- >> F - 1 6 C O M B A T P I L O T << - Typed IN by THE TWINS and LUCAS of TRILOGY. EDITED BY PARASITE. CONTROLS Roll Right ................................................6 Roll Left .................................................4 Pitch Up ..................................................2 Pitch Down ................................................8 Rudder Left ...............................................1 Rudder Right ..............................................3 Centre Controls ....................................Mouse Left Button Increase Throttle .........................................+ Decrease Throttle .........................................- Throttle Slam Open ......................................+ and Shift Throttle Slam Shut ......................................- and Shift UnderCarriage ............................................U Airbrakes .............................................Backspace Wheelbrakes ..............................................B Dogfight Mode ............................................D Jettison Fuel Tanks ................................J and F together Jettison All .......................................J and A together Eject ................................................Ctrl E DISPLAYS Change Left MFD ........................................F1 Change centre MFD ......................................F2 Change right MFD .......................................F3 Radar Target Select ....................................F9 Radar Target Designate ................................F10 HUD pitch bars on/off ..................................K HUD on/off .............................................H WEAPONS SELECTOR Weapons select (fwd) ..................................TAB Weapons select (rev) ...................................Q Chaft ..................................................C Flares .................................................F Pickle Target ........................................SPACE Fire Weapons .........................................SPACE OTHER KEYS Pause/Continue ........................................P Quit ..............................................Ctrl Esc UP FRONT CONTROL PANEL Mode Select ............................................F5 Channel Select .........................................F6 Autopilot ..............................................F7 Recce pod on/off ......................................F8 COMMUNICATIONS Transmit Callsign ......................................T Request GCA ............................................G COCKPIT VIEW Cursor Keys: - hold for brief look - Shift & cursor key to look MENU CONTROLS Select .................................................DEL Cancel ................................................HELP .......................or mouse left or right button QUICKSTART Desperate to get airborne? Immediately after the title screen you will be standing in the squadron crewroom. Move the pointer over to pilot and go for it.... Briefing: * Temporary posting to Tactical Fighter Training Squadron * Aircraft fully fuelled, at the end of runway * "General purpose" weapon mix * No mission selection necessary * No pre-flight briefing * No adverse weather conditions * No pilot's log active * Controls - see kneepad Just enter your IFF security code and get airborne....... Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the world of the F-16 combat pilot. You are about to join an elite group of pilots envied by fighter crews the world over. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a truly remarkable aircraft, designed originally as a highly manoeuverable dogfighter and subsequently developed into an awesome multi-role combat aircraft. Every thrilling aspect of the F-16C has been included in this simulation, including many features only just becomming available to the front line squadrons. F-16 Combat Pilot is the first in a new generation of "strategic" flight simulations. In this single product you will fly on a variety of training missions, join an active front line squadron responsible for each role of the F-16 and ultimately participate in a strategic global conflict involving real-time interaction between aircraft, ground forces and the supporting infrastructure of military installations and essential services. Throughout your flying career your successes (and failures!) will be monitored and logged by Tactical Air Command (TAC) who are well aware of every pilot's amgition to fly with the supreme squadron. OVERVIEW Your experience as an F-16 pilot begins in the first of eight squadrons. During your training you will become familiar with the performance and complexities of your new fighting machine.Instructors will be on hand to offer a few words of advice and also to give you a taste of things to come. Active duty in a front line squadron will be a very different ball game. The targets are real, the enemy is real. Planning your mission is essential if you want to get back in one piece. Still, you have the best aircraft available, and a ground crew second to none.... MISSION TYPES: * TRAINING - mission practice & aircraft familiarisation * SCRAMBLE - air - to -air interception * HAMMERBLOW - offensive counterair operations * DEEPSTRIKE - interdictor strike * TANKBUSTER - battlefield close air support * WATCHTOWER - reconnaissance * GLADIATOR - two-player dogfight * OPERATION CONQUEST - strategic option Each squadron is responsible for controlling its airspace of roughly 20.000 sq. miles. For security reasons, the name and location of each squadron is TOP SECRET. After being posted to a new squadron, be ready to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings during the pre-flight briefing - it could save your life! With the exception of OPERATION CONQUEST, each mission will consist of completing the objective assigned during the pre-flight briefing intelligence sources suggest well in excess of 1500 potential targets, both fixed and mobile, within each combat zone. For example, your task may be to destroy an early warning radar on an offensive counterair operation or a particular area may need "photographing" on a reconnaissance mission. In each case,you will be expected to fulfill your objectives within a single flight. For OPERATION CONQUEST however, you will need experience of all roles of the combat pilot. For this multi-mission scenario, the overall objective is to force the enemy to surrender by reducing his fighting ability and morale. You will experience the passing of day and night, variable weather conditions, the damage of strategic installations, and