I’ve decided I mostly spend time learning DCS modules and don’t really spend much time putting that knowledge to good use. It is what it is. I enjoy the process.
I’ve only lightly flown the JF-17 way back when it came out. I doubt I have more than a few hours flying it…and wanted to revisit it…so here we are. I’ll go through the training missions and some other missions to get familiar with the systems - it should be a fun journey.
First up is the Cold Start mission where we get familiar with the flow. The cockpit is pretty nice in VR…much of the instrument panel is pretty large font…though there are some smaller buttons. Largely I thought it looks good in VR. Make sure you pull the engine covers and ladder before start…
The JF-17 is a good looking airplane…no doubt about it. The cockpit feels very much F-16-ish with the Up Front Controller and three digital displays. It is very cozy and comfortable in VR.
The cold & dark tutorial goes quickly. I’m pretty sure you could develop a flow check that knocks everything out in perhaps a more logical but not necessarily procedurally correct order. The data cartridge and INS loading are neat aspects that I’ll have to learn a bit more about (for instance…changing loadouts on subsequent sorties and making sure to have the DTC updated and loaded).
I will practice more cold starts until I have a good handle on the process.
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An almost required mod in my opinion. The default JF-17 Bitchin’ Betty sounds sound like they might have been recordings of the devs daughter or something… 
Nice thought and all…but they don’t sound great.
This mod fixes that:
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This combo training session we do the taxi/takeoff and some light navigation.
The plane starts as a hot start on the ramp. Probably not the greatest for continuity of training as far as learning the process of the hot-start…but I’ve been practicing those on my own. The taxi check goes though some additional checklist items such as testing the speedbrakes and checking the hydraulic pressures and control responses…
Then we play follow-the-truck to the active runway for takeoff…
The nosewheel steering on the JF-17 is very responsive…
Once on the runway…a couple more checks and we are blasting off. A couple things I did not know but found out reading through the Chuck’s Guide…there is an afterburner activation (arming) switch that allows use of the afterburner…also a switch I didn’t know about the CMBT/C&T/TRAINING engine control switch that derates the engine or something for non-critical missions…saving some wear and tear on the engine apparently. I did find it interesting on one of my cold starts I forgot to quickly get the ECS (bleed/air conditioning) on and a few minutes later I suffered an avionics overheat or something and my displays started blanking/cycling on and off. Pretty cool failure model…
The JF-17 doesn’t use flaps for takeoff unless at very heavy weights apparently…
The takeoff lesson just gets you airborne…you never land…(well…I did) and then we are back in for the navigation lesson. Once again on the ramp with a hot start. Here we are loading the navigation and stores data using the DTC cartridge. I’m not totally up to speed on the DTC cartridge…I’m assuming it stores weapons parameters and map waypoints and perhaps pre-briefed threats on the map (?)…
Taxiing back out for another departure…
The JF-17 HUD presentation is very good…very F-16-ish. The HSD has an option for overlaying maps under the waypoints…a nice feature. All of the HUD symbology feels very familiar…
After doing some navigating to the mission waypoints we are instructed on how to switch to TACAN navigation with manual inputs of frequency and course…they depict on the HSD as well with a corresponding CDI on the HUD that is fairly intuitive to use…
Turning to intercept the 031° inbound course to the TACAN…
Coming in for a landing. The JF-17 feels very nice…wallows around a bit…feels like a really authentic feeling flight model. Reminds me a little bit of the MiG-21 in how it feels very dynamic. I love it.
Down safely…on to the next training mission!
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