You want to drain the wings first ie set the center pumps to STOP before takeoff. They provide more drag than the center tank, so the sooner you can ditch them, the better. You can do some other fancy stuff with those switches: First, you can't refuel your tanks from a tanker, but your plane draws from those tanks first. If you have a mission where you're going to hit a tanker, then make a fast or far dash to your target, turn the fuel pumps off before takeoff so you keep your tanks full until that dash. Switch them back to NORM right after you get off the tanker hose. Second, you can speed up your "pitstop" times with them. You may have noticed it takes several minutes to refuel the F-18 but like 30 seconds to reload it. You can speed up those pitstops by landing, getting 3 tanks (and DON'T touch the fuel bar), and setting those switches to ORIDE thereby enabling the plane to fill from external tanks on the ground. Then after you're told "reloading complete," call for another refuel/reload and ask for whatever load you actually want. The fuel flow rate will be 4x quicker because you're drawing from 3 tanks and 1 ground hose. Finally, there is a nearby switch labelled "INTR WING." Normally, fuel is pumped to the wings to keep them loaded and even. But if you're damaged in the F-18, you've probably got one of your internal wing tanks punctured. That means your plane is just pumping fuel out of your plane. If you switch that switch to INHIBIT, fuel will stop being pumped into the wings. You might be unevenly loaded, but at least you got gas to get back.
External fuel switches on the left below the throttle allow you to control fuel flow. Override = drain to internal tanks, Norm = drain equally, Off = don't drain that tank. I use this to drain my center-line tank first so I can get it off the bird faster. Edit: Added Cruz Tomas's correction.
ORIDE allows the external tanks to be pressurised and used when they normally can't be, e.g weight on wheels. The other external tank fuel control switch must be in STOP if fuel transfer from its tank(s) is not desired.
Regarding the CDP and TDP, it is a measurement of the static pressure from the outlet of the compressor (just after high pressure section, into diffuser), and just downstream of the turbine (pre afterburner). They measure in absolute pressure (pressure above a perfect vacuum , and as opposed to gauge/standard atmospheric, which we usually talk in), because at the velocity that the gasses are passing through the engine, it's often around atmospheric, on the turbine side at least. Inlet to the engine gets pretty low, and the first part of the intake is designed to slow the airspeed down, and get the pressure up, especially for supersonic flight (Mig 21/sr71 nose cone changes length to control inlet velocity). Monitoring of these pressures gives an indication of engine performance and health.
I work in the water treatment industry. On our decanting centrifuges we also have similar vibration sensors. High vibration is an indication thats something is off balance. This is important with high rpm rotating machinery.
Valued Viewer Video request. Look up the amazing ATC recorder footage for 559DW (2 parts). A man with very little 172 experience landed a King air when his Pilot was incapacitated. What I'd like to see is: Can you "Talk down" someone with almost no DCS experience, explaining the systems and controls, and get them to make a successful landing? - For Example A hollywood actor is up in the L-39 for a film session when the pilot suddenly passes out, Cap is in the ATC chair, and must talk him down! (You'll need to find someone who really does not know DCS, perhaps someones Girlfriend)
That's wrong. The markers are in 30 degree increments relative to the horizon. So if you are wings level its 0 degrees. First mark is +/- 30 degrees (for left or right roll). Second mark is 60 degrees (+/-) and at the bottom would be 90 degrees or basically on one wing. Dont know where you got that info from but this isnt ace combat buddy.
@@Duvstep910 Bruh ... please stop ... you have no idea what you're talking about. Vertical line on the bottom is used to get the bank angle look it up in the official manual.
TDP is the pressure between the last stage of the turbines and the engine exhausts. Based on what I've read, my guess is that CDP is the pressure of the gas immediately after it's left the last stage but before it's had a chance to expand in the engine exhausts... and I very well could be wrong on that.
