FSX T-45C custom sound pack

[average_joe]

Thanks for the FOLS download site info. Unbelievable how much stuff is out there - payware and freeware.

FYI I'm a retired USMC WSO. Have over 700 carrier landings in A-6s, F-14s, F-4s. A little land based F-18 time. Can help with technical questions.

[average_joe]

Just installed the FOLS at Pensacola. Very nice. Couple of questions:

1. How does one turn off the wave off lights and cut lights. They technically are activated only by the LSO. Coming on close to touchdown is not correct and is distracting.

2. What magnification do you run when using the FOLS? I was at .8 to see the lens clearly but any cockpit instruments were out of view. For a HUD aircraft that's probably ok - I was flying my trusty T-34 for grins.

3. Any way to make the lights sharper? The screen shots in the instructions were very sharp. Mine kind of fuzzy.

4. Anyone know what the glideslope is? Should be 3.5 degrees. Approach felt a bit steeper than VASI.

5. I'll get some real landing pattern figures for you. I'll get in my attic and break out an old NATOPS.

6. FYI LSOs don't talk much. They watch for deviations and proper corrections. As long as the corrections are correct and safe the LSO keeps quiet. As you approach the edge of safe parameters he'll talk ... single words like 'power', 'lineup' ... LSO may lead your reactions especially in heavy sea states where is combining your flight path with ship movement. All his instructions are mandatory.

Ball call is done once. Fuel state with the ball call is critical. Fuel state determines how many more passes you have until you're bingo, trick or treat, or if you get a short downwind in front of other landing traffic.

Thanks

[Sludge]

Average Joe...

Good to know.  BTW, as a USMC flyer, how did you pull the A-6 AND F-14 gigs?  I know you could go from B/N on the A-6 to Wizzo on the F/A-18D, but the Marines never flew the Tomcat.  I was a seat mech w/VMAQ-4 (in Whidbey AND Cherry Point), then Q-2.  So thats how I know about the B/N part, actually before the first GulfWar, our squadron flew the EA-6A (thats right, I said A as in Vietnam era Electric Intruder).  Funny part is, Whidbey is ALL WEATHER ATTACK COUNTRY now going to Growler Country?!  Who woulda thunk?

To answer some of your questions that I have some knowledge of...

3.  If you know how to mod your fsx.cfg file AND using a new "halo.bmp" for the lights, the lights will be FAR MORE sharp and easy to read.
4.  FSX "Ball" Glideslopes are 4.0, I guess 'cause they were initially programmed that way, since the default carriers are moving fast enough to get a 35+ kts WindOverDeck, making 4.0 necessary.  Ive asked and asked w/no response, and have no idea how to get the Meatball to use a 3.5 G/S.
6.  If you read my post on the multiplayer thread, I made a somewhat similar post as far as LSO calls.  Granted, this is FSX and you can only get soo much realism, but I just put that info. out there for everyone to read and understand.

Now, my question to you, do you have the Sludge Hornet?  Its far more realistic (not OVERPOWERED like the default, has manually selectable FULL FLAPS/45 deg, flies the glideslope at 85-89 N2 RPM p/NATOPS).  Also, are you up for joining us at the Saturday multiplayer sessions?  They are alot of fun, and some of us try to go for high realism as we can.  I like to fly the tanker AND give "Paddles" for everyone that wants it.  If you prefer as realistic as possible LSO, I work with you from the "Abeam" call all the way down, then give you grades after your pass (ie, High at the start, on/on in the middle, a little low at the ramp, fair 2).

If interested, PM for details.
Later
Sludge

[average_joe]

Sludge,

What a small world!!! ... seat mech ... Martin Baker Gru-5 and Gru-7 I bet.

He's my history ... Name first: Joe Garbrous ... I was an ECMO with VMCJ-2 and VMCJ-1 (that's where the Q-4 "RM" came from). Flew the EA-6A in Vietnam and on the Saratoga and Midway. Also in those days many of us flew the RF-4B - both were in the J squadron then. Went to Test Pilot School at Pax River. Flew the F-14 there and a little bit at VF-126 before the USMC opted out of the F-14 for the F-18. Flew the A-6 at Pax and some at Yuma (was a WTI instructor). Did the initial system acceptance testing of the EA-6B ICAP at Pax.

Joined the Q-2 crowd at Whidbey for transition training. Deployed on the Midway again. Went to WTI '80-83. Came back to Q-2. Deployed on Sara, land det to Iwakuni, and the '86 America cruise. Went to HQMC after that in '87. Back to Pax in '92. Retired in '97.

Here's some names for you that I flew with - Bob Reiten, Gen Moore,  Joe Burgin (all living in the Whidbey area), Gen Dailey (the Asst CMC), George Monarch, Buck Buchanan, Dick Bates, John Olkowski, Gramps, Hal Baker, Dave Rann, Chris Salmon, Gary Slyman, Frank Yahner and on and on.

