DCS F-18 - Case 3 - IF Recovery Procedure

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Fellas

Update: 14 Jul 18 Upgrade included...

We need to be able to get back on deck in “Less than perfect” weather. The following is from VFA-113 Training and is very good for understanding what’s going on:

www.users.on.net/~jase_ash/http:/www.users.on.net/~jase_ash/city-life-photos/styled-8/

I have worked out the Hold..... and I got it COMPLETELY WRONG.... So I have deleted my description....
I have another post about the Flying the Hold here...

Also study this picture from CVW-8:



The above is the Case 3 Recovery starting in the Stack. This will be given to you by Marshal, but if unmanned it is Hold Height + 15nm. So, 10,000ft = 25nm. Min hold height is 7,000ft = 22nm.

I will add the cockpit setup procedure once I have full distilled it from this video... This is now complete - See post below

Training video:
This video is in daylight poor weather and is a much better explaination of the CASE III recovery....


There is also a good YouTube covering the radio calls from the USS Ronald Regan fro Marshal, Approach and Paddles radio operators. I doubt we will n end all of that but its worth listening to just out of interest and understanding the level of difficultly that the USN controllers handle.



Here is the CV1 Approach Plate - It does not show an offset hold, however, If an offfset hold is required an arc between the offset inboubnd track and the Fianl Bearing is conducted at 12 nm whilst in descent.



If the Hold is ahead of the carrier a CV2 Approach is conducted as per this plate. It includes flying overhead before a descending in a teardrop turn onto finals.



Comms has now been added to cover the Case 3 recovery. Well Case 2 at least.

Use the Commsa menu - "Back Slash" / "F10 - Other..." / "F5 - Case 3 Marshal Instructions". This is imkplemented on the VFA-103 Training server... Search for "cv"...

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Bump - Updated video

The ICLS (Instrument Carrier Landing System) does not work yet in the pre-release... So really its an IMC approach with a descent at 3nm for a visual recovery.... Rather more Case 2 like but straight in, without the break and visual pattern...

ICLS now works fine.... However, ACLS (Automatic Carrier Landing System) doesn’t yet....

• ICLS is needles in the HUD - One way comms from ship to aircraft. Also called “Bullseye”, not to be confused with the air reference reporting waypoint of the same name...!!!
• ACLS is capable of flying the aircraft for you - Two way comms from ship to aircraft for correction and from aircraft to ship to confirm response

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Jul 11, 2018 10:59:10 GMT -5 VBF-12 Gosling said:

Bump - Updated video

The ICLS (Instrument Carrier Landing System) does not work yet in the pre-release... So really its an IMC approach with a descent at 3nm for a visual recovery.... Rather more Case 2 like but straight in, without the break and visual pattern...

The ICLS now works fine... However, the ACLS (Auto Carrier Land System) still does not so more to come...

In the meantime...

I have had a question about recovery of multiple aircraft. For CASE 3 any multiple are split up (as per fuel priority) into singletons and each given an individual range and height to fly their Hold Pattern, all on the same radial. Each Hold is 1nm further out for each 1,000ft of Alt. At each individual EAT (Estimated Approach Time) the pilot descends from his hold for the approach (Each extra mile allows for the extra 1000ft descent required). So, there is NO defending within the hold (unlike Civilian hold patterns). I hope that is clear.

Ensure you make a note of these 3 things BEFORE launch:
- TACAN Channel - tt
- ICLS Channel - ii
- Ships Speed - Useful for working out hold timing...
- Base Recovery Course(BRC) - Ships movement (Not the FAH = Final Approach Heading)

Here is the setup and procedure:

CASE 3 SETUP:

Underlined items are boxed on DDI
I will number to DDI buttons as follow:
- Top from left = T1 to T5
- Left from top = L1 to L5
- Bottom from Left = B1 to B5
- Right from Top = R1 to R5
Same for the UFC:
- UFC from Top = U1 to U5
And for the IFEI:
- IFEI from Top - I1 to I5

EDIT: See the new CASE 3 Comms in the Post below (Linked)

Contact “Mother”:
1. Be ready to write down:

• Final Bearing (FBrg) -
• QFF -
• Radial -
• Range -
• Altitude -
• Expected Approach Time (EAT) -

