It is released, finally
I would like to start with the credits for this add-on, because that is what it is, not only a cockpit. It has a lot of nice little goodies under the hood.
Special thanks first to an excellent team to work with, delivering quality work in a relatively short time. Qawa, JanHas and Homercide.
These guys are amazing and the product speaks for itself.
Secondly, thanks to Jarhead for his rampstart advise, the FreeFalcon team for this basis (specifically Fred for fixing the last bump in the road), and not to forget all the teams that worked before on Falcon.
Without them nothing would have been possible now, the dev teams from Microprose, Ibeta, RPG, eFalcon, F4UT, SP4, BMS, RV and all individual developers.
A full manual is included describing installation, settings, checklists for printing, Carrier Ops, stories, brevity lists.
After installation it will be reachable via a shortcut on your desktop.
You can download it here if you like to see it before:
http://www.cockpits.net/files/FA-18Cv3.0_MANUAL.pdf
Here is a list of the included features:
2D cockpit:
Graphics - The default resolution is 1920x1200.
This install allows autoscaling, therefor it is possible to fly in lower resolutions like 1680 x1050 or 1440x900.
Photorealistic cockpit with as real as possible functionality, within the limits of the Falcon simulator software.
ADI - The left DDI has a digital ADI, to be enabled on the HI/MPCD (Horizontal Indicator/Multi Purpose Color Display).
HI/MPCD (Horizontal Indicator/Mulitipurpose Color Display) with the following functionality:
Moving map in the center, it can be enabled by pushing the L4MAP button.
Digital HSI function, enabled by selecting the left upper knob and setting it to NORM.
Full 3rd display for various data, mainly used as FCC page for Situational Awareness.
Kneeboards - The right kneeboard has 12 pages of browsable checklists for preflight and rampstart, ETR (Enemy Treat Ranges), refueling checklist, landing checklists. The left kneeboard is fully functional since FF5 allows multiple kneeboards.
Nightlighting - On the Internal Lights panel at the right down side you can enable floodlight by selecting either the FLOOD switch or the FLOOD BRT knob.
For enabling Instruments lights and backlit panels you hit keys Shift-2 and you turn the 'CONSOLES' knob to BRT.
Extra functionality panel - When keys Shift-1 are selected you will get a panel with extra large HUD/display data, and complete functionality for handling the DED content and navigation.
Rampstart - A full and as good as realistic rampstart is possible, complete checklists on the right knee.
Brevity codes Checklists, clicking down twice from the 12 o’clock view will bring you to a large and complete NATO brevity code list for accurate communications.
3D cockpit:
Functionality - Fully clickable (although most switches will not move) and gauges/instruments operational. See chapter 2 of the manual for a full functionality description or here.
Pilot animations - The pilot moves his legs to change rudder positions, the right arm/hand moves the stick and the left arm/hand moves the throttle.
When the thottle is in IDLE mode, the pilot will move his hand in his lap to enable a better view on the left consoles the 3D cockpit.
Canopy - Realistic Hornet canopy movements when opening and closing.
6DOF - 6DOF TrackIR4 is recommended for full enjoyment.
If you don't have 6DOF enabled, open the 'FFViper config editor' in the FreeFalcon5 directory, 'TrackIR settings', TrackIR DOF support, then enable 'Yaw pitch Roll,X Y Z' and click 'Apply'.
Mirrors - Although Falcon does not support real working mirrors, this add-on has basic reflective mirrors (non–image) depending on angle of sun shining into the cockpit.
Ejection - A completely new and higly detailed ejected pilot/parachute model and textures are included.
Aircraft model - Revamped external plane model with better animations and many improved model parts like a new refuelboom, new pilot, new slimelights, new canopy, new HUD, new cockpit interior.
Aircraft textures - High quality textures for the exterior of the aircraft for both squadrons VMFA-232 and VFA-113.
Extra functionality
- High resolution map of Korea in the HI/MPCD. (This map is for daytime flights only, for night time flights it is advised to use NVG)
- Autopilot
A way was found to make the autopilot work very much like the Hornet, using the AP and ON buttons on the UFC (Upfront Control Panel)
- DISP
This indicator will warn you when the flares/chaff are almost run out of.
- AI indicator
Shows activity on the RWR
- STBY/XMIT
Enabling ECM
- Trim on Stick
There is a imaginary cross on the stick's trim button, using this cross and left and rightclick will let you trim the plane.
Enjoy !
Aeyes
We have tried our best to make the pilot forget he sees anything F-16, and franklly I don't think a second about it flying this AC.
