@@Sidekick65 haha, The Glorious and Everlasting Republik of Yappistan Air Force? [RoYAF] ? At the moment we are pretty deep into low level strike missions, calculating our fuel reserves to within 100 pounds and time on target to within 10 seconds but I will see what we can do. CAS/BAI is about the hardest thing you can do in surface attack missions so it is not something we have done up to this point. Basic strike missions are at our more "basic" level.
Great skill to have. Was on a road trip with a co-worker when the garmin crapped out. The look on his face when i pulled out my Rand McNally was priceless.
Hi Iain. An interesting video. It definitely brought back memories of my early flying training. It took me a while to get my head around how far you can see from altitude and how to relate that to the maps and charts. It was during this phase that I was taught the two ways to read the maps: 1. Map-to-ground. This is where you are following your planned route and are looking for your next expected landmarks as shown on the map. 2. Ground-to-map. This is used when you are "unsure of position" 😉 and you are looking for significant landmarks on the ground that you then try to identify on the map in order to reorient yourself. Obviously this is much harder to do at low level and/or high speed! Attempting to attack completely invisible/unmarked targets is rather unrealistic - it is unlikely that you would be bombing an empty field! Using a bunker or vehicle is much more appropriate.
Agreed. But if you CAN do it. The real stuff is easier. I spent a lot of hours in a hole in the ground attempting to correct real rounds on to mythical "platoon, dug in, radius 50m" that were in reality a different colored bit of ground. I guess that's why it feels natural to me.
I’d note, it may not be an empty field, but it may be woods with infantry dug in, which in DCS at least can look a lot like an empty field/patch of trees! Especially when you are looking for the target, and keeping an eye out for smoke trails of MANPADS or AA fire
True, but if the target is under tree cover then you can't be faulted for not hitting them! Any attack on a target that you can't see is only ever going to be a best guess approximation and you shouldn't get too upset if the target tracking results aren't what you had hoped!
Very interesting video. Thank you! As i have a similar background as you, this is close to my heart. Just some key points that i try to tell people regarding navigation. Plan and prepare, do not get lost. Always follow up on the map where you are. Fly from one land mark to the next. Or follow obvious routs like railroads or rivers. You should also learn how to use the compass and stop watch in your plane. When i fly with a group and reach the target area, i always explain a prominent landmarks bearing from the target. Then everyone can easier call out targets of opportunities. For example, the road is to the west of the town, or the lake is to the north of the target etc.
Love it. BTW - I should point out that Gunners (even really old ones) are never lost - although they may become momentarily, geographically challenged.
There is a fantastic tool for map prep in DCS called CombatFlite. This allows you to create kneeboard maps with all the nav data and orientated Track Up. This works for most maps (but unfortunately not the Kola map yet).
Finally a video on this topic. I have been trying to reconcile my ignorance of the topic with the different maps available from archives and libraries online. I even asked my geo studies friend and he got confused and it took him some time.
Yes, for us dinosaurs, map reading was a much needed skill. As a tanker, I also had to be able to figure map grids on seen objects....but "non sum qualis eram" as they say.
I think the pre-GPS era is much more interesting. With GPS enabled it is very tempting to not use any other navigation systems, let alone maps. Same in FS2020 / 2024: all these glass cockpit aircraft which tell you all the time where you are. I remember the time with the first FS versions: using paper and VOR radials to determine where you were.
It's shocking to me how often I talk with DCS players who don't know what direction they are flying. Most understand what you mean when you say a heading of 270. Yet if you said due west, they have no idea.
The Chuck's Guides outline tells you everything you need to know about the "average" DCS player. Chapter 3, how to start and takeoff. Chapter 4 how to fire weapons. Chapter 99... how to navigate :D Basic airmanship is grossly overlooked in DCS in general.
Perhaps because DCS is still a game, and most players are in for a quick action. Nav is not the most interesting thing to learn, although it’s very important for situation awareness and survival.
I think you found a really fun way to learn some core skills.
I hope so. I'd love to see what you and YPAF think of the mission.
@@Sidekick65 haha, The Glorious and Everlasting Republik of Yappistan Air Force? [RoYAF] ?
At the moment we are pretty deep into low level strike missions, calculating our fuel reserves to within 100 pounds and time on target to within 10 seconds but I will see what we can do.
CAS/BAI is about the hardest thing you can do in surface attack missions so it is not something we have done up to this point. Basic strike missions are at our more "basic" level.
