323 Sludge Hornet. Also, in multiplayer, if not installed, your
selection MAY default back to the default Blues' paint scheme. FSX can be very unpredictable when
handling mismatched installs or unknowns.
Orion:
Well, Herb, good to know you read readme files. I didn't want to know what was in there though, as I already know what the Sludge Hornet is. What I'd like to read is a changelog to see what's different, new or removed.
Sludge:
Orion...
The main differences from the original Sludge Hornet release are: Serge's UFC "Blackbox/Betty" gauge, IFLOLS gauge, Nose Gear ALA lights gauge, the Wire Trap gauge, and the new "Grunge Sludge" Hornet paint. As well as modded the .air files and aircraft.cfg to give more power but still keep within the NATOPS approach profile that we all know and love (85-88% N2), and I tweaked the landing gear numbers a tad, as Afterburn pointed out the Sludge looks a tad nose up/butt low. Its now about as level as I can get it without really messing it up.
Herbie...
Youll have to ask JR, if can make a FA18_HUD_VC_R_INIT.cab that contains the .xml you want. IF he does, simply copy/paste that .cab into the SludgeFA18_Basic or FX/Panel folder and overwrite the old .cab file. Its actually very easy, but not sure how busy JR is.
Hope that helps.
Later
Sludge
Orion:
Thanks Sludge. I'll be sure to grab it when I get a chance.
Also wait, what does Herb want regarding the HUD initialization? If it's only a matter of editing the CAB file, I'll be happy to help.
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