OpenFalconBasicTraining

th 56 FighterAcademics

ThislessonisintendedasquickstarttrainingforvarioussystemsparticulartoOpenFalcon. Itemscoveredare:

IDM(ImprovedDataModem)setup&operation RealisticComms SniperXRTargetingPod HADHARMdisplay

TobeginwithwellreviewsomebasicstoincludetheUFC,ICP,DEDandMFDfunctionality andsetup. FirstpleasestartamissionandmakepitsettingstoyourpreferencesuchasHUDfontcolor ect.NowsaveyourpitsettingsbypressingandholdingAltandC.LetupandthenpressS. Thiswillsaveyoursettingsbycreatinga.inifileforyourpilot.Thisisimportantbecauseifyou dontdothisandstartusingtheDTCallyourcockpitsettingswillbeblankedandyoullhaveto seteverythingincludingMFD,andTWSectfromscratch!Youcanfindyour.inifileinyourOF installsconfigfolder.ItsagoodideatosaveacopyofthissomewheresafeJICyoubooboo andcleartheDTCorsomething.

TheUFC(UpFrontController),includesmultiplesystemsforinterfacingwiththeViperson boardcomputersystems.UsingtheseparatepartsoftheUFCyoucanmakevarioussettings andadjustmentstoalmosteverysystemonthejet.

TheICPisasubcomponentoftheUFC.Manyofthebuttonsallowyouquickaccessto variousoptionslikeALOWandCRUSsettings.Thebuttonsarealsousedtoenterthevalues youwantintovarioussystemsettings.

TheDED(DataEntryDisplay)showsthevariousoptions,orpages,thatyouhaveselected usingthebuttonsontheUFCandICP.

HeresanexampleusingtheLISToption.Onceselected,theLISTpageisdisplayedinthe DED.Manyseparateoptionsareshown,andeachhasacorrespondingnumberthatwhen selectedontheICP,willenterthepageforthatoptionandisthendisplayedontheDED

HeretheMISCoptionhasbeenselectedbypressing0ontheICP.TheDEDnowshows theMISCpageoptionsmenu.

DataCommandSwitch(DCS)
TheDataCommandSwitch(DCS)isthefourwayswitchbelowtheICP.Itsfour labeledpositionsandcorrespondingfunctionsare:

TheDCSisusedtonavigatearoundonmanyofthepagesshowninthe DEDaswellastoexitoutofanypageshownintheDED.Toexitoutofanyparticular
pageview,orreturntothedefaultDEDview,clicktheDCStothelefttoreset.

RadioTuning
TheradioinOpenFalconisveryrealisticandgivesagreatamountoffunctionality,however itcanalsogivealotoffrustrationifyoudontknowhowtouseit.Thisisaquickcrashcourse forthosethatwanttoflywiththerealisticradiotuningoptionenabled.Furtherdetailed discussionofradiooperationandsetupcanbefoundintheBMSDash34. Firstweregoingtogooveraquickwaytoascertainthetowerfrequencyforanyallied airfieldyoumayoperateoutof.Thereisalsoatowerfrequencylistinginthedocsfolderofthe OF4.3install.Finallywellgoovertowercommsetupinthejet.

TheDTC(DataTransferCartridge)inOFmodelstherealDTCthatViperdriversuse.All kindsofinfoisputontheRLDTC,andwehavealotofinfowecanputinourDTCaswell.

Neverever,everpresstheclearbuttonontheDTC!!!!Thiswilltotallywipeoutallpitsettings andyourjetwillbeblankwhenyouhitthepit!!!!

VHFcanbeselectedfromtheBanddropdownmenu,andthetowercommsforVHF canbefoundoutinexactlythesamewayasforUHF.Youcanalsoassignthetower commstoaspecificpresetintheDTCifyoulike.

IDM
IntheversionsofFalconyouveflownuptonow,theHSDdisplayhasprovidedabasic approximationofthereallifeIDM(ImprovedDataModem)&LINK16capabilities.InOpen FalconamoreaccuraterenditionoftheIDMhasbeenimplemented. TheIDMisusedtoestablishaconnectionorlinkbetweendifferentpilots.Thisenablesthe displayofpositionalaswellasotherimportantinfoforflightandpackagemembers(actually anyoneonthelinkIRL).Itsbasicallylikeusconnectingtoeachotherovertheinternettofly online.Therehastobesomeonethathosttheconnection,andeveryflightmemberhastheir ownIDnumberorIPifyouwill. OnceconnectionhasbeenestablishedtheIDMinOFshowsalltheinfoyoureusedto seeing,plusawholelotmore.Targetsthatmembersofyourflighthavelocked,showonthe HSDandradar,andflightmembersaredisplayedontheradaraswellastheHSD.In additionyoucannowpassalongAA&AGtargetstospecificflightmembers.Theywillget adatamessage,andthetargetwillbedisplayedontheirHSDandradarwithsymbology lettingthemknowthatyousentthetargetinfo. TopassalonganAAtargetjustlockupabanditontheFCRandthenpressthe#along therighthandsideoftheMFDcorrespondingtotheflightmemberyouwanttoassigntothe attack. OnlyonepersonshouldinitiatetheIDMsessionfortheflight/package.Thiswillusuallybe theflightlead,butitdoesnthavetobe.TheslidesfollowingdescribehowtoinitiatetheIDM host.