3:50 no that indicates yaw. to prevent slippage you "step on the ball" or when it's to the left apply left rudder. more important in the tomcat but still useful
You know I'm a critic, but to be fair I think he actually got that part right. (Well, he incorrectly called it yaw rate instead of turn rate, but this is my penance so I'm trying to be gracious.) He rolled into a bank and the lower box box slid under the upper box in the direction of turn. Looks like if the lower box stopped halfway to the upper box it would have been half standard rate. It did not seem like he was slipping or skidding the aircraft. With a turn indicator arguably being more important than a slip indicator this would be the one to have if you can't have both.
@@gort8203 Isn#t it the same? The higher the bank rate ,the higher the slippage will be. And I doubt that the bank rate makes ANY sense in a fighter jet. It doesn't even make sense in a passenger aircraft. So I would agree that this here is "the ball", meaning it shows slippage.
@@jemand8462 Negative - the FCS in the F/A-18 automatically trims and adjusts to prevent "slip or slide". This would indicate a 3 degree per second turn or a "Two Minute Turn" which is used to perform several different instrument procedures like Holds and approaches, DME Arcs, etc.
@@Aphelion79 aaah! now It makes sense to me! I thought it meant "rolling 3 degrees every second" but it actually means 3 degrees heading in 1 second, which is 360 in 2 minutes. Thanks!
N1 is the fan module. A 3 stage Fan assembly prior to the engine compressor (N2). N1 and N2 both have different limits due to their operating speeds naturally hence the use of both indications. It can help troubleshoot malfunctions between the two components. The engine vibe indication comes from small transducers mounted on the casing sensing impending failure should there be inlet damage, ingestion, flamout, stalls etc. About the only time that indication is usefull. Technicians install seperate indicators to help balance engine to amad when these componenta are replaced. CDP and TDP are also mostly for info indications based around certain parameters the engine should be performing at relevant to atmospheric conditions Hope this value adds!
Oh and the record function would aid maintainers troubleshoot faults when pilot's could record malfunctions mid flight, during certain maneuvers, altitudes, power settings etc.
@@nicholasatterton7630 And I assume they regularly record engine parameters just to keep records that allow plotting of trends as the engine goes through its life. These can indicate a need for adjustment and trim to compensate for gradual degradation of components. Engine vibration growing out of the allowable range can lead to accelerated decrepitude.
Yes, all parameters are stored on a computer and are able to be accessed based on time of flight, which can aid events that happen in flight. Pretty neat for its age!
Great Tutorials! I recon the ADI feeds off the standby systems cause you will only use that page if ur main hud and main systems stopped working. Dunno just guessing so it means if u on that page you just feed of the standby systems wich should be independant and correct compared to your other systems! 🤙 shoot me down if im wrong!
The vibration sensor is usually a piezoelectric electric style sensor which outputs a signal proportional to the vibration velocity (or acceleration). Piezoelectric devices output an electrical current if a mechanical force is applied (think of bbq igniter), or a mechanical force if an electrical current is applied (quartz watch!). I’m terms of vibes sensors, think of a mass on a spring, as you displace the outer casing, the mass will deflect, and this can be measured. The sensor on the engine gives an indication of health and can be used as an early warning if something isn’t right, mechanically. Gas turbines rotate around 70k rpm - lots of angular momentum. So any slight imbalance within the engine can cause serious vibes and subsequent damage. Vibe measurement is common place on rotating machinery. Used heavily on rotary wing aircraft for balancing the rotor and head, and to keep pilots from complaining. ;) I hope this helps. Any more engineering questions, let me know! Thanks so much for the vids.
New guy question: For the left & right feed tanks, I noticed they're currently not equal. Does this affect the flight characteristics of the Hornet and if so, how do you equalize them? I guess same would apply for the wing tanks - if they were unequal for some reason (Thanks for the great tutorials!)