the deployment of tanks and mobile ground forces. The duration of this operation canvary significantly. To avoid pilot fatigue you will be allowed to request leave, and return whenyou are in peak fitness. All Tactical Fighter Squadrons and allied groups forces depend upon industry for supplies of weapons, spares and fuel. The enemy is expected to interrupt these supplies by attacking strategic targets such as power stations, fuel depots and factories. Fortunately, early warning radar installations are monitoring your airspace 24 hours a day. Coordination of all military operations lies with the Command, Control and Communications (C-cubed) centres and military bases. Anticipating the next strike and making the best tactical decisions is your job. HQ intelligence will do their best to keep you up to date.... Chapter 2 ARRIVING AT BASE Your day begins in the squadron crewroom. Before getting airborne, let's take a look around. Select any item by simply pointing to the appropriate object. QUICKSTART - (Pilot) For all you fighter jocks keen to get off the ground without doing any homework! Not recommended for the serious pilot but it will give you a taste of things to come. The default conditions are descriped earlier. PILOT'S LOG (Filing Cabinet) This is your personal record containing all details of your experience as an F-16 pilot. Select your log by opening the cabinet and giving your name. A new log will be created automatically if the name given is not on file. * NAME - enter your name, up to 8 characters. * CALLSIGN - enter your callsign, up to 10 characters. This will be used during air-toground communications. * SQUADRON - You will begin your flying career in the Wildcatters squadron. Each time you succeed in Operation Conquest you will be offered a transfer to a new outfit. * FLYING HOURS - total number of hours flown by this pilot. * KILL RECORD - total number of enemy aircraft destroyed - total number of ground targets destroyed, Mission Effectiveness ratio (over all missions), Kill Ratio (over all missions). pilot rating. Mission Effectiveness (ME) ratio = no. of assigned targets destroyed / total no. of assigned targets Kill Ratio (KR) = total number of targets destroyed / number of weapons used Pilot rating is determined by your ME ratio n.b. During your debriefing you will be given ME and KR ratios for the particular mission. These should not be confused with your overall ratios recorded in your log. * AIRCRAFT LOST - total number of aircraft that you have failed to bring back in one piece. * OPERATION CONQUEST - hours in command- victories- losses. * ERASE - use ERASE if you no longer wish to keep a particular log. FLIGHT CONTROLS (Desktop Computer) Your aircraft may be flown by usingonly the keyboard but you are strongly advised to use a joystick or mouse in order to create a sense of "feel" in the controls. DEMONSTRATION MODE (Window) For a dramatic flying display, take a look out of the window! AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL DATA (Aircraft Poster) Additional technical data on your aircraft and all likely adversaries is available for further study, Knowing your enemy's capabilities is essential if you are to succeed in air combat. WEAPON TECNICAL DATA (Weapon Poster) Additional technical data on all weapon systems is available for further study. Familiarise yourself with each weapon systems is available for further study. Familiarise yourself with each weapon, when and how to use it. These are the "tools of your trade". OPERATION CONQUEST - RESTORE (Pilot's Flight Case) On returning from R & R select this option to continue the campaign. MISSION SELECTION (Door) Move onto mission selection by leaving the crewroom (via the door!). On leaving the crewroom you will arrive at mission selection. MISSION SELECTION The five sides of the U S Pentagon represent each role of the F-16: * SCRAMBLE - Air-to-air interception * HAMMERBLOW - offensive counterair operations * DEEPSTRIKE - interdictor strike * TANKBUSTER - battlefield close air support * WATCHTOWER - reconnaissance The centre icon, used for selecting OPERATION CONQUEST, will not appear until you have satisfied Tactical Air Command that you are capable of commanding your squadron on Operation Conquest. For this you must fly a successful mission on each of the above categories, on front line duty, at least once. In the top left hand corner you will see a two-seat F-16D. Use this to select a temporary posting to the Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. In the top right hand corner is the icon used to select two-player mode. Selecting this will lead you to the Communications set-up screen and GLADIATOR, the one-on-one dogfight. Chapter 3 TRAINING SQUADRON Welcome to the Tactical Training Squadron. Your documentation includes a map of our training area to help you plan your missions during your stay. For those of you not familiar with the F-16 we suggest our Free Flight or Landing Practice course. Mission-oriented training is available for more experienced pilots, covering all aspects of front line duty. If you are familiar with the pre-flight briefing and F-16 cockpit, I suggest you skip the next lecture and get airborne as soon as possible. PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING. OK guys. Notebooks at the ready. Your attention please.... Our electronic strategic display is identical to those used by the front line squadrons, showing your current position, all airfield locations, towns and major geographical features. Make sure that you are familiar with the layout - it could save your life! Along the front of your display are the mode selector switches: * MISSION objectives * TARGETS target selector * REPORT intelligence update * WEATHER met report * WAYPOINT programmer * COMMAND aircraft assignment These allow you to access various computerised functions that you will need for planning your mision profile. How we ever managed in the old days I'll never know! Select the appropriate key to change the mode of the text area beneath the strategic display: MISSION key. With the exception of OPERATION CONQUEST, you will have selected your mission category prior to this meeting. TAC will now release details of your objectives. This information is CONFIDENTIAL and is for "your eyes only". example: MISSION: HAMMERBLOW CALLSIGN: HOTDOG * TARGET (A) EARLY WARNING RADER @ 014,283 * TARGET (B) SAM SITE @ 059,268 * TARGET (C) SAM SITE @ 051,259 TARGETS key The display defaults to showing only airfield locations and major non- strategic geographical features. Pressing the "TARGETS" switch