2. Comms ... ... ... ... ... Kbd “/“ / ATC...(F?) / Carrier...(F?) / Inbound...(F1)

Stabilise aircraft in the hold:
1. Descend (or climb) to the given Height
2. Fly to the given Radial a few miles further out from the given Range to allow a short straight portion before hitting the range to turn outbound...
- See this post to adjust your flight in the hold...
3. UFC ... ... ... ... ... ... Select A/F button / :BALT(U3) when on height
4. Hook .. ... ... ... ... ... Down

Setup Displays:
1. R/DDI ... ... ... ... ... Select Menu(B3) / Supt(B3) / HSI(L4)
2. AMPCD ... ... ... ... Select Menu(B3) / Supt(B3) / CKLlST(R1)
3. L/DDI ... ... ... ... ... Select Menu(B3) / HUD(L3)
4. Time on HUD ... ... R/DDI - Select TIMEUFC(B4) / UFC - Select :ZTOD(U4)

Setup Altitude Indicators:
1. L/DDI ... ... ... ... ... ... Select DATA(T5) / A/C(T1)
2. Set soft BAlt... ... ... ... L/DDI - Select BARO(B1) / UFC buttons - CLR / Hold Height - 500 ft / ENT
3. Set soft RadAlt ... ... ... L/DDI Select RADAR(B2) / UFC buttons - CLR / 5000 (Platform) / ENT
4. RAlt ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Set 1100 ft (Knob on RadAlt itself)

Switch on nav aids:
- TACAN:
1. UFC ... ... ... ... ... ... Select buttons - TCN / ON / CLR / tt / ENT / :X(U4) (tt = TACAN Channel of Carrier)
2. R/DDI ... ... ... ... ... Select TACAN(L1)
3. Set CRS to carrier ... Select any CRS(switch) - 1 sec
4. UFC ... ... ... ... ... ... Select buttons - CLR / hdg / ENT (Hdg = Opposite of the Radial / or the Radial but the arrow will point away from the carrier)
- ICLS :
1. UFC ... ... ... ... ... ... Select buttons - ILS / ON / CLR / ii / ENT (ii = ICLS Channel of Carrier)
2. R/DDI ... ... ... ... ... Select ILS(L2)

Setup Altitude Source:
1. HUD Control ... ... ... ... Select RAlt(switch) - Flashing “B” beside Alt as A/P is set to BAlt Hold

Set Bingo Fuel:
1. IFEI ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Press and hold up arrow(I3) to set 3000 lbs

Points to Note:
R/DDI shows:

• CRS arrow displays Inbound Track
• Ground Speed to right of Aircraft Symbol
• Off Track distance from CRS line bottom right
• Range to “Mother” in HUD

CASE 3 PROCEDURE:
A. Call Marshal - Contact “Mother” - Inbound...(F1)
B. Setup and hold as directed at 300kts G/S (use manual throttle to allow for wind).
C. Call Established Contact “Mother” - Established...(F2)
D. Adjust hold to arrive at Descent Point on time. Range = Hold Height + 15nm (10,000ft = 25nm)
- HUD - fly towards CRS Arrow to centre over Velocity Vector, Time bottom left
- HSI - Aircraft on CRS line, GS to right of Aircraft
E. At Descent Point AND On Time Contact “Mother” - Commencing...(F3)
F. Leave hold and head inbound:
- UFC - BAlt(U3) hold OFF - R beside Altitude on HUD
- Power to approx Idle for 250 kts
- Attitude for 4,000ft Rate of Decent, approx 8 degs nose down
G. Switch to Approach - Contact “Mother” - Check In...(F2)
H. At 5000 ft reduce descent rate:
- Attitude for 2,000ft Rate of Decent, approx 4 degs nose down
- Add Power to maintain 250 kts
I. Contact “Mother” - Platform...(F3)
J. Select Auto Throttles (ATC) to maintain 250kts
K. If required:

• At 15nm turn abeam towards Final Bearing (FBrg) (as given)
• Set CRS for FBrg (as given)
• Anticipate and turn onto FBrg
  • HUD - CRS arrow into centre of Velocity Vector
  • HSI - Aircraft on CRS line
  • HUD - Localiser (vertical line) alive = “Bullseye” (visible in HUD) and displays right of current track

