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-
- F117A STEALTH FIGHTER FULL MANUAL By SHaRD!/N&B
-
- PART 1
-
- A Note To Players Of F-19 Stealth Fighter
- -----------------------------------------
-
- Congratulations on purchasing F-117A Stealth Fighter 2.0 from Microprose.
- We are proud to bring you this upgrade of our classic gome F-19 Stealth
- Fighter. That game has been one of the most successful combat flight
- simulators ever developed. It has won just about every award that is given
- for entertainment software, and we think we know why: F-19 had excellent
- game-play it was FUN!
-
- Because of this, F-117A keeps that same great game-play and brings you the
- very latest in flight simulation technology and graphics. We've upgraded
- the entire package from head to toe, but we've kept the basic features of
- F-19 intact
-
- So if you're already familiar with F-19 Stealth Fighter, you should be able
- to jump right into the cockpit and start flying stealthy sorties right away
-
- But be careful, the enemy is smarter, your plane is a little more
- responsive, you fly almost all your sorties at night, and there are more
- new missions than you hope to complete in a lifetime of flying.
-
- We hope you enjoy it!
-
- F-117A DATA
- -----------
-
- Dimensions
-
- Wingspan 43 ft 4 in (13.21m)
- Length Overall 65 ft 11 in (20.09m)
- Body Length 55 ft 1 in (16.78m)
- Height 12 ft 5 in ( 3.78m)
- Wing/Body Area 1070 sq ft (100 sq m)
-
- Powerplant
-
- Two General Electric F404-F1D2 non-afterburning engines
-
- Thrust 10600 lb (47.1 kN)
- Bypass Ratio 0.34:1
- Weight 1,820 lb (825 kg)
-
- Weights
-
- Max Take Off 52,500 lb (23,810 kg)
- Internal Fuel 13,000 lb ( 5,895 kg)
- Weapon Load 4,000 lb ( 1,815 kg)
- Operating Empty 35,000 lb (15,875 kg)
-
- Estimated Performance
-
- Max Mach Number 0.95
- Max Speed at Sea Level 560 kt (1,040 km/h)
- Max Speed at 35,000 ft 545 kt (1,010 km/h)
- Cruising Speed 460 kt ( 850 km/h)
- Combat Radius 500 nm ( 930 km)
- (Unlimited with in flight refueling)
-
-
-
- INTRODUCTION: F-117A NIGHTHAWK
- ------------------------------
-
- Target Iraq
-
- BAGHDAD, January 17, 1991. The still darkness of early morning suddenly
- gave way to the flash and roar of exploding bombs, Iraqi anti-aircraft
- artillery (AAA) batteries began firing wildly into the sky, not knowing
- what or where their targets were.
-
- Operation Desert Storm had begun.
-
- Within a few short moments, key Iraqi early warning radar sites, control
- centres and communication links were destroyed by unseen attackers. The
- attackers - US F-117A "stealth" fighters had flown through hundreds of
- miles of heavily defended Iraqi airspace undetected, and hit their targets
- with precise timing and pinpoint accuracy Almost instantly, the Iraqi air
- defense command found itself deaf dumb and blind
-
- The performance of "stealth" fighters during the first day of the war alone
- was enough to vindicate the "block" (secret) progroms that had led to their
- development and construction. On the first day: the F-117As which
- comprised only two and a half percent of the coalition's combat air forces
- accounted for 31 percent of the Iraqi targets hit. The impact of these
- raids assured the air supremacy of the allied air forces and allowed them
- to strike with impunity anywhere within Iraq and Kuwait
-
- That a single type of aircraft, unremarkable in its speed and
- maneuverability and built almost in direct conflict with the long-held
- conventions of aircraft design could have such a decisive effect on the
- outcome of a war is almost unbelievable. Other technological breakthroughs
- have proven decisive in war: the machine gun, the tank and the airplane
- are all examples. But advantages gained by these advances were so quickly
- cancelled by other breakthroughs that they had little time to make any
- significant impact. The Norden bombsight, for example, was an impressive
- technological achievement that was quickly made obsolete by other
- technology - like the atom bomb
-
- Radar Wars
-
- In the 1920s and early 1930s, the bomber was believed by many to be the
- ultimate weapon. Theorists like Italy's General Guilio Douhet believed
- that massed bomber raids would be unstoppable - bombers would be overhead
- and dropping their bombs before they were sighted, and well on their way
- home before fighters could be scrambled to intercept them.
-
- But in the late 1930s, the work of Sir Robert Watson-Watt and other
- researchers resulted in a practical method of detecting aircraft well in
- advance of their arrival radio detection and ranging, or "radar." Radar
- allowed defenders to not only detect enemy aircraft, but to obtain
- information on the strength of a raid, its speed and its course.
-
- Radar detects objects by transmitting a high-energy radio pulse. The
- signal bounces off the object, and the reflected signal is detected by the
- radars antenna. The direction from which the reflected signal comes and
- the time difference between when the pulse was transmitted and the return
- of the reflected signal are used to determine the bearing and range of the
- object.
-
- Early ground radar installations proved to be a decisive factor in World
- War II notably during the Battle of Britain (1940-1941). The Royal Air
- Force was able to effectively scramble interceptor fighters to meet Nazi
- bombing raids and turn the tide of the air war because of the information
- provided by early warning radar sites. Soon, radar systems became accurate
- enough to be used to control ground based anti- aircraft artillery (AAA),
- and compact enough to be used aboard aircraft. Within a few years, night
- fighters were able to engage and shoot down enemy aircraft that they never
- saw.
-
- Targeting radar systems used a constant wave rather than a pulse to track
- the target, and used two antennas a transmitter and a receiver. The
- targetting radar tracked its quarry by centering the signal reflected by
- the target in its beam, and "locked on" to it, constantly correcting its
- beam to follow the targets movement. Since the wave was constant, shifts
- in the signal's frequency caused by the movement of the target the "Doppler
- effect" could be detected by the receiver antenna. The wavelength of the
- radio wave is compressed by an object moving toward the radar, and
- stretched out by an object moving away - like the sound waves from the
- whistle of a passing train A "Doppler shift" of the returning radar,
- therefore, could be used for moving target indication (MTI). Modern search
- radar systems also have this capability
-
- Surface-to air missiles were quickly developed that could follow the
- targetting radar beam to their intended target. These "beam riders" sense
- the reflection of the targeting radar off the enemy aircraft, and homed in
- like bloodhounds. The sky was quickly becoming an increasingly dangerous
- place.
-
- Stealthy Planes
-
- Since the Second World War, evading or negating radar has been a top
- priority of aircraft designers and air forces. Most efforts relied on
- active countermeasures jamming of radar signals, use of "chaff" (strips of
- aluminum or fibreglass to create false radar returns, and the use of anti
- radar weapons to eliminate the threat of enemy air defense radar. In
- addition to these active methods, many aircraft (like the FB-111,B-1, and
- the British Tornado) were designed specifically to fly close to the ground,
- using terrain features and the curvature of the earth to avoid detection by
- radar.
-
- Still, the increasing sophistication and sensitivity of radar systems,
- radar guided missiles and air defense systems continued to complicate the
- lives of pilots. The development of digitally controlled radar systems,
- like the "phased- array" radar systems used in the Navy's Aegis system, the
- Patriot missile system and many other modern air defense systems, has made
- it difficult to jam or otherwise neutralize the effectiveness of such
- systems. These radars can increase signal strength to "burn through"
- jamming, change the frequency of their pulses randomly to counteract chaff
- and other electronic countermeasures, and digitally enhance returned
- signals
-
- Evasion of radar by flying close to the terrain was made more difficult by
- the development of airborne early warning systems (AEWS) like the US air
- Forces AWACS system, and by the development of "look-down" radar for
- fighter interceptions. These airborne radar platforms can detect aircraft
- flying at very low altitudes, and have a much longer detection range than
- ground-based systems simply because they are in the air.
-
- In addition to the improvements in radar technology, the introduction of
- computers into air defense systems made the latter more efficient and
- effective. Computers and information technology have increased the flow of
- information through command structures and have decreased the reaction time
- of defensive system to incoming attacks.
-
- Today, "electronic warfare" has become as important as the delivery of
- weapons Electronic countermeasures are pitted against
- counter-countermeasures as both defender and attacker attempt to render
- each other's electronic systems impotent Attack aircraft must be escorted
- by specialized electronic warfare aircraft and must carry their own
- countermeasures as well.
-
- "Stealth" technology takes another approach to reducing the threat posed by
- enemy radar. Rather than depending on electronics, the physical design of
- the "stealth" aircraft is its main radar countermeasure. Two factors in
- the design of an aircraft play a part in how well it can be detected by a
- radar the amount of surface area it presents to the radar, and the
- reflectivity of that surface. The range at which an aircraft (or any
- object) can be detected is in part determined by the amount of reflective
- surface it presents to the radar, or its "radar cross section" (RCS). As
- the radar cross section of an object is decreased, the range at which it
- can be detected is decreased. By decreasing the RCS of an aircraft, it is
- made less vulnerable to detection by enemy radar. The main design barrier
- to reducing the RCS of aircraft has been the difficulty in modeling the
- design to predict it.
-
- In addition to decreasing the cross section of an aircraft design,
- designers can decrease the aircraft's probability of detection by making it
- less reflective of radar. By using special materials that absorb radio
- waves, an aircraft can reduce its radar reflection. In this way, radar
- absorbent materials (RAMs) effectively reduce the aircrafts RCS, making it
- less detectable.
-
- RAMs were developed during the Second World War on both sides - the Germans
- used one type of RAM on the snorkel tubes of their U-Boats to prevent them
- from being detected by airborne radars. Still, RAMs alone are only
- partially effective in reducing reflected radar signals, and may not
- appreciably change the RCS of an object by themselves.
-
- "Stealth" technology relies on a combination of these two methods -
- reducing RCS by design and reducing reflectivity by RAMs. The first
- marriage of the two came in the form of an experimental aircraft produced
- by Lockheed's top-secret "Skunk Works" in the early 1960s. That aircraft,
- the A-12, became the prototype for the premier reconnais- sance aircraft of
- the 20th Century - the SR-71 Blackbird.
