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Intro Flight

2026-02-18T20:22:48Z

Bankler: /* Post-flight */

''[[Home]] >> [[Intro Flight Syllabi]] >> [[Intro Flight]]''

This text is for F/A-18C, F-16C and F-14B. 

For A-10C, Viggen and UH-1 use:
:- [[Intro Flight for Viggen]]
:- [[Intro Flight for Huey]]
:- [[Intro Flight for A-10C]]

The intro flight is a newcomer's first familiarization flight. Its purpose is mainly to make sure all technical things work, make the newcomer feel welcome, go through some radio stuff and have some fun. It's not that important to learn any particular skills during the flight. That can come later.
This article describes the content of the sortie. A newcomer is welcome to practice any moments before, but there is no requirement nor expectation to do so.

However, all newcomers are expected to have gone through the [[Technical Checklist]] carefully, before the flight. This step is important. You're more than welcome to ask for help if you have any issues following the guide, but please don't ignore any of the mandatory steps.

''The intro flight is designed with the F/A-18C Hornet in mind. But it's entirely possible, and encouraged, that the newcomer flies the sortie in his/her main aircraft of choice. The content might vary slightly depending on the aircraft type.''

==Brief description of the sortie==
[[Fil:IntroFlight.png|400px|thumb|Overview]]
===Pre-flight===
* Meet up on Discord
* Make sure Discord and SRS works, including all three PTT buttons
* The 1 minute version of what MA is and what we do
** Clarify radio rules on training server
* Briefing. Quickly go over what we will do in the flight and look at the map. [https://is.gd/fighterbrief_1kjwsqyp FighterBrief] [[Media:MA_Introflight_F-16_2023.zip.acmi|TacView example]]

===Flight===

# Disable Labels
# Startup
## Loadout: XT x 2, AIM-120C x 2, MK83 x 2, AIM-9X x 2
## Tower channel check-in (Report “2!”)
## Jet select
## Joker/Bingo setting
## Setup bombs (Nose, Inst, QTY: 2)
## Configure transponder
## Set QNH
# Formation takeoff
# Tac channel check-in (Report “2!”)
# Fence in at WP2 (Report “2, fenced in, [fuelstate]!”)
# Learn raygun and buddyspike calls (“Raygun, angels 12!”, “Buddyspike, angels 12!”)
# Engage enemy aircraft at WP3 (Report “Fox 3! Splash 1!”)
# Drop bombs on target at WP4 (Report “2, Winchester air-to-ground!”)
# Fence out (Report “2, fenced out, [fuelstate]!”)
# Go through on-speed flying
# Tower channel check-in (Report “2!”)
# Straight-in (or overhead break at 1500’) and land

===Post-flight===

* Short debriefing, going through what we just did and how it went. Some pointers on how to continue.

New Member Guide

2025-12-31T11:29:34Z

Bankler: /* Which aircraft should I get? */

''[[Home]] >> [[New Member Guide]]''

'''This section is intended to help a new member understanding what Master Arms is and what can be expected from us, and what we expect from you.'''

==Overview==

===What is Master Arms and how can I join?===

Master Arms is a Swedish community for DCS enthusiasts. We have the ambition to fly in a serious manner, with realistic procedures, without ever losing sight of the importance of having fun together. Most of Master Arms' members are Swedish, but we regularly have foreign people joining us on missions as guests to established members. Briefings are typically in Swedish. In the sim, we use SRS (a radio simulation program) to simulate comms between flights and agencies like AWACS and tower. All these comms are in English.

If you are interested in flying with us, the first step is to join our [https://discord.gg/hw3Aat4 Discord] and say hello in the #introductions channel. Please note that we remove all non-members from the Discord server every now and then, which means you will eventually be kicked out if you don't write in the #introductions channel.

* Join [https://discord.gg/hw3Aat4 Discord] and write a short presentation of yourself in the channel called #membership
* Register an account on the [http://masterarms.se/register/ website]

Most of us are around 25-45 years old. But it doesn't matter if you are younger (within reason) or older. You can be a beginner or an experienced DCS pilot. As long you share our passion for serious flying, you have a willingness to learn, and you are socially compatible with us, you're welcome!
For the sake of internet safety, members under 16 need a parent's consent to join. Parents will get a phone number so they can reach a non-anonymous contact if any questions arise.

====What do I need?====
* A PC powerful enough to run DCS relatively smoothly in multiplayer.
* Some kind of HOTAS, or at the very least a joystick with a built-in analog throttle.
* Some kind of head tracking. It can be TrackIR or similar (TrackHat, DelanClip, Monkey King Puck, TrackHat etc), a VR headset, or even a webcam based solution.
* A headset/microphone.
* A humble attitude and willingness to learn.

====I don't know Swedish, can I still join?====
The short answer is no. You will not be able to join the standard way (with almost zero prerequisites, enjoying our mentorship programs and so on). However, there is one way you can join our events, and that is by a) already be skilled in your aircraft of choice (we will not teach you to fly), and b) have an existing Swedish-speaking community member vouching for you, and accepting you into his/her flight helping you out, with them being the flight lead.

==The Journey==

===Standalone or Steam?===

We generally recommend using the Standalone version. Even many of our users who use Steam for all other games, tend to use the Standalone version for DCS. The benefits are small but significant. Standalone lets you select any version/patch of the game you want, instead of being limited to the latest builds. Also, discounts and new releases tend to arrive to Standalone before they're available on Steam. Even if it's generally just a day or two, it can be frustrating to wait while everyone else is having fun on a newly released map or trying out a new aircraft. Finally, when you buy games through Steam, 30% goes to Valve's cut. This is money that could have gone to the DCS developers Eagle Dynamics, who surely need them more. Help out and keep our hobby going!
If you already have invested in aircraft on Steam, but now want to use Standalone instead, you can [https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/steam/ transfer them to your Standalone account] (not the other way around though).

===Get a full fidelity DCS aircraft===

====What aircraft are you guys flying?====

We don't strictly require you to fly a certain type of aircraft. But the way it works is that when we are running missions, there are a number of ''slots'' available for members to join the event. These slots have different aircraft types. In other words, in a particular mission, there might be 12 Hornet slots and 4 Viper slots, but no M-2000 slots. The event organizer decides this.
In general, the most popular aircraft types in Master Arms will give you the smoothest ride, as you can get a lot of help, and there are always slots available for them in missions.

In an ''approximate'' order of popularity (it varies quite a bit though), these are the aircraft commonly flown in Master Arms missions:

# F/A-18C Hornet
# F-16C Viper
# AJS 37 Viggen
# A-10C Warthog ''(the new version)''
# AH-64D Apache
# F-14B Tomcat
# OH-58D Kiowa
# F-15E Strike Eagle
# UH-1H Huey

Regardless which aircraft you pick, we recommend you to initially stick with one. It's better to master one type than to dabble with four.

====Which aircraft should I get?====

Here follows a brief summary of what to expect from the different types:

