If you already own F/A-18 Hornet 1.x, the following excerpt from the 2.0 addendum summarizes the changes and new features for Hornet 2.0 - Flight.
Airports/Bases
All major airports and air bases in Hornet 2.0 now feature FAA specification runways and taxiways that were constructed with accuracy to the nearest inch using diagrams contained in actual FAA documents. Although your current detail settings (in the preferences) will determine the number and complexity of objects displayed, you can be certain that those that are on screen are exactly where they would be in real life.
Hornet 2.0 also provides a number of taxi way markings including hold lines, taxi way and runway marker signs, centerlines, and facility markers.
Refuel and rearm locations are identified by a large square patch on the tarmac labeled "F." These facilities can be seen from the moving map if you have trouble locating them. Once positioned on the refuel spot, you can rearm and refuel by pressing sR.
Radio Voice Messages
One unique feature of Hornet v2.0 is its ability to communicate with you with digital voice messages. Through voice messages you can receive vital information on your current situation and the activity of your wingman. Some voice messages you receive passively, while others will require some initiation on your part. Since 8MB RAM is required to use Radio Voice Messages, their use is optional. To hear radio voice messages, you MUST ENABLE them with the "Preferences" dialog.
Ground Controller
Many missions begin with your aircraft positioned in a hanger or elsewhere off the runway. Before you start rolling, contact the ground controller (sG) to get instructions on taxing to the current active runway. Taxi to this runway and stop. Just follow the signs and yellow stripes to get to the active runway.
The Tower
Before takeoff: When ready to get on runway, contact the tower with sT. The tower either grants you clearance or instructs you to hold for traffic. If instructed to hold, you will be cleared as soon as the runway is vacant without re-contacting the tower.
Before landing: When you are ready to land, contacting the tower (sT) tells you which leg of the landing pattern to enter, then grants you clearance to land or instructs you to hold for traffic. If landing on a carrier, the tower will instruct "Go land launch," which means contact the LSO.
If you do not have "Radio Voice Messages" enabled, you will see the letter "C" meaning "clearance," or "H" meaning "hold for traffic" displayed in the instrument panel under the label "com 2."
Approach Control
Approach control (sA) tells which direction to fly to reach your destination base. Waypoint zero (0) is downwind of the active runway.
Landing Signal Officer (LSO)
The Landing Signal Officer (LSO) watches you from the carrier deck during at-sea landings. He will tell you how to adjust you speed and position along the glide path to land safely. The LSO should be used in conjunction with the ILS (instrument landing system). L will toggel the ILS on and off.
Contacting the LSO (sL) beyond a few miles from the carrier asks for deck condition: either "clear deck, call the ball at 3/4 mile" or "deck is fouled."
Contacting the LSO (sL) within a mile or so begins approach guidance. If you previously contacted the LSO and were told to "call the ball at 3/4 mile," you may be reminded to re-contact the LSO with "Hornet in the groove, call the ball."
As you near the deck, the LSO will report corrections to allow a safe landing. If you hear "wave off!", your speed or approach alignment is unfavorable, and you should probably go around and try again. If you hear "Bolter! Bolter!", your hook has failed to catch an arrestor wire, and you will likely roll off the deck. Abort the landing and go around again.
Operations
Operations (sO) allows you to determine the status of your mission. "Mission successful…" means come home, your mission has been completed successfully. "Mission not successful…" means that you have failed to accomplish the mission objective. "Nothing to report" indicates that the mission is still in progress.
Messages from Hornet Two
Many missions include another F/A-18 aircraft. For these missions, your wingman — called "Hornet Two" — occasionally reports his activities or comments on your situation. Some messages include:
• "Hornet Two, contact <xxx>": First radar contact with the compass direction of the bogie.
• "Tally ho!": First visual sighting of a bandit (enemy aircraft).
• "Fox one!": Upon launch of an AIM120 missile.
• "Fox two!": Upon launch of an AIM9 missile.
• "Hornet Two's joker": When wingman's fuel is running low.
• "Hornet Two's bingo": When wingman has very little fuel remaining. He will break off and leave the fight.
• "Spike": when wingman is locked by another enemy radar.
• "Two's winchester missiles": When the wingman is out of missiles. He will continue to fight with cannon.
• "Two's winchester": When wingman is entirely out of ammo. He will break off and leave the fight.
• "Two's punching out": When the wingman ejects from his aircraft.
• "Atoll! Atoll!": When the wingman detects a short range missile approaching him. Generally an aircraft launched missile.
• "Archer! Archer!": When the wingman detects a medium range missile approaching him. Generally a SAM launched missile.
VASI/Meatball
The VASI is a visual landing aid using directional lights that help you to determine your position on the glide path (proper approach path while landing). The "Meatball" serves the same function aboard the aircraft carrier. Refer to the illustrations below.
Carrier Launch (Catapult)
The carrier has three catapults, two on the bow and one amidships. To launch from the carrier, taxi onto the base of the nearest catapult, hold the brake down(b)until you stop moving completely and raise your thrust to 100% (with or without afterburners). Your aircraft will pitch downward as the catapult tightens and your nose gear compresses. Press b to release the brakse and launch.
ALR-67 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
The Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) gives you a top-down, 360 degree view of potential threats. It is indicated both in the HUD and in the instrument panel while in "look-down" cockpit mode (view 2). Toggle the RWR HUD display with (cW) — "RR" shows in the HUD when the instrument is on.
The RWR shows the relative positions of nearby threats: aircraft, ground-based AAA and SAM sites, and approaching missiles. Both friendly and enemy units appear in the display.
The RWR HUD display consists of vectors emanating from the HUD center pointing outward in the relative direction of the threat. Threats more than 15 NM. away do not appear in the HUD. At the end each vector is a letter-number pair indicating the type and distance of threat. Possible letters are "A" for aircraft, "G" for AAA or SAM (ground unit), or "M" for approaching missile. A "+" indicates the threat's range is beyond 10 miles.
The instrument panel "look-down" RWR display shows the relative positions of all threats within 30 NM. Aircraft appear as diamonds, ground units as squares, and approaching missiles as dots.
AN/APG-65 Radar System
The radar display has improved look and functionality for version 2.0 when the "Scenery Detail" level is "High" or "Complex" (Preferences). Aircraft bogies are displayed with an upside-down "U." The designated target appears as a right-side-up "U" with an aspect tail. The aspect tail is a short line that extends from the target and points in the direction the target is moving.
Moving Map
The moving map used in version 2.0 has improved detail and shows airbase locations and zones of control. The map can be zoomed in enough to show taxi and runway configurations for the airport you are on. Zones are either red or blue (red for friendly control and blue for enemy control).
HUD
The HUD for version 2.0 is larger and has some new elements when the "Scenery Detail" level is "High" or "Complex" (Preferences). The aircraft AOA (angle-of-attack) appears with the "alpha" character and the pitch ladder has small "hooks" pointing toward the ground.
