DCS: F/A-18C Hornet - Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) Tutorial/Explanation

Hey guys just a tutorial here for the ACM modes of the DCS F-18 Hornet. I hope it helps you guys better understand these system.
Don't forget to leave any feedback or any thoughts about how it can be improved. Thanks for watching guys.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

Hey guys hope you like the tutorial. I'll definitely update it as features are added to the hornets early access. Thanks for all the support on the new channel.

[@peterweller8583]

Actually really liked it thorough and concise, yet you took the perfect amount of time on each mode. I only have three working brain cells and I am so glad they stopped arguing with each other, now maybe I'll be able to sleep at night.

[@AlexC259]

I am new to DCS and have watched many how to videos and still have many questions till I found your channel. I was getting discouraged thinking I will never understand DCS till I found your channel. Your videos are the best I have viewed on explaining some very complex subjects, I have a much better understanding now. Thank you for your through and patience approach, I have subscribed.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

Hi alex, thats wonderful news, glad you find this stuff helpful, keep in mind we all felt like that when we started DCS, just keep learning. I'm still learning stuff about this sim today lol its been like 5 years of being on it everyday.

[@simonmanktelow1649]

Without blowing wind up your bum, these are the best DCS aircraft tutorials I have come across on KZbin. I have subscribed and will be watching them all. Keep up the great work!!!!!!!!!!

[@therocinante3443]

100% He's still the best one.

[@diegoruiz7600]

@@therocinante3443 yeah he is, I just got the f18 time to learn

[@MrGarrym]

One of the best tutorial videos of ACM mode I've seen on the Internet 👍👍. I know it's 4 years ago, but still, awesome 😎. Cudos

[@SBJ696]

Cheers. I could actually track your instruction better than I could watching the Grim Reapers. Keep it up mate, you earned a sub.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thanks brother appreciate it very much.

[@geod5]

I agree, GR do nice vids, but for tutorials they blather on way too much. this is nice and to the point.

[@freemonfitzdeassresq9373]

@@GrowlingSidewinder You ''Rock'' Yo.!%?... lolz.

[@ottonelly]

Oh man! You're just a fine tutor/instructor on these things! Your tone and emphasis are adjusted so precisely that after I've watched it only one, so many stuffs ceased to float in my mind. Well covered!

[@lbowiejr]

Thanks, i've spent my DCS career in the A-10C so videos like this are super useful. Between this video and the one you did for BVR, i have a much better understanding on the Radar and how to use the weapons systems. Keep it up!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

i'm very happy to hear these are helping you out. thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it very much

[@colemcintyre2169]

I don't know why, but your way to explain things makes it impossible to NOT understand it. Great job! Thank you.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

you're too kind cole. thanks happy you found it useful.

[@spencerwarren9219]

best video i have seen on youtube explaining this

[@charlesabela9934]

Yet again a great Video. Cobwebs gone. ACM>Weapon Selection>Bore Gun etc schematic excellent for understanding. Your Points Repetition methodology superb. 5 examples in the end without firing a shot and perfectly clear. Keep it up sir.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

I appreciate it lots man. thanks for the support.

[@ThatTempesTGuy]

Whatever mic you use now is 100x better than this one, main thing with your videos is the high quality mic and super laid back voice... 👍 great videos man thanks for makin em, you are my dogfight mentor lol

[@dcashio]

This are great tutorials! Seriously the best I've found on youtube. I hope you make some more for other aircraft.

[@janvermaak7034]

Hi. This was actually one of the best demonstrations. Thanks. You not only go through the words but actually showed us how to do it. Great

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@dennismallari6923]

Thanks for the effort, pls keep it coming!

[@Lukeeep_]

Your tutorials are the best I could find on KZbin. Not just this video in particular but all of them. Currently learning the F/A 18 and still so many questions but I'll just keep watching and practicing along your tutorials! Very nice job! Instant subscribe!!

[@lockstock8719]

Best instructional video so far on the FA18. Look forward to moar!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

The Happy Flyer thanks for the support glad u enjoyed it

[@bkk6211]

Great video! You provide a good level of detail and your pace is perfect in my opinion. Please keep up the great work its appreciated. Cheers!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thanks brad. glad ur enjoying the content. thank you for the feedback.

[@Your_Average_Joe.]

Thank you for the video, keep 'em coming.

[@davidschroderflip4952]

Great tutorials. Been only flying in DCS for a couple of weeks. Have the F16, F18, plus the supercarrier modules. Still learning. ( work 6 nights a week) will probably be joining your Patreon page here very soon. Have a great computer system for DCS; Corsair Vengeance I9 with RTX 3080, MFG rudder pedals, warthog stick and throttles, and other goodies. Your videos are very instructive so keep up the great work.