will illuminate several target selector keys within the text area. The categories are as follows: * Tank battalions * Military bases * Command centres * Early warning raders * SAM sites * Power stations * Factories * Fuel depots Press the appropriate key to highlight (or remove) the desired target category. In the case of mobile targets, the best we can do is to give you their last known positions reported by TAC reconnaissance flights. REPORT key Operators at the Command Centre have been piecing together the latest whispers and hard facts togive you their best advice for your flight. For the latest update, select "REPORT". Example: * Interceptor activity high * Enemy tank battalions @ 487,926 * Allied factories - heavy losses WEATHER key For a brief summary from the met office, select "WEATHER". Example: * Cloudbase 25000 ft * Light SW crosswinds * Mild turbulence These conditions may well change during your flight but we can't help that can we? WAYPOINT key So, down to the important task of flight planning. As an F-16 pilot you will not have the luxury of a navigator in the back seat but fortunately you do have the latest programable navigation computer to give you in-flight guidance via your Up Front Control Panel. A flight plan may vary from a simple direct route from A to B, to a complex multi-target hi-lo-hi profile over enemy territory. After selecting the waypoint mode, your present position will be highlighted on the strategic display. To set a waypoint, simply move the pointer to the required coordinates and press the "select" key. You iwll now see your proposed flight route automatically plotted. Further waypoints may be introduced, up to a maximum of five, each addition extending the flight plan. To cancel a waypoint, place the pointer over the point to be erased and press the "cancel" key. Your flight route will be replotted accordingly. Select the "Waypoint Programmer" box to highlight your flight route in other display modes. Finally, a "clear all waypoints" option is available. During flight you may select range, bearing and time-to-go information for each waypoint on your Up Front Control Panel. COMMAND key (Operation Conquest only) As squadron commander, you may now instruct additional aircraft to execute missions in parallel to your own. Selecting the COMMAND mode will reveal the number of servicable aircraft available at each allied airfield. To despatch an aircraft, first contact the airfield. Providing that an aircraft is available you may now assign target coordinates for its mission by positioning the display pointer at the desired target location and pressing the "select" key. The aircraft's flight route will be plotted as visual confirmation. To cancel an assignment, place the pointer back in the text area at the appropriate airfield symbol and press the "cancel" key. You may assign one aircraft per airfield. up to a maximum of four at any given time, bearing in mind that an aircraft cannot be given new instructions when its airborne. FUNCTION KEYS Before take-off you will want to consider your weapon configuration and weather conditions. On the right hand side of the display you will see the following: MET OFFICE function key With the exception of OPERATION CONQUEST, TAC will allow you to take off in the weather conditions of your choice. The met office will do their best to comply with your wishes! However, they cannot guarantee that conditions will remain stable throughout your flight. WEAPON function key OK, it's time to take a stroll across to the hangar and meet the ground crew. They have already refuelled your aircraft, rearmed the internal gun, and completed the sub-system ground checks. Your F-16 has 9 external hardpoints capable of carrying a vast selection of weapons, including the latest laser guided "smart" missiles, and the new AMRAAM "beyond visual range" air-to-air missile. In addition to this we have been cleared to use the first production LANTIRN nightvision and target acquisition pods, attached at specific locations either side of the engine intake. These pods will revolutionise our night attack capability. WEAPON SELECTION. Having decided upon your weapon configuration, check the stock records for awailability. Weapons are loaded in pairs by indicating to the ground crew the chosen hardpoint for the weapon. Please bear in mind the loading restrictions explained to you at Ground School - they will not take you seriously if you suggest putting 2000 lb bombs on the wing tips! Keep an eye on your All Up Weight. Although it is not possible to exceed the specified maximum, remember that with increasing weight you become less manoeuverable. In fact, your F-16 will automatically reduce its maximum g capability if you exceed the 9 g stress loads. Also shown on your load report are your fuel state and ammunition level. You may resort to reducing these if your A.U.W. gets uncomfortably high. Weapons may be loaded and unloaded as often as you wish using "select" and "cancel". For your convenience, the stores officer will keep a record of up to three "preferred configurations" of your choice in order to speed up turn-around-time between missions. Your ground crew willalso be glad to suggest a weapon mix approriate to your mission. TAKE OFF function key OK, you know your targets. Time to get airborne. Don't forget your last minute visual checks to make sure that all safety pins and covers are removed. Request permission for take-off, and be prepared to respond with your security clearance. Have a nice flight...... "You fight like you train" - Motto, U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School TOPGUN For those of you not familiar with the F-16C, it's time to strap into the reclining ACES II ejection seat and take a look at "the office". MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAYS (Sperry) Following the trend in all modern aircraft towards the "glass cockpit", the instrument panel has been modified and updated many times since its first design. You are now looking at the very latest version, including the 3 multi-function digital displays introduced as part of the MSIP avionics update programme. This layout was first evaluated in the AFTI F-16 technology demonstrator. The major advantage of MFD displays is flexibility. You, the pilot, decide which to use for radar, weapons status, moving map etc. All functions are available on each display, giving you the choice of what to display and in the position you prefer. Refer to your kneepad for mode selection. AN/APG-68(V) Multi-mode Radar (Westinghouse) For the purpose of our flight, we will concentrate on the short range modes available on this state-of-the-art radar. (a)AIR-TO-AIR MODES: (i)TRACK-WHILE-SCAN (TWS) MODE Effective range approx. 