* F/A-18C Hornet - This is a very versatile multirole fighter. It can do almost everything reasonably well. It has a large array of available air-to-ground weapons and is a solid air-to-air fighter in both the visual and beyond-visual-range arena. Most notably, it flies off the carrier. Carrier ops is quite challenging, but also very fun, and something we do a lot in Master Arms! If you have no idea which aircraft to choose, and you're okay with a modern fighter with quite a bit of "pressing computer buttons" this is probably the safest bet. Also, you will need the Supercarrier module since we fly these birds off the boat. ED sometimes have bundle deals though.
* F-16C Viper - Shares more or less the same mission set as the Hornet. If you want a multirole fighter, but you are not interested in landing on a boat, the Viper might be worth considering! Be prepared that the F-16 is in early access. The air-to-air parts work quite well, and the air-to-ground part is starting to look really nice, but it's not as mature in development as the Hornet. This is the best choice if you want a multirole fighter but carrier ops isn't your cup of tea.
* AJS 37 Viggen - This is one of our favorite jets. Partly because it's a Swedish design, but also since we have devs in the group, and it's a joy to fly! Be advised though that it's a niche aircraft. It's designed to fly low and fast, attack a ground/sea target and fly home. It's not a dogfighter, and it misses some of the systems that can be found in more modern jets, like datalink and aerial refueling capability.
* A-10C Warthog - This is a pure close-air-support aircraft. It's very complete in terms of systems implementation. If you are okay with a very slow aircraft and quite a bit of button pressing, this is a beautiful aircraft if you like carrying a virtually unlimited air-to-ground loadout and hunting tanks. Be sure to get the newest version of it (i.e the "A-10C II Tank Killer" module), rather than the A-10C or A-10A modules.
* F-14B Tomcat - The Top Gun icon! This is a much older aircraft than the Hornet and the Viper and requires more of the pilot in terms of flying the thing. There's no fly-by-wire helping you here, and the HUD is very minimalistic. Most importantly, it's a two-man crew aircraft. While it's possible to fly it alone using an AI RIO, it's just not the same thing as flying together with another human crewman. In general, it's much harder to become proficient in this aircraft than the single-seat jets, as it requires you to schedule your flying with a partner. On the other hand, it will be a very rewarding experience if you make it happen! The F-14 does air-to-air extremely well and is quite capable in the air-to-ground role. It also flies off the carrier, which adds to the fun! You will need the Supercarrier as well.
* AH-64D Apache - Doesn't get much more brutal than an Apache gunship. Just like with the Tomcat, it really shines when you are a two-man crew. Also be prepared that the AH-64D is in early development. Some parts work quite well, but it's not complete. Helicopters are sometimes included in our missions, but not always. Some of our pilots learn a jet as well, in order to be able to always participate.
* OH-58D Kiowa - Our light scout helicopter pilots are few but very dedicated! This is a great helicopter with a fun mix of analog old-school tech and advanced sensors. With multicrew and lots of ways to integrate with other flying assets, this is a nice one.
* UH-1H Huey - One of our favorite helicopters! If rotary wing is your thing, and you don't necessarily need to shoot missiles and bomb stuff, look no further than the Huey. It's an incredibly well simulated helicopter that have received praise from real-world pilots for its accuracy to the real thing. Just like with the Apache, it's worth mentioning that helicopters are not always included in our missions.
* L-39C Albatross - This aircraft doesn't get featured in missions that often, but deserves mentioning as it's a beatifuly simulated aircraft, and has a quite a few hard core fans in Master Arms using it during training flights and flying aerobatics in formation. The fact that this is one of the few jets that is somewhat reasonable to get to fly in real life, makes it quite interesting!
* F-5E - Just like with the Albatross, this is not an aircraft commonly seen in missions. But if you want a bare bones old school aircraft for training basic aviation, but also want some thrust when you need it, the F-5E is the perfect choice!

====What terrains should I get?====

* We recommend buying the Syria and the Persian Gulf maps. Quite a few of our missions are flown on those, especially Syria right now. You don't need any other terrain (except Caucasus, which is free and included in the base game).

====What about the Supercarrier?====

* Yes. If you plan to fly Hornet or Tomcat, you will need the Supercarrier. It's unfortunately not in a very good state at this point. But the fact that it lets us spawn lots of aircraft on the deck saves a lot of time, making it worth it.

===Pick a pilot callsign===

* If you have callsign/nickname from before, you can most likely go ahead and use it. See exceptions below!
* If you don't have a callsign, you can make one up, or even better, just use your first name for now and let us know that you would like to receive suggestions on callsigns. We would LOVE to help you out, coming up with a cool and fun callsign after you have started flying with us. Probably based on some shenanigans in your flying. Unlike the real military, in Master Arms you can always refuse these suggestions if you don't like them, and ask for another one. In the end, you are free to be called whatever you want. It's up to you to decide.
* Callsigns that you should avoid include:
** A callsign already used by a Master Arms member (at least core members, i.e the people who are actively flying). Just look in the Discord member list.
** A callsign from the Top Gun movie (Maverick, Goose, Ice Man, Slider, Cougar, Merlin, Viper, Jester).
** A callsign that is excessively cool/badass sounding. Don't be Demon, Hell Fury, Killer, Predator etc. It easily gets a little silly. Feel free to ask us if you are uncertain.
** A callsign that is very offensive or political.

===Getting setup===

* Contact us by signing up on the forum and joining the Discord, like described above.
* Then make sure all the necessary software (DCS, SRS and Discord) is installed and configured. Follow the guide called [[Technical_Checklist]]. Please, follow this guide carefully, and don't skip any steps, as that will take unecessary time from other people when it's time to fly.
* Ask us on Discord for advice on how to setup your joystick and throttle bindings.

===Schedule an intro flight===

* Your first flight with Master Arms will be with one other member (one of our IPs or "instructor pilots", which is nothing more fancy than a senior member that likes to help people out) that will welcome you aboard and help you out getting started. During the flight, he will make sure you get to learn the basics of how we fly in the community, and make sure your tech stuff (like SRS) is working as intended.
* To schedule an intro flight, you should contact Bankler on Discord.

===Start practicing===

* After your intro flight, your IP might have given you some pointers or advice on what to start looking into. In general, the things that most new-comers need to practice are landing patterns (like the overhead break, and/or CASE 1 recovery if you're flying a Navy jet), formation flying and aerial refueling.
* If you're unsure about what to practice, you can take a look in the [[Aircraft Syllabi]] section.
* You are free to use the Master Arms training server, which is online 24/7.
* Also feel free to ask people to join you in your training sessions and help you out or just provide some company. Many times, people are more than happy to join you if just advertise you're in.
* Every Tuesday, we are hosting training events that you can sign up for. Sometimes it's just an open airfield with a manned tower and you can practice whatever you want. Sometimes there's a certain theme for the evening, like overhead breaks or formation flying. These events are posted on the [http://masterarms.se/events/ website]. To sign-up, you need to be logged in, and specify what aircraft you plan to fly in the form.

===Participate in missions===

* When you feel reasonably comfortable in your jet, you are free to sign up for Thursday missions (same signup process as Tuesday trainings).
* How long you should wait before joining missions is up to you. Some new-comers are ready right away! Others feel they new a couple of weeks of practice before they are ready.
* Don't be too hard on yourself here. You don't need to be an expert by any means to participate. It's not uncommon that new-comers feel anxious and wait too long. Don't be shy! We will be patient with you and understand that lots of stuff will be new.
* The things we EXPECT from you at this point is that:
** You can take off and land in the intended way for the jet you're flying. For instance, being on-speed with the Hornet, or using flare and aerodynamical braking for the Viper.
** Using the aircraft systems to navigate, finding your way to waypoints and back to base.
** Basic knowledge of the aircraft's most commonly used air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.
** The most basic [[Comms]], like checking in to a channel.

New Member Guide

2025-12-31T11:22:51Z

Bankler: /* What aircraft are you guys flying? */

''[[Home]] >> [[New Member Guide]]''

'''This section is intended to help a new member understanding what Master Arms is and what can be expected from us, and what we expect from you.'''

==Overview==

===What is Master Arms and how can I join?===

Master Arms is a Swedish community for DCS enthusiasts. We have the ambition to fly in a serious manner, with realistic procedures, without ever losing sight of the importance of having fun together. Most of Master Arms' members are Swedish, but we regularly have foreign people joining us on missions as guests to established members. Briefings are typically in Swedish. In the sim, we use SRS (a radio simulation program) to simulate comms between flights and agencies like AWACS and tower. All these comms are in English.

If you are interested in flying with us, the first step is to join our [https://discord.gg/hw3Aat4 Discord] and say hello in the #introductions channel. Please note that we remove all non-members from the Discord server every now and then, which means you will eventually be kicked out if you don't write in the #introductions channel.

* Join [https://discord.gg/hw3Aat4 Discord] and write a short presentation of yourself in the channel called #membership
* Register an account on the [http://masterarms.se/register/ website]

Most of us are around 25-45 years old. But it doesn't matter if you are younger (within reason) or older. You can be a beginner or an experienced DCS pilot. As long you share our passion for serious flying, you have a willingness to learn, and you are socially compatible with us, you're welcome!
For the sake of internet safety, members under 16 need a parent's consent to join. Parents will get a phone number so they can reach a non-anonymous contact if any questions arise.

====What do I need?====
* A PC powerful enough to run DCS relatively smoothly in multiplayer.
* Some kind of HOTAS, or at the very least a joystick with a built-in analog throttle.
* Some kind of head tracking. It can be TrackIR or similar (TrackHat, DelanClip, Monkey King Puck, TrackHat etc), a VR headset, or even a webcam based solution.
* A headset/microphone.
* A humble attitude and willingness to learn.

