DC Designs F-14A/B Tomcat Announcement & Discussion

Discussion Hub Aircraft
, , ,
860

Not in front of my computer now, but there are two frequencies listed on the nav panel. You adjust the second, inactive frequency with the Mhz and Khz knobs up and down to get the freq you want, then swap them with the toggle. You can then set a second frequency again as needed and then swap between them. I use this functionality often to get an ILS frequency to help me line up - I find the plane much easier to land if I have a nice, long stabilized approach to bleed off energy and get lined up nice and straight - I am definitely not ready for carrier landings, lol.

Now if I only I could get the same thing working in the F-15 (but thast’s a topic for a different thread :slight_smile: ).

862

It’s all in the manual, which can be obtained from the Just Flight site’s F-14 product page. In short, you need to be below maximum landing weight, DLC engaged, full flap and on AoA. The F-14 will land as slow as 130 knots indicated in the right conditions.

Due to the MSFS bug with bouncing, it’s worthwhile flaring to try to smooth out the bounce, but normally you’d touch down in a naval fighter without a flare.

863

That’s how I do it now, up to 150 knts with flaring h there is no issue at all, but as I tried no flaring it just keep bounce like a rabbit, that’s why I ask if there’s any tutorial you tube to guide on this visually and to see how’s the bouncing supposed to be

864

one more question: I know in the camera.cfg I can do
NodesToHide=“PILOT_VISIBLE”

to hide the rendering of pilot at custom view, but any idea how to hide the co pilot also? coz I kind of like to switch to the radar officer view at times but his handsome face is obstructing the view

865

I think it’s in the camera.cfg as RIO_VISIBLE - have a look down the list and you should find it, then you can copy and paste for custom cameras.

The bouncing is an MSFS bug of some kind, no idea what but I’m hoping they’ll fix it their end soon.

1 Like
866
3 Likes
867

right this fixed it, thanks

1 Like
868

alright, so this seems almost the same as how I landed normally, the slight bounce was what I usually got and can’t eliminate altogether, just can’t do those DCS tutorial where maintain some 5 degrees nose up and use only throttle to control the descend rate and slam on runway, if I did that it just bounces some 10 ft above and drop back down

1 Like
869

Yep, it didn’t do that until one of the recent updates - hopefully they will fix it soon so that we can ride the throttle down in the correct way again.

870

Hi Guys, Im new to this forum and discussion thread. I just wanted to share a video I made that covers the autopilot system in the F-14 (version 1.0.1). The DC Designs team have done an amazing job on the plane and it’s, by far, my favorite to use in the sim. I hope that some of you will find this helpful, it took me a little while to figure out how to use it and I thought I could save others some time by explaining what I’ve learned with making some tutorial videos. I am a real world airline pilot, been out of flying work for a while now because the industry has been hit so hard by covid, they told me I’m expected to be called back to fly in February most likely…until then MSFS it is. When I use the sim I rarely fly in good weather and use it mostly to practice appoaches and procedures. To be able to do all that with the F-14 makes it so much more fun and interesting compared to just using the default planes. So I hope this video is helpful for some of you. I plan on covering many more planes, procedures and topics in the future.

Rob

6 Likes
871

Cool video but you ought to mention in the description that you’re using the payware GTN750 mod, external to the F-14, to do your flight planning. That’s a lot more capable than the autopilot systems of the Tomcat itself.

872

I give him extra points for the awesome forum User Name :sunglasses:

2 Likes
873

I am actually using the FREE version of the GTN750…in the video I show where to download it. I have yet to purchase it though. I had an issue with a Carenado plane’s GPS, the Seneca V, and their support team directed me to try the GTN750 and it has proved itself a valuable tool time and time again. It’s so good that even Carenado has integrated it with the Seneca V…so yes, there is a payware version, but no thats not the one I use. Cheers.

3 Likes
874

After many hours with the A and B variants I can say without a doubt that this is an amazing plane, kudos dean01973, I eagerly look forward to your Concorde.

3 Likes
875

Taking notes of your suggestions @DeathPantsX, problems you are having with the speed knob and the up and down arrow is that they are not properly tootilped since asobo changed the tooltip system.

Also checked the problem with VNAV coming active by surprise. the problem is not that it is activated by surprise: it is activated because accidentally if you are not careful changing the speed from the knob, you activate the managed speed (that is, you are pressing the up arrow, and this is happening because the camera is not fixed but in motion while your mouse cursor is not, and you are pressing up arrow without noticing). What I will do is limit the knob to change only the speed, and let VNAV swap between managed and selected speeds.

For the next update i also have repaired the way the buttons: TO, CRUISE and LDG works: LDG will turn on the Track mode, but you will be able to return to HDG mode if you want, and not like now which is imperative. CRUISE mode will enable HDG mode but you will be able to select track mode if you want the Velocity vector in cruise too.

About the autopilot bank angle, yes you are right, the aircraft has a max bank of 65 degrees in autopilot but i can create an automax bank let say 25-35 degrees for low speeds if that helps (open to suggestions).

About the autopilot response… unfortunatedly is something related to PID values and is not something easy to configure and its values varies depending the aircraft Weight, MOI, speed, etc… so change a PID parameter value could affect negatively another PID parameter . Following a glideslope vertically or horizontal according to the actual f-14, in ILS or ACLS mode there may be a percentage deviation that may require small manual corrections, but not abrupt or the AP would disconnect or go crazy. Also, it is not recommended to activate the localizer or approach mode if it is not within 120 degrees heading range, otherwise You may use backcourse, but it would need external keybinding.

