Mission Planning

DCS runs missions.  These have huge flexibility and can load information into the aircraft.  However, on the majority of multiplayer servers very little in preloaded to the aircraft and it is the responsibility of the pilot to input appropriate information to their mission systems.  This can take a lot of time prior to takeoff.  

To overcome this their are a number of Data Loading apps and mods.

DCS Waypoint Editor

DCS Waypoint Editor allows the mission route to be pre loaded from a file or the mission map and once the aircraft is started can then operate the aircraft controls to load the mission route more quickly and accurately than manually.  It works for the a number of aircraft modules including the F-18.  

DCS-DTC

The DCS-Data Transfer Cartridge software is also free via GitHub.  Like the DCS Waypoint Editor, this can load route waypoints, but can also set up the radio frequencies and other aircraft setting like chaff and flare programmes.  It works for the F-16, F-18 and is in development for the AH-64.  

Communications

If using the DCS Radio Menu, with its layersped of options, can spoil the immersion for you,

Voice Attack

Voice Attack may be a good solution.  Not particularly easy to setup but once implemented allows the player to actually “Speak” the voice commands for DCS to respond to.  Profiles can be setup for various aircraft.  This allows 

Vaicom Pro

Viacom Pro is an extension to Voice Attack that can be used to cause actions to be implemented within DCS.  

Kneeboard

DCS comes with its own kneeboard which has some functionality to plot your position on the mission maps.  However, there are a number of mission kneeboard mods and add-ones that can be used.

Open Kneeboard

Open Kneeboard is a free download from volunteers who distribute their efforts via github.  This package includes a tab structure that can have different tabs for mission, briefing, aircraft (by module), and personal tabs that the user can define.  It can operate with a drawing tablet to allow writing of information On preforms or blank pages.