DCS: F-15E First Impression, Flight Dynamics and Analysis

[@phil73805]

"I'm in DCS because I want to fly not because I want to look at airplanes" Amen brother. Subscribed.

[@cadefoster9279]

Gvad is back! Always look forward to his very informative reviews especially how to fly each plan to its advantages.

[@FSX404]

Thanks! Im pretty busy, but also I dont post for the sake of posting. I usually post if I have something to show or something interesting.

[@mitch_the_-itch]

Teaching myself the FA18 was way easier than self teaching myself the F15E. I had to go do some Warbirds to feel good about myself again, lol.

[@ilyakandakov3210]

Thank You very much for a such detailed performance review. That is a thing I personally really needed, instead of “glorious Pearl Harbour defence” at the release day

[@fighterjetshq9299]

You Earned my Sub ❤ Great review

[@charlesc7723]

Nice video, I have the same feeling about the pop up on take off, however I will say the F1 displays a little of that behavior still but it was much worst. So I think that will improved with time. I was actually able to do some smooth takeoffs, it just takes practice. It will take some time for me to get my head around the jet, but I think if the complainers had have left them alone maybe it would have been even better. I am finding a few bugs without digging that deep which tells me there will be a lot of changes to come. Weapons are fairly basic for this type of jet, but I did expect that as well. Still on the fence about the power of the jet, but I have not had time to really experiment fully. All and all, a great release for an anxious crowd that was coming after them with pitchforks, so I do understand that they had to just pull the trigger to get a break. Thanks for the review.

[@FSX404]

Maybe it was better than I thought it would be l, so it makes me like it more. But it handles very decent, over performing in vertixal, butvthats more DCS shortcoming than devs I think.

[@mitch_the_-itch]

DCS first handed us the pitchforks themselves. Dont blame us. A 6 year dev cycle borders on insane. Im happy.

[@timmy3822]

Can I ask what stick you use? Your inputs are very smooth and I was wondering if you had a stick extension? For warbirds especially they’re horribly sensitive in the pitch axis, the Spitfire especially. Adding a curve to the axis just makes it feel inconsistent.

[@FSX404]

Basic HOTAS X56 no extension. No curve either. Working on the MiG-17 and overall testing requires a lot of precise inputs so it carried over to other planes. If curve is inconsistent, its because the stick effectiveness is non-linear and likely more accurate. Its a good sign

[@generalpurpose6517]

Finally! Someone who thinks like I do. I'm a licensed private pilot and I appreciate the way you think. Subscribed.

[@freakycat1795]

F14 F16 f18 they don't stall because of FCS, there are videos to show how to make them stall, kind of difficult, i guess the f15 will be soon stalled.

[@maxvondarax]

loved the video!

[@branjosnow6244]

That nose bounce happens on the F-16 too on take off, I thought it was normal? The reason I assumed is because there isn't the proper generated lift, to equal the thrust being applied. So the plane feels like it would back flip?

[@FSX404]

Never noticed on the F-16, maybe its not to this degree

[@marcosavila8215]

Razbam is taking notes at full speed

[@ComdrStew]

Yeah the rotation is weird. Usually you just hold back 1/2 way on the stick and the nose is suppose to just come up easy. It is like the front wheel is stuck to the ground.

[@FSX404]

Yeah, there may be a technique to it different from other planes, talking to someone here who may know how it works. F15 may need just a slight temporary pitch up at rotation speed. I'll try to find out for sure

[@kolbola]

This is what the F-15E really able to do, if the engine is the PW229 and the pilot is good as the legendary Boeing test pilot Joe Felock was, like here at this flight demo. No weapons, no CFT, no bullshit, just pure flying: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4C0ontqqZiYaNU

[@jubuttib]

7:07 And you were even a weeee bit fast, at least vs. Razbam's landing tutorial mission, which calls for 20-22 alpha (clearly not degrees, just units of another kind), could have gone a bit slower with less throttle. =) Great video, and good to hear they're not miles off.

[@FSX404]

I dont think so, plane was fine just where it was

[@jubuttib]

@@FSX404 Was kidding mostly, but the landing training mission does recommend 20-22 units of alpha, so there was a tiny bit of room there. Definitely was totally fine where you were.

[@FSX404]

@@jubuttib staying at that 20-22 alpha it will drop at the end, its probably on point for real one since there is a bit of ground effect, but for DCS slightly lower alpha (18-20) works a bit better, more like the real thing. In reality doesnt matter, if you can maintain 19 to the runway you can maintain 21.