====I don't know Swedish, can I still join?====
The short answer is no. You will not be able to join the standard way (with almost zero prerequisites, enjoying our mentorship programs and so on). However, there is one way you can join our events, and that is by a) already be skilled in your aircraft of choice (we will not teach you to fly), and b) have an existing Swedish-speaking community member vouching for you, and accepting you into his/her flight helping you out, with them being the flight lead.

==The Journey==

===Standalone or Steam?===

We generally recommend using the Standalone version. Even many of our users who use Steam for all other games, tend to use the Standalone version for DCS. The benefits are small but significant. Standalone lets you select any version/patch of the game you want, instead of being limited to the latest builds. Also, discounts and new releases tend to arrive to Standalone before they're available on Steam. Even if it's generally just a day or two, it can be frustrating to wait while everyone else is having fun on a newly released map or trying out a new aircraft. Finally, when you buy games through Steam, 30% goes to Valve's cut. This is money that could have gone to the DCS developers Eagle Dynamics, who surely need them more. Help out and keep our hobby going!
If you already have invested in aircraft on Steam, but now want to use Standalone instead, you can [https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/steam/ transfer them to your Standalone account] (not the other way around though).

===Get a full fidelity DCS aircraft===

====What aircraft are you guys flying?====

We don't strictly require you to fly a certain type of aircraft. But the way it works is that when we are running missions, there are a number of ''slots'' available for members to join the event. These slots have different aircraft types. In other words, in a particular mission, there might be 12 Hornet slots and 4 Viper slots, but no M-2000 slots. The event organizer decides this.
In general, the most popular aircraft types in Master Arms will give you the smoothest ride, as you can get a lot of help, and there are always slots available for them in missions.

In an ''approximate'' order of popularity (it varies quite a bit though), these are the aircraft commonly flown in Master Arms missions:

# F/A-18C Hornet
# F-16C Viper
# AJS 37 Viggen
# A-10C Warthog ''(the new version)''
# AH-64D Apache
# F-14B Tomcat
# OH-58D Kiowa
# F-15E Strike Eagle
# UH-1H Huey

Regardless which aircraft you pick, we recommend you to initially stick with one. It's better to master one type than to dabble with four.

====Which aircraft should I get?====

Here follows a brief summary of what to expect from the different types:

* F/A-18C Hornet - This is a very versatile multirole fighter. It can do almost everything reasonably well. It has a large array of available air-to-ground weapons and is a solid air-to-air fighter in both the visual and beyond-visual-range arena. Most notably, it flies off the carrier. Carrier ops is quite challenging, but also very fun, and something we do a lot in Master Arms! If you have no idea which aircraft to choose, and you're okay with a modern fighter with quite a bit of "pressing computer buttons" this is probably the safest bet. It's in early access, but at least near-complete. Also, you will need the Supercarrier module since we fly these birds off the boat. ED sometimes have bundle deals though.
* F-16C Viper - Shares more or less the same mission set as the Hornet. If you want a multirole fighter, but you are not interested in landing on a boat, the Viper might be worth considering! Be prepared that the F-16 is in early access. The air-to-air parts work quite well, and the air-to-ground part is starting to look really nice, but it's not as mature in development as the Hornet. This is the best choice if you want a multirole fighter but carrier ops isn't your cup of tea.
* AJS 37 Viggen - This is one of our favorite jets. Partly because it's a Swedish design, but also since we have devs in the group, and it's a joy to fly! Be advised though that it's a niche aircraft. It's designed to fly low and fast, attack a ground/sea target and fly home. It's not a dogfighter, and it misses some of the systems that can be found in more modern jets, like datalink and aerial refueling capability.
* A-10C Warthog - This is a pure close-air-support aircraft. It's very complete in terms of systems implementaton. If you are okay with a very slow aircraft and quite a bit of button pressing, this is a beautiful aircraft if you like carrying a virtually unlimited air-to-ground loadout and hunting tanks. Be sure to get the newest version of it (i.e the "A-10C II Tank Killer" module), rather than the A-10C or A-10A modules.
* F-14B Tomcat - The Top Gun icon! This is a much older aircraft than the Hornet and the Viper and requires more of the pilot in terms of flying the thing. There's no fly-by-wire helping you here, and the HUD is very minimalistic. Most importantly, it's a two-man crew aircraft. While it's possible to fly it alone using an AI RIO, it's just not the same thing as flying together with another human crewman. In general, it's much harder to become proficient in this aircraft than the single-seat jets, as it requires you to schedule your flying with a partner. On the other hand, it will be a very rewarding experience if you make it happen! The F-14 does air-to-air extremely well and is quite capable in the air-to-ground role. It also flies off the carrier, which adds to the fun! You will need the Supercarrier as well.
* AH-64D Apache - Doesn't get much more brutal than an Apache gunship. Just like with the Tomcat, it really shines when you are a two-man crew. Also be prepared that the AH-64D is in early development. Some parts work quite well, but it's still limited in many systems. Helicopters are sometimes included in our missions, but not always. Some of our pilots learn a jet as well, in order to be able to always participate.
* UH-1H Huey - Our favorite helicopter! If rotary wing is your thing, and you don't necessarily need to shoot missiles and bomb stuff, look no further than the Huey. It's an incredibly well simulated helicopter that have received praise from real-world pilots for its accuracy to the real thing. Just like with the Apache, it's worth mentioning that helicopters are not always included in our missions.
* L-39C Albatross - This aircraft doesn't get featured in missions that often, but deserves mentioning as it's a beatifully simulated aircraft, and has a quite a few hard core fans in Master Arms using it during training flights and flying aerobatics in formation. The fact that this is one of the few jets that is somewhat reasonable to get to fly in real life, makes it quite interesting!
* F-5E - Just like with the Albatross, this is not an aircraft commonly seen in missions. But if you want a bare bones old school aircraft for training basic aviation, but also want som thrust when you need it, the F-5 is the perfect choice!

====What terrains should I get?====

* We recommend buying the Syria and the Persian Gulf maps. Quite a few of our missions are flown on those, especially Syria right now. You don't need any other terrain (except Caucasus, which is free and included in the base game).

====What about the Supercarrier?====

* Yes. If you plan to fly Hornet or Tomcat, you will need the Supercarrier. It's unfortunately not in a very good state at this point. But the fact that it lets us spawn lots of aircraft on the deck saves a lot of time, making it worth it.

===Pick a pilot callsign===

* If you have callsign/nickname from before, you can most likely go ahead and use it. See exceptions below!
* If you don't have a callsign, you can make one up, or even better, just use your first name for now and let us know that you would like to receive suggestions on callsigns. We would LOVE to help you out, coming up with a cool and fun callsign after you have started flying with us. Probably based on some shenanigans in your flying. Unlike the real military, in Master Arms you can always refuse these suggestions if you don't like them, and ask for another one. In the end, you are free to be called whatever you want. It's up to you to decide.
* Callsigns that you should avoid include:
** A callsign already used by a Master Arms member (at least core members, i.e the people who are actively flying). Just look in the Discord member list.
** A callsign from the Top Gun movie (Maverick, Goose, Ice Man, Slider, Cougar, Merlin, Viper, Jester).
** A callsign that is excessively cool/badass sounding. Don't be Demon, Hell Fury, Killer, Predator etc. It easily gets a little silly. Feel free to ask us if you are uncertain.
** A callsign that is very offensive or political.

===Getting setup===

* Contact us by signing up on the forum and joining the Discord, like described above.
* Then make sure all the necessary software (DCS, SRS and Discord) is installed and configured. Follow the guide called [[Technical_Checklist]]. Please, follow this guide carefully, and don't skip any steps, as that will take unecessary time from other people when it's time to fly.
* Ask us on Discord for advice on how to setup your joystick and throttle bindings.

===Schedule an intro flight===

* Your first flight with Master Arms will be with one other member (one of our IPs or "instructor pilots", which is nothing more fancy than a senior member that likes to help people out) that will welcome you aboard and help you out getting started. During the flight, he will make sure you get to learn the basics of how we fly in the community, and make sure your tech stuff (like SRS) is working as intended.
* To schedule an intro flight, you should contact Bankler on Discord.

