COLIMATA F/A-18F Rhino User manual
2016 - All rights reserved
Special thanks to my family and friends who supported me on this long journey.
Page 2
Introduction............................. 4
What's in the package............ 5
Installation............................... 7
Quick start............................... 8
Rendering Setup..................... 9
Joystick setup......................... 0
Know your Hornet...................
3D Cockpit............................... 3
Head Up Display...................... 4
Digital Displ. Indicator DDI..... 7
Attitude Direction Indicator.... 9
Engine indicator...................... 20
DDI – Fuel indicator................ 22
Horizontal Situation Indicator 24
Flight Data indicator............... 27
RADAR..................................... 29
There is no need to know all systems described in this manual. This add-on can be used with different knowledge levels.
In addition to this FULL manual, there is the quickstart manual that ships with the aircraft.
INDEX
Page 3
Weapons indicator.................. 3
UFCD Up Front Control Displ. 33
UFCD – COM Menu................. 36
UFCD – Autopilot menu.......... 37
UFCD – Settings menu........... 4
UFCD – NAV Menu.................. 43
Fuel gauge / engine gauge..... 45
Right console.......................... 47
Night lighting........................... 48
Left console – front................ 49
Left console – rear.................. 50
Engine / aircraft startup......... 5
Engine /aircraft shutdown...... 52
FLY THE FA- 8F....................... 53
Copyright................................. 56
Thank you very much for purchasing the “ A-18 add-on by COLIMATA” and therefore supporting my development work.
I invested more than 1.800 working hours in this aircraft and all the experiences from the MiG-29 project. The goal was to create a great fighter
jet for X-Plane, with very good graphics, plugin driven custom systems, good aerodynamics and a system depth that matches the requirements
for semi professional and beginner, flight simulation fighter pilots.
I'm really, really satisfied with the result and I'm confident you will be too.
The FA-18F:
The A-18 is more than just the 2-seat version of the A-18E. It's two seat layout enables the crew to use the equipment, aerodynamics and
power to the full potential. The A-18 (together with E, G, C and D) are the back bone of today's American Naval flying forces.
The impressive capabilities of the “Super Hornet – Rhino” where developed in decades. In fact today's A-18's have there roots in the legendary
-5 Tiger. This reliable machine was the basis for the Y -17 Cobra that in further evolution became the A-18A. Passing further years of
evolution, improvement and optimization (C,D models) the A-18 platform reached it's actual stage. The A-18E “Super Hornet”, the A-18
“Rhino” and the A-18G “Growler” for electronic warfare.
The A-18 is now a real multirole aircraft, performing excellently in air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions. Having it's home base
on aircraft carriers, flying the “Super Hornet” in day and night missions can be considered one of the biggest challenges for an aviator.
anuals / Support:
There is no need to know all systems described in this manual. This add-on can be used with different knowledge levels.
In addition to this ULL manual, there is the quickstart manual that ships with the aircraft.
Video tutorials on
www.youtube.com/colimatavideos
Technical questions can be discussed on: forums.x-plane.org
x-plane.org forum → Payware Support → Designers → COLIMATA → A-18
My email is: [email protected].
I'm sure that some of you are A-18 experts. eel free to correct me and send some creative critique. But foremost send me an encouragement
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INTRODUCTION
Highly accurate interactive 3D cockpit, with
projected, collimated, focused to infinity 3D HUD.
Precisely modeled, animated external aircraft with
beautiful textures in 4k (2k option).
Refined flight model with correct landing speeds and AoA, max.
turn rate, fuselage/wing root extensions lift simulation, etc
Reasonable system depth, ideal for semi professional and
beginner, flight simulation fighter pilots.
16 high quality 4k liveries (2k option to save VRAM)
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What's in the package?
What's in the package?
16 high quality 4k liverys
(2k option to save VRAM)
Default
USA NAVY V A-103
Jolly Rogers
USA NAVY V A-147
Argonauts
USA NAVY lighttest USA NAVY V A-32
Swordsmen
USA NAVY V A-102
Diamondbacks
Switzerland Malaysia Royal Australian Airforce Royal Canadian Airforce Kuwait
inland USA NAVY V A-41 Black
Aces
USA NAVY V A-213 Black
Lions
USA actory rolloutSpain
Page 6
To reduce the download size of the 4k version,
some of the liveries, plus additional ones, can be
downloaded for free from the x-plane.org server.
