4.37.5 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs:

[Dusty]

Hi all, here is a selection of FAQ and some known bugs for the F-15C recently heavily updated in BMS 4.37.5

FAQ

• WHAT ERA F-15 IS BEING SIMULATED IN BMS? - An early/mid 2000s MSIP II F-15C with APG-63, PW-220 engines.

• HOW DO I BIND CONTROLS FOR THE F-15C? - The launcher has two profiles on the ‘Keymapping’ tab, simply select the F-15C from the drop down list and you can bind all your F-15C specific controls in the launcher.

• DOES THE F-15C HAVE JHMCS? Not yet, there is not much public information on the specifics of the F-15C JHMCS implementation.

• CAN THE F-15C CURRENTLY DROP BOMBS? Yes! But the A/G functionality is very WIP. GP bombs and BDUs can be loaded on STA 2/5/8, the FCR is capable of AGR and the HUD displays a CDIP (CCIP) pipper for your convenience. No, the manuals do not cover A/G ops as it is very WIP. Just go have fun you heathen Eagle pilot!

• I CAN’T GET THE A/A TACAN WORKING, WHAT GIVES? The A/A functionality of TACAN is not yet implemented.

• THE BULLSEYE BEARING AND RANGE IS DIFFERENT ON THE VSD AND THE SIT DISPLAY? The real F-15C only displays ‘BBR’ as a function of the bearing/distance from the currently selected steerpoint. As the NCI is WIP and manual waypoint changes are not possible. The VSD bullseye readout references the hardcoded BMS bullseye to avoid any potential confusion. However the SIT page shows cursor bearing/range from ownship (top right) and cursor bearing/range from current steerpoint (bottom right).
  If you would like the VSD to be more true to life and reference current steerpoint you can add the line: set g_bRealBullseyeF15 1 to your ‘Falcon BMS User.cfg’.

• HOW CAN I TELL WHEN MY AMRAAM IS ACTIVE? - MRM Time-to-active cues are not yet implemented, sorry!

• HOW CAN I SHOOT AN AMRAAM ‘MADDOG’? - Visual AIM-120 launch is not yet implemented.

• IS THERE AN F-15 VARIANT WITH L-16 FORCED OFF (I am an '80s Eagle chad who makes their own SA)? Yes! You can fly the F-15A which does not have JTIDS/Link-16 enabled.

KNOWN BUGS

CONTROL BINDING/F-15C PROFILE BUGS:

• SOME AXIS BINDINGS (HUD, ICP, RADIOS, OTHER AVIONICS) CAUSE THE ASSOSCIATED AVIONIC TO FAIL UNTIL THE AXIS BINDING IS REMOVED.

SYSTEMS BUGS (GENERAL):

• EMERG JETT - CURRENTLY DOES NOT JETTISON STA 3,4,6,7.
• GENERATORS - DO NOT COME BACK ONLINE IF L/R GEN SWITCHES CYCLED BOTH OFF AT SAME TIME.
• SPEED BRAKE - DOES NOT OPERATE PER THE -1.
• IF RADAR = OFF THEN MPCD SIT PAGE WILL BE FORCED TO ‘OFF’.
• MPCD OSB ARE ARRANGED INCORRECTLY.
• IF AUTOPILOT IS ENGAGED, MRM/SRM FIRING IS INCORRECTLY INHIBITED.

COCKPIT BUGS:

• ENG CONTR SWITCHES, WARNING LIGHTS SHOW EEC. RIGHT ENG CONTR - OFF, does not show ENG CONTR WARNING LIGHT
• COCKPIT LIGHT TEST NOT FUNCTIONING
• AUTOPILOT, HOOK LIGHT N/I
• VARIOUS SWITCHES DO NOT MOVE BUT HAVE CLICK SPOTS - THEY HAVE NO FUNCTION ANYWAY.
• OXYGEN PANEL TYPO.
• RADIO 2 PANEL HAS ERRORS WITH DISP FREQ AND MANUAL FREQUENCY SELECT (PRESET CHANNELS WORK OK).

NAVIGATION BUGS:

• ADI - ILS COMMAND STEERING BARS WORK AS GLIDESLOP/LOC DEVIATION INSTEAD.
• ADI - ILS GLIDESLOPE DEVIATION (ON LEFT SIDE OF GAUGE) NOT IMPLEMENTED IN MODEL.
• TCN - SWITCH IN A/A MODE POSITION OPERATES T/R MODE (DOCUMENTED).