The magic button ACLS is there just to assure everything required for ILS is activated and maintained during the procedure, but that doesn’t mean being imperative to activate it if you activate things separatedly. anyway if it is generating any confusion between users I can limit the functions that it activates.

There is one thing that I have noticed in your ILS landing and is that you are pending to deactivate autothrottle manually before landing, however, if you go in approach mode with AThrottle activated, it deactivates at 80 feet radio altitude so that you can control the throttle manually ( if and only if approach Mode is activated, you will have to disable manually while not APP mode, that’s one of the reasons for the magic button).

I understand your frustrations with VSpeed, but I’ve checked it out and I promise you it works, but it won’t in VNAV or FLC mode. You also have to preset an altitude to be able to use it (MSFS does not allow VSpeed ​​to be used without a target altitude).

I have to congratulate you on the video, it is amazing. and I take note of your suggestions. In a real f-14, it is the RIO that can enter the flight plans into a CDNU for the f-14B (left console and similar to 747 FMC). However the gtn-750 mod is perfectly suited for the purpose. Fully recommended.

3 Likes
876

Great to know. For some reason I thought the “free” version was time-limited or something.

BTW, I watched your F-14 Conventional NAVAIDS, No GPS video this afternoon. Excellent stuff, thanks!

2 Likes
877

The AP is sooooo easy. I’m a LNAV guy, so I pretty much fly the 78X(Mach .910), F-15, and F-14(both at full AB) the same way. Get in the air, then flip the Altitude, NAV, and AP switches in that order. Increase your target altitude to the desired number(I usually do 45K in the 14 and 15), and go. Works every single time like clockwork. Of course there are other ways, but for those having issues, that’s probably the easiest. The F-15E is pictured, but the functionality is exactly the same in the 14. The switches are just in different spots.

image
image1242×1638 337 KB

2 Likes
878

The 78X takes more setup before takeoff, but I treat it the same way. Almost 1900 hours later, I’m still flying.

879

Thank you for checking out my video, honestly I wasn’t sure if it would ever reach Dean or yourself because I know you guys are very busy making some AMAZING products.

As an airline pilot I will always tend to use my sim for practicing procedures and bad weather operations because in the real world it’s a very important part of flying safely. For me, the fact that your F-14 allows me to do this has sparked a new interest in FS2020 and I now try to spend some time each day to keep myself proficient on those procedures for when I get back into the real cockpit again early next year. But with that said, I do realize that this version of the F-14 most likely wasn’t designed to be an all weather procedure trainer, but it’s already soo close and with a few tweaks and small changes it would be absolutely top notch in that field as well.

When you fly a real plane, with passengers onboard and in all weather conditions, it’s very important that every action is based on reason, system knowledge and expected safe outcome. But sometimes its hard to know what has been changed for example with the ACLS switch, I still dont know every other button and system it affects…So as the pilot flying and monitoring the autopilot, it creates confusion because now instead of the pilot commanding the plane with full situational control, the plane says nahh were just gonna do this instead. So im not sure there is any benefit to using it. In real life I have thousands of hours flying in ■■■■■■ weather with a good flight director system, and sometimes an autopilot if I was lucky, but it would be a scary situation to just allow the plane to make those critical choices without my knowledge or intent. So thats where any frustration with the current version is for myself with the automatic switches. Mind you, it’s brilliant and works in many cases, just a little hard to understand without full instructions.

I do think if you limit the bank angle to roughly 28 degrees the problems with the altitude loss and over steering during a turn would be resolved and would be a HUGE improvement for those trying to use it for IFR Ops. I say 28 degrees only because it was the max bank we were allowed to use with passengers on board as a standard operating procedure at my last company…But that went out the window on the days I got to fly our cargo plane…lol.

The VNAV switch controlling the managed and selected speed would be great…as long as the VNAV would only turn on when intentionally turned on by the pilot. That would be awesome.

It is understandable that the autopilot response may not be easily changed. Personally, I know nothing about the magic that goes on under the hood of these simulator planes and limiting the bank angle might actually be all that is needed to fix that. I found that if I’m a mile or two off the track (GPS in this case) and I select NAV to intercept, the plane will sometimes do S turns that tend to go on indefinitely…but if the over bank is causing an over steer then it’s easy to see why this happens and would become fixed by a reduced bank limit. I think.

I didnt know that the Autothrottle deactivates at 80 feet, thats great to know. Is that standard among the industry? or just with the F-14? The planes I flew didn’t have an autothrottle so thats very interesting to me, but also could be confusing if you werent expecting it to do that.

Thats great info on the VSpeed, I still don’t know how to get it working everytime but i’ll try to program in an altitude and see if I can get it to work for me.

Thank you for listening to my comments, it shows how DC Designs are willing to go above and beyond for their customers and in my book that means a lot.

Sorry for the novel…lol,

Rob

4 Likes
880

Is there any way to change the altitude by thousands of feet, rather than hundreds? Every time I touch the knob, it jumps up to 80,000 feet for no reason (the knob I mean), forcing me to scroll on and on and on and on and on (the pain lol) just to go up or down by a thousand feet.

Any help would be appreciated