===Start practicing===

* After your intro flight, your IP might have given you some pointers or advice on what to start looking into. In general, the things that most new-comers need to practice are landing patterns (like the overhead break, and/or CASE 1 recovery if you're flying a Navy jet), formation flying and aerial refueling.
* If you're unsure about what to practice, you can take a look in the [[Aircraft Syllabi]] section.
* You are free to use the Master Arms training server, which is online 24/7.
* Also feel free to ask people to join you in your training sessions and help you out or just provide some company. Many times, people are more than happy to join you if just advertise you're in.
* Every Tuesday, we are hosting training events that you can sign up for. Sometimes it's just an open airfield with a manned tower and you can practice whatever you want. Sometimes there's a certain theme for the evening, like overhead breaks or formation flying. These events are posted on the [http://masterarms.se/events/ website]. To sign-up, you need to be logged in, and specify what aircraft you plan to fly in the form.

===Participate in missions===

* When you feel reasonably comfortable in your jet, you are free to sign up for Thursday missions (same signup process as Tuesday trainings).
* How long you should wait before joining missions is up to you. Some new-comers are ready right away! Others feel they new a couple of weeks of practice before they are ready.
* Don't be too hard on yourself here. You don't need to be an expert by any means to participate. It's not uncommon that new-comers feel anxious and wait too long. Don't be shy! We will be patient with you and understand that lots of stuff will be new.
* The things we EXPECT from you at this point is that:
** You can take off and land in the intended way for the jet you're flying. For instance, being on-speed with the Hornet, or using flare and aerodynamical braking for the Viper.
** Using the aircraft systems to navigate, finding your way to waypoints and back to base.
** Basic knowledge of the aircraft's most commonly used air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.
** The most basic [[Comms]], like checking in to a channel.

Fil:Flights THT.png

2025-12-14T10:46:49Z

Bankler: Bankler laddade upp en ny version av Fil:Flights THT.png

Fil:Flights kb.png

2025-12-14T09:23:56Z

Bankler: Bankler laddade upp en ny version av Fil:Flights kb.png

Technical Checklist

2025-12-07T22:57:47Z

Bankler: /* Optional, highly recommended steps */

''[[Home]] >> [[Technical Guides]] >> [[Technical Checklist]]''

This page explains the steps you need to take to prepare your computer for DCS flying with Master Arms.

==Mandatory Steps==

===Download the correct DCS client===

Install DCS on a SSD. Running DCS on a mechanical HDD is not a good experience. We are using the latest DCS client.

If you don't have DCS installed:

'''Get DCS here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/'''

===Configure DCS===

* Set Options / Gameplay / Easy Communication to OFF.
* Set Options / Gameplay / Wake Turbulence to OFF.
* Set Options / Gameplay / Labels to "NONE" (or press RShift + F10 in the game to toggle labels off). Alternatively, set labels "NEUTRAL DOT" if your hardware makes it very hard to see other aircraft.
* Set Options / Misc / Battle Damage Assessment to OFF.
* Set Options / Special / DCS-SRS / Show DCS Overlay by Default to OFF (or press LCtrl + LShift + ESC in the game to toggle SRS overlay off).

===Download and configure Discord===

The daily chatter, much of the mission planning and such happens on our Discord server. Please join and start interacting with the community.

'''Get Discord here: https://discordapp.com/download'''

#Connect to our server at: https://discord.gg/hw3Aat4
#Say hello and present yourself in the #introductions channel
#PTT (Push to talk) is required in most channels
#Under Settings/Notifications, un-tick the PTT Activate and PTT Deactivate sounds (for your own sanity's sake)

===Download and configure SRS===

SRS is an external software used for comms when flying, simulation radio communications more realistically.

* Get SRS here: http://dcssimpleradio.com/
* Go through the [[SRS Setup Guide]]

==Optional, highly recommended steps==

===Download Tacview===

Tacview is an amazing, free software that let's you look through flights after you exit the mission. It's very useful for analyzing mistakes and learn from them.

'''Get TacView here: https://www.tacview.net/download/latest/en/'''

Technical Checklist

2025-10-20T19:12:04Z

Bankler: /* Configure DCS */

Mission Design Guide

2025-09-28T15:02:11Z

2025-05-02T14:32:06Z

Bankler:

Tactical Tacview Library

2025-05-02T14:31:44Z

Bankler:

Fil:AG BombRoll-In 1-ship.acmi

2025-05-02T14:24:11Z

Bankler:

CASE 3

2025-04-06T21:06:48Z

Bankler: /* Commencing */

''[[Home]] >> [[Standard Operating Procedures]] >> [[Carrier Ops]] >> [[CASE 3]]''

This section holds all CASE 3 procedures that are relevant for our use in DCS.

Main Sources: https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/local/docs/pat-pubs/P-816.pdf and replies from GB.

===What is CASE 3?===
The short answer is that CASE 3 is flown during night, or during the day if the weather is really bad. For a more technically correct definition: ''CASE III departures are flown at night and when weather conditions are IMC (WX below 1000-5), and a controlled climb is required. CASE III recoveries are used for all night operations, as well as during the day when the weather is below Case II minimums (less than 1,000-3).''

===Departure===
[[Fil:CASE3_Departure.png|400px|thumb|CASE 3 Departure]]
''During briefing you should have received a departure radial and altitude. In this example, the boat's course (BRC) is 000, the departure radial is 120, and your flight's departure altitude is 20000'.''

====Launching====
* We normally don't use a separate departure channel, but remain on the tower channel (Ch 1 305.00) during departure.
* Before taxiing, turn on full position lights and formation light, but set the Master Exterior Lights Switch to OFF, so that the aircraft is dark.
* Line up and hook up on the catapult.
* Spread wings. For Hornets, check half flaps and trim to 16 degrees or more depending on weight.
* Just before takeoff, when calling "salute", set the Master Exterior Lights Switch to ON.
* Launch with mil power or afterburner as preferred, with 30 second intervals between each aircraft.
* Call out when airborne. Example: ''"Departure, 400, airborne"''.

====Climbing====
* Set throttle to mil power and immediately start climbing straight ahead, using pitch control to maintain 300 kts IAS. Even though "straight ahead" and BRC isn't strictly the same thing, a common technique is to set the course line to the BRC for reference.
* When passing 2500' call it out. Example: ''"Departure, 400 passing 2.5"''.
* When reaching 7 DME, call out that you're arcing. Example: ''"Departure, 400 arcing"''.
* Turn into the 10 nm radius circle in the direction of the departure radial (right, in this example). Continue climbing and make sure your right wing on the HSI is pointing towards the boat so that you are always at 10 DME.
* Turn the course line (if available) to the departure radial (120 in this example).
* Use any available means (radar, datalink, SA page) to make sure you're not conflicted with other aircraft.
* When you are about to reach the course line, turn onto it. After the turn the boat should be on your 6 o'clock.
* Call outbound. Example: ''"Departure, 400, established outbound"''.
* Level off at your flight's departure altitude (in this example, 20000').
* Call when mission ready, prepared to leave the frequency. Example: ''"Departure, 400 Kilo"''.
* Departure will now tell you: ''"400, Departure, cleared to switch"'', meaning that you are cleared to switch channel to wherever you are going, most likely the Tactical channel on Ch 3.

===Recovery===
[[Fil:CASE3_Recovery.png|400px|thumb|CASE 3 Recovery]]
In this example, you are the leader of the flight Chevy1, which is a Hornet two-ship with sidenumber 400 and 401, returning to CVN-72 (callsign "Union") at night. You have a little lower fuel state (6500 lbs) than 401 who has 6900.
====Arriving to the Carrier Control Zone====

* At 50 nm DME, switch to Marshal channel (Ch 16 261.00).
* Contact Marshal stating your position, altitude and fuel state. Marshal will provide your Marshal instructions.
* Comms example: In this scenario, you are assigned 21 nm on the 190 radial at 6000 feet with a push time of 32 minutes over the hour.
** You: ''"Marshal, 400" (i.e Four Zero Zero)''
** Marshal: ''"400, Union Marshal"''
** You: ''"400, with 401, marking Mother's 070 for 48, angels 14, (low) state 6.5"'' ("with", or the old school "holding hands with" is only said if you have a wingman, and you don't say "low" state if you're alone, just simply "state")
** Marshal: ''"400, Union Marshal, Case 3 Recovery, CV1 approach, expected final bearing 344, altimeter 2992"''
** Marshal: ''"400, Marshal 190, 21, angels 6, expected approach time 32, approach button 15"'' ''(Pronounced "Time three-two" and "Button fifteen")''
** You: ''"400, Marshaling 190, 21, angels 6, time 32, approach button 15"''
** Marshal: ''"400, Readback correct."''

Then Marshal will proceed with giving Marshal instructions to your wingman "401".