-
- The A-12 came in response to a call from the CIA for a replacement for the
- U-2 spy plane. To reduce its radar cross-section, the A12 featured a
- slender profile, the elimination of vertical flat surfaces, and flared
- sides. Saw-toothed indentations in the leading edge of the A-12's wings
- were designed to deflect radar waves away from the transmitter. In
- addition, the entire aircraft was painted with a radar absorbant paint
- called "iron ball."
-
- The radar cross-section of the A-12 was only 0.015 square meters - about
- one thirtieth the RCS of a conventional fighter. Still, the A-12 was far
- from being invisible to radar. While the A-12 had a fairly small radar
- cross-section head on it presented a huge radar and infrared target from
- behind. It had large, open titanium and steel jet exhaust nozzles and
- afterburning engines. This did not pose much of a problem though, since
- the A-12 could outrun anything fired at it from behind - it flew at Mach
- 3.5 at an altitude of 95,000 feet. By the time it could be detected by
- radar, there was little time left for any reaction, and by the time air
- defenses could be brought to bear, the A-12 would be long gone.
-
- F-117A Nighthawk
-
- Lockheed built upon its experience with the A-12 and its offspring the
- SR-71 in the development of the F-117. In the mid 1970s, the "stealth"
- concept was revieved in reac- tion to the world political climate and the
- need for a "special operations aircraft. Key to the success of the design
- was the concept of a "faceted" surface with no curved surfaces anywhere on
- the aircraft.
-
- The reason for the faceted design of the F-117 lies in the equations of
- James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish physicist, Maxwell's equations can predict
- how a body of a given shape will scatter or reflect electromagnetic
- radiation (such as radio waves). With relatively simple shapes, the
- results are relatively easy to calculate.
-
- In an aircraft with an "aerodynamic," curved surface, the complex shape and
- gradual curves of the aircraft make applying Maxwell's equation a feat
- which even the most powerful supercomputer may balk. However, if all the
- curves are removed from the design and replaced with geometric facets, the
- reflection pattern becomes much easier to predict. Using computer
- modeling, aircraft designers were able to create a design with practically
- no radar cross-section. The combination of its shape and RAM give the
- F-117 an RCS of between 0.01 square meters and 0.001 square meters
- depending on the radar. (This is roughly the same RCS as a small bird or
- insect).
-
- With the flat surfaces of a faceted design, radar pulses are only reflected
- back to the radar when they strike the surfaces dead on (at 90° angles).
- All of the F-117s surfaces are tilted at least 30° away from vertical, so
- almost all radar signals will be bounced upward or downward. While a
- look-down radar may detect the aircraft if it is 30° above it, the radar
- would have to be at extremely close range at that angle
-
- While the faceted surface of the F-117 makes it nearly invisible to radar,
- it also makes the aircraft extremely difficult to fly. In fact, without
- the aircrafts computerized control system, it would be impossible to fly at
- all. Rather than being directly connected to the control surfaces of the
- aircraft, the pilot's controls are connected to four computer ers, which in
- turn move the control surfaces. This type of control system is commonly
- referred to as a "fly-by-wire" system.
-
- The design of the F-117 not only minimizes the aircrafts detectability by
- radar, but by all other means as well infrared, optical, and electronic.
- Surveillance. The aircraft is painted flat black it is designed
- specifically for night operations - and its engine exhausts are shielded to
- minimize their heat signature. And the aircraft has no radar of its own,
- so it cannot be detected by electromagnetic sensors.
-
- Since it has no radar, the F-117 relies heavily upon its inertial
- navigation system and its infrared sensing equipment to get it over the
- target and deliver weapons on target. The F-117 uses a laser designator,
- its forward-looking and downward looking infrared (FLIR ond DLIR) to guide
- its "smart bombs" to their targets. With the assistance of AWACS aircraft,
- the F-117 can use its FLIR to target hostile aircraft as well through its
- anti-air capability is somewhat limited without radar-guided air to air
- missiles
-
- All of the F-117's weapons are carried internally, in twin bays along its
- centre line This is necessary to maintain the constant RCS of the aircraft.
- While this limits the weapons load of the F-117, it makes up for it in
- accuracy and surprise.
-
- The Air Force already is planning significant upgrades to the F-117. If
- the budget allows, 40 new aircraft may be added to the existing 56 planes
- in service. One of the possible additions to the new F-117 is a stealthy
- radar system, which may give the F-117 similar radar capabilities to the
- F-15. Another possible sensor for the upgraded F-117 is an Infrared Search
- and Track (IRS7) system a wide scanning infrared sensor that can track
- targets much like radar, but without any emissions to detect.
-
- What Next?
-
- There are no clear answers to the "stealth" problem for air defense system
- designers. If there are any solutions already tested, they are highly
- classified. While highly speculative, these are some of the possible "next
- steps" for air defense systems in reaction to stealth technology within the
- limits of present technology, the best way to detect aircraft like the
- F-117 is from above. Look down radar systems have a much higher likelihood
- of detecting stealth aircraft than ground-based radar, simply be- cause of
- their angle of attack.
-
- Still, stealth aircraft are high-altitude flyers by nature, and a counter
- stealth look- down system would have to be at a fairly high altitude to
- have much of a chance at long range detection of them.
-
- One possibility is an airborne early warning system based on aerostats or
- blimps. Aerostat radar systems are alreody used by the US as regional AEW
- platforms for drug interdiction in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean; while
- these systems operate at comparatively low altitudes, the technology might
- be adapted to the high altitude AEW role.
-
- Another possibility is a sort of radar "trip wire" system. While ground
- based radar signals may be bounced away from their origin by the angled
- surfaces of the F-117 a ring of secondary radar receivers at long range
- from the main radar might be able to pick up such deflected signals. Such
- a receiver would not be able to give altitude or course information about
- an aircraft, but it might give air defense commanders a fair approximation
- of bearing and range from the main radar and some warning of an impending
- "stealth" attack. Other sensors could then be brought to bear on the
- suspected aircraft and, in the worst case, backup systems could be prepared
- to come on line.
-
- While stealth aircraft are designed to deflect or absorb radio waves they
- are not designed to do the same to laser beams. There has been much
- discussion of possible LADAR (loser detection and raging) systems that
- operate in a fashion similar to search radars, scanning the sky with loser
- energy and looking for laser light bouncing off of objects to determine
- their direction, range and speed. Such a system in an air early warning
- role would require a huge amount of energy and would probably incinerate
- anything that got too close to it (though that may be a positive effect
- too).
-
- Clearly, though, stealth technology will force air defense planners to
- seriously rethink their strategies. It has already made nearly every air
- early warning system in the world obsolete, and has permanently changed the
- complexion of air strike doctrine Already, designers are struggling with
- this new problem. Who knows what will come next? Perhaps the people at
- Lockheed's "Skunk Works" do.
-
- F-117A TUTORIAL
- ---------------
-
- Flying To The Targets And Back
-
- This tutorial guides you through your first stealth mission. You`ll fly
- from an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea into Libyan airspace.
- There you`ll destroy a surface to air missile (SAM) radar installation.
- This mission is a practise run, and flying it is not required; it's purely
- a convenient way to help you learn to use your F-117A. If you prefer to
- study the aircraft before you fly, go directly to Chapter 2 page 27.
-
- Before you start, install the game onto either floppy disks or a hard disk
- (see "Installation" in the Technical Supplement for details). You can run
- the game without installation, but no information is saved. Now load the
- installed game into your computer (see "Loading" in the Technical
- Supplement for details).
-
- Terminology
-
- Each key control has a name in italics, and is followed by a parenthesized
- label, indicating which key is referred to by the name. The italicized
- names used in this manual also appear on the keyboard overlay.
-
- Controller refers to the pointing device you use. This may be a joystick,
- mouse or cursor keys. We strongly recommend you use a joystick to fly the
- aircraft, and a mouse to make selections on the string screens. Only a
- joystick or the keyboard may be used to fly the airplane; however, any of
- the above may be used to make selections from the starting screens.
-
- Selector refers to the Left Mouse Button, Joystick Trigger, Return key or
- Enter key, depending on your hardware setup. When the manual says to press
- the Selector, this means to press the button (or Return key) of whatever
- hardware you`re using.
-
- Preflight Briefing Options
-
- Answer the Aircraft Identification Quiz: Check pages 164-172 of this
- manual to See which aircraft is illustrated.
-
- Pilot Roster: After answering the quiz, you are shown the Pilot Roster,
- where you must enter a name. Use the Controller to move the arrow cursor
- over the name you want to erase (note that the names highlight as the
- cursor moves over them). Press the Backspace key to erase the highlighted
- name, type your own name, and press the Selector
-
- A form now appears to the right of the screen, on which you can set some
- difficulty level options. Since this is your first mission, accept the
- default options, by selecting "Form Complete" at the bottom. Then select
- "Exit" from the lower right of the screen.
-
- Ready Room: You now find yourself in the pilot s' Ready Room, you are
- automatically to be given orders. Notice that there are several doors
- which you can enter. But for now simply move the arrow to the Briefing
- Room door and tap the Selector.
-
- Intelligence Briefing: When you enter the Briefing Room, you are
- automatically assigned a mission. The briefing map shows the general
- topography of the area your takeoff point (T), your primary (P) and
- secondary (S) targets, and your landing point (L). To the right is a menu
- of options. Select "Mission Brief" to read a detailed description of what
- you are expected to accomplish. Then press the Selector again to see the
- remainder of the summary, which describes your flight plan and the rules of
- engagement under which you are operating. Now press the Selector again to
- return to the briefing map.
-
- You may wish to investigote the other options on this map. If so, see
- "Briefing Room" on page 33 for details. When you are finished studying
- your mission assignment, choose "Select Weapons" from the menu.
-
- Arming Room: Next you are shown the weapons your crew chief suggests you
- use for this mission. You could override his decisions and take different
- weapons but For this training exercise, take his advice and choose "Go To
- Hangar" from the menu at lower right.
-
- Hangar: You're now in the Hangar, where your F-117A is being fueled and
- loaded for the mission. Select "Yes" from the requestor that asks if
- you're ready.
-
- The Cockpit Console And HUD
-
- Place the appropriate overlay on your computer keyboard. it shows all the
- controls for your F-117A.
-
- The Cockpit Console: The lower half of your screen represents the cockpit
- console of the F-117A. The various elements are described on pages 40-54.
- We suggest you toggle through the various displays on the Multi-Function
- Displays (MFDs) to get familiar with them.