Hey new guy! Not so new anymore IG but I wonder if you ever found the answer to this question. AFAIK the 2 tanks left feed and right feed have different maximum quantities. This means that the only time they will be equal(i think) is when all other fuel tanks are drained and the feed tanks carry the only remaining fuel. Not to worry though, as though they are labeled left and right feed tanks that only refers to the engine in which it feeds not the side of the aircraft the tank is on. this means the aircraft should almost always have a symmetrical fuel load along its centerline(see exceptions below). Different amounts of fuel effect your flight characteristics of course but unless you are running an asymetric external fuel load your fuel shouldn't cause any uncommanded roll or yaw effects(you can still have uncommanded roll or yaw as a factor of asymetric loadouts or external factors like wind). If your wing tanks are ever asymetrical it is most likely because A) you have taken damage to one of your wing tanks and it is draining into the atmosphere rather than into your other fuel tanks. This, double ugly loadouts, or damage to your wing EXTERNAL fuel tanks(unsure if modeled) can cause an asymetric fuel load along the centerline and thus uncomanded roll or yaw B) you have set the Internal Wing Fuel Tank Control Switch to inhibit and some fuel was transferred by gravity
So... what the hell do I need the ADI for?! I have basically 4 huds, a head mounted display and an analog standby instrument for that. Plus, all of this information is also display in the TPOD, Radar screen etc.
The only time I ever used it was for standard rate turn in the marshal stack to help with timing. You also can’t have the HUD on two DDI’s at once so night cat shots some guys would bring the ADI on the right.
Its pretty much used on every aircraft that has more than one engine if one engine vibrates more than the other it will literally shake the plane to death in mid air by un even thrust. If you ever heard a plane start up you will hear like a very distorted sound its because the engines are out of sync which is fine on start up but while flying would not be fun at all
@@texastoast2099 I keep flying th Alert 5 mission in DCS...I either die or can't find the aricraft carrier and if I do can't get clearence or just simply crash into it. It is so hard.
@@jasonaquino8232 I wouldnt know lol I've had the game for maybe a year played it for a few months then work got busy and forgot about it lol bought the f18 and learning to fly it right now pretty fun gun very much worth the purchase
Why make a tutorial and not do the research to provide accurate information? I stopped watching after seeing errors in external tank selection and ADI bank angle indices. I can see from the comments below that there are more errors. This is so lame.
The information is correct. Youre just an ace combat pleb who doesnt know how a real aircraft functions. Go read the flight manual for the hornet before you comment crap like this.
@@Duvstep910 Yeah, I jumped on the bandwagon about the ADI, but are you saying that you are unable to select between centerline or wing external tanks in DCS as you can in the real aircraft?
@@gort8203 you can but for the purposes of the tutorial which is about the mfd page there is no reason to go over that. If you want that information then go watch the other tutorial on the hornet because theres more than enough vids
@@Duvstep910 I agree that there are more than enough videos out there, which is why a new one that raises as many questions as it answers doesn't seem very useful to me. He brought up the transfer subject and said he didn't know how it worked. I would have either looked it up or not brought it up rather than leave the audience with questions. But I understand that your mileage may vary.
Behind the throttle quadrant - switches to control which external tanks drain - so you can drain wings first then centre, or the other way around
Alright Green Button nerd!!
You want to drain the wings first ie set the center pumps to STOP before takeoff. They provide more drag than the center tank, so the sooner you can ditch them, the better.
You can do some other fancy stuff with those switches:
First, you can't refuel your tanks from a tanker, but your plane draws from those tanks first. If you have a mission where you're going to hit a tanker, then make a fast or far dash to your target, turn the fuel pumps off before takeoff so you keep your tanks full until that dash. Switch them back to NORM right after you get off the tanker hose.
Second, you can speed up your "pitstop" times with them. You may have noticed it takes several minutes to refuel the F-18 but like 30 seconds to reload it. You can speed up those pitstops by landing, getting 3 tanks (and DON'T touch the fuel bar), and setting those switches to ORIDE thereby enabling the plane to fill from external tanks on the ground. Then after you're told "reloading complete," call for another refuel/reload and ask for whatever load you actually want. The fuel flow rate will be 4x quicker because you're drawing from 3 tanks and 1 ground hose.