Note 1: The distance and the altitude will always be at a differance of 15. Example:
Distance = Angels + 15 = 6 + 15 = 21

Note 2: "CV1" is the kind of approach described here. We never do CV2, so you don't need to learn about it.

* Perform HAIL-R checks:
** H - Hook down.
** A - Anti-skid off / Altimeter. ''(Also set/confirm Hook Bypass to CARRIER)''
** I - Instruments. ''(Turn on ILS, general checks)''
** L - Landing weight / Lights ''(For Hornet: Max 34k lbs, full strobe, position and formation lights.''
** R - RADALT ''(Pilot preference. 1000' is recommended to warn if accidently decending below 1200')''

====Entering the Marshal Stack====

* Set your course line (if available) to the assigned radial and fly on it towards the carrier. In order to deconflict from aircraft already in the stack, make sure you're on the assigned altitude before you come within 10 degrees to the right or 30 degrees to the left of the radial. Let Marshal know when you are on the correct altitude. Example: ''"400, established angels 6, state 6.1"''
* Slow down to 250 kts IAS as you enter the marshal stack.
* (Through the DCS comms menu, contact ATC/USS Abraham Lincoln/Inbound. Make sure you're doing this call on the right AI Tower frequency (Ch 2, 264.00). You may want to use the right-hand Com2 AUX radio for this call, so you don't have to leave the Marshal channel). Please see [[#DCS Considerations]] for more info regarding this step.
* When reaching the point (in this case 21 nm DME) turn left into a race track pattern, holding until your push time has come. Ideally, you should be flying 2 minute turns and 1 minute legs.
* You will need to adjust your pattern in such a way that you reach the push point on time plus/minus 10 seconds.
* The exact shape of your holding pattern is not that important. As long as you keep your altitude, make left turns and reach the push point on time, you're doing fine.
* If you reach the push point reasonably on time (plus minus 15 seconds or so), make your commence call ''on your assigned time''. Don't wait until you are exactly on your assigned point. If you miss the time drastically (more than ~15 seconds), communicate this clearly.

====Commencing====
* When your time comes to push, call out [Callsign] commencing [fuel state], [altimeter]. Example: ''"400, commencing, state 5.2, 29.92"''.
* Marshal: ''"400, radar contact, final bearing 344"''
* Make sure you keep 250 kts IAS and start a 4000 fpm dive, heading straight towards the carrier, along your assigned radial.
* When you reach 5000', call out [Callsign] platform. Example: ''"400, platform"''.
* Immediately after the platform call, shallow your decent to 2000 feet per minute.
* Marshal will tell you to switch to the approach channel (this can happen before or after the platform call). Example: ''"400, switch Approach, button 15"''.
* '''You''' - ''"400"''
* Switch to the approach channel (normally Ch 15 263.00) and check in. Example:
** '''You''' - ''"400, checking in, 19 miles"''
** '''Approach''' - ''"400, final bearing 344"''
** '''You''' - ''"400"''
* Set your course line (if available) to Final Bearing.
* At 20 DME you need to perform a 30 degree turn towards the Final Bearing so that you are lined up on Final Bearing before 12 DME at the latest.
* Level off at 1200'.
* You may want to clean up your HUD. For instance, in Hornets, remove the time from the HUD (HSI, TIMEUFC) to make sure it's not obstructing the IFLOLS when landing.

====Final Approach====
* At 10 DME, start landing checks. Remain at 1200'. Extend gears at 8 DME. Make sure you're flying on-speed in landing configuration at 6 DME. Approach may instruct you to "dirty up" (i.e get into landing configuration) earlier or later than 8 DME if needed.
* Approach will soon ask you to "say your needles". IRL this is only done for ACLS (which we typically don't have). For our purposes, approach wants to know if he's looking at the right aircraft. What you need to do is to reply how you need to fly to get onto centerline and glideslope. Basically, where your ICLS needles are in relation to your velocity vector. If one of them is already centered, you say "on". Example:
** '''Approach''' - ''"400, say bullseye"''. (For Hornets, we currently assume they don't have ACLS, hence "say bullseye". For Tomcats, Approach says "say needles")
** '''You''' - ''"Fly up, fly right"'' or ''"Up and on"'' or ''"On, fly left"'' or ''"On and on"''
** '''Approach''' - ''"400, fly bullseye"'' or ''"400, fly needles"''
** '''You''' - ''"400"''
* For our purposes, it doesn't matter whether approach replies ''"Fly needles"'' (successful ACLS lock) or ''"Fly bullseye"'' (unsuccessful ACLS lock). Just follow your ICLS.
* Don't fly up above 1200' to "catch" the glideslope. Instead, remain at 1200' until you fly "into" the glideslope, and start decending, following the ICLS down towards the boat. So if you're flying as expected, you ''should'' be below the glide path when the call comes, and your response should be ''"Up and on"'''.
* Around 1-2 DME, you should see the ball. From now on, fly the ball. Ignore the ICLS for vertical corrections.
* At around 3/4 nm, perform the ball call when the approach controller tells you to. [Sidenumber] [Aircraft type] Ball [Fuel state]. Example:
** '''Approach''' - "400, ¾ mile, call the ball"
** '''You''' - ''"400, Hornet ball, 4.1"
** '''LSO''' - ''"Roger ball!"
* Fly the ball and the LSO instructions until you touch down. When you touch down, don't anticipate catching a wire. ALWAYS engage full power (mil power, or even afterburner if you think you might need it) until it's clear that you are standing still on the deck.
* Cut power to idle and set master light switch to OFF. If the wire doesn't pull you back and release (for DCS reasons), try turning the nosewheel left and right a couple of times. When the wire has released, raise the hook, raise the flaps (set to AUTO/UP), fold/sweep the wings and taxi off the landing zone and park on the bow or wherever you are instructed to.

====Bolter Pattern====
* If you miss the wire (bolter) or you are waved off, continue flying on final bearing past the boat, climbing to 1200'.
* Raise the gear and raise the flaps to HALF flying at 150 kts IAS to save fuel.
* If no instructions are received by 4 DME upwind, contact approach. If unable, turn downwind remaining at 1200'. Pay close attention to the HSI making sure your downwind is 2 nm offset parallel to the final bearing line.
* Call out when abeam. Example: ''"400, abeam"''.
* If no instructions are received by 4 DME downwind past abeam, contact approach. If unable, turn final. Intercept the ICLS and fly another approach.
* If on downwind you're told to intercept the final bearing at 4NM on downwind, fully configure (full flaps, gear down) when starting the turn. At 6NM, halfway through the turn. At 8NM+ wait until established on Final Bearing.

==DCS Considerations==
* There are two ways to make the carrier set its lights to "recovery".
** If using the Master Arms mission template, you can use the radio menu "Others/Carrier Control" sub-menu to force the boat into "recovery" light mode. This is the recommended way.
** Use the radio menu and declare inbound. The carrier will turn the lights off when you land. So this makes most sense if you are the last pilot to land.

Fil:Flights kb.png

2025-03-30T13:25:34Z

Bankler: Bankler laddade upp en ny version av Fil:Flights kb.png

Basic Qualification

2025-03-29T23:32:54Z

Bankler: /* How to qualify */

''[[Home]] >> [[Qualifications]] >> [[Basic Qualification]]''
[[Fil:Wings_Silver.png|400px|thumb|Wings]]

The basic qualification marks the completion of the syllabus for a particular aircraft type, and should generally be the first goal for all our rookies. It focuses on learning the most basic procedures, systems, weapons and tactics for the aircraft. After the qualification, you are officially "winged".

===How to train===
* Work your way through the Basic Section of the [[Aircraft Syllabi|syllabus]] for your main aircraft.
* Don't be afraid to ask for help or even private training in Discord if you struggle with something.