30nm. Used for air-to-air search for hostile aircraft. The display represents a cross-sectional view of the pilot's field of vision, pointing in the direction of the noise of the aircraft. Ther radar will display all aircraft within its field of view and is capable of tracking up to ten targets simultaneously. Using the "target select" key, you may track any displayed target, with range (top LH corner, miles), altitude (top RH corner, 000's feet), and bearing information (bottom RH corner) calculated by your weapons computer. (ii)SINGLE-TARGET-TRACK (STT) MODE Pressing the "designate" key will switch the radar to "single target track" mode (STT). The selected target will now be displayed as a diamond, with all others removed from the screen. You will also see the target designator box appear on the HUD, showing the position of your target relative to your aircraft together with the LOCK discrete. Return to track-while-scan mode by either pressing the "designate" key again or destroying the target. n.b. If your designated target leaves the radar's field of view, the display will return to TWS mode. (iii)AIR COMBAT SCAN (ASC) MODE Using the "dogfight" selector on your throttle control will put your radar in "air combat" mode. Target symbology is the same as STT mode (single diamond) but your weapons computer will automatically lock onto the target of "greatest threat", excluding allied aircraft of course. Effective range approximately 10nm. Return to track-while-scan mode by pressing the "designate" key. Superimposed on all modes you will see the roll orientation bar to assist you when looking down into the cockpit. (b)AIR-TO-GROUND MODES: Not to be confused with your GPS moving map display, the radar air-to- ground mode is used for ground target tracking. (i)GROUND-TARGET-RANGING (GTR) MODE Equivalent to the air-to-air mode "track-while-scan". The display is now a forward-looking plan view showing fixed installations and mobile ground targets, differentiated by symbology. Using the "target select" key, you may track any displayed target, with range and bearing information shown on the HUD and MFD. Effective range 10nm. (ii)GROUND-TARGET-TRACK (GTT) MODE Pressing the "designate" key will switch the radar to "ground target track" mode (GTT). The chosen target will now be displayed as a diamond, with all others removed from the screen. You will also see the target designator box appear on the HUD, showing the position of the target relative to your aircraft together with the LOCK discrete. Return to GTR mode by either pressing the "designate" key again or destroyed the target. The display will automatically return to GTR mode if the designated target leaves the radar's field of view. MOVING MAP DISPLAY Linked to the tri-service Global Positioning System, this display uses your inertial navigation computer and various external "classified" sources to pinpoint your exact position within the combat zone. The symbolic digital display highlights airfields, hills, towns, waypoints etc, relative to your aircraft at the centre of the MFD. WEAPON STATUS This mode gives a symbolic presentation of your external weapon count on each of the nine hardpoints. Having chosen your weapon type, (shown on the Head Up Display) the weapons computer will automatically select the hardpoint. Also shown are the number of remaining rounds of ammunition, plus the remaining chaff and flare cartridges. The currently selected weapon is highlighted. Consult this display if you get a "weapon failure" warning. DIGITAL ARTIFICIAL HORIZON We are currently evaluating a new concept in arficial horizon design. A multi-segment circular strip is used to portray the attitude of your aircraft relative to the ground. Pitching the nose of the aircraft up gives an impression of flying over a "hill" and conversely, diving creates a "valley" effect. The proportions of "sky" and "ground" remain constant as the aircraft rolls. The distinct advantage of this new British design is that unlike the conventional spherical artificial horizon, the pilot is always aware of his aircraft's orientation. PRIMARY FLIGHT DATA This direct output from the air data computer replaces the old analog airspeed and altitude indicators that we used to have mounted in the central console. This display is particularly useful in the event of HUD failure or on the approach. * IAS Indicated airspeed, Knots * ALT Altitude, feet * VSI Rate of climb, feet per sec. * HDG Aircraft Heading, degrees * FUEL Fuel state ibs ZOOM THERMAL IMAGE - with IIR Maverick and/or LANTIRN When carrying Maverick AGM-65D (Imaging Infra Red) missiles and/or the LANTIRN pods, you may select a miniature thermal image on any MFD, similar to looking through a telephoto lens. Without LANTIRN, you are effectively viewing the world through the homing head of the missile, restricted in this case to "hot" targets such as tanks and mobile SAM launchers. The image enhancing capabilities of LANTIRN enable you to identify and track any potential target within the capabilites of the selected weapon. (See weapon management, Chapter 4) INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM, AN/ARN-108 (Collins) This display is your primary landing aid. The system consists of two radio beams transmitted from the airfield to help you line up with the runway centreline and approach the airfield descending along the correct glidepath. The equipment on board your F-16 uses the two beams to drive your display. (a)LOCALISER The beam that helps you line up with the runway centreline is called the localiser. As you deviate from alignment with the centreline, the vertical needle on your display will drift in the opposite direction. e.g. drifting to the left will cause the vertical needle to drift right, and vice versa. Deviation from the centreline So, the localiser needle shows your relative offset from the centreline and to corect any error you must turn TOWARDS the needle. Make a corresponding turn in the opposite direction as the needle centralises to ensure that you finish on the correct heading. It will help if you have your Up Front Control Panel navigation display locked to the airfield for range and bearing information. (b)GLIDESLOPE Thesecond beam provides guidance for adjusting your rate of descent during your approach to the runway. The "ideal" glidepath leads to touchdown a few hundred feet beyond the runway threshold. Approaching too high will cause the