[@jubuttib]

@@FSX404 Hmm, interesting, didn't notice a drop like that on my test landings, but there are many things we could be doing differently, like timing of airbrake extension, power input, glideslope, loadouts, etc... Regardless, thanks for the great content. =)

[@dampsok]

Do you have any data, from any SME that can confirm your suspicions or is this just your opinion as a GA pilot?

[@FSX404]

I have friends who are or were fighterpilots (not F15), I discussed the F15 with one before posting. Any particular part here so I can give ypu specifics?

[@dampsok]

@FSX404 Yes, I asked because I have a friend who was an F-15E pilot, and before I brought this video to him to evaluate your points, I wanted to see if this was based on conjecture or experience.

[@FSX404]

@@dampsok it would be good to know which points I point out are accurate. Something I only brushed over in the video but is critical is thebpower during landing. Please find out where that power setting is during approach, I feel that being at 10% stick (about 65% power) is not correct.

[@Viper81]

Oh boy, that gunsight, though…! 😂 Okay, from what I found so far it is best to aim left high. Take the left wingtip of your bandit as a reference and from there move the pipper to a position parallel to his nose. Then you are dead on. Makes life a lot easier. Hope this gets fixed soon…

[@FSX404]

May be accurate, F-15 gun is on the right wing root, unless the sight adjusts for it

[@Viper81]

@@FSX404 Nah, Razbam already confirmed it's a bug. They are working on a fix. That gunsight should be much more accurate...more like in the F-16 or the F/A-18C, actuallly.

[@FSX404]

@@Viper81 ahh good to know, thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

[@debonair6764]

May I ask what map is this?

[@FSX404]

Its the Sinai, the dogfight is right by the Pyramids; (correction) you can see the Pyramids when I go into the first vertical during the dogfight, you can see the when I look back.

[@prichardgs]

Eye candy is nothing if flight dynamics suck-I saw a video with a F15 pilot who said it does nose up BTW on take off.

[@FSX404]

May be, but the problem with devs is they misunderstand the pilots, I have a feeling this has been misinterpreted. Also this area is very hard to code from experience in working myself with coders. Tweak one end break another. So it may be a case of look for now this is as close as we can get it.

[@Golfrnut]

@@FSX404 It's not misunderstood. T/O trim provides trim bias in pitch through the PTC. The PTC also trims the jet to commanded G based on stick inputs once the gear handle is raised. This is often misunderstood on the user end however.

[@FSX404]

@@Golfrnut ok Im listening, explain the F-15E rotation process

[@Golfrnut]

@@FSX404 The PTC adds bias to the flight controls during takeoff, you will always get a pitch up tendency until that bias is nulled out by using the trim switch. One of the few times you actually need to use manual trim in pitch. In a heavy jet, with a combat load, that will not be as pronounced for obvious reasons. In a low weight jet, which has a lot of power, expect to have to be ahead of it.

[@FSX404]

@@Golfrnut makes sense, thanks. Is the trim used after pitch or can it be done before? I use a lot of pitch down trim before rotation.

[@davido1953]

I have a hard time believing this a/c does not stall...hmmmmmmm

[@FSX404]

Flight computer might not allow it, but in reality any plane will stall if you get it in the wrong position.

[@jimrussell4062]

@@FSX404 Will not "stall"? Or will not ACT like it's in a stall? (wobble, nose drop, etc)

[@FSX404]

@@jimrussell4062 it doesnt stall, you always have control of the airplane. In an actual stall, even if nose doesnt fall forward like a classic stall you lose partial control. Not here, but doesnt mean its not accurate tho

[@iain8837]

The takeoff physics seem off, I don’t like them at all. You watch real aircraft takeoff with lots of elevator to get the nose rotating, then they are pretty rock solid in pitch after that with the need for nose down trim. In DCS it pitches up very easy, ease the back pressure for 10 deg and the nose drops, ease back some more pressure and it snaps up, the. It oscillates as seen in your video, when the wheels leave the ground, your probably overspending them, especially at heavy loads. Just as the wheels leave the ground, the nose wants to snap up rather than lift off gently. Once in the air it’s great, and landing is really nicely modelled. Funnily enough, I get this feeling at takeoff with the mirage too. Other jets, F16, F18 are much better at takeoff. I hope they can improve it. Just watch other videos and they all show this characteristic, especially Grim Reapers takeoff tutorial, or SampleHalo246 takeoff. Everyone struggles to do it realistically as it’s really not modelled well.