Flightmemberscorrespondtothenumbers1, 2,3&4.Topassalongatargetanypilotjust pressesthenumbercorrespondingtothe flightpositionofthepilothewantstheinfoto goto.

AllflightmembersexceptthepersonassignedtohosttheIDMsessionshouldstay inASGNmode.

PressandholdCtrlandtheletterOonyourkeyboardfor8secondstoinitiateanIDM session.YoumuststayinCONTmodetomaintaintheIDMhostconnection!Ifyoucycle backtoASGNmodetheconnectionwillbeterminated.

Asthehostyoucanassigntargetsjustlikeeveryoneelse.HOWEVERthereisnoneedfor yougobacktoASGNmode.IfyoudothatyoullterminatetheIDMsession!Justtargetand sendinfothesameasdescribedpreviously.itworksexactlythesameasinASGNmode

SniperXRTGP
TheSniperXRpodisnowmodeledinOF.ThistargetingpodreplacestheLANTIRNpod youreusedtousing.TheUSAFiscurrentlyfieldingtheSniperpodIRL.Thispodgivesgreatly enhancedcapability.YoucantargetbothAGandAA,andthisismodeledtoagreatdegree ofaccuracyinOF. TherearesomedifferencesthatyoullneedtogetusedtowhenusingtheSniperpod,but onceyouunderstandtheTGPoperationitsveryintuitivetouse.TheBMSDash34goesover theSniperpod,anditsoperationinFalcon,ingreatdetail.However,thenewterminology usedcanmakethingsdifficultfortheuninitiatedreadertounderstand,especiallyasmuchof thedocumentationisgearedtotheHOTAS/Cougarowner. BasicallyyoujustneedtounderstandhowtermslikeTMSforwardandDMSafttranslate intowhatyoureusedtodoing,whetheryouownaHOTASornot.TMSstandsforTarget ManagementSwitch.Thinkoflockinganddeselectingaswellassteppingtothenexttarget whenyoureadorhearTMS.DMSstandsforDataManagementSwitch.Thinkofswitching betweendifferentdisplaysoroptionsinthejetwhenyoureadorhearDMS.FornonHOTAS usersTMSforwardequatestodesignatingatarget.Dependingonthekeystrokesfileyou haveloadedintheingamesetup,thiswouldmeaneitherNum0onthekeypadofyour keyboard,orCtrlUpArrow.ToDeselecttargetyouwouldTMSaftonyourstickorhit Num.(NumDel),orCtrlDownArrow.ToswitchSOI(justthinkofSOIaswhatever MFD/sensoryouareusingatthemoment,FCR,TGPect)youwouldDMSaftonyourstick,or pressShiftNum2onyourkeyboard.

The3middleOSBsatthebottomofeachMFDarequickbuttonsthatcanbesetfor whateverpage/optionviewyoulike.PressingoneoftheseOSBswilltakeyoutothepage listed.Pressingasecondtimewilltakeyoutothemenupagewhereyoucanselectvarious functions.

LetssetupaslotononeoftheQuickButtonsfortheTGP.

AtfirsttheTGPwillbeinstandbymode.InthiscasetheTGPisalsonottheSOI.The FCRisSOIandyoucantellthisvisuallybythepresenceofthegreenborderdrawn aroundtheFCRdisplayintherightMFD.Notaproblem.WedontneedtheTGPto beSOItosetitup.

WedowanttogettheTGPoutofstandbymodehowever.PresstheOSBadjacenttothe STBYoptionontheTGPdisplayontherightMFD.

OnceontheTGPstandbycontrolpage,presstheOSBadjacenttoAGandthepodwill beactivatedandyoullseetheTGPdisplay.