Finally, there is a nearby switch labelled "INTR WING." Normally, fuel is pumped to the wings to keep them loaded and even. But if you're damaged in the F-18, you've probably got one of your internal wing tanks punctured. That means your plane is just pumping fuel out of your plane. If you switch that switch to INHIBIT, fuel will stop being pumped into the wings. You might be unevenly loaded, but at least you got gas to get back.
@@andrewmccarthy8612 i could have sworn i could refuel external tanks at the tanker. will try again tomorrow
@@andrewmccarthy8612 Great info!
@@andrewmccarthy8612 nice. Ty!
Your tutorials have become more streamlined and clear. Congrats on that and thank you.
thx
Tank feed controls are just behind the throttle... you can turn centreline or wing tanks off selectively.
The max G experienced during latest landig is very interesting for the maintenance crew!
Maybe to check if the landing has been too hard? so the maintenance crew could check if the landing gear or something else is damaged, right?
This is correct, the whole squadron is very interested to know how hard you just dropped their jet.
External fuel switches on the left below the throttle allow you to control fuel flow. Override = drain to internal tanks, Norm = drain equally, Off = don't drain that tank.
I use this to drain my center-line tank first so I can get it off the bird faster.
Edit: Added Cruz Tomas's correction.
Override seems to send the fuel to the internal tanks.
@@cruzthomas897 Thanks, I have always turned it on with the internal tanks full so didn't notice.
ORIDE allows the external tanks to be pressurised and used when they normally can't be, e.g weight on wheels.
The other external tank fuel control switch must be in STOP if fuel transfer from its tank(s) is not desired.
Regarding the CDP and TDP, it is a measurement of the static pressure from the outlet of the compressor (just after high pressure section, into diffuser), and just downstream of the turbine (pre afterburner). They measure in absolute pressure (pressure above a perfect vacuum , and as opposed to gauge/standard atmospheric, which we usually talk in), because at the velocity that the gasses are passing through the engine, it's often around atmospheric, on the turbine side at least. Inlet to the engine gets pretty low, and the first part of the intake is designed to slow the airspeed down, and get the pressure up, especially for supersonic flight (Mig 21/sr71 nose cone changes length to control inlet velocity). Monitoring of these pressures gives an indication of engine performance and health.
PsiA is normally PSI A or ‘absolute’ (includes atmospheric 14.7 psi), as opposed to PSIG (gauge) which is a pressure above atmosphere. 👍
thxx
I work in the water treatment industry. On our decanting centrifuges we also have similar vibration sensors. High vibration is an indication thats something is off balance. This is important with high rpm rotating machinery.
Thanks
Valued Viewer Video request. Look up the amazing ATC recorder footage for 559DW (2 parts). A man with very little 172 experience landed a King air when his Pilot was incapacitated. What I'd like to see is: Can you "Talk down" someone with almost no DCS experience, explaining the systems and controls, and get them to make a successful landing? - For Example A hollywood actor is up in the L-39 for a film session when the pilot suddenly passes out, Cap is in the ATC chair, and must talk him down! (You'll need to find someone who really does not know DCS, perhaps someones Girlfriend)
3:00 - It's the other way around at the bottom is 0 degree of bank with the markers on the right showing 90
Can't believe these guys make "tutorials" that are so inaccurate.
That's wrong. The markers are in 30 degree increments relative to the horizon. So if you are wings level its 0 degrees. First mark is +/- 30 degrees (for left or right roll). Second mark is 60 degrees (+/-) and at the bottom would be 90 degrees or basically on one wing. Dont know where you got that info from but this isnt ace combat buddy.
@@Duvstep910 Bruh ... please stop ... you have no idea what you're talking about.
Vertical line on the bottom is used to get the bank angle look it up in the official manual.
@@Rlaxox So I wasn't crazy. Thanks!
@@Duvstep910 Rlalox is right..?
TDP is the pressure between the last stage of the turbines and the engine exhausts. Based on what I've read, my guess is that CDP is the pressure of the gas immediately after it's left the last stage but before it's had a chance to expand in the engine exhausts... and I very well could be wrong on that.