Thank you. For those of us who use DCS as a Flight Simulator and not a Pac Man Game, please make more videos like these.
Wilco.
Great skill to have. Was on a road trip with a co-worker when the garmin crapped out. The look on his face when i pulled out my Rand McNally was priceless.
Love it!
Hi Iain. An interesting video. It definitely brought back memories of my early flying training. It took me a while to get my head around how far you can see from altitude and how to relate that to the maps and charts. It was during this phase that I was taught the two ways to read the maps: 1. Map-to-ground. This is where you are following your planned route and are looking for your next expected landmarks as shown on the map. 2. Ground-to-map. This is used when you are "unsure of position" 😉 and you are looking for significant landmarks on the ground that you then try to identify on the map in order to reorient yourself. Obviously this is much harder to do at low level and/or high speed! Attempting to attack completely invisible/unmarked targets is rather unrealistic - it is unlikely that you would be bombing an empty field! Using a bunker or vehicle is much more appropriate.
Agreed. But if you CAN do it. The real stuff is easier. I spent a lot of hours in a hole in the ground attempting to correct real rounds on to mythical "platoon, dug in, radius 50m" that were in reality a different colored bit of ground. I guess that's why it feels natural to me.
I’d note, it may not be an empty field, but it may be woods with infantry dug in, which in DCS at least can look a lot like an empty field/patch of trees! Especially when you are looking for the target, and keeping an eye out for smoke trails of MANPADS or AA fire
True, but if the target is under tree cover then you can't be faulted for not hitting them! Any attack on a target that you can't see is only ever going to be a best guess approximation and you shouldn't get too upset if the target tracking results aren't what you had hoped!
Very interesting video. Thank you! As i have a similar background as you, this is close to my heart. Just some key points that i try to tell people regarding navigation. Plan and prepare, do not get lost. Always follow up on the map where you are. Fly from one land mark to the next. Or follow obvious routs like railroads or rivers. You should also learn how to use the compass and stop watch in your plane.
When i fly with a group and reach the target area, i always explain a prominent landmarks bearing from the target. Then everyone can easier call out targets of opportunities. For example, the road is to the west of the town, or the lake is to the north of the target etc.
Love it. BTW - I should point out that Gunners (even really old ones) are never lost - although they may become momentarily, geographically challenged.
There is a fantastic tool for map prep in DCS called CombatFlite. This allows you to create kneeboard maps with all the nav data and orientated Track Up. This works for most maps (but unfortunately not the Kola map yet).
Great find! I will look for it.
@@Sidekick65 check out DCS Web Viewer, its free and also has a livemap to use in game
Finally a video on this topic. I have been trying to reconcile my ignorance of the topic with the different maps available from archives and libraries online. I even asked my geo studies friend and he got confused and it took him some time.
Glad you enjoyed it. Feel free to look me up on Discord if you think I can help.
@@Sidekick65 been in the sidecord since 2020 :D
@MrSomethingdark glad you're there. The difference in handles is confusing!
Yes, for us dinosaurs, map reading was a much needed skill. As a tanker, I also had to be able to figure map grids on seen objects....but "non sum qualis eram" as they say.
Thank you for making this video for us Iain.
Thank you for making the Map Reading Range mission for us Iain.
great video Iain really Pro tips
I think the pre-GPS era is much more interesting. With GPS enabled it is very tempting to not use any other navigation systems, let alone maps.
Same in FS2020 / 2024: all these glass cockpit aircraft which tell you all the time where you are.
I remember the time with the first FS versions: using paper and VOR radials to determine where you were.
Kind of like Pin the Tail on the donkey with a 500 lb bomb.
Nice!
4:45 for a moment i had to go outside to see why my dog was barking at night...false alarm , it was yours, lol
9:50 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Dolly Parton
It's shocking to me how often I talk with DCS players who don't know what direction they are flying. Most understand what you mean when you say a heading of 270. Yet if you said due west, they have no idea.
The Chuck's Guides outline tells you everything you need to know about the "average" DCS player. Chapter 3, how to start and takeoff. Chapter 4 how to fire weapons. Chapter 99... how to navigate :D
Basic airmanship is grossly overlooked in DCS in general.
Perhaps because DCS is still a game, and most players are in for a quick action.
Nav is not the most interesting thing to learn, although it’s very important for situation awareness and survival.
In the door, up the stairs...
Sadly most of the maps in DCS are absolutely horrendous, forcing players to use out of game resources.
wow, talk about the specifics of his point getting lost in all his babel.