glideslope needle to be BELOW the centre of the display and vice versa. So,to maintain the correct descent rate during your approach, keep the glideslope needle central. Respond if necessary by flying TOWARDS the needle, i.e. increase your rate of descent if the needle is low; decrease your rate of descent if the needle is high. Deviation from the glideslope To summarise, your ideal approach is achieved by keeping the two display needles central. "Fly towards the needle" to correct errors. When in the vicinity of an ILS system, availability will be confirmed by the "ILS in range" light on your Up Front Control Panel. The landing aid is effective up to an altitude of 5000 feet at its maximum range of approximately 15 miles. n.b. Not all runways have ILS transmitters. OTHER INSTRUMENTS: Range Warning Receiver, AN/ALR-69 (Dalmo Victor) To the left of the Up Front Control Panel you will see a small circular display. This is your passive Radar Warning Receiver. Sensors positioned around your F-16 are used to detect radar transmissions from enemy aircraft, radar guided missiles and enemy early warning radar stations. Used in conjunction with your Threat Warning Panel, it is possible to determine the source and direction of the threat. It is interesting to note that an enemy aircraft using his air-to-air radar will be detected by your Radar Warning Receiver before he is aware of your presence. This is because your radar reflection will initially be too weak to be "seen" by the enemy rader. This illustrates the importance of maintaining "radar silence" wherever possible. Attitude Director Indicator (Clifton Precision) To the right of the Up Front Control Panel is your Attitude Director Indicator, otherwise known as the standby artifical horizon. This instrument shows the pitch and roll attitude of your aircraft. Angle Of Attack Indicator (Gull Airborne) The vertical "tape" scale to the centre MFD is the Angle of Attack indicator. Refer to your ground school notes for a description of angle of attack, lift etc. From the practical point of view, you can imagine angle of attack as a measure of how hard the wing is having to work to generate the required amount of lift. For stability reasons, the angle of attack is automatically limited to 25 degrees by the fly-by-wire control system. A typical value during landing is 12 to 13 degrees. Vertical Speed indicator To the right of the central MFD you will find the Vertical Speed Indicator. Calibrated in feet per second, this "tape" scale shows your rate of climb and descent. This instrument is particularly useful during the landing phase, but dramatic rates of climb/descent will exceed the full scale deflection. Engine rpm indicator On the far left hand side of the instrument panel, below the Master Caution light, you will see the new digital engine rpm indicator together with the afterburner indicator. The old analogue engine rpm indicator is in the usual place, over by your right knee. You will be pleased to hear that we now have the General Electric F110-GE-100 engine, rated at 27000 lbf maximum thrust. On power up the engine control system will adjust the idle rpm to around 60%. The throttle lever by your left hand adjusts engine rpm up to 100% and then, after passing a detent, moves through into reheat by pushing the control further forward. The amount of reheat selected is shown on the afterburner indicator. For your convenience a second digital rpm display is mounted next to the throttle control. Fuel gauge Over on the right hand side you will see the fuel gauge, together with the "fuel low" and "external tanks empty" warning lights. The gauge has two needle; one for internal fuel supply, and a second for external load. Fuel is consumed from the external tanks first. Please bear in mind that for a given throttle setting, fuel consumption DECREASES as you gain altitude. Optimum performance is reached at the normal cruise altitude of around 35000 ft where we find that fuel consumption is roughly a quarter of the rate at sea level, giving an approximate flight duration of two hours and a tactical radius of 500 n.m. on full internal fuel. Using reheat does however consume fuel very rapidly giving a total duration with maximum reheat at sea level of less than ten minutes! Up Front Control Panel (UFCP) This panel houses essential Communications, Navigation and Identification functions (CNI) (a) CNI Datalink The largest portion of the UFCP is dedicated to a three function datalink display. Airfield and waypoint navigation data is derived from your Inertial Navigation System LN-39. Tracking data for enemy aircraft is obtained via datalink with allied Early Warning radar stations. Use the UFCP mode selector to cyle through the following modes: (i) Airfield Range, bearing and ETA information is avialable on all allied airfields: Select the required airfield using the UfCp channel selector. e.g. A3 Airfield 3 * RNG 89 range 89 miles * BRG 245 bearing 245 degs * ETA 9:13 estimated time to arrival 9 mins 13 sec (ii) Waypoint Range, bearing and ETA information is available on all waypoints defined prior to takeoff. Select the required waypoint using the UFCP channel selector. e.g. W1 waypoint 1 * RNG 26 range 26 miles * BRG 172 bearing 172 degs * ETA 2:41 estimated time to arrival 2 mins 41 secs n.b. To fly towards your selected target, adjust your heading to match the target bearing. The estimated time assumes you are heading towards the target at your present speed. (iii) Tracking Allied early warning radar ststions will relay tracking information on all hostile aircraft currently being monitored. Select the required channel for range, bearing and altitude data, relative to your own aircraft. e.g. T2 target 2 * RNG 90 range 90 miles * BRG 018 bearing 18 degs * ALT 35 altitude 35000 ft (b) System Control Functions To the left of the datalink display you will see six indicator lights: Top row (left to right): "Recce pod on" Comfirms ATARS pod on/off (manual) "LANTIRN" Confirms targetting pod on/off (automatic) "RADAR" Comfirms RADAR system on/off (MFD selected) Bottom row (left to right): "ILS in range" Your aircraft is within range of an ILS system "Autopilot" Confirms selection of automatic landing system "UHF transmit" Confirms transmission of callsign (c) UHF Communications Transceiver AN/ARC-164 (Magnavox) Mounted along the bottom of the UFCP is your UHF communications display. This is used for receiving numerous in-flight messages from airfields, command centres and EW radar installations. Data entry panel Before take-off you will be asked by the control tower