This is an F-16 Falcon panel with a working HUD which both looks and operates very much like the actual F-16's. (See HUD video in zip file.) This is the most accurate, complex and complete HUD I've done. It features: working velocity vector and ladder (of course); both digital and tape-based airspeed / altitude / heading displays (selectable); a working NAV tadpole with NAV data blocks (which can be linked to NAV1, NAV2, or GPS); a waypoint designation diamond (which overlays the actual geographic position of your GPS waypoint or the selected VOR); accurate AoA bracket and backup AoA indexer for precise and realistic landings (13 degrees alpha!); precise ILS bars; 3 selectable symbology colors; various switches to adjust the HUD (power, color, ladder on/off, ladder cage, ILS on / off, tape vs. digital asp /alt /hdg, NAV1 NAV2 or GPS-based steering cues), cuations and resets, and on and on... This also includes a basic DED, which includes all relevant NAV info (distance-to, NAV ident, and bearing) for all NAV sources (NAV1, NAV2, or GPS); ADFident; and current aircraft latitude / longitude. This panel assumes installation of the ViperDen pack (a rework of Kirk Olsson's F-16), and (except for the HUD, DED, and switches) uses the gauges found in it. Please note that installation of this panel DOES NOT overwrite the default aircraft and panel, but simply adds additional aircraft which sport my modifications.
1) get the other needed files: "ViperDen", found on SurClaro.com
(The ViperDen package is a complete package rework of Kirk Olsson's F-16. It's available at SurClaro.com, SurClaro, simviation.com, and probably many other .com's. This HUD, its switches, and DED are the only gauges I've created. Every other gauge (save one) is from the ViperDen package, thus its necessity even if you already have Kirk Olsson's F-16....)
**** IF you've used the default directories (Program Files \ Microsoft Games \ Flight simulator 9 \ aircraft \ ViperDen), continue as follows:
2) simply unzip this file, using folder names, to your C: drive. Overwrite the files when it asks. (Don't worry, an original of the aircraft.cfg is included.)
3) Copy all the ViperDen gauges (*.gau files) that reside in the ViperDen main panel folder into your main gauges folder, Microsoft Games \ Flight simulator 9 \ Gauges
**** IF you've NOT used the default directories (Program Files \ Microsoft Games \ Flight simulator 9 \ aircraft \ ViperDen), continue as follows:
2) Unzip this zip file to any folder of your choice, being sure to extract using folder info.
3) Copy everything except the FSNAV HSI.gau to your F-16 aircraft's main folder, ***maintaining the directory structure of the folder you unzipped to.***** Overwrite the original aircraft.cfg with mine. (I've included a copy ofthe original in this zip file.)
4) The HSI gauge (*.gau) goes into your FS9 main gauges folder. (Most will probably already have this gauge....)
5) If not already there, copy all the ViperDen gauges (****.gau files) that reside in the ViperDen main panel folder into your main gauges folder, so that other aircraft and panels can access them.
TO SUMMARIZE:
When all done with the above, the aircraft.cfg should be in your main aircraft folder. The panel.HUD folder should be in the main folder also, next to (and not under) your default panel folder. The panel.cfg and panel bitmap (F16_FalconMod.bmp) should be in the panel.HUD folder. The gauge cab file (HUdViper.cab) should also be in the panel.HUD folder, as should FSNAV_EHSI.gau.
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REMEMBER: copy the ViperDen gauges from the ViperDen / Panel folder to the Flight Simulator 9 / gauges folder,or they won't show up!!!!!!
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OPERATION:
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The Heads Up Display is by far the most important display in the modern military tactical jet. I've designed this F-16 HUD with that in mind..... There are many switches and ways to modify the HUD display for your particular taste. For info on the HUD symbology and UFC switches, see the included jpg's with descriptions. (It's probably more fun to discover things as you go though.;-)
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LANDING THE F-16:
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- AoA should be 13 degrees. (Yes, *thirteen* degrees!) This is significantly nose-up (10 degrees), with the vector nearly falling off the bottom of the HUD glass. Fly the approach a little under 13 degrees, and then pull in the remaining alpha at the flare. Just walk the vector up the centerline of the runway for a nice smooth touchdown.
- It's okay (expected) that your approach will be a bit lower than typical. There is a 2.5 degree dive bar which acts as a nice guide. This flattened glidepath slightly increases visibility, and means there won't be as much pulling in the flare, when the aircraft is less stable.