WEAPONS BUGS:

• HUNG MISSILE NOT AUTO REJECTED AND REMOVED FROM LAUNCH SEQ
• INCORRECT MSL PRIORITY IF AIM7 AND AIM120 BOTH LOADED, MRM SWITCH SHOULD DEFAULT TO AIM120 FIRST, NOT AIM7.
• WHEN SLAVE/BORE (COOLIE-DOWN) IS SELECTED TO BORE FOR SRM (AIM-9), USING WPN SEL SWITCH>MRM RESULTS IN AIM-120 BEING LOCKED TO BORE MODE (OLD F-16 LOGIC) AND AIM-120 ARE UNABLE TO BE FIRED. (thanks Streak!)

HUD BUGS:

• HUD: BST = 4* circle in HUD INCORRECT.
• HUD: LR BST = 2.5* circle in HUD (LR BST should show in BIT window on VSD).
• HUD: TD BOX NOT BOUND TO TOP OF HUD (SIDES AND BOTTOM WORK OK).
• WHEN LAST MRM FIRED, TTG AND RANGE DATA LOST IN HUD.

RADAR BUGS:

• SRM MODE W/ DESIGNATED TGT - RANGE TO TGT SHOULD BE SHOWN IN HUD (IT IS NOT).
• TWS: AUTO ACQ SWITCH-AFT FROM MINI RASTER SELECTS 30 DEGREES AZ (3HDT), SHOUD BE 60 DEGREES (WIDE TWS PATTERN).
• AUTO ACQ MODES: RTS IS REQUIRED TO CHANGE BETWEEN SOME MODES, THEY SHOULD JUST BE SELECTABLE FROM AUTO-ACQ FWD/AFT INSTANTLY.
• GUN MODE: WHEN WEAPON SELECT SWITCH IS TAKEN OUT OF GUN, RADAR STAYS IN 10NM SCOPE INSTEAD OF SELECTING APPROPRIATE MODE FOR SRM/MRM.
• DTWS: COOLIE-UP (AUTO DES) WILL SELECT AN RPT OUTSIDE OF TWS SCAN VOLUME TO MAKE AS PDT, SHOULD ONLY BE ABLE MAKE PDT WITHIN SCAN VOLUME.

VSD BUGS:

• MAN ACQUISITION, LOCKON SHOULD BE COMMANDED ON TDC RELEASE, NOT PRESS.
• BIT WINDOW DISPLAYS CURRENT BAR/PRF IN TWS, IT SHOULD SHOW TWS MODE INSTEAD.
• AZ BUMP FROM SEARCH INCORRECTLY GOES TO 20 DEGREES AZIMUTH NOT 60AZ.
• AIM-120 ASE SHOULD BE DASHED CIRCLE, IT IS CURRENTLY A SOLID CIRCLE (AIM-7)
• WHEN ACQ MINI-RASTER ACTIVE, AACQ SWITCH SHOULD OPERATE TWS MODES, NOT AUTO ACQ (DOGFIGHT) MODES LIKE IT DOES CURRENTLY.
• IN ADI MASTER MODE, VSD IS NOT ABLE TO BE TAKEN COMMAND OF/NO VSD CURSOR IN ADI MODE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE RADAR AS NORMAL WHEN IN ADI MODE.

3D MODEL

• ARRESTING HOOK - INCORRECT POSITIONING (STILL WORKS THO).
• EXTERNAL FUEL TANKS NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY (HANGING TOO LOW ON LUGS).
• CANNON FIRE EFFECT NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.
• AAR BOOM CONNECTION NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

[MCDeedle]

Any tips for AG radar? I can get the scope to switch to AG but it doesn’t seem to sweep?

[Dusty]

@MCDeedle it doesn’t sweep, it just provides AGR for CDIP pipper but it is heavily WIP as posted above.

[Scorpion82]

I thought JTIDS was only provisioned, but never integrated on the F-15C? Weren’t the F-15Cs only fitted with FDL, which is an early version of MIDS-LVT without TACAN?

[Dusty]

@Scorpion82 You may very well be correct in that assertion. I think the decision to reference JTIDS came from the 3d modeller who worked on the cockpit, modelling the JTIDS panel rather than the FDL panel.
The difference between JTIDS and FDL is mainly the hardware in the jet. The functionality and symbology provided by each is essentially the same.

[Rainmaker]

@Scorpion82 said in 4.37.4 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs::

I thought JTIDS was only provisioned, but never integrated on the F-15C? Weren’t the F-15Cs only fitted with FDL, which is an early version of MIDS-LVT without TACAN?