for your IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) security code. Having made the approriate response via your Data Entry Panel you will be cleared to start your engine, taxi and take off. Threat Warning Panel Immediately to the left of the Radar Warning Receiver you will find your Threat Warning Panel. This consists of five warning lights, each designed to bring to your attention a particular type of threat. * SAM - launch of surface to air missile detected. Threat will appear on your Radar Warning Receiver if radar guided, otherwise you can assume infra-red guidance. Respond by releasing chaff or flares. Manoeuvre to deplete missile energy and maximise tracking errors. * AAM - launch of air to air missile detected. Threat will appear on your Radar Warning Receiver if radar guided, otherwise you can assume infra-red guidance. Respond by releasing chaff or flares. Manoeuvre to deplete missile energy and maximise tracking errors. * ECM - enemy is transmitting Electronic Countermeasures in an attempt to defeat your tracking radar or air-to-air missile. * IFF - you are being tracked by the radar of an enemy aircraft. Consult your Radar Warning Receiver to determine his approximate bearing. * EWR - you are being tracked by an enemy Early Warning Radar installation. Consult your Radar Warning Receiver to determine its approximate bearing. Your Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ, AN/ALQ-165, Westinghouse/ ITT) should automatically attempt to break any radar tracking beam but don't depend upon it too heavily. Once the enemy are aware of your approach they are not going to give up trying to track you and far worse, you can expectto be met fairly soon by enemy interceptors. To break the lock, fly as low as possible and alter your course. Warning lights * ALERT master caution light. Attracts your attention when any "subsystem" fails. Consult your Failure Status Panel to determine the precise failure. * ENG engine failure - not a pleasant sight considering that you have only one engine! Given sufficient altitude and a nearby airfield you should be able to execute a "dead stick" landing. Practice makes perfect! * FIRE warning of on board fire. Your only option is to eject. * FUEL fuel low warning. Flashes when fuel low, stays lit when out of fuel. Do not ignore! The consequences lead to unscheduled gliding practice.... * EXT external fuel tanks empty - comfirms empty tanks as cue to jettison if required. Other lights * Undercarriage - extreme left of instrument panel. Three GREENs confirm undercarriage UP. * Jettison - below the undercarriage light. You may jettison only external tanks, or jettison all external load with the exception of missiles fitted to the wingtips. The light illuminates to confirm operation. * Wheel brakes - illuminated when wheel brakes are ON * Air brakes - illuminated when air brakes are ON Eject handle - below the centre MFD. When all else fails, this is the last resort. Pulling the "loud handle" could save your life but don't use it at low altitude when inverted.... Left hand panel Turning to your left you will see the throttle grip which is used to control engine rpm and reheat in the normal manner - forward to increase, back to decrease. You will probably notice a slight delay between your throttle movement and the change in engine rpm. This is quite normal and is due to the inertia of the engine's rotating blades. Once lit, your engine control system will prohibit a deliberate shut down of the engine. Typical engine rpm at the idle setting is about 60%. The power curve of the engine gives a gradual increase in thrust up to around 90% rpm, above which you will experience a rapid thrust increase up to 100% rpm. This is the maximum "dry" thrust or full military power. Further engine thrust is achieved with the selection of reheat. The principle operates on spraying additional fuel into the engine exhaust whereupon it ignites to provide a significant increase in thrust e.g. from 16000 lb to 27000 ib. Reheat is selected by moving the throttle grip through a detent beyond which you have linear control up to maximum thrust. To select reheat, push the throttle until you reach 100% rpm, release the throttle monentarily and then continue to push to the required reheat level as indicated next to the rpm readout. n.b. Enginerpm does not increase with the selection of reheat. Reheat will cause a dramatic increase in fuel consumption. Use it sparingly! Right hand panel Looking over to your right you will see the sidestick controller. Instead of a conventional control column, your F-16 is fiited with a force-sensitive sidestick. Movement is minimal, with pitch and roll rates being proportional to the pressure applied. The sidestick also offers a nose wheel steering facility when moving on the ground at speeds below 95 kts. Mechanical compass Further forward you will see the back up mechanical compass, calibrated every 10 degrees e.g. 09 = East, 18 = South, 27 = West, 36 = North Also on the right hand side you have the Failure Status panel. Consult this panel when you see the Master Caution light illuminate. * FBW - failure of fly-by-wire channel. Results in reduced aircraft agility. Control system gains halved. * U/C - undercarriage failure. If you cannot lower your undercarriage you will have no option but to do a "wheels up" landing - VERY GENTLY! One of the early prototypes managed it and just scraped the paint - it is possible. * RAD - radar failure. All radar modes lost. * OXY - oxygen system failure. Flight above 8000 feet will lead to impaired vision and eventually loss of consciousness. * NAV - failure of the INS. All navigation aids on your UFCP will cease to function. * LAN - failure of LANTIRN night vision pod or targetting pod. Automatic target selection will be lost. Enhangced night vision will be lost. * HUD - failure of the Head Up Display. Loss of all weapon aiming functions and head up flight data - speed, altitudeetc. * ECM - failure of ASPJ ECM jammer. More susceptible to radar tracking. * COM - failure of communications transceiver. GCA option no longer available. * RWR - failure of Radar Warning Receiver. Detection of enemy radar tracking beams will cease. * WPN - weapon failure. Consult weapon status display on an MFD to determine precise failure. * ILS - failure of Instrument Landing System. Automatic landing will no longer be available since autopilot uses the ILS system. Rear view Your F-16 offers excellent all round vision from the cockpit. During combat manoeuvres this is essential. Makes sure that periodically you look out each