Worked for Northrop Grumman after retirement, retired, moved to Beaufort, SC, got bored, and went back to work at MCAS Beaufort at the Tactical Training Range. Stumbled across FSX on a rainy day. Fell in love with the flight equations (I have an engineering degree) and all the graphics work you folks do (I work with simulators also).

I only have dial up internet (9.6 at best). Multiplayer wouldn't work.

Big VMCJ/VMAQ reunion in DC this June.

[average_joe]

Got excited with the previous post and forgot the original reason for the reply.

1. I know how to edit a .cfg file. Don't know about halo.bmp.

2. Don't have the Sludge F-18. How do I get it?

3. More Carrier pattern info: For 30 knots WOD, 180 position is abeam the LSO platform. 500 ft at the 90; 350 at the 45; 300 crossing the wake. By the way the wakes are too wide. A better number - 1.1 times the width of the stern.

4. Speaking of a tanker. I have a freeware KC-135. Any way to make it an AI on a preplanned tanker track? Maybe use AICarrier in the same manner it's used to locate the FOLS.

[Sludge]

Holy crap, no kidding, very small world...!!

Yeah, the seats were GRU-7s.  Damn, do you remember BuNo 149475?  We had to send to depot level for some uncorrectable rudder shimmy and they fixed it, but also sent back the TripleA slugs they found in the vertical stab.  Part of the problem I think?!  I think alot of the "Playboy" tails in pictures on the internet have BuNo. 156985.  Also, speaking of that, I have one of the last actual patches handed out from Q-2 that has the official Playboy bunny before we had to change it in '93 to the Panthers to appease the political gods of PC.  Back when PC was getting commonplace, sad day for America.

Oh hell ya, what old Corps Marine doesnt know about "kick the tires, light the fires" COL Reiten?!  The ONLY pilot I ever knew that took a one-generator EA-6A on a "FMC checkflight" (if you wanna call it that) from Yuma BACK to NAS Whidbey.  Also, on that list, I know Burgin (MAJ at the time), Monarch, Rann, Gramps (LtCol Dunn, I think?), Slyman.  Haha, gonna have to get out my Iwakuni UDP cruisebook from '91 and kick loose some old unused brain cells.  Plus, you mentioned the "86 America cruise", two seat mechs, my ol' boss Don Armstrong and Jerermy Schmidt were on that cruise.

No worries about the multi, even tho it woulda been great to have ya.  Hopefully someday you can join in, as its alot of fun w/the kids, some of us semi-older farts, and even a few winged aviators toiling in our midst.

For my questions to you, please Personal Message me with your answers and your personal email, so I can send you the files and you can download them at your discretion, since your speed is really slow.
1.  What Operating System do you have?  (I need to know to help you)
2.  Ill get you the Sludge Hornet (what are your system specs, determines if your system can take the FX version of the Sludge Hornet, or just the BASIC version)
3.  The FSX Carrier pattern is finicky.  Usually for the 180, I call out the Abeam, then wait 6 secs, and start a 30 AoB turn, and at the 90 using JRs new realistic Hornet HUD, I get the ICLS Needles just after I make the 90 call and Im usually right on G/S (4.0) around 550-580 AGL and 1.3-1.4 on the TCN.  Not something I can change in FSX, so I just go with it.  I cant change the wakes either, so I just go with that too.
4.  I have a hybridized FSX KC-135, and inside it, there is a "traffic.bgl" folder/files that you stick in the scenery that gives you a few AI Traffic plans.  The one I use goes from KSAN to KSFO, 16k, 220kts at 2000Z.

Later
Sludge

[Sludge]

A/J...

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2525.90

If you'll read the "2 of 2 post for Orion" , youll see the best of what I can do ON FSX in the carrier pattern.  The obvious shortcomings being the carrier actually travels wayy too fast (30+ kts SHIPS SPEED,38+ kts WoD), hence a 4.0 Meatball and ICLS needles.  Would like to change, but as I said, Ive asked around alot and nobody knows how to change it to 3.5 for the Meatball.  Then we could slow up the carrier speed and get closer to the 500 AGL/90 position that you talk about and be on-glideslope as we are coming around the 45 and into crossing the wake.  And FSX doesnt really have a working TACAN or ICLS, its a function of the HUD that JR made and is not part of the carrier "transmitting a signal".

Either way, Ill try changing things up a bit and make my turn as soon as I voice the Abeam call just to see what happens.

Keep in touch...

Later
Sludge

[lastflight]

Test my oxygen  effect

[andyw248]

fsxnavypilot: Just want to let you know I installed your soundpack and it's awesome... makes a great plane even better.