Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II: Difference between revisions

==About the aircraft==

The electrical power systems and the [[APU]]'s operation are simulated to a large extent. [[Howto: Air-Air Refueling|Air to air refueling]] is also implemented.

[[Image:A-10-electrical-power-control-panel.jpg|thumb|Electrical control panel]]

Let's connect the battery: switch on the battery switch. A few indicators should light up, but not all of them. Now with the battery connected you can start the [[APU]].  

The [[APU]] start/stop switch is located near the throttle on the left console. Switch it on. Now check the [[APU]]'s tachometer and EGT on the engine gauge panel.

If the [[APU]] has started successfuly you should see the EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) rapidly climb to 800/900°C and then stabilize when the RPMs reach 60%.

[[Image:A-10-throttle-engine-start.jpg|thumb|Throttle, engines operation and APU panel]]

[[Image:engine-gauges.jpg|thumb|APU running, Engines gauges at stop.]]

With fully loaded fuel tanks and a full load of armament, the A-10 is heavy--about 50,000 pounds. At this weight the plane is quite difficult to fly. Symptoms you would notice are difficult to take off, difficulty gaining altitude, difficult to maneuver without triggering stall warnings or actual stalls.

[[Image:A-10-fuel-control-doc.jpg|thumb|Fuel Control panel.]]

(<b>A</b>) Fill Disable buttons, left and right wings tanks. Here fill disabled (button up showing red stripe). Refuel disabled for the wings tanks.

(<b>B</b>) Fill Disable buttons, left and right main tanks (practically forward and aft fuselage tanks). Here fill enabled (button down hidding red stripe). Refuel enabled for the main tanks.

(<b>C</b>) Refuel Receiver Door lever.

(<b>D</b>) External Tanks switches, Wings and Fuselage. Set to OFF to un-pressurize external tanks

(<b>E</b>) Cross Feed switch, allow any operating boost pump to feed both engines.

(<b>F</b>) Tank Gate switch, open a valve linking the left (aft) and right (forward) main fuel tanks.  

(<b>G</b>) .  

(<b>H</b>) .

[[Image:A-10-hud-control-panel.jpg|thumb|HUD Control panel]]

(<b>A</b>) Mode Selector Switch: OFF, TEST (standard display), NAV (standard display), CCIP (standard display + Countinuous Computed Impact Point), CCRP (standard display), EXP (standard display), STBY (standard display). Actually you will mostly use NAV and CCIP as other modes are not modeled yet. See later in Weapons System about reticles use.

(<b>B</b>) INTEN knob: Adjust the HUD luminosity.

(<b>C</b>) DEPR knob: Changes the vertical position of the primary aiming reticle in the HUD, There is a digital index in the HUD showing its position, range from -1.00 to 1.00 followed by the letter "D".  

[[Image:A-10-hud-symbology.jpg|thumb|HUD Symbology]]

(<b>D</b>) Pitch ladder.

(<b>E</b>) Indicated Air Speed, Kts.

(<b>F</b>) Primary Aiming Reticle.

(<b>G</b>) Horizon Line

(<b>H</b>) Primary Aiming Reticle Digital index.

(<b>I</b>) Magnetic Heading Tape.  

(<b>J</b>) Indicated Altitude in feet (ASL).  

(<b>K</b>) Radar Altitude in feet (AGL) followed by letter "R".  

(<b>I</b>) Aircraft Pitch in degrees, boxed.

(<b>M</b>) Total Velocity Vector indicator.  

(<b>N</b>) Pointer showing the rudders deflection.  

[[Image:A-10-arm-1.jpg|thumb|Armament panel]]

Be sure to have energy before trying to use the armament panel. The gun's rounds counter (<b>A</b>) should be lighted in blue and the HUD should be active.

First of all push up the Master Switch to ARM (<b>B</b>).

For AIM-9, turn (<b>C</b>) the AIM-9 Mode Knob to SEL (click on the right side of the knob). Now a big circle appears on the HUD symbology, that the searching aera of the AIM-9. Now select Pylon #11, you should ear the seeker sound. This sound is audible only when an AIM-9 is available, selected and searching. Press key ',' to fire the AIM-9.