===How to qualify===
* Carefully go through the syllabus list Basic Section and ask yourself for every item "Do I know how to do this thing, at least to a fair level?". You will be your own judge and examiner here. This is the most important step, and we trust you to be fair to yourself. Be disciplined, but don't be overly self-critical.
* Participate in at least 3 sign-up events of any type (trainings, missions, anything will do) before you schedule the BQ, so you get a feeling for how we fly in events, and feel confident that this is something you enjoy.
* Ask somebody to act as your examinating instructor. It can be anyone who has completed the Basic Qualification themselves in the aircraft type in question.
* The instructor prepares a short sortie, called a basic qual checkride, covering a ''very small sample'' of the syllabus content. Typically some navigation, some weapon employment, and an overhead break.
* The instructor will ask you a couple of control questions to make sure you're comfortable with the syllabus contents. You're expected to be able to answer correctly with minimal help/hints.
* The instructor will lead and you will be the wingman. (For F-14B and AH-64D you will fly as a single-ship crew with the instructor in the other seat. (Pilot, CPG or RIO)
* You are expected to have all your technical stuff working (SRS and such), be able to follow your lead, switch radio channels as instructed, perform the tasks he/she has briefed, and return home together safely, landing with an overhead break.
* If you did okay, you will qualify and your instructor will let us know on Discord.
* If you did not pass (meaning something went really bad, like you crashed, or cleary didn't know how to employ a weapon), you are free to try again, as many times as you like, as long as you take responsibility for reading up on the stuff that didn't go so well.

===If you qualify===
* Your callsign will be added to the list in the Discord #basic-quals channel.
* You will get the "Basic Qualified" role in Discord, instead of "Rookie".

===Remarks===
* The basic qual checkride is primarily a formality and will only test you on a very small fragment of the syllabus content. Its main purpose is that it feels better with somebody else officially examinating you than doing it yourself. But the "real" qualification is your own responsibility, by testing yourself in the syllabus content, before the checkride.

==Instructor Guidelines (Fixed Wing)==

* Make sure you are basic qualified with the aircraft type in question.
* Schedule the checkride with the student.
* Ask the student some sample questions (3-4 is usually enough) to make sure they have grasped the syllabus contents. Some example questions (for the Hornet/Viper):
** "What's the altitude and speed for the overhead break?"
** "What steps do you need to perform to launch a HARM missile?"
** "Where can you see your own bullseye location?"
** "How is a standard climb performed?"
* Pick any ''one'' or ''two'' (1 or 2) of the available standard Basic Qualification sorties below.
* When on the server, use the comms menu to spawn a target group.
* You will get the coordinates through an on-screen message. You and the student will have to create a waypoint manually.
* Fly the mission, using all the normal comms you'd normally do (even though you might not have actual human controllers on the radio), RTB and land with an overhead break.
* To pass, the sortie doesn't need to be perfect by any stretch, and it's fine if you have to help the student a little, but it has to be a somewhat smooth ride. Example of things that should result in a failed checkride (which is not a big deal, they can just do it again later):
** ''The student crashes or otherwise damages the aircraft at any point (takeoff, landing, taxiing, flying).''
** ''The student cannot drop/launch a weapon.''
** ''The student drops the weapon, but it's not even close to hitting the target, clearly indicating they are not using the systems correctly.''
** ''The student cannot follow you, even with some pointers to help them out.''
** ''The overhead break doesn't look like an overhead break at all (overtaking you, getting dangerously close to the ground on downwind and such).''''
* If most things work well, the student passes, and you should write a confirmation/congratulation in the #qual-reports channel on Discord to let our administrators know.

===Basic Qualification Sorties===

The instructor chooses any ''one'' or ''two'' (1 or 2) of these missions. On the training server, use the comms commands under Other/Master Arms Range/Basic Qualificaton Targets to create corresponding targets (vehicles, SA-2 or enemy MiG-21 fighter). You can spawn these targets during startup. When creating a target you will get coordinates to the target (visible for 45 seconds), so that you can create a waypoint for it.
Warthog and Viggen may use "Other/Intro Flight/.." to deploy targets for ground attack (in order to reducing flight time/fuel consumption.) Viggen should use "Other/Master Arms Range/Activate Cargo Ship" for anti-ship strike.

''For 1-6, for aircraft that carry an internal gun, tasks should be followed up with one high angle (20-45 deg) strafing run on any remaining (or already destroyed) target. The attack does not need to hit the target, but at least hit in the vicinity of it. The attack should be performed in a safe manner with a short controlled burst from altitude, with the pilot not getting target fixated and straying low.''

1. CCIP attack with dumb bombs on stationary vehicle group.

2. High altitude JDAM attack on stationary vehicle group.

3. High/medium altitude LGB attack on stationary vehicle group.

4. Maverick attack on stationary vehicle group. ''(Hornet: AGM-65E only, Warthog: Any Maverick version)''

5. Rocket attack on stationary vehicle group. ''(Viggen/Warthog only)''

6. HARM attack on SA-2.

7. Anti-ship strike with Rb-04E (Viggen only)''

8. Engage enemy figher at waypoint.

==Instructor Guidelines (Rotary Wing)==

 WIP! Not available yet. (#2weeks)

* Schedule the checkride with the student.
* Ask the student some sample questions (3-4 is usually enough) to make sure they have grasped the syllabus contents. Some example questions:
:- "What is VRS? How do you avoid VRS? How do you recover from VRS?"
:- "Give an example of how wind affects your flight"
:- "Where can you read your current speed and altitude?"

* Fly the mission, using all the normal comms you'd normally do (even though you might not have actual human controllers on the radio)

* To pass, the sortie doesn't need to be perfect by any stretch, and it's fine if you have to help the student a little, but it has to be a somewhat smooth ride. Example of things that should result in a failed checkride (which is not a big deal, they can just do it again later):
:- ''The student crashes or otherwise damages the aircraft at any point (takeoff, landing, taxiing, flying).''
:- ''The student enters VRS multiple times. (clearly indicating they do not understand VRS)''
:- ''The student cannot drop/launch a weapon.''
:- ''The student drops the weapon, but it's not even close to hitting the target, clearly indicating they are not using the systems correctly.''
:- ''The student cannot follow lead, even with some pointers to help them out.''

* Example of something that the instructor should look at extra carefully which might not be a reason for failure but should be pointed out to prevent incorrect behavior.
:- The student does not think about the effect of the wind on the helicopter, especially when landing or entering a hover.
:- The student does not go into a hover before setting down on the FARP

* If most things work well, the student passes, and you should write a confirmation/congratulation in the #qual-reports channel on Discord to let our administrators know.

===Basic Qualification Sortie===

The sortie will consist of several stages''*'' that are carried out during the flight.
Stages included are listed below though there may be more elements added to the sortie depending on each module as long as it's in the BASIC section of the [[Aircraft Syllabi|syllabus]].

For Pilots:
:- Startup
:- Takeoff (Airfield)
:- VRS Recovery (Fly at ~1000ft with tailwind and same speed as current windspeed -> reduce collective)
:- Hover
:- NOE flight
:- Formation flight
:- Navigation (visually and using ADF)
:- Weapon deployment''**'' (Use existing targets in R114)
:- Landing (FARP)

For Co-Pilot/Gunner's (AH-64D, Mi-24P etc)
:- Startup
:- Comms (Towards Tower, Control etc.)
:- Visual navigation (as well as being able to guide the pilot)
:- Hovering (Take control of helicopter when hovering and keep a stable hover)
:- Weapon deployment''**'' (Use existing targets in R114)

''* Be sure to adapt all stages according to the respective module [[Aircraft Syllabi|syllabus]] basic section. (Method used for takeoff, type of weapons used, etc.)''
''** Skip if weapon deployment are not included in the BASIC-section of the syllabus)''

Basic Qualification

2025-03-26T13:32:39Z

Bankler: /* Instructor Guidelines (Fixed Wing) */

''[[Home]] >> [[Qualifications]] >> [[Basic Qualification]]''
[[Fil:Wings_Silver.png|400px|thumb|Wings]]

The basic qualification marks the completion of the syllabus for a particular aircraft type, and should generally be the first goal for all our rookies. It focuses on learning the most basic procedures, systems, weapons and tactics for the aircraft. After the qualification, you are officially "winged".

===How to train===
* Work your way through the Basic Section of the [[Aircraft Syllabi|syllabus]] for your main aircraft.
* Don't be afraid to ask for help or even private training in Discord if you struggle with something.