-
- The left MFD has two map displays. Tap Maps (F3) to toggle between them.
- The right MFD displays either a camera view of the outside world or a data
- screen. The data displays include:
-
- Weapons (F5): The weapons currently in your weapons bays
-
- Select Way Pt (F7): A list of the current INS waypoints, including the one
- you`re currently being steered toward.
-
- Change Way Pt (F8): A list of the four INS waypoints, which you can change
- on the satellite/radar map (on the Left MFD).
-
- Reset Way Pt (Shift F8): resets waypoints to the initial defaults.
-
- Mission (F10): A brief summary of your mission orders.
-
- The Tracking Camera views also appear in the right MFD and show a zoom TV
- image of a target, with its name, range, and bearing superimposed. The
- camera is Limited to a range of 80-100 kilometers (km). You have these
- viewing options:
-
- Cam Ahead (/): Aims the camera at the nearest standard target ahead
-
- Cam Rear (>): Aims the camera at the nearest standard target behind
-
- Cam Left (<): Aims the camera at the nearest standard target to your left
-
- Cam Right (M): Aims the camera at the nearest standard target to your right
-
- Select Target (B): Cycles through all standard targets in the current
- direction
-
- Designate New Targ (N): Aims forward camera at nearest target (any type)
- ahead
-
- For more information on the target tracking-camera system, see page 45.
-
- The HUD: The upper half of your screen represents the transparent HUD
- (heads up display), through which you can see the world beyond. The
- various symbols and numbers are described in Chapter 2, on pages 40-44.
-
- The HUD has three operating modes: NAV for navigation, AIR for aerial
- combat, and GND for ground attacks. Tap HUD Modes (F2) to cycle through
- the three settings Note that in AIR and GND modes the symbols that appear
- depend on the currently selected weapon. Tap Select Weapon (Space Bar) to
- cycle through your weapons. If you're unsure of what weapons you have on
- board, tap Weapons (F5) to see a display of your four weapons bays, and
- what they contain.
-
- Hints
-
- To get the most out of this tutorial, remember three things:
-
- There is no danger: Since this is a training mission, enemy weapons are
- harmless You`ve chosen the "No Crash" option. So you can`t crash into the
- ground. Furthur you have an automatic radar altimeter that keeps you above
- 200'. However, it only makes mild corrections, and is helpless against
- truly wild maneuvers.
-
- Use the "Pause" Key: To best use this tutorial, pause the game - tap
- pause. (alt/P) and read the next few paragraphs, then "un-pause" (tap any
- key) and resume the action. Whenever you're confused, pause and consult
- the manual for help.
-
- Resupply if you need it: In training missions, you can get an infinite
- supply of fuel and ammunition. Each time you tap Resupply (Alt/R), your
- fuel tank is filled and your ammunition is increased to the maximum
- possible level.
-
- Preflight Checklist
-
- Check the Inertial Navigation System (INS). Tap Maps (F3) until the sat
- ellite/radar map is displayed on your left MFD. Next tap Select Way Pt
- (F7) to display the INS waypoints list on the right MFD. Look up on the
- HUD and note on the horizontal heading scale (along the top of the HUD) the
- location of the INS cursor (blue triangle) You must fly in this direction
- to reach the first waypoint (see page 53 for details)
-
- Check Armament: Tap Weapons (F5) to display the weapons in your bays on
- the right MFD. As you use Select Weapons (Space Bar) to cycle through the
- weapons, note the active weapon message in the lower left corner of the
- HUD.
-
- Extend the Flaps: Tap Flaps (9). Note the "FLAPS" indicator light in the
- upper right section of the console. Flaps give you more lift during
- takeoff.
-
- Check the Catapult: When launching from an aircraft carrier, as you are
- now the brakes must be set. This represents the aircraft's attachment to
- the carriers catapult system. If the "BRAKE" light is not illuminated on
- the console, tap Brake (0) to set the brakes and engage the catapult.
-
- Start the Engines: Turn on your engines by tapping Max Pwr (Shift +).
- Notice the digital throttle power readout increase to 100 in the lower
- right of the console (this represents 100% power).
-
- Activate Catapult: When the throttle readout shows 100% power, tap Brake
- (0) to release the brakes and catapult your F-117A off the deck.
-
- Accelerate Past Stall Speed: As you zoom down the deck, watch the speed
- scale (left side of the HUD) carefully. A bar on that scale will gradually
- drop down. This is the Stall Speed Indicator. When the Stall Speed
- Indicator bar drops below the cetre tick on the scale your plane is past
- stall speed and you're travelling fast enough to climb into the sky.
-
- Climb: Once you're flying more than 10 knots (kts) faster than stall
- speed, pull back on the stick to point your nose skyward, then release the
- stick. watch the altitude scale on the right side of the HUD; you'll start
- climbing. Don't climb so steeply you lose sight of the horizon because you
- may stall. You must start climbing by the time you reach the end of the
- carrier deck, or you may get wet.
-
- Retract Landing Gear: Once airborne, immediately tap Gear (6) to retract
- your landing gear. Don't leave the gear down high speeds can rip it off.
-
- Retract Flaps: Tap Flaps (9) to retract your flaps. You no longer need
- extra lift.
-
- Flight To The Primary Target
-
- A Light touch: Use a light touch on the Control Stick. The most common
- pilot error is a "ham fist" on the stick, throwing the plane wildly around
- the sky. Use small motions on the stick; the F-117A is very responsive.
-
- Chasing the Gauges: When you roll an aircraft left or right, pitch it up
- or down change the throttle, the flaps, or the brakes, it takes a moment
- for the planes new situation to be reflected by the gauges. Good pilots
- fly by making a change then wait a few seconds to see the results. If you
- don't, you'll just "chase gauges" that are still changing
-
- Level Flight: Once airborne. try to achieve level flight. Push the
- control stick forward or back until the horizon is level across the middle
- of the HUD and the Flight Path Indicator (see page 42) rests on the
- horizon. Then make fine adjustments until you're neither gaining nor
- losing altitude.
-
- Since this is a stealth mission, you want to fly between 500` and 1,000`.
- Look at the altimeter (vertical scale on the right side of the HUD). If
- you`re above the "1k" mark 1,000') you`re too high. Push the nose down
- into a gentle dive until you reach the desired altitude. Then level out
- and again place the Flight Path Indicator on the horizon.
-
- Flying on Course: Look at the heading scale across the top of your HUD,
- find the INS cursor (the small bright triangle above the top), and turn
- towards it. As you turn the triangle will move towards the centre of the
- heading scale; when the triangle is in the centre of the scale you`re on
- course to the first waypoint.
-
- To turn, gently pull the stick left or right. The plane will bank.
- Release (centre) the stick when the bank angle is about 45o. To increase
- the rate of turn you can pull back on the stick a little. As you do this,
- watch your speed (on the left of the HUD) and altitude (on the right). A
- turn with back pressure can slow your plane and cause it to lose altitude,
- so don't pull back too much. Minimum safe altitude is about 200`.
- however, in this training mission stay at 500`.
-
- Minimum safe speed varies with the current status of your aircraft. The
- Stall Speed Indicator Bar rises from the bottom of the speed scale when you
- travel too slowly. If this bar reaches the centre tick mark of the scale,
- your plane is stalling (the "Stall" light will flash and you`ll hear an
- alarm). A stall causes the plane to fall out of control, so try not to
- stall the plane. If you do lower your nose again to regain airspeed, then
- pull out into level flight.
-
- Autopilot: If you're confused about which direction to fly, and how to do
- it, tap Autopilot (7). It takes over immediately, turning you onto the
- correct course. If you`re below 500` the autopilot will climb to that
- altitude. If you touch the control stick the autopilot automatically turns
- off.
-
- Enjoy Yourself: Once on course, enjoy yourself by trying out all the
- views.
-
- You can see out the front, rear, and sides of the cockpit canopy using View
- Ahead (Shift /) View Rear (Shift >), View Left (Shift <), and View Right
- (Shift M). These views assume you are inside the cockpit looking out.
-
- You can also "step outside" your aircraft and watch it using Slot view
- (Shift F1), Chase Plane (shift F2), and Side View (shift F3). Bank the
- plane left and right to observe the difference between the chase plane and
- slot views. Missile View (Shift F4), Tacti View (Shift F5), and Invrs
- Tacti View (Shift F6) are used in combat situations. See page 36 for more
- detailed description of these options.
-
- You can return to the cockpit at any time; just tap Cockpit (F1)
-
- Passing the First Waypoint: When you reach the first waypoint a message
- appears on the HUD: "Waypoint 1 Reached." Your INS system immediately
- switches to the next waypoint (the INS cursor jumps to the new heading),
- which is your primary target. If you have changed the waypoints, tap Reset
- Way Pt (Shift F8) to reset the waypoints to the default settings.
-
- Extra Fuel: You'll notice that one of the four items in your weapons bay
- is an extra fuel tank. This is because the mission from CV America, to
- Tripoli, and then to Sigonella in Sicily, is a very long trip.
-
- To see your fuel status, tap Select Way Pt (F7). The bar gauge across the
- bottom shows the fuel on hand. The black area at right represents fuel
- already consumed. the four color-coded bands in the middle represent the
- amount of fuel needed to reach each of the four waypoints (fuel calculation
- is based on your current altitude and speed). The final band to the left
- represents the amount of reserve fuel available.
-
- Your engines cannot draw fuel directly from the extra tank in your bay, so
- you must pump it from the extra tank into the main tank. To accomplish
- this, tap Select Weapons (Space Bar) until extra fuel is the current
- "weapon" ("EXTRA FUEL" appears in the lower left corner of the HUD). Now
- tap Fire Weapons (Return key) to "fire" the fuel from the spare into the
- main tank. If you tap Select Way Pt (F7) again, you`ll see the fuel status
- has changed.
-
- Accelerated time: You can speed the passing of time by tapping Accel Time
- (Shift Z). This doubles the rate at which time passes. To return to
- normal time, tap Norm Time (Shift X). If you forget to return to normal
- time, don't worry; combat activity or lowering your gear returns you to
- normal time automatically.
-
- Attacking The Target
-
- Once you're well past the first waypoint and the coast of Libya is on the
- horizon, it`s time to start thinking about hitting your primary target.