3:50 no that indicates yaw. to prevent slippage you "step on the ball" or when it's to the left apply left rudder. more important in the tomcat but still useful
You know I'm a critic, but to be fair I think he actually got that part right. (Well, he incorrectly called it yaw rate instead of turn rate, but this is my penance so I'm trying to be gracious.) He rolled into a bank and the lower box box slid under the upper box in the direction of turn. Looks like if the lower box stopped halfway to the upper box it would have been half standard rate. It did not seem like he was slipping or skidding the aircraft. With a turn indicator arguably being more important than a slip indicator this would be the one to have if you can't have both.
@@gort8203 Isn#t it the same? The higher the bank rate ,the higher the slippage will be. And I doubt that the bank rate makes ANY sense in a fighter jet. It doesn't even make sense in a passenger aircraft. So I would agree that this here is "the ball", meaning it shows slippage.
@@jemand8462 Negative - the FCS in the F/A-18 automatically trims and adjusts to prevent "slip or slide". This would indicate a 3 degree per second turn or a "Two Minute Turn" which is used to perform several different instrument procedures like Holds and approaches, DME Arcs, etc.
@@Aphelion79 aaah! now It makes sense to me! I thought it meant "rolling 3 degrees every second" but it actually means 3 degrees heading in 1 second, which is 360 in 2 minutes. Thanks!
Using the ADI on the DDI would be really helpful during carrier landings.
N1 is the fan module. A 3 stage Fan assembly prior to the engine compressor (N2). N1 and N2 both have different limits due to their operating speeds naturally hence the use of both indications. It can help troubleshoot malfunctions between the two components.
The engine vibe indication comes from small transducers mounted on the casing sensing impending failure should there be inlet damage, ingestion, flamout, stalls etc. About the only time that indication is usefull. Technicians install seperate indicators to help balance engine to amad when these componenta are replaced.
CDP and TDP are also mostly for info indications based around certain parameters the engine should be performing at relevant to atmospheric conditions
Hope this value adds!
Oh and the record function would aid maintainers troubleshoot faults when pilot's could record malfunctions mid flight, during certain maneuvers, altitudes, power settings etc.
@@nicholasatterton7630 And I assume they regularly record engine parameters just to keep records that allow plotting of trends as the engine goes through its life. These can indicate a need for adjustment and trim to compensate for gradual degradation of components. Engine vibration growing out of the allowable range can lead to accelerated decrepitude.
Yes, all parameters are stored on a computer and are able to be accessed based on time of flight, which can aid events that happen in flight. Pretty neat for its age!
The MAX NZ is there probably for the maintenance to know whether to check the landing gear (after hard landing) or not.
MaxG for the landing is for engineers to work out the ware on the landing gear. Over a certain level, the landing gear needs to be overhauled.
Great Tutorials! I recon the ADI feeds off the standby systems cause you will only use that page if ur main hud and main systems stopped working. Dunno just guessing so it means if u on that page you just feed of the standby systems wich should be independant and correct compared to your other systems! 🤙 shoot me down if im wrong!
The vibration sensor is usually a piezoelectric electric style sensor which outputs a signal proportional to the vibration velocity (or acceleration). Piezoelectric devices output an electrical current if a mechanical force is applied (think of bbq igniter), or a mechanical force if an electrical current is applied (quartz watch!). I’m terms of vibes sensors, think of a mass on a spring, as you displace the outer casing, the mass will deflect, and this can be measured. The sensor on the engine gives an indication of health and can be used as an early warning if something isn’t right, mechanically. Gas turbines rotate around 70k rpm - lots of angular momentum. So any slight imbalance within the engine can cause serious vibes and subsequent damage. Vibe measurement is common place on rotating machinery. Used heavily on rotary wing aircraft for balancing the rotor and head, and to keep pilots from complaining. ;) I hope this helps. Any more engineering questions, let me know! Thanks so much for the vids.