L. Level at 1200 ft by 10nm
M. At 8nm Before Landing Checks:
- Hook ... ... ... ... Check DOWN
- Gear ... ... ... ... DOWN
- Flaps ... ... ... ... FULL
- Decelerate ... ... To On Speed AOA
N. Fly towards localiser and centre in Velocity Vector
O. Await Glide-slope alive (6nm):
- HUD - Glide-slope (horizontal line) appears
P. Contact “Mother” - Say Needles
Q. Stay level until Glide-slope Beam lowers onto Velocity Vector
R. Begin descent by reducing power for -700 rpm approx maintaining on speed AOA.
S. Roll to keep Localiser needle centred (about 3 degs right of FBrg) - Power to keep Glide-slope centred (Approx -700 rpm).
T. At 3/4 nm see the “Meatball” on the left of the deck.
U. Contact “Mother” - “MODEX, Hornet, Ball, Fuel State”
V. Maintain the approach - Ball centred, Vector in knotch, Hold it and land.
W. Full power until retarded.
X. Power to Idle, Brakes OFF, Roll Back, Hook UP, Nose Wheel Steering High (NWI HI), Taxi Off to right.

Edit: This page has been significantly revised.

[VBF-12 ForkTailedDevil]

I'm glad you posted that otherwise I wouldn't have known. I flew my first case III pattern the day after you showed me the ropes. I recorded it and sent it to my T-45 buddy he had a few tips, but said it was pretty good. Interesting he has only ever flown one once in a sim. I asked him what the technical differences were between Redcrown-strike and marhsall. He said he didn't know and only memorized the comms for the sim flight, haha.

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Great to have someone learning at the same time.

Paddles
“Paddles” is the LSO transmitting on the ship’s Tower frequency. Normally 124.75 I seem to remember as a standard. It covers the 5nm radius of the Carrier Control Zone (CCZ). It is also the frequency you would get a talk down from in the case of a talk down.
Mode 3 = Talk Down = No ICLS needles
Mode 2 = ICLS = Follow the needles
Mode 1 = ASR (auto land) = the aircraft follows the needles for us.

Homer
“Homer” I seem to remember was the Carrier Tower Callsign. In a US Carrier this is the AIR BOSS !!!! In a UK Carrier it is likely to be a Leading Seaman !!!! The AIR BOSS controls the Carrier Control Zone (CCZ) = 5nm radius to 2,500ft

Marshal
“Marshal” is the Approach and Initial Contact Frequency (ICF). Marshal covers the Carrier Control Area (CCA) = Surface to infinity out to 50nm, not including the CCZ.

Magic
“Red Crown” is manned in the AWACS and is the mission safety agency. I seem to remember that this was also callsign “Magic”. When leaving the carrier you check in with “Red Crown” and get a Safety service from them. They will monitor you and you should pass them regular Operations Normal calls. They will also activate overdue action if you fail to check in regularly. They are up high and can be up threat to give the required co ma range that the carrier can’t.

Red Rat
“Red Rat #” would be a fighter controller (Freddie) on the AWACS who would identify the enemy aircraft at range and guide you into an enemy so you can lock you radar and carry on the intercept.

Strike
“Strike” is also in the AWACS and is your authority when “Fencing In” (crossing the forward edge of the battle area (FEBA)) and who you report you mission success and Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to.

Operations Call
Operations Normal calls are usually made every 20 mins to “Magic”. They are:

• Magic, A/C Callsign
• Operations Normal
• Bullseye, Brg for Rng

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Try these flash cards for carrier ops knowledge:

www.flashcardmachine.com/navair-80t-105glossary.html

[VBF-12 Gosling]

With the introduction of improved CASE 3 Recovery comms soon, the above procedures have been heavily edited.



Also, I have had a couple of Questions about the way the CASE 3 works for multiple aircraft.

Basically, we will all be split up into singletons each with our own:

• Hold height for separation in IMC
• Range to allow for increased descent
• Expected Approach Time (EAT)

As discussed before the Hold Range is 15 added to the Hold Height (in thousands):

• EG. Hold Height = 8,000 ft, So Hold Range = 8 + 15 = 23 nm

Hold hights start at 6,000 ft

Each Pilot goes from his stack Height and his Range at his EAT - So we DO NOT descend in the stack like civilians stacks.

Hope that is clear.