-
- Check the tactical Situation: Switch your left MFD to the gridded tactical
- map by tapping Maps (F3). Your target is a radar site, so look for a radar
- symbol on this map.
-
- Acquire the target: Switch your HUD to GND (Air-Ground) mode by tapping
- HUD Modes (F2) until the GND light below the HUD illuminates, then tap Cam
- Ahead (/). If your target does not appear in the right MFD. tap Select
- Target (B) until it does. If you cycle through all possible targets and
- still don't see the primary target, you`re either too far away for your
- targeting system to see it, or you're somehow flying in the wrong
- direction.
-
- Select your Weapon: Tap Select Weapons (Space Bar) until the message "2
- Maverick" appears in the lower left of the HUD.
-
- Wait for Missile Lock: When you've acquired the target, you`ll see a box
- on the HUD. This is the "Tracking Box;" the radar site that appears on the
- right MFD is in the center of this box.
-
- Missile Lock: When you get within missile launch range, this box, changes
- to an oval; in addition, the red "LOCK" light on your console begins
- flashing, and a box (the "Lock Box") appears in the middle of the right
- MFD.
-
- Optimal Missile Lock: If you wait longer, the Tracking Oval turns red and
- the "LOCK" light ceases flashing and becomes solid; the Lock Box in the
- right MFD will begin to collapse repeatedly. These indicators signal that
- "Optimal Launch Range" has been reached and that the missile should be
- launched immediately.
-
- Launch Altitude: If you launch a weapon while flying too low, you may be
- caught in the blast area, or a missile may hit the ground before its motor
- can power it up and away. A simple rule to get you started is that
- missiles and retarded bombs require at least 500` altitude, free fall and
- laser bombs 3,000`.
-
- Launch: When you reach "Optimal Launch Range". open the weapons bay by
- tapping BayDoors (8), then launch the missile by tapping Fire Weapon
- (Return), After lauching turn away slightly, since flying through an
- exploding target could damage your aircraft.
-
- Shortly thereafter the missile should hit the target. A successful hit
- causes a fire and sends a cloud of smoke up into the sky. You get a report
- on your HUD (sent from an observing AWACS) about the success of the attack.
-
- The Secondary target: You can now fly to the secondary target (use the INS
- cursor as a guide) and attack it as well, using the same procedure. Or if
- you wish, call it quits and head for home.
-
- The return Trip
-
- Setting the INS to the Landing Point: Tap Reset Way Pt (Shift F8) to
- insure the default waypoints are loaded in your INS (inertial navigation
- system) then tap Select Way Pt (F7). Now examine the list of waypoints on
- the right MFD. There are four waypoints listed. If the fourth one is not
- highlighted, tap Next Point (Keypad Shift 3) until it is highlighted. This
- switches the INS to that point. The last point on the default list is
- always your return base.
-
- Flying Home: You can either use the autopilot or manually fly home. As
- before guide yourself using the INS cursor. When the INS cursor is lined
- up on the centre of the leading scale, you're on course.
-
- If you look at the map (Tap Maps (F3)) until the Satellite map appears on
- the left MFD), you'll notice there`s a small island (Malta) just south of
- Sicily. You should steer just east (to the right) of Malta. As you near
- Malta, tap HUD Mode (F2) to change your HUD to NAV mode, then tap Cam Ahead
- (/). If the Sigonella airbase, comes up on the right MFD, fine; this is
- your destination! However, it's likely that Halfar airfield on Malta will
- appear instead (it's closer). Tap Select Target (B) until Sigonella
- appears.
-
- Landing At Sigonella Airbase
-
- Level Flight: About 50 km from Sigonella, start lining up your landing
- approach by achieving level flight at 500` to 1,000` altitude.
-
- ILS: Turn on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) by tapping ILS (F9). a
- horizontal and vertical bar appear on your HUD, representing your position
- relative to the "glide slope. "The glide slope is an imaginary line
- extending out and up from the runway. First you'll line up beneath this
- glide slope then follow it down onto the airbase. For more details, see
- page 54.
-
- Line Up Your Approach: If the vertical bar is left or right of your Nose
- indicator. turn in that direction until the bar starts moving toward the
- center. You want to get back onto a heading of 000° just as the bar
- centers on the Nose Indicator. Don`t worry if the bar is a little off
- center; as long as Sigonella is dead ahead the vertical bar will gradually
- creep toward the center. If the bar moves away from centre, however you`re
- travelling away from the glide slope turn the other way to correct your
- course.
-
- Reduce Speed: Now cut your throttle back to about 50% by tapping Decr Pwr
- (-) a few times. To maintain level flight while your speed decreases,
- pitch your nose up slightly but watch the altimeter on the right side of
- the HUD, you don't want to gain altitude).
-
- Extend Flaps: When your speed reaches about 300 kts, extend your flaps by
- tapping Flaps (9). This slows you further by giving you more lift. You`ll
- have to readjust the nose a little to maintain level flight.
-
- Lower Gear & Reduce Speed Again: Tap Gear (8) to lower your landing gear,
- and cut the throttle to about 40% power. As your speed gradually decreases
- you`ll have to raise the nose to maintain level flight. By this time you
- should be close to the glide slope, and travelling about 200 to 250 kts
- with your speed still decreasing.
-
- If you're moving too fast, tap Brakes (0) to extend your airbrakes then a
- few seconds later, tap it again to close them. Do not leave the airbrakes
- open, as this may cause you to stall and crash.
-
- Intercept the Glide Slope: As you get near the airfield, the horizontal
- ILS bar on the HUD begins to move downward. When the bar approaches the
- Nose Indicator, pitch your nose down a little. Your objective is to go
- into a gradual descent that keeps the bar aligned with the Nose indicator.
- Watch the Angle of Attack Approach Indicator to determine how much to raise
- or lower your nose: if the up-arrow is illuminated, pitch up a little; if
- the down-arrow is lit pitch down (the goal is to have the green circle in
- the center lit). To avoid gaining speed in the descent, tap Decr Pwr (-)
- again to reduce your power.
-
- If your speed is too slow, look at the Stall Speed indicator (the coloured
- bar rising from the bottom of the airspeed scale). If the stall bar is
- close to the middle of the scale you're getting into trouble. Tap Incr Pwr
- (+) key once or twice.
-
- As the airstrip comes up, check your speed. You should be travelling
- between 150 and 200 kts. or decreasing from 250 kts toward 200 kts. If
- your speed is above 250 kts, you're coming in too fast. Tap Max Pwr (Shift
- +), raise your landing gear, and retract flaps; you try again. Fly to
- Malta, turn around, and start over.
-
- Touchdown: If your speed is correct (150-200 kts), start watching the
- altimeter. It should be at 100' to 300' and decreasing. Make small
- adjustments with the control stick to keep the descent rate steady, but not
- too fast. The runway is at 0` altitude. When you hear the squeal of your
- wheels on the pavement, tap Brakes (0) instantly, then shut off the engines
- by tapping No pwr (Shift -). You've made a safe landing.
-
- YOUR SECOND MISSION
-
- Dealing With The Enemy
-
- On your second practice mission you'll learn about enemy radar, aircraft
- and missiles. When you get back to the ready room, go straight back into
- the briefing room.
-
- You'll be assigned the identical strike against a Tripoli radar station,
- but this time you're going to worry about the enemy too.
-
- Mission Planning: Before takeoff, check out the intelligence briefing in
- more detail. Highlight the Radar Sites option on the menu and select it.
- Now use your controller to move the arrow around the map. As it passes
- over radar site icons, information about missile defenses at the site
- appears. If you select one of the icons, the effective range of the search
- radar at that site appears as a circle. you can select any or all of the
- sites at will and turn the range of each site on and off individually.
- Each solid circle is a Doppler radar, each dotted circle a pulse radar.
-
- This screen helps you plan a route to Tripoli and back. Remember the
- waypoints set in your F-117A's INS outline the default route shown on the
- map. You may wish to fly a better route, to evade enemy detection as much
- as possible
-
- Basically, you avoid detection by Doppler radars if you arc around them,
- keeping a constant range to the radar. You avoid detection by pulse radars
- if you fly directly toward or away from them. For more information about
- radar, see page 74.
-
- When you're finished, you should have a mental "map" of where enemy radars
- are, how you'll fly through them to avoid detection, and what weapons
- you`ll use to achieve your objectives.
-
- Adjusting Waypoints: When you are on the carrier deck awaiting takeoff,
- you may wish to adjust the waypoints to fit your own mission plan. The
- first waypoint by default, is half-way between your takeoff point and the
- primary target. Most pilots adjust this point.
-
- To make adjustments, tap Maps (F2) until the satellite map appears on the
- left MFD. Then tap Change Way Pt (F8) to display the waypoints list on the
- right MFD and the plotted flight plan on the left MFD. Use the Adjust
- Waypoints keys (Keypad Shift 2,4,6, and 8) to move Waypoint 1 around the
- satellite map. Notice the course line automatically cally "snaps" to the
- new waypoint as you move it. If you don't like your adjustments, tap Reset
- Way Pt (Shift F8) to reset all the waypoints to the initial default.
-
- Flying to the target: After takeoff, as you fly to the target, watch the
- radar patterns on the left MFD satellite map.
-
- Enemy radar signals are displayed as arcs on this map. Dotted arcs
- represent pulse radar; solid arcs, Doppler. Ground search and AWACS radars
- are expanding circles, while all aircraft radars and ground tracking radars
- are short arcs.
-
- Missiles and aircraft appear on the Left MFD satellite map as color coded
- dots; red dots represent aircraft, black dots are ground radar sites,
- yellow dots are enemy missiles.
-
- You'll notice that enemy aircraft with their forward facing radars may
- complicate your original plan for penetrating enemy air defenses. You'll
- have to sneak behind or beneath them.
-
- Flying Stealthy: Now that you understand the situation, watch the
- electromag netic Visibility (EMV) scale (below the Left MFD). The
- "visibility" of your plane to enemy radar appears as a thick, red bar
- extending from the right of the scale. Your visibility increases with
- altitude, higher speed, open bay doors. lower gear, or use of jammers To
- keep your EMV small, you should fly low (about 200'), keep your gear up,
- bays closed and jammers off; you should also fly toward or away from pulse
- radars, and at a constant distance (arcing around) from Doppler radars.
