Open Flight School

Onboard Oxygen Generation System

Further information:

• F/A-18C Hornet basic course (DCS) / cockpit instruction / cockpit overview / LK

Advanced Multipurpose Colour Display

The AMPCD (hereinafter simply referred to as MPCD) is a multicoloured digital display that is suitable for night vision goggles and can display any format that can be selected using the menu, apart from the air-to-ground RADAR display.

Source: <InstallDir>\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Doc\DCS FA-18C Early Access Guide EN.pdf

Additional information:

• F/A-18C Hornet basic course (DCS) / cockpit briefing / cockpit overview / VI-M

Digital Display Indicator

This is a three-color color display that shows the data required to control various systems. There are 20 selector buttons on the DDI that can be used to display functions and modes.

Source: <InstallDir>\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Doc\DCS FA-18C Early Access Guide EN.pdf

Additional information:

• F/A-18C Hornet basic course (DCS) / cockpit instruction / cockpit overview / VI-L& VI-R

Forward Looking Infrared

DSMS Digital Stores Management System

Select, Hold, Trim

A method of correcting small errors in attitude.

SELECT - Adjust the aircraft attitude slightly to minimise the error that is developing

HOLD - Hold this new attitude against any stick forces. 

TRIM - Adjust the relevant trim to minimise the stick forces so that the aircraft will stay on the new attitude with little attention from you.  

Power, Attitude, Trim

A method of changing airspeed whilst maintaining level flight, or levelling off from a descent.  

POWER - Adjust the throttle to give the expected required power for the new Straight and Level speed.  

ATTITUDE - Adjust the aircraft in pitch to the expected attitude for that speed.  

TRIM - Trim any stick forces to a minimum so that the aircraft maintains the new attitude with minimal attention from you.  

Progressively Adjust the Attitude and Trim

PROGRESSIVELY ADJUST the ATTITUDE - As an aircraft accelerates from a Climbing speed to a Straight and Level speed the lift initially generated by the initial attitude of attack increases as the speed increase.  If attention is not paid to this the aircraft will begin to climb.  The attitude will need to be progressively reduced as the speed increases.  

and TRIM - At each stage of attitude change the trim will need to be adjusted to ensure the aircraft maintain the new attitude with minimal input from you.  

Lookout, Attitude, Instruments

A method of maintaining a good Lookout whilst ensuring the aircraft maintain the desired altitude, heading and speed.  

LOOKOUT - This is completed in two stages, beginning with the Right hemisphere.  Look as deep into your 5 o’clock as you can and scan fully up and down whilst progressing you Lookout back to the ahead.  

ATTITUDE - Whilst looking ahead assess you aircraft‘s attitude to the horizon.  Ensure it remain where you desired.  

INSTRUMENTS - Check that this attitude is maintain your chosen flight path by checking the instruments:

• Attitude Indicator (AI) - Check the AI matches your attitude.  
• Altimeter - Either Barometric Altimeter (BarAlt) or Radar Altimeter (RadAlt) - Are you on height.
• Rate of Climb or Decent Indicator (RCDI) - Is it reading zero.
• Airspeed Indicator (ASI) - Are you on your chosen speed.  
• Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI - Compass) - Are you on heading.

See also: SHT for a method of correcting errors

Limitation, Operation, Indication

A method of ensuring aircraft limitations are not exceeded when changing aircraft configuration.  

LIMITATION - Before operating any control that will change the configuration of the aircraft like the Flaps, check that the aircraft is within the limitations for that configuration change.  

OPERTION - Select the new configuration.  

INDICATION - Check that the configuration change has been successful by the control indicator.  

E.g. If the Landing Gear speed limitation is 175 kts the process is:

• Speed below 175
• Select Gear Down
• Gear Travelling .... Three Greens

Fuel, Engine, Electrics, Location

A method of ensuring the aircraft has sufficient fuel for the task, is operating correctly and that you know where you are. 

All Aircraft

FUEL - Check the quantity against the expected quantity at that stage of the flight.  Consider this as an amount up or down and compare that to the wind you have experienced so far.  Also ensure that the fuel tanks are in balance and correct with fuel transfer if needed.  

