Learning to fly : Is the old F4 manual still valid
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After many years back in Falcon.
Off course I’m very rusty and decided to fly most of the training TE
Is the old F4 manual still a good source for learning ? Or have things changed so dramaticly that it’s no use anymore ? -
its a good grounding but its not the whole story.
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After many years back in Falcon.
Off course I’m very rusty and decided to fly most of the training TE
Is the old F4 manual still a good source for learning ? Or have things changed so dramaticly that it’s no use anymore ?The original Falcon 4.0 manual is not completely redundant, yet somewhat outdated. Please see this post by l3crusader regarding the systems and weapons of the simulator (the “forum articles” are located here).
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Often dismissed but the original Falcon 4.0 manual is excellently written and organized by an actual F-16 instructor pilot. The 194 pages covering the lessons are extremely informative and provide accurate information about the concepts of flying and F-16. What is not guaranteed is that the game controls and some of the more technical weapons mechanics mentioned are still valid in BMS due to changes.
Reading, understanding, and practicing what is mentioned in the Falcon 4.0 manual will make you a better BMS pilot. Every BMS pilot of satisfactory skill has read the Falcon 4.0 manual cover to cover or alternatively could read without being surprised by any part. I recommend this manual as the first attempt at learning to fly BMS because it is written clearly and in a good organization for learning. Carefully and patiently going through chapters 1-3 and to a lesser degree of care chapters 4-5 provides a good baseline introduction to BMS.
For the most part the learning chapters 1-5 can be accomplished without knowing anything more in the larger BMS world. Here are a few examples of possible places to get stuck:
1. Press “S” to increment the steerpoint. Solution: Click the up front control rocker switch.
2. Press F8 to cycle ACM radar submodes. Solution: Press TMS hat various directions to select ACM submodes.
3. Press Backspace to cycle AG weapons. Solution: Press the MFD OSB next to the current weapon on the SMS page.These examples show that the usual problem is that the manual text may indicate a keyboard command for a function which is done in BMS by clicking a part of the cockpit, pressing a different keyboard key, or pressing a HOTAS function button. With a little awareness and research these minor hiccups are quickly resolved and the important part of the lesson can continue. This kind of thing is the primary source of incompatibility between the Falcon 4.0 manual and Falcon BMS. There are some press “this” to do “that.” Some of the “this” are wrong but you always want to learn the “that.”
Reading the Falcon 4.0 manual (and doing the exercises) won’t make you a good pilot but no good pilot hasn’t.
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I would read the Falcon:AF manual instead, it is an updated version of the original F4 manual.
Then perhaps consider the AF>BMS conversion manual linked in my sig.
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Thanks.
I switched to the keystrokes keyfile because I felt most familiar with that setup. Somehow I still remember the keys. Must have almost been 10 years, still some actions go automatic.I feel old
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I agree with Mower on the F4AF manual as a fairly good starting point. It provides good “step by steps” on many things. Fredwref also makes a very good point. BMS has ruined F4AF for me
because of the reality and immersion. So, the Falcon manuals help but there’s more to the story. For example, in F4AF to taxi you simply hit T, etc. In BMS you have to actually set up the radio(s).
Also, look in the documents of your BMS download. There are some really good BMS specific manuals in there, too. -
Man, I have a lot of reading up to do
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Also, I have an Saitek x45, so references to HOTAS confuses me sometimes. I guess most of you fly with a Cougar?
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most
probably not, but really any stick can work if you make it work.
as a short rule though, more hats are better just because you can bind up more axes to easily controllable directional hats.
game is easily playable with a 30$ logitech 3d though.
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@Cik:
most
probably not, but really any stick can work if you make it work.
as a short rule though, more hats are better just because you can bind up more axes to easily controllable directional hats.
game is easily playable with a 30$ logitech 3d though.
easily
probably not… sim is flyable with a $30 stick though. Heck, I know one guy who blows me away every time he refuels… because he’s using a PS3 controller and not a HOTAS.
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easily
probably not… sim is flyable with a $30 stick though. Heck, I know one guy who blows me away every time he refuels… because he’s using a PS3 controller and not a HOTAS.
bah, 30$ stick you got a lookhat and a pickle and trigger button. for every other function you got 500 keys on a keyboard with fifteen modifier combinations. it was easy enough.
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Krauses tutorial are very handy
Got my X45 kinda set up the way I like it. Found the proper software for it.
Will map more keys after more flights.Having much fun!
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its a good grounding but its not the whole story.
I was about to say the same as him but I see I’m too late
The F4.0 manual is really old, I started to fly the F-16 by playing falcon 4.0 allied force. The manual of that sim is good to start with, to give you a good basic knowledge about the F-16 but the real deal is written in the BMS-manualsIf you are not sure or you are stuck, you can download the falcon 4.0 allied force manual online and have a look inside that manual
I sometimes do that for the radar-modes because they aren’t fully explained in BMS.If you are starting, than my advise is: download the F4.0AF manual so you can learn the basics and later the BMS-stuff
Good luck mate