===How to qualify===
* Carefully go through the syllabus list Basic Section and ask yourself for every item "Do I know how to do this thing, at least to a fair level?". You will be your own judge and examiner here. This is the most important step, and we trust you to be fair to yourself. Be disciplined, but don't be overly self-critical.
* Ask somebody to act as your examinating instructor. It can be anyone who has completed the Basic Qualification themselves in the aircraft type in question.
* The instructor prepares a short sortie, called a basic qual checkride, covering a ''very small sample'' of the syllabus content. Typically some navigation, some weapon employment, and an overhead break.
* The instructor will ask you a couple of control questions to make sure you're comfortable with the syllabus contents. You're expected to be able to answer correctly with minimal help/hints.
* The instructor will lead and you will be the wingman. (For F-14B and AH-64D you will fly as a single-ship crew with the instructor in the other seat. (Pilot, CPG or RIO)
* You are expected to have all your technical stuff working (SRS and such), be able to follow your lead, switch radio channels as instructed, perform the tasks he/she has briefed, and return home together safely, landing with an overhead break.
* If you did okay, you will qualify and your instructor will let us know on Discord.
* If you did not pass (meaning something went really bad, like you crashed, or cleary didn't know how to employ a weapon), you are free to try again, as many times as you like, as long as you take responsibility for reading up on the stuff that didn't go so well.

===If you qualify===
* Your callsign will be added to the list in the Discord #basic-quals channel.
* You will get the "Basic Qualified" role in Discord, instead of "Rookie".

===Remarks===
* The basic qual checkride is primarily a formality and will only test you on a very small fragment of the syllabus content. Its main purpose is that it feels better with somebody else officially examinating you than doing it yourself. But the "real" qualification is your own responsibility, by testing yourself in the syllabus content, before the checkride.

==Instructor Guidelines (Fixed Wing)==

* Make sure you are basic qualified with the aircraft type in question.
* Schedule the checkride with the student.
* Ask the student some sample questions (3-4 is usually enough) to make sure they have grasped the syllabus contents. Some example questions (for the Hornet/Viper):
** "What's the altitude and speed for the overhead break?"
** "What steps do you need to perform to launch a HARM missile?"
** "Where can you see your own bullseye location?"
** "How is a standard climb performed?"
* Pick any ''one'' or ''two'' (1 or 2) of the available standard Basic Qualification sorties below.
* When on the server, use the comms menu to spawn a target group.
* You will get the coordinates through an on-screen message. You and the student will have to create a waypoint manually.
* Fly the mission, using all the normal comms you'd normally do (even though you might not have actual human controllers on the radio), RTB and land with an overhead break.
* To pass, the sortie doesn't need to be perfect by any stretch, and it's fine if you have to help the student a little, but it has to be a somewhat smooth ride. Example of things that should result in a failed checkride (which is not a big deal, they can just do it again later):
** ''The student crashes or otherwise damages the aircraft at any point (takeoff, landing, taxiing, flying).''
** ''The student cannot drop/launch a weapon.''
** ''The student drops the weapon, but it's not even close to hitting the target, clearly indicating they are not using the systems correctly.''
** ''The student cannot follow you, even with some pointers to help them out.''
** ''The overhead break doesn't look like an overhead break at all (overtaking you, getting dangerously close to the ground on downwind and such).''''
* If most things work well, the student passes, and you should write a confirmation/congratulation in the #qual-reports channel on Discord to let our administrators know.

===Basic Qualification Sorties===

The instructor chooses any ''one'' or ''two'' (1 or 2) of these missions. On the training server, use the comms commands under Other/Master Arms Range/Basic Qualificaton Targets to create corresponding targets (vehicles, SA-2 or enemy MiG-21 fighter). You can spawn these targets during startup. When creating a target you will get coordinates to the target (visible for 45 seconds), so that you can create a waypoint for it.
Warthog and Viggen may use "Other/Intro Flight/.." to deploy targets for ground attack (in order to reducing flight time/fuel consumption.) Viggen should use "Other/Master Arms Range/Activate Cargo Ship" for anti-ship strike.

''For 1-6, for aircraft that carry an internal gun, tasks should be followed up with one high angle (20-45 deg) strafing run on any remaining (or already destroyed) target. The attack does not need to hit the target, but at least hit in the vicinity of it. The attack should be performed in a safe manner with a short controlled burst from altitude, with the pilot not getting target fixated and straying low.''

1. CCIP attack with dumb bombs on stationary vehicle group.

2. High altitude JDAM attack on stationary vehicle group.

3. High/medium altitude LGB attack on stationary vehicle group.

4. Maverick attack on stationary vehicle group. ''(Hornet: AGM-65E only, Warthog: Any Maverick version)''

5. Rocket attack on stationary vehicle group. ''(Viggen/Warthog only)''

6. HARM attack on SA-2.

7. Anti-ship strike with Rb-04E (Viggen only)''

8. Engage enemy figher at waypoint.

==Instructor Guidelines (Rotary Wing)==

 WIP! Not available yet. (#2weeks)

* Schedule the checkride with the student.
* Ask the student some sample questions (3-4 is usually enough) to make sure they have grasped the syllabus contents. Some example questions:
:- "What is VRS? How do you avoid VRS? How do you recover from VRS?"
:- "Give an example of how wind affects your flight"
:- "Where can you read your current speed and altitude?"

* Fly the mission, using all the normal comms you'd normally do (even though you might not have actual human controllers on the radio)

* To pass, the sortie doesn't need to be perfect by any stretch, and it's fine if you have to help the student a little, but it has to be a somewhat smooth ride. Example of things that should result in a failed checkride (which is not a big deal, they can just do it again later):
:- ''The student crashes or otherwise damages the aircraft at any point (takeoff, landing, taxiing, flying).''
:- ''The student enters VRS multiple times. (clearly indicating they do not understand VRS)''
:- ''The student cannot drop/launch a weapon.''
:- ''The student drops the weapon, but it's not even close to hitting the target, clearly indicating they are not using the systems correctly.''
:- ''The student cannot follow lead, even with some pointers to help them out.''

* Example of something that the instructor should look at extra carefully which might not be a reason for failure but should be pointed out to prevent incorrect behavior.
:- The student does not think about the effect of the wind on the helicopter, especially when landing or entering a hover.
:- The student does not go into a hover before setting down on the FARP

* If most things work well, the student passes, and you should write a confirmation/congratulation in the #qual-reports channel on Discord to let our administrators know.

===Basic Qualification Sortie===

The sortie will consist of several stages''*'' that are carried out during the flight.
Stages included are listed below though there may be more elements added to the sortie depending on each module as long as it's in the BASIC section of the [[Aircraft Syllabi|syllabus]].

For Pilots:
:- Startup
:- Takeoff (Airfield)
:- VRS Recovery (Fly at ~1000ft with tailwind and same speed as current windspeed -> reduce collective)
:- Hover
:- NOE flight
:- Formation flight
:- Navigation (visually and using ADF)
:- Weapon deployment''**'' (Use existing targets in R114)
:- Landing (FARP)

For Co-Pilot/Gunner's (AH-64D, Mi-24P etc)
:- Startup
:- Comms (Towards Tower, Control etc.)
:- Visual navigation (as well as being able to guide the pilot)
:- Hovering (Take control of helicopter when hovering and keep a stable hover)
:- Weapon deployment''**'' (Use existing targets in R114)

''* Be sure to adapt all stages according to the respective module [[Aircraft Syllabi|syllabus]] basic section. (Method used for takeoff, type of weapons used, etc.)''
''** Skip if weapon deployment are not included in the BASIC-section of the syllabus)''

F/A-18C Hornet Syllabus

2025-03-24T23:21:55Z

Bankler: /* Basic Air-To-Ground */

''[[Home]] >> [[Aircraft Syllabi]] >> [[F/A-18C Hornet Syllabus]]''

==Basic Section==

===Basic Flying===

====Starting Up====

* Cold Start using Quickstart Checklist

====Basic Navigation====

* Navigate visually between two points using the compass and an empty F10 map
* Waypoint Navigation
* TACAN Navigation
* Using SA page to find wingman
* Course Line
* Autopilot BARO hold
* Standard Climb (Military Power, use pitch to maintain 300 kts IAS)
* Waypoint Handling
** Setting coordinate system (MM:DEC vs MM:SEC) and PRECISION
** Creating waypoints (HSI, UFC, POSITION/ELEVATION)
** Inserting waypoints into sequences (HSI, SEQUFC, INS)
* BRA calls
* Understanding [[Radials]] and determine what radial you are on relative to steerpoints and TACAN stations
* Bullseye usage
** Setting a WP as Bullseye (HSI, DATA, A/A WP)
** Reading own and cursor bullseye position in Radar