X-plane.org → Downloads →
Aircraft Skins – Liveries → A-18 by COLIMATA
This is the direct link:
http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/category/
166-fa-18f-by-colimata/
INSTALLATION
Page 7
1. Unzip the downloaded zip file
2. Move the resulting main aircraft folder
“ A-18 4k v1.02 by Colimata”
inside “...\X-Plane 10\Aircraft\”
CORRECT: WRONG:
Do NOT move the CONTENTS of the main
aircraft folder ALONE. Move the main
aircraft folder with all it's contents inside.
INSTALLATION TROUBLESHOOTING
Page 7
. Rename/Subfolder
Do not rename or move the A-18 main folder in another sub folder.
This could cause problems to the aircraft plugin due to a too long file path.
2. Administrator rights
Make sure that the main X-Plane folder is NOT located in a system path that needs administrator rights (like C:\Programs\).
The plugin could fail to start due to missing administrator rights.
3. Antivirus software
Assure that your antivirus software does not block the plugin, located in:
...\X-Plane 10\Aircraft\ A-18 4k v1.02 by Colimata\plugins\ A-18 plugins\64\” (32 for 32bit systems)
The software “lives” only inside X-Plane. No harm for your computer.
4. Microsoft libraries
or unknown reasons, some computers, even new ones, miss some Microsoft libraries. If you check the X-Plane LOG.txt file (in the main X-
Plane folder), and there's an “Error code = 126” near the A-18 plugin, then it is very likely that missing Microsoft libraries are the cause.
Many, also big office, CAD an other payware programs outside the X-Plane world need those libraries. It's good to have them on board.
Installation is done pretty quickly and represent no harm or heavy lifting for your computer.
The libraries are called “Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime libraries”. There are various versions of them. One series is called x86 for the old 32bit
systems and one series is called x64 for the 64bit systems (todays standard): v 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015.
Normally only version 2012 is needed. Here's the link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679
There where however customers who needed to install the whole series from 2005 to 2015 to get it to run.
On the “issue solutions” thread, inside the x-plane.org forum, point 8 contains all the links to all the versions of the 64bit series.
Normally the aircraft runs “out of the box”. Should you nevertheless encounter a problem here's a list of possible causes. If there are
issues on the A-18 , they are mostly related to the so called “plugin”. This is a custom piece of software that powers the custom made HUD, the
Displays, some switches, the dynamic landing gear damping, etc.
ISSUE SOLUTIONS THREAD:
In the forum on x-plane.org I created an “issue solutions thread” that contains an updated list of issues and there solutions.
x-plane.org → Payware support → Designers → COLIMATA → A-18 Super Hornet
Here's the link: http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/forums/topic/95128-issue-solutions/
QUICK START
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Takeoff:
- When standing on the runway move throttle to full military thrust
- Check engine values are OK
- Release wheels brakes
- Ignite afterburners by moving the throttle fully forward
- ~130KIAS (depending on weight) pull the nose up gently
Climb:
- After takeoff raise gear and falps very quickly
- Lower thrust to full military (no afterburners)
- Maintain reasonable pitch, speed
- Turn slightly to leave space for the following aircraft
Flight / Maneuver:
- Start turns at 250-400KIAS (Knots indicated airspeed)
- Watch Angles of attack AoA, g's, and decreasing speed
- Ignite afterburners for short accelerations
- Keep an eye on the uel gauge frequently
- Gently with the stick on the beginnings
Weapon usage (armed version):
- Switch one DDI display to Radar
- Switch second DDI display to Weapons console (WPN)
- Set master ARM switch to ARM (left to the top left Display)
- Select a weapon on the WPN console by cycling through the
available weapons ← AA →
- Select a target on the Radar with the TGT arrows (check no
friendly fire – see chapter RADAR or weapons console)
- IRE (spacebar)
Landing:
- Lower the airspeed to 230KIAS a continue slowing down
- At ~160-180KIAS (weight dependent) lower LAPS setp by step
- Lower tailhook in case of carrier landing
- Correct landing speeds are weight dependent. You find them on
a chart in the folder “MANUALS” ~135KIAS with LPAS ULL
- Correct AoA between 7.4° and 8.8° see AoA indexer instrument
RENDERING SETUP
Page 9
Keep the rendering setup “Settings → Rendering Options“ on a reasonable level, that matches the computer hardware.
Be aware that the aircraft needs real time computing power in addition to X-Plane itself.
Lower the settings in case to maintain good fps.
Handy presets
Table of contents