-
- The thinner bars extending from the left of the scale represent incoming
- enemy radar signals. Enemy ground-based radar (EGR) signals appear on the
- top, enemy aircraft radars (EAR) on the bottom. The color of a particular
- bar signifies whether that radar signal has detected you or not.
- Basically, yellow, pink, or white bars indicate you've been detected (see
- page 48, for a complete explanation). Bar colours match radar arc colors
- on the satellite map. In addition, whenever you're detected by a signal,
- the EMV light illuminates briefly, and you hear a warning beep.
-
- Warnings
-
- Eventually, you'll make a mistake. or a previously silent enemy radar may
- suddenly turn on, and you'll be detected. Even if you are never detected
- by radar on your approach to a target, when you destroy the target. the
- enemy will certainly be alerted
-
- Search Warning: Enemy search radar detects your plane when the enemy radar
- strength bar overlaps your EMV bar. Search detection means that enemy
- fighters may be vectored toward your location, and that surface to-air
- missile (SAM) batteries in the area may start tracking you.
-
- Tracking Warning: Long and medium-range SAMs must track a target with
- radar before firing. Tracking radar appears as a short, narrow arc on the
- Left MFD Satellite map When the enemy tracks you, the "TRAK" warning light
- on your console begins flashing.
-
- Missile Warning Lights: if a radar-homing missile is launched toward you,
- the "RAD" missile warning light flashes; if an IR (infrared) homing missile
- is launched, the "IR" missile warning light flashes.
-
- The warning light continues flashing as long as any missile of the
- appropriate type homes on your plane. Missile warning lights are very
- important because they`re the only indication of what kind of missile is
- attacking, and therefore, of what defensive measures should be taken.
-
- Missile Proximity Klaxon: When a missile approaches within a few seconds
- of your plane, the Missile Proximity Klaxon sounds. This very loud,
- repeating tone means you must do something immediately, or be hit.
- Typically you`ll drop a chaff or flare cartridge, depending on the type of
- threat (chaff for radar missiles, flares for IR missiles). However, you
- can also attempt some last-second maneuvering.
-
- Missile Defenses
-
- When the "TRAK" or a missile light begins flashing, get ready to use your
- defenses an attack is coming.
-
- Understand the Attack:The first step is to check out the attack. Tap maps
- (F3) to switch the left MFD to the tactical display. Use Zoom (Z) and
- Unzoom (X) to find a useful scale. Missiles are small color coded lines -
- IR missiles are red and radar missiles are yellow.
-
- Disappearing: if you're attacked by a radar missile (the "TRAK" or "RAD"
- light or both is flashing), you can evade the attack by reducing your EMV.
- if the enemy radar loses sight of you, the missile loses guidance and flies
- on blindly.
-
- Jammers: You can use the ECM jammer against radar missiles (missiles that
- light the "RAD" warning). Tap ECM (4) to toggle the ECM jammer on and off.
- Use the IR jammer against IR-guided missiles (those which light the "IR"
- warning). Tap IR Jammer (3) to toggle it on and off.
-
- After you turn on the jammer, change course and get away from the missile.
- If you don't, when you turn off the jammer (or when an advanced missile
- gets close enough). the missile starts homing on you again! Advanced
- missiles that "burn through" jamming include semi-active radar missiles,
- command guidance radar missiles, and second generation iR missiles.
-
- Don't leave your jammers running. The ECM jammer increases your EMV; the
- IR jammer reduces your speed and can overheat (see page 80 for details).
-
- Chaff and Flares: A chaff or flare cartridge lures a missiles for two or
- more seconds, causing it to fly toward the chaff (radar missile) or the
- flare (IR missile)
-
- Fire a chaff cartridge, tap Chaff (2), when a radar missile ("RAD" light)
- causes the klaxon to sound. Fire a chaff cartridge, tap Flare (1), when an
- infrared missile ("IR light") sets off the klaxon.
-
- Decoys: Your F-117A carries three decoys that will lure everything for
- several seconds. To launch a decoy, tap Decoy (5). The Decoy light in the
- cockpit turns on, and remains lit while the decoy is running (see page 80
- for more).
-
- Maneuvering: Missiles have only a 45o forward "view." If you`re outside of
- this arc. the missile cannot track you. Therefore, if you "blind" the
- missile with a decoy, jammer, chaff, or flare, then fly outside its arc,
- the missile may lose you and fly away Missiles also have very wide turning
- circles. You can out turn a missile (see page 83 for more details).
-
- Ending The Second Mission
-
- Use the instructions in the first mission to aid you in destroying your
- targets and returning to base. But this time practice evading radar and
- missiles. You may want to fly this same mission a few more times for more
- practice before trying a "real" mission.
-
- Good luck!
-
- OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
- ----------------------
-
- Preflight Briefing
-
- F-117A Stealth Fighter 2.0 has many options. To make a choice, move the
- Controller joystick, mouse, or keyboard to position the arrow cursor over
- the option you want, then press the Selector (Button 1, Left Mouse Button,
- or Return/Enter). Note that pressing Button 2, the Right Mouse Button, or
- the Escape key, always returns you to the ready Room (see page 30).
-
- Hardware Options
-
- You may be asked questions about your equipment. See the technical Supple-
- ment for details, including advantageous trade-offs.
-
- Aircraft Identification
-
- To be allowed to choose your own mission assignment, you must correctly
- identify an aircraft. Flip to the Warplanes section of this manual (pages
- 164-172) and find the drawing which matches the screen illustration.
- Observe carefully the shape of the wings, fuselage, nose and cockpit for
- accurate identification. Then select the correct name.
-
- If your identification is wrong, you are automatically assigned to
- training. if the identification is correct, you have your choice of
- assignments.
-
- Pilot Roster
-
- Here you can start a new career or continue an existing one. Note that if
- you erase a pilot's name here the results are permanent. Do not erase
- pilot names unless you're sure! You will not be able to save pilot records
- unless you are playing from a copy of the game.
-
- Selecting An Existing Pilot
-
- You can highlight any one of the various names on the roster by moving the
- arrow cursor (with your Controller) over the name you want. Select the
- name by tapping Selector.
-
- Creating A New Pilot
-
- To create a new pilot, you must highlight an existing one and tap the
- Backspace or Delete key. You may then type in a new name for the pilot.
- When you`ve completed the new name tap the return key to enter the new name
- into the roster. You may then select that pilot as usual by highlighting
- his name then pressing the selector.
-
- When you've selected a pilot from the Roster a form appears that allows you
- to indicate some levels of skill for that pilot.
-
- Opponent Quality
-
- The quality of your opponents controls the difficulty of the simulation.
- the better your opponents, the more difficult your job, but the greater
- your rewards. Your score is significantly affected by this option.
- Selecting regnlar or green opponents reduces your score, making promotions
- slower and putting the highest medals out of your reach. Selecting veteran
- or elite opponents increases your score, speeding up promotions and making
- medals easier to obtain.
-
- Green Opponents: Here the enemy has older aircraft and SAMs. His radar
- sets are poorly maintained and frequently out of order. Radar operators
- only understand the rudiments, and therefore are very bad at reading the
- sometimes-strange signals given off by your plane. Enemy pilots have
- virtually no skill in aerobatics and dogfighting.
-
- Regular Opponents: Here the enemy has aircraft and SAMs appropriate to the
- region: older equipment for Third World and client states more modern
- equipment when you face a superpower directly. Radar operators are trained
- and drilled, but lack experience. Enemy pilots have practiced mock
- dogfights and areobatics, but lack the quyick perception and aggressive
- maneuvering of a combat veteran.
-
- Veteran opponents: Here the enemy has aircraft and SAMs appropriate to the
- region, like regulars, but tend to use only the better equippment in
- combat. Radar operators are experience and have good sense of judgement.
- enemy pilots have dogfighting experience and perhaps a few kills to their
- credit.
-
- Elite Opponents: Here you face the enemy`s best. Elite troops always get
- the best available equipment. Radar operators know their equipment inside
- and out and can interpret your faint, confusing returns only too well.
- Enemy pilots are often aces who know every trick in the book and aren`t
- above inventing new ones.
-
- Landing Skills
-
- This option determines how difficult and dangerous it is to fly your
- F-117A. Your choice here also affects scoring; the more difficult the
- flight, the higher your scores will be and the easier to obtain medals and
- promotions.
-
- No Crashes: This is the ideal choice when learning to fly. In a crash
- situation your F-117A rights itself and keeps going. When landing you can
- safely hit the ground as hard as you like. Unless you have your landing
- gear down, an automatic barometric altimeter keeps your plane above 200',
- simplifying low level flying. However, enemy weapons are not affected and
- are still deadly. Your score is significantly reduced if you select this
- option, making promotions and medals hard to get.
-
- Easy Landings: This choice is preferred by casual, weekend flyers. safe
- landing parameters are relaxed considerably, which makes one of the
- toughest jobs much easier. To avoid a crash you must touch down on a
- runway, aircraft carrier, or prepared landing strip. Hitting the ground or
- water anywhere else destroys the plane. As in "no Crashes," an automatic
- barometric altimeter keeps your plane above 200` unless your landing gear
- is down. Your score is only slightly reduced if you select this option
- Promotions are not materially affected, and you qualify for all but the
- highest medals.
-
- Realistic Landings: You must be skilled to be successful with realistic
- land- ings. Coming down too fast can mean instant death. Your score is
- full value if you select this option. If all other selections are of
- similar difficulty, you can be promoted quickly and have a fair shot at
- every medal.
-
- F-117A Realism
-
- This determines whether you'll be flying a "real" Lockheed F-117A or the
- Micro- Prose enhanced version. The Lockheed F-117A is more restricted in
- what it can do than the MicroProse F-117A.
-
- Lockheed F-117A: if you choose the Lockheed F-117A you`ll have 2 weapons
- bays instead of 4, not be able to carry air-to-air weapons (including the
- cannon) nor fly air-to-air missions, you will fly only at night, never
- launch from carriers, and you'll bo much less visible to enemy radar.
-
- MicroProse F-117A: The MicroProse F-117A sacrifices a little of the
- stealthi- ness of the Lockheed model for more weapons, more mission types
- and day and night- time flying (though day missions are still very rare).
- It's your choice!
-
- Form Complete: When you're finished making selections on the form, select
- form complete. If you're finished with the Roster. select Exit from the
- lower right corner.