ENGINE - Check the engine instruments for any fluctuations or unusual readings.  

ELECTRICS - Check the generator is providing charge to the battery.  

LOCATION - Check your location is as you expect and you know where the nearest air station is in the case of an emergency.  

Modern Aircraft

The additional systems of a modern aircraft often require a little more than just the above FEEL.  Consider this as FEEL+ and can include things like:

HYDRAULICS - Check the Temperature and Pressure

OXYGEN - Check the contents, flow and pressure

CABIN - Check the Pressurisation and Temperature

Combat Situations

Again, Combat situations may require further checks, see Fence In and Fence Out

Repetitive

These checks should be conducted about every 20 mins (as a minimum after each 30 mins) or after each change of altitude or turning point of a navigation exercise.

Navigation Exercise

A flight primarily aimed at exercising navigation skills

Heading, Altitude, Time

A method of conducting a turn at a waypoint during navigation.  This occurs twice, Before the turning point is the Pre-HAT and after the turning point is the Post-HAT

Pre-HAT

HEADING - Having seen the turning point (or planning to turn on time) Check the next heading from your navigation plan.  Adjust this heading for drift using Max Drift and Clock Code.  

ALTITUDE - Check if there is a required change of altitude for the next leg and the associated Safety Altitude.  

TIME - If running individual leg timing, reset the clock.  If running continuous timing for the route, note the time at the waypoint.  

At the waypoint, Restart the clock (if required), Lookout and Turn....  JUST Lookout and Turn until rolling out on heading.  Do NOTHING else.

Post-HAT

HEADING - After rolling out, check you have rolled out on your wind adjusted heading.  

ALTITUDE - Adjust your altitude for the next leg.  

TIME - Ensure the clock is running or if you forgot to note the time at the waypoint take the time now and add a few second for the turn.  

Bearing Off, Distance Off, Time Off

A method of checking leg tracking and timing at the mid leg check point during navigation

BEARING OFF - At your mid leg check point assess your location compared to the check point and estimate the difference in bearing from the start waypoint.  

DISTANCE OFF - Estimate the Distance Off of track using the 1 in 60 Rule.  

TIME OFF - Note hoe the time abeam the check point compares to the planned time

From these three Offs the aircraft can be flown back onto track or flown directly to the end leg waypoint.  Also an assessment of the time of arrival at the leg end waypoint can be made or the aircraft speed changed to maintain a time over the waypoint.  

Max Drift

A method of assessing the effect of wind on the aircraft drift from track.  

MAX DRIFT - The maximum drift an aircraft will suffer from a wind directly abeam the flight path.  This is estimated by taking the windspeed and dividing it by the aircraft’s speed in nm / minute.  

E.g. An aircraft flying at 240 kts is covering 4 nm / minute.  With a wind from directly abeam with a speed of 20 kts the aircraft will suffer a drift of 5˚.  

20 / 4 = 5

See also: Clock Code

Clock Code

This has two meanings depending upon its application.  

Lookout - When applied to Lookout, Clock Code is a method of identifying an azimuth direction from the aircraft.  Directions from the aircraft begin from 12 O’clock being directly ahead with 6 O’clock being directly astern.  

E.g. 4 O’clock indicates a direction past the abeam on the right side of the aircraft.  

Drift - When applied to Drift, Clock Code is a method of mental arithmetic to estimate the Sin() function.  The difference between the wind direction and the aircraft‘s flight path is compared to minutes of a clock.  The resulting potion of the hour is the portion of Max Drift to be used to estimate the angular correction to make to offset the aircraft‘s heading and so allow for drift, thus keeping the aircraft on track.  

E.g. 30˚ implies 30 minutes which is half an hour and so half the Max Drift should be applied towards the wind for the aircraft to maintain the desired track.  

Bingo Fuel

The fuel required to fly directly back to base in a straight line.  

Chicken Fuel

The minimum fuel required to continue the route as planned.  

Ramp Fuel

The minimum fuel required to be in the airbase overhead prior to landing, or on deck if landing on a vessel.