side and to the rear to check for hostile aircraft. "One peek is worth a thousand radar sweeps" - Unknown Head Up Display (GEC Avionics UK) Superimposed upon your view ahead is a peojection of symbolic and alphanumeric information. Essential information such as airspeed, heading, altitude and weapon aiming symbology are presented enabling you to focus outside the cockpit ("head up") for the majority of the time. The display also has the ability to present a "daylight" infra- red image when usedin conjunction with LANTIRN for night flying. Aircraft heading Magnetic compass heading across top of display. Incrementing left to right, notared in units of 10 degrees, calibrated every 5 degrees, resolution 1 degree. Central marker at your present heading. Indicated airspeed Vertical scale on left hand side of display. Incrementing from bottom to top, notated in units of 10 knots, calibrated every 10 knots, resolution 2 knots. Central marker shows your current indicated airspeed (n.b. NOT true airspeed; see Ground School notes for description of difference if you are not sure). Altitude Vertical scale on right hand side of display. Incrementing from bottom to top, notated in units of 1000 feet, calibrated every 100 feet, resolution 20 feet. Central marker at your present altitude. Flight Path Ladder Pitch bars (switch selectable) show aircraft pitch and roll altitude relative to the ground. Ends of bars point downwards when climbing and upwards when diving. Notated in units of 10 degrees. Present value intersects centre of HUD. Aircraft symbol At the centre of the HUD is a small synbol representing your aircraft. The symbol inverts to show inverted flight. g force At the top left hand corner of the HUD you willsee a readout of g force (weight multiplying factor) currently acting upon your aircraft and you. Mach number Your speed is given at the top right hand corner, expressed in units of the speed of sound at your present altitude. Range The uppermost figure at the bottom right hand corner of the HUD is the distance, in miles, to your current target. Bearing Immediately below Range you will find target bearing. Ajust your heading to this value in order to fly directly towards the target. Weapon symbology: Selecting a particular weapon will be confirmed on the HUD by its abbreviation or "discrete": * M61A1 cannon * AIM9M Sidewinder * AIM120 Amraam * DUR Durandal * AGM88 HARM * MK84 2000lb bomb * MK83 1000lb bomb * AGM65D IIR Maverick * AGM65E Laser Maverick * MK82 Snakeye bomb plus no. of weapon type remaining * LOCK radar locked on to target * IN RNG in range cue for selected weapon Ranging reticle Afterdesignating a target on your radar, the ranging reticle will appear atthe centre of the HUD. This symbol provides a dynamic visual cue of the range to your target. Target designator This small box gives you an indication of where your target will appear on the HUD as it comes within visual range. Lock-on diamond Once the launch parametters of your chosen weapon are fulfilled, the homing head will confirm lock-on by superimposing a diamond over the target. CCIP To ensure accurate delivery of unguided bombs, your weapons computer offers a Continuosly Computed Impact Point, displayed on the HUD for the appropriate weapons. Place the displayed "impact point" over the desired target at the point of release. That just about covers everything. Any questions? Getting airborne OK. Time to get airborne. "Free flight" is a good place to start if you're low on flying hours Don't forgetto register your pilot's log - paperwork is important too! Free flight On all training missions your flight will begin with a fully servicable aircraft, loaded with a weapon configuration appropriate to the sortie. Having requested permission to take-off, the control tower will ask for your IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) security code. Clearance to start your engine and taxi to the runway will then follow. Check your straps, one last look around - all clear - power up! Engine rpm will rapidly reach idle level (approximately 60%). Nudge the throttle forward gently to start taxiing away from the hangar. Steer by using either the sidestick controller (Nose Wheel Steering) or the rudder pedals (differential braking). Make your way over to the runway, line up with the centreline, throttle back to idle and apply the wheel brakes. Canopy locked. Control surfaces functioning. Clear for take-off. Holding the wheel brakes on, open the throttle to 80% rpm. Release the brakes. Open the throttle to 100% and follow through to full reheat. Hold tight! At a typical combat weight, this bird accelerates from 0 to 125 kts in approximately 10 seconds. As your speed passes through 125 kts, pull back gently on the sidestick to raise the nose. You will become airborne at roughly 150 kts with the speed continuing to increase even if you pull up into a vertical climb, providing that your All Up Weight is not in excess of 26000lb or so. Normal climb out from the airfield is at about 60 degrees. Retract the undercarriage immediately - you'll stress the retraction mechanism if you exceed 300 kts with the wheels down and your ground crew will NOT be pleased. Flaperon operation is totally automatic with the fly-by-wire system adjusting the leading and trailing edge settings optimum wing lift at all times. (See your ground school notes) Having reached about 5000 feet, pull the throttle out of reheat and begin with a few gentle turns left and right to get a feel of the aircraft's response. Response. Remember to keep an eye open for other aircraft as you manoeuvre. As you bank your aircraft the "g" force required to sustain the turn increases. If you do not pull back on the sidestick as you roll, your aircraft will start to slip into the turn and the nose will fall slowly. Momentary back pressure on the sidestick will "trim" the aircraft by increasing your angle of attack and you will see a corresponding increase in "g" force (top left corner of the HUD). Once you become confident, try a few 360 degree rolls and tight turns. Notice how the maximum roll rate increases with forward speed. When manoeuvering at lower speeds you will notice the fly-by-wire control syatem limiting your angle of attack to 25 degrees. This is a built-in design feature to help you avoid stalling or spinning. If the aircraft finds that it cannot generate the required lift, the nose will automatically be lowered in order to increase the airspeed. For a more detailed discussion on aerodynamics, see your ground school notes. Similarly, at higher speeds the pitch rate is