-
- Ready Room
-
- This is the pilot's Ready Room, where pilots await orders. From this room
- you can go to any other room to choose various game options. You can also
- see a summary of all options currently selected, or return to the Pilot
- Roster.
-
- To enter another room, move the arrow cursor to the door of the room you
- want to enter and press the Selector.
-
- To return to the Pilot Roster, select the bulletin board on the far wall of
- the Ready Room.
-
- Commanding Officers Office
-
- You go into the CO's office to request transfer to a different theater or a
- different duty assignment. Here you select the region of the world for
- your new assignment, the level of political and military tension in that
- region, and the types of missions you`ll be flying there.
-
- Regions Of The World
-
- There are nine different areas of the world in which to operate. Each one
- takes you to a different time period of contemporary history, and each has
- its own set of unique challenges and missions. Some areas are much more
- dangerous than others and you are rewarded more lavishly for operating in
- these areas.
-
- Persian Gulf, 1984: This is a complex and moderately dangerous situation.
- Iran is a radical, revolutionary state involved in a long war with Iraq, as
- well as numerous shooting incidents with the US Navy.
-
- North Cape, 1985: You face the full strength and power of the Soviet Union
- during the height of the Cold War. This region contains many large USSR
- military complexes and navel bases. This is dangerous area.
-
- Libya, 1986: A client state of the Soviet Union Libya is one of the prime
- supporters of international terrorism, and on the recieving end of American
- air and naval air attacks. this a relatively easy situation.
-
- Training missions in Libya are fixed. Strike training is always a mission
- from the USS America to Tripoli; air to air training is always an
- interception of fighters patrolling the skies over Benghazi.
-
- Central Europe, 1986: As in the North Cape, you face first line forces of
- the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. Numerically inferior but
- qualitatively superior NATO forces (including meet this huge military
- power. Should super power skirmishing or a full-blown World War III occur,
- victory and defeat would hinge on events in this region. This is one of
- the most dangerous areas
-
- Middle East, 1989: The Middle East is a complex web of confusing alliances
- and rivalries. You'll face both Soviet and Western equipment as you fly
- missions against Syria, Iraq, and other terrorist-support states. This a
- dangerous area.
-
- Desert Storm - Iraq, 1991: The vast military might of the US, Great
- Britian France, and their Arab allies oppose the Baathist dictatorship of
- Saddam Hussain and the Iraqi military, in the Kuwait and iraqi Theaters of
- Operations. This is a moderately challenging situation.
-
- Vietnam, 1994: The US military has sent air units back into southeast Asia
- to oppose Vietnamese expansionism and to settle an old score. This is a
- very dangerous arena.
-
- Cuba, 1995: Cuba is determined to expand the communist revolution into
- Central America and the eastern Caribbean. Washington has decided to stop
- it before it spreads. This is a dangerous situation.
-
- Korea, 1997: The Chinese and North koreans have finally had enough of US
- dominated democracy in Asia. They are planning to carry out attacks
- against US and South korean installations. Washington, of course, will
- defend its foothold in the Far East. This is one of the most dangerous
- situations.
-
- Level Of Conflict
-
- The level of conflict in the region has a dramatic effect on how you must
- fly your missions. Each type of conflict has its own challenges. No
- choice is easier than another in general, the hotter the war situation, the
- more violent and dangerous the mission, while Cold War demands careful
- planning and good judgement - different skills, but no less important ones!
-
- Cold War means clandestine missions. Flying without being detected is key.
- Fortunately, enemy radars and SAMs aren't expecting trouble. They often
- confirm a contact many times before attacking. If you are detected, you
- must destroy the plane or radar which saw you. However, the more you use
- weapons, especially against any other targets, the greater the scandal, and
- the less successful your mission. In fact, many missions in the Cold War
- involve photo reconnaissance, flying secret materials in or out of enemy
- territory, or surgically "removing" a single, specific target.
-
- Limited War missions are also clandestine. It is still important to fly
- without being seen, but since warfare is ongoing, military targets are fair
- game now. However be careful to avoid hitting civilians. Attack and
- strike missions are common, but so are photo reconnaissance and clandestine
- spy missions. In limited war enemy radar operators expect some trouble.
- Their reactions are slightly faster.
-
- Conventional War is all-out conflict. Inflicting the maximum destruction
- upon the enemy is the main objective here. Avoiding detection has no
- political importance but is useful if you want to survive the mission! Any
- target in enemy territory is fair game, military or civilian. However,
- enemy air defense operators rarely confirm their targets in wartime
- everybody shoots first and asks questions afterward!
-
- Mission Type
-
- You may select from two types of "real" missions and two types of
- "training" missions. Training missions represent flying a flight simulator
- instead of flying a real aircraft
-
- Air-to-Air Missions have an enemy aircraft as your primary objective. If
- you`re a hotshot with air to air missiles (AAMs) and dogfighting,this is
- your cup of tea. However, the secondary objective is often a ground
- target.
-
- Strike Missions assign ground targets as both objectives
-
- Training Missions generate normal air-to-air or strike missions as
- appropriate ate. with three exceptions: you cannot be hurt by enemy fire;
- you are not scored for the mission you receive no rating points, no
- decorations, no promotions (after all, the mission wasn't real!); you
- receive fixed mission orders. For example if you selected Libya (as in the
- tutorial), strike missions are always against a ground target in Tripoli,
- air to air missions are always against fighters over Benghazi. If you`re
- just learning to fly and fight the F-117A, this feature allows you to try
- the same mission over and over, until you understand fully what's
- happening.
-
- Briefing Room
-
- This screen shows a detailed map of the regions of the world you chose in
- the COs Office. On this map is the flight plan of your proposed mission.
- Your takeoff point (T) primary target (P), secondary target (S), and
- landing point (L) are always visible on the briefing map, as reference
- points.
-
- Also shown on this map are important sites such as airfields and radar and
- SAM sites. You can learn important information about these sites by moving
- the cursor over them and reading the text that appears. In addition, you
- can see the range of various enemy radars and missiles. This screen, with
- its great variety of information, is the perfect place to plan your
- mission. You may wish to take notes about particularly dangerous enemies,
- or the route you have in mind.
-
- Mission Brief
-
- This presents a detailed description of your operational orders, with
- specific information about the primary and secondary objectives. After
- you`ve read this, and you tap the Return key, you'll read about your flight
- plan, describing your take-off and landing sites, estimated fuel required,
- and a summary of the Rules of Engage- ment (ROE).
-
- Radar And Missile Ranges
-
- If you move the arrow around the briefing map, information boxes appear
- that tell you important facts about the various sites on the map. If you
- select one of the site icons, a circle appears that indicates either the
- radar range of that site or the missile range. depending upon which of the
- menu items is seleced. You can select any or all of the sites at will and
- turn the range of each site on and off individually. if you choose "Select
- All" from the menu, all ranges are shown, if you select "Clear All" all
- ranges currently shown are erased.
-
- Radar Ranges: if you select Radar Ranges from the menu at right, you are
- shown radar ranges when you select a site. The initial range shown is the
- site's effective radar range; if you then tap the Space Bar, the display
- switches to maximum radar ranges.
-
- Missile Ranges: If you select Missile Ranges from the menu at right, you
- are shown missile ranges when you select a site. The range shown is always
- the SAM's maximum range.
-
- Enemy Troops
-
- Selecting this option shows you the location of known enemy ground force
- concentrations. These locations are boxed on the map and indicate areas
- where there are likely to be large numbers of shoulder-launched SAMs.
-
- Decline Mission
-
- If you select this option, the current mission is cancelled and you are
- given a new one immediately. This may be handy if you want to be selective
- in the missions you fly.
-
- Select Weapons
-
- This option places you in the Maintenance Room where you can examine the
- weapons your crew chief has deemed appropriate for your assigned mission
- and change them if you desire.
-
- Maintenance Room
-
- Here you select the weaponary and equipment you desire for your mission.
-
- To place a weapon into a bay, use the controller to move the arrow to the
- bay you want to affect, then select the bay using the Selector. Now use
- the Controller to highlight the weapon you wish to place into the selected
- bay and then the selector to place it there.
-
- Note that your estimated fuel required, and current fuel carried, appear;
- make sure you have enough fuel to complete the mission!
-
- Default Armaments: The initial weapons loaded in Bays 1 and 2 represent
- your crew chiefs choice of weapons for the mission. The weapon in bay 1
- (upper left) is for the primary target, the weapon in bay 2 (upper right)
- is for the secondary. If extra fuel appears in one of the bays it`s
- because the crew chief has determined you`ll need it.
-
- Choosing Armaments: See pages 139-141 for details about each weapon. The
- "weapon effectiveness" chart, page 139, rates all weapons against common
- targets. Its wise to carry at least one 7 or 6 rated weapon for the
- primary and secondary objectives.
-
- The Hangar
-
- Here you see your F-117A being topped off with fuel for the mission. you
- are given the choice to go ahead and fly the mission or return to the ready
- room. Of curse if you go ahead and fly theres no turning back; but if you
- return to the ready room, you can go to any of the above rooms and change
- your assignments at will.
-
- Simulation Controls
-
- Viewing Controls
-
- The following views are from inside the cockpit of the F-117A. They allow
- you to look in four different directions and change the cone of view out
- the front of the cockpit
-
- From-the-Cockpit Views
-
- Cockpit: Tap Cockpit (F1) for the standard view, looking out of your
- cockpit through the HUD.
-
- Wide Angle View: The Wide Angle key (C) toggles between a standard viewing
- arc (about 6O°) and a wide-angle viewing arc (about 12O°). This view
- places your point of view farther back in the cockpit, showing more of the
- cockpit structure and a wider angle view of the world outside. This is
- excellent for spotting and tracking enemies in a fast-moving dogfight.
-
- Forward: Tap View Ahead (Shift /) to turn off the HUD and look over the
- cockpit control panel, giving you maximum visibility forward.
-
- Rear: Tap View Rear (Shift >) to look through the back of your cockpit.
-
- View Right: Tap View Right (Shift <) to look out the right side of your
- aircraft
-
- View Left: Tap View Left (Shift M) to look out the left side of your
- aircraft
-
- Out-of-Plane Views
-
- As an aid to learning flight maneuvers and providing some very dramatic
- cinema- tography, a variety of out-of-plane views are available. In these
- views you`re outside of your aircraft, looking at it and/or the enemy.
