Sure, a dumb bomb or CBU run is fun, and BFM will always have a delicious challenge.
That said, I’ve started flying like a peacetime pilot.
Super-long range missions (particularly on Marianas) where refueling and fuel management are crucial.
Plotting realistic routes in and out of NTTR, practicing an inert dumb bomb run, refuel and work back out through the correct sectors.
IFR flying, particularly in the Hornet which is both blessed with a great HUD and cursed with no ILS on land.
Engine out and systems failure procedures and landings. Pop a circuit breaker or shut down an engine and figure out how to best get the jet on the deck.
Around-town ferry missions in the Huey, chasing cars as though I’m a news chopper, and running “life flight” missions in the darkest of nights.
Perhaps I’ll get back to the world at war soon…but I’m a far better stick and rudder guy for this bit.
My DCS resume is basically the inverse of this. Always on the target range or cruising around, rarely actually fighting. By the time I get competent enough in one module I’m too bored with it to move up to the fighting stage and cycle to another module.
If you have any of the helicopters, check out the “Search and Rescue” server. It has randomly generated missions to pick up downed pilots and fire fighting tasks. SRS is active as well .
@B12 absolutely agreed. The “feel” of flight in DCS is better than anything else I’ve found, though to be fair I have zero jet time in my logbook.
I was probably one flight away from soloing years ago when my money ran out, and I’ve only had occasional flights with friends here and there since. I never lost the spark of love for flight in the most boring of touch and go sorties, so getting back to it digitally is my little connection.
I have primarily been a taxi for most of my DCS flying since we got the huey and hip. Navigation and planning are what floats my boat, I do love the warbirds especially the spitfire and will happily dogfight if I only have a limited time to fly (pretty much the default at the moment)
I also fell in love with the A10 when it was all we had and am still fairly lethal with it.
Looking forward to the mosquito and putting all the navigation practice into much longer legs . Learning to work out ground speed from IAS plus altitude and wind speed etc. A lot more work than a 2 leg huey flight
Off topic slightly, but one of my general beefs with multiplayer servers in DCS is the near-constant great weather. In real life in much of the world 30+ miles visibility is the exception rather than the rule. More often visibility is down to something less than 10. Combat, both modern and classic, is way more challenging and (I think) fun when the visibility is marginal. Whether and navigation are EVERYTHING in flying. But players rarely need to think of either when the sky is blue. Bringing things down a bit has the added benefit of being kinder to player systems with older horsepower.
I find myself doing a lot of “training” if you will, mainly on manual deliveries. I have also started to add in bad weather as @smokinhole mentions. Flying the Viggen in typical nordic weather makes it a lot more interesting.
Agreed! You would really enjoy the Fear the Bones campaign for the F-14A.
It’s got some great night time/poor weather (Case III recovery) and procedures are enforced in-mission.
My instrument flying scan has greatly improved because of it. I’m probably back to where I was when I was flying King Airs with crappy autopilots.
Then there’s a mission where it’s pitch black, and the HUD dies. Great…
wow, this is so cool to know. I might try this. this is very inspirational. I love a good challenge and can see that this might be. I’d love to do some peace-time missions over there. Huey sounds great too. Keep us updated on this different type of flying because it sounds like an escape that I might not be too distantly trying.
Who was your pilot. I instructed and was a member at Kinloss on and off over the years and often flew to Leuchars. At one point I was Chief instructor with Leuchars FC but flew from Kinloss with the VGS. Great life being a university student
I was working at Oxford then teaching BA cadets mostly. I had previously been flying the first Kinloss ac, G-ARFO a C150. Early model with no glass at the back.