====Landing====

* On-speed Flying
** Level Flight (Pick an altitude, dirty up and go on-speed maintaining altitude)
** Turning (Perform ~30 degree bank turns maintaining altitude)
** Careful climbing and descending (around 500 feet/minute)
** Quickly going from ordinary flight (around 350 kts IAS) to on-speed flying.
* Landing (~500-700 feet/minute, no flare, extend speed brake if full stop)
* Traffic Pattern Touch'n'Go Practice (maintain on-speed, climb to 1500', turn downwind to end up ~1.5 NM from course line, turn final and descend when wingtip passes runway threshold)
* Overhead break (Approach in runway direction, 300 kts IAS, 1500'. Break over runway, enter downwind and land as explained above) ''http://wiki.masterarms.se/index.php/Fil:OverheadBreak.png''

====Basic Mission Procedures====

* Checking in
* Fence In / Fence Out procedures
* Switch channel procedure
* Jettison Settings
* Joker/Bingo Settings
* Formation Takeoff (2-ship)

===Basic Combat===

====Basic Air-To-Air====

* RWS Radar Mode
** Setting Range, Azimuth (i.e Width), Bars, Elevation and Target Aging Setting
** One TDC depress for LTWS soft lock, two presses for STT hard lock
* Boresight Acquisition Mode (Sensor Switch Up)
* Vertical Acquisition mode
* Fire AIM-120C Amraam (~10-20 NM)
* Fire AIM-9X Sidewinder (~2-4 NM)
* Raygun / Buddyspike procedures
* Fox and Splash calls
* Fire AIM-120C Amraam in TWS mode against multiple targets
* Fire AIM-9X using JHMCS with uncage button for off-boresight shots
* [[Air-To-Air Glossary#Crank|Crank]] and [[Air-To-Air Glossary#Short skate|Short skate]] maneuver

====Basic Air-To-Ground====

* General Purpose Dumb Bombs (Mk 82, Mk 83, Mk 84)
** Configuration (MFUZE (Nose), QTY, MULT and INTERVAL settings)
** Standard CCIP drop (Start from 8000', roll in, ~30 degree dive angle, 400-500 kts, drop at ~4000' and pull up) Examples: ''https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVuLCGKKqvI''
* High angle gun strafing (Start from 8000', roll in, ~30 degree dive angle, 400-500 kts, fire short burst at ~3000' and pull up)
* Fire HARM in SP and TOO modes
* Targeting Pod Usage (Designation and Laser)
* Drop JDAM in TOO mode
* Drop GBU-12 LGB in AUTO mode (self lasing using T-pod)
* Fire AGM-65E Laser Maverick (self lasing using T-pod)

====Basic Defence====

* Drop Flares and Chaff in Dispenser Bypass mode
* Putting EW symbology in HUD
* Evade enemy missile by putting it on your 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock (Evaluate in TacView)

==Advanced Section==

===Advanced Flying===

====Aerial Refueling====

* Use radio menu to contact correct tanker
* Locate and form up on tanker's left wing (echelon left formation)
* Hooking up and receiving fuel, straight and through turns
* Moving to right side after refueling (echelon right formation)
* [http://wiki.masterarms.se/index.php/Aerial_Refueling Instructions on the aerial refueling procedure]

====Carrier Ops====

* Learn [[CASE 1]] Recovery
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm-M3VUy-_I Jabbers Youtube Video], explaining how to fly a CASE 1 Recovery
** Aim for ''40+ score, no 1-wires and no settle'' in [https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=221412 Bankler's CASE 1 Recovery Trainer], a DCS mission giving you feedback on how well you're flying the pattern
** Perform ball call
* Learn [[CASE 1]] Departure (fly BRC at 300 kts IAS 500' until 7 NM before climbing and forming up)
* Learn to fly the full [[CASE 1]] approach as a wingman, holding formation through approach, port-hold, commencing and initial
* Learn to fly the full [[CASE 1]] approach as a lead, including communicating with Marshal and Tower
* Learn [[CASE 3]] Departure
* Learn [[CASE 3]] Recovery

====Advanced Navigation====

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSQmWQL7K4 Geometric Rejoins]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndLOstsNwvo High Aspect Intercepts] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5GQqQVd0ag Tutorial 2])

====Advanced Departure and Approach Procedures====

* IMC/Night time Radar Trail Departure
* IMC/Night time Radar Trail Approach
* Standard Instrument Departure (SID)
* Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR)

====Advanced Mission Procedures====

* [http://wiki.masterarms.se/index.php/Mission_Procedures Standard Procedures and Communication] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6DbssSKob8 Video tutorial])

====Advanced Formation Flying====

* Fly the following [http://wiki.masterarms.se/index.php/Advanced_Formations_and_Movement formations] as wingman in a 2/4-ship flight:
** Finger Four Left/Right
** Echelon Left/Right
** Fighting Wing
** Tactical Line Abreast (Combat Spread)

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlwugnVrA44 Formation transitions] in a rapid and safe manner

*[http://wiki.masterarms.se/index.php/Advanced_Formations_and_Movement Formation Turns] as wingman in a 2/4-ship flight:
** Tactical turns (Tac 45, Tac 90)
** Check turns
** Cross turns
** Hook turns

===Advanced Combat===

====Advanced Air-To-Air====
Air-to-air combat is an incredibly complex concept which requires constant learning through study and practice. More guides and tutorials to come.

* CAP patrol track as wingman in a 2-ship flight
* BVR combat as wingman in a 2-ship flight
* ACM combat as wingman in a 2-ship flight
* BFM combat (understand one circle and two circle fights respectively, basic offensive BFM, basic defensive BFM)

Suggested studying:
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAGylbmVAkEyOibhDVUYrPA/featured The Ops Center By Mike Solyom] is a good introductory source to BFM

====Advanced Air-To-Ground====

* Attack ground targets with all air to ground weapons in the basic syllabus as wingman in a 2-ship flight
* SEAD patrol track as wingman in a 2-ship flight
* Low level 10 degrees offset pop-up CCIP attack profile
* Time-On-Target (TOT)
* [http://wiki.masterarms.se/index.php/Close_Air_Support Close Air Support (CAS) Keyhole, Type 2 procedure]

Technical Checklist

2025-03-08T12:45:13Z

Bankler: /* Configure DCS */

''[[Home]] >> [[Technical Guides]] >> [[Technical Checklist]]''

This page explains the steps you need to take to prepare your computer for DCS flying with Master Arms.

==Mandatory Steps==

===Download the correct DCS client===

Install DCS on a SSD. Running DCS on a mechanical HDD is not a good experience. We are using the latest DCS client.

If you don't have DCS installed:

'''Get DCS here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/'''

===Configure DCS===

* Set Options / Gameplay / Easy Communication to OFF.
* Set Options / Gameplay / Wake Turbulence to OFF.
* Set Options / Gameplay / Labels to "NONE" (or press RShift + F10 in the game to toggle labels off). Alternatively, set labels "NETUTRAL DOT" if your hardware makes it very hard to see other aircraft.
* Set Options / Misc / Battle Damage Assessment to OFF.
* Set Options / Special / DCS-SRS / Show DCS Overlay by Default to OFF (or press LCtrl + LShift + ESC in the game to toggle SRS overlay off).

===Download and configure Discord===

The daily chatter, much of the mission planning and such happens on our Discord server. Please join and start interacting with the community.

'''Get Discord here: https://discordapp.com/download'''

#Connect to our server at: https://discord.gg/hw3Aat4
#Say hello and present yourself in the #membership channel
#PTT (Push to talk) is required in most channels
#Under Settings/Notifications, un-tick the PTT Activate and PTT Deactivate sounds (for your own sanity's sake)

===Download and configure SRS===

SRS is an external software used for comms when flying, simulation radio communications more realistically.

* Get SRS here: http://dcssimpleradio.com/
* Go through the [[SRS Setup Guide]]

==Optional, highly recommended steps==

===Download Tacview===

Tacview is an amazing, free software that let's you look through flights after you exit the mission. It's very useful for analyzing mistakes and learn from them.

'''Get TacView here: https://www.tacview.net/download/latest/en/'''

===Download Skatezilla's Launcher===

This is more a quality-of-life thing than anything else, and it's entirely up to you if you want to use it. Skatezilla's app makes updating and launching DCS a little more hassle free and flexible, allowing you to keep multiple configurations (one for VR and one for screen for instance) and such.

'''Get Skatezilla's Launcher here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=160053'''

Mission Procedures

2025-02-20T18:04:26Z

2025-01-24T00:27:30Z

Bankler: /* Racetrack Grinder Setup */