-
- In all but the Chase Plane view, Zoom and UnZoom (Z and X) are operable,
- moving your viewpoint closer to or farther away from the F-117A.
-
- Slot View: Press Slot View (Shift Fl). This view is named after the
- famous "in the slot" position used by aerial acrobatic teams. You're
- positioned directly behind the
-
- F-117A. The viewpoint remains level with the ground, to clearly show the
- degree of pitch and roll of the F-1 17A as you maneuver it. This view is
- excellent for learning efficient flight.
-
- Chase Plane View: Press Chase Plane (Shift F2). You're in a "chase
- aircraft" following a short distance behind the F-117A. As the F-117A
- accelerates, it will tend to "run away" from you, while when it slows down
- it tends to "fall back" toward you. Zoom and UnZoom does not work with
- this view
-
- Side View: Press Side View (Shift F3). You`re to the right side of the
- F-117A. This view can provide a useful reference point. It`s also an
- excellent way to check the state of your landing gear. missile launches
- are most dramatic when seen from this viewpoint.
-
- Missile View: (Shift F4). Here you`re positioned directly behind the
- F-117As active weapon. If ordnance is in flight, you`re positioned behind
- the weapon launched most recently. If no ordnance is in flight, you're
- positioned behind the plane,and will follow the first item launched, this
- view lets you follow the weapon switching to this view after launch may be
- educational.
-
- Tactical View: Press Tacti View (Shift F5). You're directly behind the
- F-117A, looking past it at whatever target you're currently tracking. This
- view automatically rotates and pans to keep both the F-117A and its target
- in view. This view is invaluable in combat situations; it helps you
- outmaneuver and line up onan opponent or return for second or third attack
- run on a ground target.
-
- Inverse Tactical Vigw: Press Invis Tacti (Shift F6). You're directly
- behind the F-117A's current target. looking past it toward the F-117A.
- You see the target in the foreground, and the F-117A often is no more than
- a dot in the sky) far away. The very dramatic view when making attack runs
- on ground targets.
-
- The Movie Director: An experienced pilot. flying in training mode, can
- use these views to good effect. By switching between the cockpit and
- various views, you can llustrate what's happening and impress casual
- bystanders.
-
- For example, you can use the Chase Plane view and autopilot to watch your
- plane launching from the carrier and turning onto course. Then switch to
- Slot View and show off loops. rolls. split-S turns and immelmans (see
- pages 89-92). Fird an enemy aircraft and use the Tacti View to show your
- plane maneuvering against his. Then switch to Invrs Tacti to watch his
- responses. Before launching a missile go to the Side View, to watch the
- weapon dropping away. Then jump to the Missile View to follow it into the
- target. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination
-
- Other Controls
-
- Pause (Alt/P) immediately freezes the action. To resume, press any key
- Some computers have a special key labeled "pause" or "hold". Depending on
- the internal design of your machine. This key may also work. Pause may be
- very useful when you are first learning to fly.
-
- Accelarated Time
-
- Accel Time (Shift Z) doubles the rate at which time passes, and is useful
- when flying long distances without encountering significant threats. When
- in accelerated time node, "ACCEL" appears on the HUD.
-
- Norm Time (Shift X) returns the simulation to normal time. Since its
- almost impossible to control and fight your craft in accelerated time, in
- combat and landing situations you're automatically returned to normal time.
- Accelerated time automatically cally stops if you're detected by enemy
- radar, you open the weapons bay, or lower the landing gear.
-
- Detail Adjust
-
- Detail Adjust (Alt/D) allows you to change the amount and depth of ground
- detail invisible through the cockpit, speeding computer execution; the
- slower your computer the lower the level of detail you should use.
-
- Volume Adjust
-
- Volume Adjust (Alt/V) allows you to change the type and variety of sounds
- used in the simulation. When you press the key, the new sound setting
- appears briefly on the HUD
-
- Training
-
- Training (Alt/T) allows you switch into training mode at any time during
- play. This may be useful if things get particularly confusing, or if you
- decide to just go sightseeing Remember though you don't get rewards for
- training missions.
-
- Resupply
-
- Resupply (Alt/R) is available only in training missions. It fills the
- planes fuel tanks and gives it extra weapons. Resupply is designed for
- sightseeing and target practise Needless to say, those who prefer realism
- in simulations should never touch this option.
-
- Hide Game
-
- "Boss" Hide Game (Alt/B) immediately pauses the simulation and clears the
- screen, effectively making the computer appear to be idle. To resume the
- simulation you press "Boss" Hide Game again. This key is not only useful
- at the office, but also to forestall irate parents, children, spouses, and
- relatives who complain about the time you spend at the computer!
-
- Quit
-
- Quit (Alt/Q) immediately ends the simulation and returns the computer to
- DOS. It does not save information to disk, so any accomplishments since
- the last pilot roster will be lost.
-
- Save
-
- There is no "save" key in F-117A Stealth Fighter 2.0. Instead the
- simulation auto- matically saves your pilot record whenever your leave the
- pilot roster during the preflight briefing.
-
- This "automatic save" feature requires you to be using a copy of the
- program (a copy on either a floppy or hard disk), rather than the original
- MicroProse disk from the box. If you're using the original disk, you
- cannot save data, although you can otherwise run the simulation normally.
-
- Displays And Aircraft Controls
- ------------------------------
-
- Terminology
-
- Each control has a name in italics, which is used on the keyboard overlay;
- in addition, the actual key used in the IBM version of the game appear in
- parentheses. A master list of all names and keys also appears im the
- Appendix
-
- Controller refers to the pointing device used by your computer. This may
- be a mouse, joystick. or cursor keys, depending on your hardware. See the
- Technical Supplement for details.
-
- Heads Up Display (HUD)
-
- The HUD is designed to provide all the crucial flying and Weapon
- information in a graphic format. HUD data is projected onto a wide angle
- clear pane in the front of the cockpit. You look "through" the HUD to the
- situation outside. As a result, valuable information is right in front of
- your eyes, where it is most useful.
-
- Because the F-117A is a night fighter. the text displayed on your HUD can
- be switched from white to green for ease of reading. At night it is green
- automatically; if you are assigned a rare daytime mission, the text appears
- white on your HUD. If for some reason you are forced to stay in the air
- past daylight. you may wish to switch the text color back to daytime
- colors. To do so tap day/Night HUD (F4)
-
- In addition, you can customize your HUD to some extent using the De-clutter
- key (V). These modes condense some of the information to single digital
- readouts; experi- ment to find the setting you like best.
-
- HUD Modes
-
- Your HUD has three modes Navigation (NAV), Air to Air (AIR), and Air to
- Ground (GND). You switch between modes using HUD Modes (F2). The HUD Mode
- Indicator Lights. directly below the HUD, indicate the HUD's current mode.
- Each mode has specific uses and affects not only the types of information
- displayed on the HUD but also what types of information are available on
- your right-side Multi-Function Display (MFD)
-
- NAV mode helps you navigate between airbases by restricting your tracking
- system to friendly and neutral airbases and aircraft carriers. AIR mode is
- for attacking aircraft, so your tracking system is restricted to flying
- targets. GND mode is for attacking ground targets. Your tracking system
- is restricted to these targets.
-
- Universal HUD Information and Symbology
-
- Some HUD information is universal across all modes. This information is
- displayed or available, regardless of your HUD's current mode.
-
- Airspeed: Your airspeed (in knots) is indicated on the left side of your
- HUD on a vertical scale; a digital readout of your current speed appears
- beside the centre tick mark.
-
- Stall Speed Indicator: The Stall Speed indicator is a colored bar which
- rises from the bottom of the airspeed scale. If it extends beyond the
- centre tick mark, your plane has stalled, and falls out of control briefly
- until the automated recovery system takes over. A low-altitude stall can
- be fatal.
-
- Altitude: Your altitude (in feet) is indicated on the right-side vertical
- scale; a digital readout of your current altitude appears next to the
- scale`s centre tick mark. At 1,000` the scale changes to thousand-foot
- increments (2K is 2,000`, etc).
-
- Vertical Velocity Indicator (VVI): The small, colored bar extending upward
- or downward from the altitude scale's center tick mark is the VVI. If the
- bar extends upward, you're gaining altitude; If it extends down, you're
- losing altitude. Each tick mark represents 100 feet per minute, so the
- longer the bar, the faster you`re gaining or losing altitude.
-
- Landing Speed Indicator: This colored arrow appears only when your landing
- gear is down and marks the safe maximum VVI for landing. If the VVI
- extends below this mark, landing is unsafe.
-
- Angle of Attack (AOA) Approach Indexer: The AOA Approach Indexer becomes
- operational when your landing gear is down. It assists you in obtaining
- optimal pitch of the plane's nose as you approach a landing. If the green
- circle in the center of the display is lit, your angle of attack is 0K; if
- the yellow up arrow is lit, you need to pitch your nose up; if the red down
- arrow is lit pitch your nose down slightly.
-
- Heading: The horizontal scale across the top is your heading scale shows
- is 000°, East is 090°, South is 180°, and West is 270°
-
- INS (Waypoint) Cursor: The colored triangle above the heading scale shows
- the direction to the currently selected INS "waypoint". To get "On course"
- turn until the marker is above the middle tick-mark on the heading scale.
-
- Nose Indicator: Fixed in the middle of the HUD. this cross hair indicates
- the direction your plane`s nose is currently pointing.
-
- Flight Path Indicator: This indicator shows the direction you are flying
- (which may be different from the Nose Indicator). It is available only in
- NAV and GND modes.
-
- The plane is geometrically level when the nose and Flight Path Indicators
- overlap (rare in an aircraft). Further, level flight (constant altitude)
- often requires the nose to be pitched slightly above the flight path (see
- Techniques and Tactics, 59)
-
- G-Indicator: This readout in the upper left corner of the HUD indicates
- the current G-forces on your plane`s airframe. The plane can withstand
- more G stress than the pilot, whose limits are between 3 and +9. depending
- on training and experience
-
- Pitch Lines: These lines appear on the HUD if you`re in NAV mode or
- pitched so far up or down that the horizon is invisible. Each line
- represents 10o of pitch up or down If you`re perfectly level, pitch is 0°;
- when climbing straight up or diving straight down, pitch is 90°.