More or less. JTIDS was initially fielded but never went operational due to some shortcomings. The JTIDS panel was just recycled to control the FDL system. FDL/TACAN both exist, just as different boxes under the hood with a TACAN R/T and FDL R/T. Don’t know it to be the case, but assuming that was by design as the jet already had TACAN and the additional space available to fit the FDL R/T.

[Scorpion82]

@Dusty

Is there actually an FDL panel, or haven’t they just used the already provisioned JTIDS panel, as you say it’s just an older generation L16 terminal, with MIDS primarily geared towards smaller tactical fighters being smaller, lighter and having a lower power consumption thanks to technological advances.

[Dusty]

@Scorpion82 Yeah it’s still the JTIDS panel but with one switch difference.

I can change the manuals to say FDL if you guys think it is more accurate. One consideration in the forefront of my mind when writing the documentation was to focus on the systems actually modelled in BMS and not over-complicate things with unnecessary acronyms or go into ultra detail on the systems that aren’t actually coded in BMS.
Many others have been struggling to wrap their heads around L16, particularly in the Viper.

I didn’t want to have FDL (the hardware/system), JTIDS (the panel) and Link-16 (the network) in order to try not to confuse people.

What do you guys think?

[Sting]

@Dusty I think you did a kickarse job on the doco and would leave it as is. I am an idiot and I understood it all.

[Sting]

IRL, how do f15 pilots get ATIS if they can’t turn to VHF? is ATIS IRL avaliable on UHF normally?

[Migbuster]

@Dusty

Had assumed someone had implemented JTIDS and not FDL going from the BMS F-15 manual.

Simpler the better - eg with IDM no one has to care if it is running AFAPD or anything else.

Just L16 fine? or
L16(FDL)
L16(MIDS)

[Dusty]

@Sting Haha thanks mate, appreciate your comment!

IRL the ATIS is usually on UHF at military bases (atleast in the US). Nellis for example, ATIS is 270.1 (https://www.airnav.com/airport/KLSV)

[Scorpion82]

@Dusty said in 4.37.4 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs::

@Scorpion82 Yeah it’s still the JTIDS panel but with one switch difference.

I can change the manuals to say FDL if you guys think it is more accurate. One consideration in the forefront of my mind when writing the documentation was to focus on the systems actually modelled in BMS and not over-complicate things with unnecessary acronyms or go into ultra detail on the systems that aren’t actually coded in BMS.
Many others have been struggling to wrap their heads around L16, particularly in the Viper.

I didn’t want to have FDL (the hardware/system), JTIDS (the panel) and Link-16 (the network) in order to try not to confuse people.

What do you guys think?

I’m perfectly ok with it, as it is. Ofcourse it could be briefly described that L16 is the network protocol and compatible “radios” comprise JTIDS, FDL and MIDS, all being different L16 compatible terminals.

[Dusty]

Good shout! I’ll re-word it to clarify that

[Dusty]

Added:

@Dusty said in 4.37.4 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs::

DTWS: COOLIE-UP (AUTO DES) WILL SELECT AN RPT OUTSIDE OF TWS SCAN VOLUME TO MAKE AS PDT, SHOULD ONLY BE ABLE MAKE PDT WITHIN TWS SCAN VOLUME.

[Dusty]

Known bug added:

@Dusty said in 4.37.4 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs::

STT: STT MODE ACCESSED FROM TWS VIA AUTO ACQ-AFT CAUSES FAILED AMRAAM GUIDANCE.

[Dusty]

Known bugs added:

@Dusty said in 4.37.4 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs::

IN ADI MASTER MODE, VSD IS NOT ABLE TO BE TAKEN COMMAND OF/NO VSD CURSOR IN ADI MODE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE RADAR AS NORMAL WHEN IN ADI MODE.

@Dusty said in 4.37.4 - F-15C Eagle FAQ and known bugs::

3D MODEL

EXTERNAL FUEL TANKS NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY (HANGING TOO LOW ON LUGS).
CANNON FIRE EFFECT NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.
AAR BOOM CONNECTION NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

[qawa]

LOCK/SHOOT LIGHTS WRONG COLOUR (SHOULD BE YELLOW)

Do I apply this color AMBRA also to the right down fault lights panel ?

[hiuuz]

Hi!

Good to see the Eagle developement progress and I wish perseverance to continue the work

I know there are tons of stuff to solve but I have a minor issue bothering me for a while

The velocity vector symbol at landing. Here is two picture about the issue, I think I couldn’t describe the problem better in words:

[JOKER_duke]

@Dusty hi dusty,i found current CDIP mode do not have reticle pepper. It’s more like CCRP. Do i miss something?