Likeso.IvepointedoutSOIhereagain.ThatstogetyouusedtotheterminologyandwhatSOI means.BasicallyinthecaseoftheTGP,ifyouwanttotargetusingtheFCR(meaningthatthe TGPisslavedtoyourradarcursors)youneedtomaketheFCRSOI.Ifyouwanttotargetusingthe TGPonly,youneedtomaketheTGPSOI.AsyoubecomemorefamiliarwiththeSniperpods functionality,youllbeusingandswitchingSOIbetweenboththeFCRandTGPwithoutathought.

Alright.HereyoucanseethatIveswitchedSOItotheTGP.Ivealsopointedoutthatwerein WHOTviewingmode.WHOTisanIRdisplay.Youcanswitchbetweendifferentviewingmodesto getabetterviewofthetarget.SometimesWHOTwillofferthebestview,andsometimesanother modewouldgivebetterimaging.ClicktheOSBnexttoWHOTtocyclethroughmodes.

HerestheBHOTview

AndtheTVview

TherereafewotherthingsthataredifferentwiththenewTGP.Thereare2basicmodes availablefortargeting. AreaMode: Areamodeisintendedforusewhentargetingbuildingsandstationarytargets. Themaindifferencefromwhatyoureusedto,isthefactthatinAreamodeyoudonotactually locktargetsup.Youjustmovethecrosshairsoverwhatyouwanttohitandtheywillstayin place.Youcanadjustaimasthebombdropstothetargetifyoulike.Whetheryouare targetingwiththeFCRorTGPasSOIyoullneedtogroundstabilizethecrosshairsbygoing TMSforward/designatetargetonyourstickorNum0orCtrlUpArrowonyourkeyboard. Ifyoudontdothisthecrosshairswillnotbeabletobemoved.Rememberthatonceyouare groundstabilizedandhavethecrosshairsmoving,thattheywillstaywhereveryouputthem. Nomoretryingtolockatargetandhavingthelockjumparound.ThisisaccuratetotheRLpod operation.ForHOTASusers,goingTMSforwardandholdingwillcommandAreamode.Letting gowillautomaticallygotoPointmodeandifthereisatargetthatPointcanlockonto,itllstay inPoint.IfnotthepodwillreverttoArea.TocommandandstayinareaHOTASusersneedto goTMSright. PointMode:Pointmodeisintendedforsmallertargetswithwelldefinededgeslikevehicles, tanksoraircraft.Youwillgetatargetingboxinthismode.IfthetargetismovingtheTDwill stayon,andtrackit.Buildingsandlargertargetswillnotbeabletobelockedinpoint!Youget topointtrackbyfirsttargetinginAreamode.ForHOTASusersgoingTMSforwardandholding willcommandAreamode.LettinggowillautomaticallygotoPointmode.Ifthereisatargetthat pointcanlockontoitllstayinpoint.FornonHOTASusersonceyouhavethetargetunderthe crosshairsinAreamode,justdesignatetargetonyourstick,orpressNum0orCtrlUpArrow onyourkeyboardtogettopointmode. Ifyouhaveanyissueswithnotbeingabletogroundstabilizeect.,checkthekeystrokes profileyouhaveloaded.TheBMSkeystrokesshouldworkwellfornonHOTASownersaswell astheoldSPkeystrokes.

HARMS&TheHAD
TheHADisanothernewfeaturethatsaccuratetoRL.IfyougotopullupyourHARMsin OFyoullprobablythinksomething'sbroken,asthenormalHMSviewisnotusedanymore. Nottoworryeverythingstillworks,justlittledifferentlythatsall.Younowhaveaseparate dedicateddisplayforusingyourHARMscalledtheHAD(HARMAttackDisplay).Allyouneed todoissetupaslotfortheHADunderoneoftheMFDquickbuttons,andyoullbeset. ThereissomenewsymbologyassociatedwiththeHAD.Thiswillbecoveredinthefollowing slides.

CallupyourAGM88s

RangeissetthesameasfortheHSD.Youllnoticethatthetargetingcursorsaresidewaysfrom whatyoureusedto.thisiscorrectsymbologyfortheHAD.Youllalsoseeagraphicaldepictionof theWEZfortheAGM88.Thiswillchangewithyouraltitudeandspeed.Itsnotunusualtosee launchrangeswithinWEZof40+miles.IfyourHADrangeissetlessthantheWEZrange,thesolid whiteoutlinewillbecomedashedtographicallydepictthisfact.

Hopefullythistraininglessonhasaddressedsomeofthemoredifficultnew featuresinOF.Onceyouunderstandhoweverythingissetup,andhowitworks, itsapieceofcake.Thislessonisjustaverybriefbreakdownofhighinterest items.FormoredetailsandindepthdiscussionpleaserefertotheBMSDash34 locatedinyourOFinstallDocsfolder.

GoodLuck&Happyhunting!