I would assume the external tanks are set to drain equallly to maintain even weight
The reason why it drains 3 tanks is that it evens the weight on the aircraft.
thx
New guy question:
For the left & right feed tanks, I noticed they're currently not equal.
Does this affect the flight characteristics of the Hornet and if so, how do you equalize them? I guess same would apply for the wing tanks - if they were unequal for some reason
(Thanks for the great tutorials!)
Hey new guy! Not so new anymore IG but I wonder if you ever found the answer to this question.
AFAIK the 2 tanks left feed and right feed have different maximum quantities. This means that the only time they will be equal(i think) is when all other fuel tanks are drained and the feed tanks carry the only remaining fuel.
Not to worry though, as though they are labeled left and right feed tanks that only refers to the engine in which it feeds not the side of the aircraft the tank is on. this means the aircraft should almost always have a symmetrical fuel load along its centerline(see exceptions below). Different amounts of fuel effect your flight characteristics of course but unless you are running an asymetric external fuel load your fuel shouldn't cause any uncommanded roll or yaw effects(you can still have uncommanded roll or yaw as a factor of asymetric loadouts or external factors like wind).
If your wing tanks are ever asymetrical it is most likely because A) you have taken damage to one of your wing tanks and it is draining into the atmosphere rather than into your other fuel tanks. This, double ugly loadouts, or damage to your wing EXTERNAL fuel tanks(unsure if modeled) can cause an asymetric fuel load along the centerline and thus uncomanded roll or yaw B) you have set the Internal Wing Fuel Tank Control Switch to inhibit and some fuel was transferred by gravity
This could be a show on Amazon. informative as fuck.
So... what the hell do I need the ADI for?! I have basically 4 huds, a head mounted display and an analog standby instrument for that. Plus, all of this information is also display in the TPOD, Radar screen etc.
The only time I ever used it was for standard rate turn in the marshal stack to help with timing. You also can’t have the HUD on two DDI’s at once so night cat shots some guys would bring the ADI on the right.
Didn't know most of this. Good on ya Cap
thank's for these informations
I tried to Google the VIB, can't find anything. Top secret maybe? Jet Fighters are very mysterious.
It's not that it's top secret it's just too specific for an aircraft like this.
Its pretty much used on every aircraft that has more than one engine if one engine vibrates more than the other it will literally shake the plane to death in mid air by un even thrust. If you ever heard a plane start up you will hear like a very distorted sound its because the engines are out of sync which is fine on start up but while flying would not be fun at all
@@texastoast2099 I keep flying th Alert 5 mission in DCS...I either die or can't find the aricraft carrier and if I do can't get clearence or just simply crash into it. It is so hard.
@@jasonaquino8232 I wouldnt know lol I've had the game for maybe a year played it for a few months then work got busy and forgot about it lol bought the f18 and learning to fly it right now pretty fun gun very much worth the purchase
Very helpful video
Mnhé
@Grim Reapers excuse me,,,,we aren't all from your country,,,so we dont use pounds you talk to global people!!
Why make a tutorial and not do the research to provide accurate information? I stopped watching after seeing errors in external tank selection and ADI bank angle indices. I can see from the comments below that there are more errors. This is so lame.
The information is correct. Youre just an ace combat pleb who doesnt know how a real aircraft functions. Go read the flight manual for the hornet before you comment crap like this.
@@Duvstep910 Yeah, I jumped on the bandwagon about the ADI, but are you saying that you are unable to select between centerline or wing external tanks in DCS as you can in the real aircraft?
@@gort8203 you can but for the purposes of the tutorial which is about the mfd page there is no reason to go over that. If you want that information then go watch the other tutorial on the hornet because theres more than enough vids
@@Duvstep910 I agree that there are more than enough videos out there, which is why a new one that raises as many questions as it answers doesn't seem very useful to me. He brought up the transfer subject and said he didn't know how it worked. I would have either looked it up or not brought it up rather than leave the audience with questions. But I understand that your mileage may vary.
I read from the User Manual. You'll have to take it up with Wagner.