[@azjim321]

Awesome tutorial! Really helped understand the different modes.

[@Tertius_Oculus]

Hey mate.... going from the F-16C towards the F/A-18C right now. Works differently, more different to the F-16C than expected, but somehow easier, the F/A-18C seems to work more fluently. Thanks for help! This video helped me understand the system big time.

[@swagger897]

I don't even have DCS and I've subbed already. Great stuff and hope you keep going!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

Thanks a lot, that means a lot. I'll try not to disappoint in the future haha

[@armhunter]

just jumped into DCS. this helps so much. I'm having trouble keeping them locked at long rang so the AIM 120 can track. I always lose target.. but these are helping so much! I appreciate it.

[@surfingtheworld703]

Another clear and well structured video. Thank you.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

glad you found it helpful man

[@sparrowone471]

Great help thanks greetings from thailand

[@jimmyjohns8944]

Great vids dude. Keep em coming

[@asfa1007]

Exactly what i was looking for. Thx budd!

[@jamesc9001]

Outstanding explanation. I love your method. Good stuff.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thanks james glad you liked it man.

[@sknokaze]

Good explanation about ACM mode

[@tday67]

Perfect mate. Now need to do some a to a practice

[@mr.patriksimulations]

another great tutorial

[@olddogg60]

Great tutorial. Thank you . 👍

[@TotalFreakUK]

Good job buddy... I hope you've help me out a lot. Just gotta put it into practice

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

best of luck my dude

[@drinlab5393]

Thanks! Very good tutorial!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

Drin Lab my pleasure

[@froggystvkw7603]

Thx a lot mate. Very very easy to understand. Merci beaucoup

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

pascal portellano glad to hear it buddy. Thanks for the feedback.

[@ATA909]

You made it easy and nice thanks , sub waiting for more !

[@HernanMoragaMmHs]

super useful. thanks man!

[@glennshin3310]

Cheers really helpful, pleaes keep doing these

[@svmik]

Excellent, thanks for this!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

ur very welcome

[@simonmanktelow1649]

Mate. Your making some awesome vids that are helping me understand the Hornet systems so much better. Really informative and easy to follow. There a little long but won't hold that against you as the content out ways the negative. Also watched your ECM vid which was great. Only thing was I'm still trying to understand the function of the ECM selector just beside the dispenser on/bypass switch, what does it do?

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

right, I was going to do a mini video on that, that switch is the electronic countermeasures (ECM) kind of like a radar jammer it can help against fox1 and 3, I know thats not a great explanation, If you give me a couple days I'll have a video on that. something short and sweet. cuz its not a complicated topic also, thanks a lot for your feedback man I appreciate it. thats the kind of stuff that gives me motivation to keep making these, all the best.

[@bmbpdk]

As usual; thanks for a great tutorial! And thank you for not calling the Midas "I - L 78" its either "Iluyshin 78" as you said, or "Il-78"

[@leseur6675]

Great help again thanks

[@JETFOURLITRE]

Does AACQ mode perform an IFF interrogation and ignore friendly targets in real life? Great video by the way, thank you

[@hansgold58]

Great tutorial, thank you very much. It answers some questions I had after just reading the manual. Maybe in a future tutorial you could demo how to uncage a rocket? Thanks again, pls keep em coming.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

youre very welcome thank you for the comment. are you referring to an air to air sidewinder? to shoot down other planes ?

[@hansgold58]

Yes I am, should have used the correct terminology :-)

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

not a problem man, I just wanted to be clear what you were looking for. I literally just finished that tutorial i'll be uploading it shortly. thanks for the suggestion.

[@hansgold58]

Allready watched it! Thanks again for the very clear explanation.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

youre very welcome.

[@chrisoz4929]

A really good explanation, although throughout the video you confuse weapon modes with radar modes. Apart from that, great stuff.

[@-ron-8155]

Thank you for the great lesson! I like and understand how to apply your flow chart now. Can you please cover short range missile hot and cold zone thru the HUD. I read about this thru an old naval aviator text book but the book is old and the missile technology has advanced so I don't know if that applies anymore.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

I will look into it, I'm not too familiar with the concept of hot and cold in relation to the HUD. glad u found the video helpful.

[@andrewpower4261]

Hey buddy you got to show me how to do what you do. This is insane and awesome. I’ve always wanted to be a fighter pilot..... but one thing led to another.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thanks buddy, It was a personal dream of mine also. but like you said, one thing led to another

[@AlphaNilla]

Gotta love the "inverted" ACM flowchart. "Fox 1 Fox 1...Awe Geezus... "

[@kevoman4980]

cleared up A LOT "FIGHTS ON!!"