automatically limited to avoid overstressing the airframe. The F-16 will allow you to pull up to 9g (within its combat speed range) but don't expect to hold this for very long or you will black out. The effect is only temporary but things could get nasty at low altitude. Even worse, pushing on the sidestick will build up negative "g" resulting in "redout" - NOT to be recommended. During a sustained turn the wings need to generate extralift if the aircraft is not to lose altitude. This extra lift is generated by increasing the wing incidence which in turn creates extra aerodynamic drag. So, in a turn, you will notice your speed decay if you do not compensate by increasing the engine thrust. For example, in a 9g turn at approximately 600 kts you may need all the thrust you have - including reheat - depending upon your aircraft weight. Here's an interesting manoeuvre. Roll your aircraft to approximately 45 degrees and pull up into a climbing turn. As you continue to pull you will perform an "off-axis" loop i.e. inclined to the vertical. During the manoeuvre you will see changes in both pitch and roll angles, with pitch decreasing to about 45 degrees and then decreasing as you pull into inverted flight. Unfortunately the ground school simulator doesn't get this right and ends up pitching over 90 degrees, even at steep roll angles! During "free flight" you are invited to fly to any of the designated ranges for target practice. You will NOT be subjected to dummy SAM alerts and drone interceptor aircraft - you will probably have enough on your plate already. Before getting too adventurous, it will be well worth while to practice your take-off and landing technique, usually referred to as "circuits and bumps". The idea is to remain within the airfield "circuit", getting familar with landmarks, perspectives and aircraft handling. The following illustration is a suggested circuit pattern with distances and altitudes that should give you plenty of time to correct for errors. As you become more proficient you will be able to stay much closer to the airfield, perhaps performing "airshow style" tight-turn take-offs and approaches. So, let's start thinking about getting back down. On your Up Front Control Panel should be range and bearing information for the airfield. Turn onto the displayed bearing and your Inertial Navigation System will show you the estimate time to arrival. Aim to be approaching the airfield at about 125 kts, at 4000 ft altitude and 15 miles from touchdown. For assistance from the control tower, transmit your callsign and requesta Ground Control Approach (GCA). If you would like to practice your landing technique, ask the instructor to position your aircraft on the approach by requesting "Landing Practice" prior to take-off. Landing Practice Your flight begins at 2500 ft, lined up with the runway 10 miles from touchdown. At a typical approach speed of 125 kts you will have approximately 4 minutes before crossing the runway threshold. During your approach you may either (a) proceed without assistance (b) request a GCA talkdown (Ground Control Approach) or (c) select autopilot. Option (a) is what you should be aiming for, option (b) will give you a little help from the control tower, and option (c) is for those who want to see how it SHOULD be done. (a) manualapproach Checklist: (all values approximate and will vary with aircraft weight) * throttle 78% * speed 125 kts * altitude 2500 ft * AoA approx. 13degs * VSI - 11 ft/s * pitch +5 degs * touchdown 10 mis * undercarriage down Contact the airfield control tower by transmitting your callsign. Be prepared for the response: * "ROGER callsign" * "STATUS GREEN" * "CLEAR TO LAND" Use your Instrument System to ensure that you maintain the correct glideslope during the approach. Lowering the undercarriage will make the aircraft response less agile (imposed by the fly-by-wire system) and the flaps will automaticallyadopt the landing configuration. Be ready to adjust the throttle slightly to account for the extra drag. Aim to touchdown a few hundred feet beyond the runway threshold, remembering to "flare" (pull the nose up slightly) just before touchdown in order tom raduce your rate of descent. After touchdown close the throttle and apply your wheel brakes after the nosewheel has lowered. Having finally stopped, take a look aroundfor the nearest hangar, open the throttle slightly and begin to taxi. Your debrif will begin after stopping inside the hangar. (b) Ground Control Approach, GCA Select the required airfield on your UFCP and transmit your callsign. Tower response: * "ROGER FALCON" * "STATUS GREEN" airfield combat status * "CLEAR TO LAND" Request GCA to start GCA approach * "ROGER FALCON" * "STARTING GCA" * "TURN LEFT TO 270" adjust your heading to 270 * "DESCEND TO 2500 FT" adjust your altitude * "FINAL APPROACH" turn into final approach * "HDG 360 VSI-8" Adjust heading and rate of descent * "HDG OK VSI OK" on finals... * "WELCOME TO BASE" after touchdown (c) Autopilot Your aircraft is fitted with a landing aid which links the autopilot with the Instrument Landing System to give a fully automated landing. This may only be used if both your ILS equipment is functioning and ILS is available on the selected runway. The autopilot may be selected whenever the "ILS in range" light on the UFCP is lit. Control is fully apply the wheel brakes as usual. (d) Dead stick landing If you are unfortunate enough to be faced with a "dead stick" landing i.e. gliding in after engine failure, first ensure that all external stores are jettisoned. For a fixed wing fighter, the F-16 is very efficient at gliding with a typical altitude loss of 750 feet for every nautical mile flown. Adopting a slightly nose down attitude, maintain an indicated airspeed of approximatly 170 kts to give you the optimum glidepath. Your VSI should be around 40 feet per second. Do not put your undercarriage down during the approach - you cannot afford the extra drag. As you approach the runway threshold, lower your undercarriage and pull gently on the sidestick to flare and reduce your rate of descent to around 5 to 10 ft/sec. With practice you will be able to execute this manoeuvre with confidence - practice makes perfect! Having made a safe touchdown and brought your aircraft to a standstill, you will of course not be able to taxi to the hangar. The ground crew will be along shortly to congratulate you... It is vital that you perfect the technique of landing your aircraft safely! The only good landing is one that you can walk away from, with your aircraft in one piece! NOW LOAD PART 2...