- Horizontal alignment - respect your virtual maintenance crew by landing with 0 crab angle. Put the velocity vector under the heading box and keep it there for touchdown.
The included HUD video shows a perfect example of how to do it. Note that many more (longer, and higher res) F-16 HUD videos can be obtained by scrolling through the pages at: http://www.patricksaviation.com/aviation_videos/search?aircraft=12
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HUD PARAMETERS:
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This HUD should work perfectly, as long as you do not adjust the panel.cfg view_forward_dir or view_forward_zoom parameters. (If you mess up the zoom or view direction, simply reload the aircraft for the defaults to be restored.)
For those who wish to put this gauge in their own custom panels, here are some guidelines that need to be followed for it to work properly:
--View zoom must be 1.0 (but see note below).
--Gauge must be placed in panel.cfg at its full size (but see below)
--Gauge must be placed in the horizontal center of the screen (basically, line up gun cross with sim's red longitudinal axis (view-options menu)
--Gauge can be placed anywhere vertically, but horizon must be matched to HUD horizon using the view_forward_direction value in panel.cfg
--Screen resolution must be standard 4:3 ratio (800*600, 1024*768, 1152*864, 1240*960, or 1600*1200).
A note on zoom:
The fact that the HUD ladder and vector symbology appears "stuck" to the outside world is really only an illusion. There are no variables in the sim which allow these to autoscale based on window size, gauge position, view zoom, etc.... (This would require editing the panel.cfg on the fly, basically.) This is why view zoom is VERY important, and must be kept at 1.0. When you zoom in or out, you're changing (obviously) the number of sim-world degrees which are displayed on your screen. The HUD gauge assumes a certain number of pixels per degree, and this proportion is lost when zoom is adjusted. HOWEVER... different zooms CAN be used, but the gauge must be resized by a proportionate amount, i.e, 1.2 times its default size for zoom 1.2, and so on. Zoom 1.10 or so is more in tune with the outside world (given the size of most people's monitors, and how far they sit from it), but I decided to do this at 1.0, as a compromise to those who prefer more realistic depth vs. those who prefer more realistic peripheral vision.
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PROBLEMS:
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Tadpole :
the NAV info update rates are slower than I'd like within the sim, so the Nav diamond sometimes jumps, especially at steep dive angles. GPS variables are even slower, (about once per second) and for that reason I did not include a tadpole for the GPS. It was too jumpy, and frankly just annoying....
Pitch near 90 degrees:
the ladder and vector get weird whenever aircraft pitch is on one side of the zenith / nadir and the actual FLIGHT PATH is on the other. This is because of the way the pitch variable is defined in the sim. All attempts to correct it have led to SOME success... but have usually also introduced new (uglier) problems. There is a way to model the velocity vector based on aircraft alpha and beta variables, and although this method would correct the zenith / nadir problem, the vector is not as reliable and accurate at more moderate pitches and roll angles as it is using velocity_body and velocity_world variables. Many long hours of experimentation using many variables has convinced me that these are the best variables for a proper flight path marker.
Pull-Up Cue (HUD X):
There is no way that I know of to get the height of the terrain you're approaching; we're restricted to using the radar altitude of the terrain directly underneath us for a pull-up, "time until impact" calculation. Thus... the pull up cue is reliable over relatively flat or undulating surfaces, but is much less so in mountainous regions. It will not stop your from flying into the side of a steep mountain, as you won't get notice from it until it's too late.
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LEGAL:
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This gauge/panel is freeware, however (I hate having to say this, but....)
Copyright me 2006, of course....
Freeware developers: do what you want. Modify, upload, redistribute (but not for a fee), whatever. Just give credit, as is always appropriate, please.
Payware developers: do not distribute this HUD or its components as part of your payware package without contacting me first.
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OTHER THINGS TO CHECK OUT
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Look for my F/A-18 HornetHUD and A-10 Warthog HUD on the major flightsim sites.... Also check out Abacus' new Flight Deck 4, which has a great implementation of the Hornet HUD, smaller than my original version, and thus usable on a more traditionally scaled panel.
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SUPPORT:
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I'll try to help out however I can. I've attempted to minimize problems (obviously), but there are tons of setting combinations and I couldn't possibly have tried them all..... That being said, the skeleton of this HUD is tha same as for my Hornet HUD, and A-10 HUD, and there haven't been many problems with those, so this should be okay. Just please let me know if you find any bugs. My contact e-mail is at the bottom.