[@zackbenson7658]

Very nice tutorial. Thanks! One other mode might have been useful to include here would be ... How to lock up a sidewinder without using the radar.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

do you mean like just pointing the bore getting good tone, uncaging and firing? like using the seeker head of the sidewinder instead of the radar?

[@zackbenson7658]

Yes, That what I was referring to. Uncaging the seeker and getting a missile lock that way (which is stealthy).

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

interesting. a few people have asked for this. I'll see what I can do

[@cam-man7350]

👍 subscribed

[@kenhelmers2603]

Sweet!

[@Gert-DK]

Flowcharts is realy good.

[@Rhinozherous]

Exactly what I searched for! Thank you! Will you update them when new features are available in the beta?

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

yes i will certainly try to

[@lb7144]

I'm here because these are my new Discovery Wings!

[@WarriorPleb]

nice!

[@sparhopper]

So pro! Clear, calm descriptions with visual aids and demo's. S u h - w e e t. I look forward to watchin' more of your (many) tactical / training vids. But seeing as how I can''t even afford a proper computer that allows me to play, basically... I'm just here for the fun of it anyway. Carry on.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thanks man, I appreciate that.

[@hba8103]

Question...when you say depress to unlock the target is this the Sensor Switch depress or the undesignate paddle switch? Do you use the Sensor Switch depress for anything? I think it's used to do IFF or Mode 4 interrogation but I don't know why they wouldn't just use Throttle Designator Controller depress to accomplish this.

[@sg0101010]

Can I assume auto acquisition works now ? Curious if anything else has changed. Good video and well described. You have another video on stealth mode, do all these modes require radar on ?

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

well the stealth thing is more of a tactic than a mode, but yes the Auto AQ works now I believe. lots of things have been added since this video tbh. the radar is a lot better, more functionality, the pulse repetition freq is in there now. but I think in terms of the ACM modes, its all pretty much the same, that stuff was working since the initial release of the hornet.

[@-ron-8155]

Hello again. I like your TACView lessons on ACM Are you using the free edition of TACView? I was thinking about buying it. Great presentation and visual content!

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

hi again, thank you for the kind feedback, no i bought my tacview. its a great buy will make u a better pilot

[@-ron-8155]

I got that information from Robert L. Shaw: Fighter Combat : Tactics and Maneuvering (Hardcover); 1985 Edition. The book is pretty old so I dont know if it is really relevant with today technology.

[@urrugames4062]

Awesome video! Is the AACQ working in the current release or still WIP?

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

thank you, yes I believe its functional now. ( I havent been in the hornet for about a month since the tomcat came out but yes I think its there)

[@michaelwestmoreland2530]

Your visualizations are no doubt time consuming and they're GREATLY appreciated. "I didn't put AMRAAM because we don't have them yet." F/A-18, as a module....launched....without AIM-120s? Are you serious?

[@jonnie2bad]

i dont see dotted lines in vertical acq mode. Has that been changed or am I the only one? Am I doing something wrong?

[@mohddinie705]

hi , I'm interested to know your joystick curve setting. Thanks

[@jiajiawan9584]

Question :how to exit ACM mode to BVR(RWS,TWS)?

[@n0rman908]

so here i am wondering why my sidewinders wont lock up, didnt know u had to select the hud as the active sensor. facepalm

[@therocinante3443]

great video. it's funny though, in 2018, these looked/sounded pretty ass lol

[@kevykevTPA]

Does AACQ work yet? Sorry if that's a stupid question, I'm a total noob who couldn't shoot down a bad guy if he was trying to let me... Though I did get one earlier lol!

[@TheGreenerSide09]

Bossman i cant seem to activate the vertical acquisition mode in ACM all the other modes seem to go on except for that one any suggestions I just checked my bindings and they're all okay when I do push a sensor control switch afft it does still shows its in the acm mode but i dont see the two vertical lines

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

go to bore sight first and then go to vertical.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

so sensor selective forward first then sensor select aft

[@TheGreenerSide09]

that's what I've been doing boss I studied your flow chart to the T

[@TheGreenerSide09]

It's crazy I can't do any other mode anytime I want but it when I try the vertical mode I don't know if it just doesn't show it's on or if it doesn't go on

[@abelsalazar5103]

thanks for the quick reply. can you steer me on decent controller?

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

my pleasure I use a thrustmaster 16000M I would recommend that

[@abelsalazar5103]

Has the Hornet been u;pdated at this time. which includes ARM120.

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

Abel Salazar aim120s, yes also now has harm and a Mavericks hornet has had a lot of updates since this video

[@rumi_137]

Boresight vertical scan is still working?

[@GrowlingSidewinder]

The Matador yes

[@Blue_Pumpkin]

Meanwhile inside the Illushin 78: *Profuse sweating*