-
- Current Armament: In the lower left the HUD indicates which weapon is
- currently selected, and the number currently available, such as "3
- Sidewinders" or "2 Slicks," etc
-
- On the lower right is the word "Gun" followed by the number of rounds
- currently available. This refers to your 20mm cannon and its remaining
- ammunition
-
- Radio Messages: You are Sent coded burst transmissions periodically, which
- are decoded by your onboard computers and displayed as text across the top
- of the HUD.
-
- Tracking Box: the tracking Box appears on your HUD whenever your F-117As
- tracking system is locked onto a target and the target is visible through
- the HUD; the Tracking Box frames the target. In addition. the target
- appears in your right hand side MFD. The current HUD mode determines what
- targets can be tracked.
-
- The Cam Ahead (/), Cam Rear (>), Cam Left (<)and Cam Right (M) keys set the
- tracking camera to "look" in the direction indicated. Once locked onto a
- target, it follows that target, even if the target moves from one quadrant
- to another.
-
- Missile Tracking Boxes: A Missile tracking Box appears on your HUD when-
- ever a missile is visible through your HUD. If the box is green, the
- missile it frames is one that you launched. If it is yellow, the missile
- is an enemy missile. There may be several Missile tracking Boxes visible
- in your HUD simultaneously.
-
- Air-To-Air Indicators
-
- To set the HUD to AIR mode, tap HUD Modes (F2).
-
- Gunsight: The Gunsight circle replaces the Flight Path Indicator and shows
- where your shells would hit if you'd fired six seconds earlier (the time it
- takes them to travel the 6 kilometer maximum range). If you're tracking a
- target, it shows where the shells would land if you'd fired the proper time
- in the past for them to travel that range See page 68, for details.
-
- Missile Targeting Envelope: This large, faint circle represents the area
- in which an air to air missile can be aimed and "locked onto" a target.
-
- Tracking Box and Oval: the tracking Box appears on your HUD whenever our
- F-117As optical tracking/targeting system is locked onto a target which is
- in front of the plane and visible through the HUD; the Tracking Boxes
- visible in your HUD simultaneously.
-
- Air-To-Ground Mode Indicators
-
- To set the HUD to GND mode,tap HUD.Modes (F2).
-
- Tracking Box and Oval: the tracking Box appears on your HUD whenever your
- F-117A's optical tracking system is locked onto a target which is in front
- of the plane; the Tracking Box frames the target. In addition, the target
- appears in your right side MFD. In GND mode, the tracking system locks
- onto airbourne targets only.
-
- The tracking Box is color coded to inform you if your curently armed weapon
- is appropriate for use against the current target. If the tracking Box is
- white, the weapon is appropriate for the current target. The size of the
- Tracking Box indicates how effective the current weapon is against the
- current target the larger the box the more effective the weapon. Tap
- Select Weapon (space bar), to arm a different weapon.
-
- When using self-guided weapons, the box turns into an Oval when the target
- is within firing range and the missile is "locked on." When the tracking
- oval turns red the shot is a "sure thing," with nearly no chance of
- missing.
-
- Bombsights: When free-fall and/or retarded bombs are armed, a special set
- of bombsight aids appears on the HUD. If your current course, speed and
- altitude will place you within a bomb blast, the HUD bombsight symbology
- (descibed below) flashes. You can still drop a bomb in this situation, but
- you should take appropriate action to escape the resulting blast.
-
- Bombsight Flightpath Guide: This indicates the "path in the sky" you
- should fly for a perfect bombing run. Keeping your Flight Path Indicator
- centered within this symbol means you`re "on course."
-
- Bombsight Ranging Bar: this indicates when to release a bomb based upon
- range to the target. As you get closer to the drop point, the bar
- compresses. When it becomes a single vertical line (or dot) drop the bomb.
-
- Bombsight Fall-line and Bullseye: This appears only if free fall bombs are
- armed. A line extends from your flight path towards the ground. At the
- end of this line is a circle (bullseye). Your bomb will land in the middle
- of this circle.
-
- Camera Sight Lens: If your current armament is the 135mm/IR camera the
- camera lens sight (a small +) appears on the HUD. It indicates the
- direction your camera lens aims.
-
- Multi-Function Displays (MFDS)
-
- This MFD appears on the left side of the cockpit and displays two different
- types of map; the Satellite/Radar Map tactical Display Map. The Maps Key
- (F3) toggles between them. Either map may be expanded or contracted, using
- the Zoom and UnZoom keys (Z and X).
-
- Left Side Multi Function Display (MFD)
-
- The Satellite/Radar Map: this map displays the geographical features of
- the region, and is oriented so north is toward the top. When the Satellite
- map is on the display, the "MAP" light is illuminated.
-
- Enemy radar signals are displayed on this map; dotted lines represent pulse
- radar; solid line are Doppler radar. Ground search and airborne early
- warning and control (AEW&C) radars are displayed as expanding circles,
- while ground fire control and aircraft radars appear as short arcs.
-
- Missiles, aircraft, and important ground targets also appear on this map as
- colour coded dots. Your aircraft is white, other aircraft are red, and
- missiles are yellow. Your mission targets, flash and glow; ground radar
- installations are black.
-
- The Tactical Display Map: This map portrays the local tactical situation.
- It is oriented so the top corresponds to your current heading. When the
- Tactical Map is on the display, the "TAC" light is illuminated.
-
- The map graphically depicts aircraft, missiles, ground radar sources,
- airfields, and incidental ground targets. A 16 km square grid is
- superimposed for range referencing
-
- Color-coding: Aircraft and missiles are colorcoded; dark red planes are at
- a lower altitude than you are, light red ones are at about the same, and
- yellow planes are above you; red missiles are IR seekers, and yellow ones
- are radar homers or visually guided.
-
- Right Side Multi Function Display (MFD)
-
- This MFD appears on the right side of the cockpit and has four basic
- functions: to display images from your tracking system, provide an
- interface with your inertial navigation system INS, or to display sum- mary
- information during flight (there are two types of summary information
- weapons and orders). Tap the appropriate key to activate the desired
- function.
-
- Tracking Camera: Your F-117A is equipped with a TV and forward-looking
- infrared (FLIR) camera, capable of scanning 360o to a range of about 80 to
- 100 kilometers in daytime and slightly less at night To switch between your
- TV camera and FLIR tap FLIR (F6). When you are flying in deep night,
- you'll probably have to use the FLIR to identify what you are seeing in the
- right MFD.
-
- On-board computers are programmed with target data that allows the camera
- to lock onto targets within its current field of view, providing a Zoomed
- TV/FLIR view of the target along with its name, range, and bearing.
- Primary and sceonary targets are indicated when the system locks onto one
- of these. For a more detailed explanation of the uses of the Tracking
- Camera and how it relates to the targeting system, see pages 68-73
-
- Activating and Moving the Camera: You can activate the camera (FLIR or
- optical) or change its current field of view by tapping Cam Ahead (/). Cam
- Rear (>), Cam Left (<) or Cam Right(M). Switch your tracking camera from
- optical to FLIR using the FLIR key (F6)
-
- When your tracking Camera is active, the "TC" light is illuminated; if
- you`re using the FLIR, the "FLIR" Iight is lit; the direction indicator
- tells what direction the camera is currently pointing.
-
- Selecting and Designating Targets: the onboard computer contains a list of
- important targets in the area. Tap Select Target (B) to move the tracking
- camera to the next nearest target within 80-100 kilometers. In addition,
- you can reprogram the tracking camera to aim at any target on the ground.
- Simply aim your nose at the target and tap Designate New Target (N): the
- camera will find the nearest new target.
-
- Waypoints: Displays waypoint data for each of the four INS waypoints (F7,
- F8 and shift F8) (See page 53, for details). When waypoints are displayed,
- the "WAY" light is illuminated.
-
- Weapons: Displays weapons currently on board your F-117 (F5). When
- weapons are displayed, the "WPN" light is illuminated.
-
- Mission Orders: Displays a summary of your current mission orders. When
- you have accomplished your primary or secondary mission, the summary is
- updated appropriately. When your orders are displayed, the "ORD" light is
- illuminated
-
- Aircraft Controls - Control Stick
-
- The F-117A has a standard aircraft control stick. Pushing the stick
- forward pitches the nose down, pulling it back pitches it up. Pushing the
- stick left rolls the plane to the left. While pushing it right rolls the
- it right.
-
- The more you push the stick, the more the aircraft pitches or or rolls in
- that direction When you release the stick (center it) the aircraft
- maintains its attitude
-
- The control stick may be represented by a physical joystick, numeric cursor
- keypad, or some other device. See "Controls Summary" in the Appendix for
- details.
-
- Throttle And Fuel
-
- The throttle controls the power output of your engines. Maximum throttle
- gives maxi- mum speed but uses up fuel faster and increases your
- electromagnetic visibility (EMV)
-
- Thrust Controls: The Max Pwr key (Shift +) immediately opens the throttle
- giving you maximum thrust. The No Pwr key (Shift -) immeddiately closes
- the throttle, shutting down the engines. The increase key (=) opens the
- throttle a small amount. The decrease key (-) closes the throttle a small
- amount.
-
- Thrust Indicator: In the lower right side of the cockpit is the Thrust
- Indicator a digital readout of throttle, expressed as a percent of total
- potential. "100" is maximum power; "50" is half power, and so on.
-
- Fuel Remaining: When your onboard fuel tank is full the digital readout
- reads "999" as you fly, the number decreases, showing the amount of fuel
- you have remaining in your tank.
-
- Fuel Warning: The warning light to the right of the fuel gauge flashes
- whenever your fuel tanks are dangerously low.
-
- Extra Fuel: If you are carrying extra fuel in your weapons bay, you can
- pump that fuel from the bay into the main tank by tapping Select Weapon
- until "EXTRA FUEL" appears on the lower left of the HUD. Then tap Fire
- Weapon (Return) to move the fuel rom the bay into your main tanks.
-
- Equipment Controls
-
- Artificial Horizon: This instrument indicates your current pitch and roll.
- It is particularly useful when flying in deepest night when the horizon is
- difficult to see.
-
- Landing Gear: The Gear key (6) toggles your landing gear up and down. The
- "GEAR" light illuminates when the gear is down; If the light flashes you
- are going too fast for the gear to be down, and there is danger that the
- gear will be ripped off.
-
- Autopilot: the Autopilot key (7) toggles the automatic pilot on and off.
- Autopilot sets at a minimum altitude of 500 and flies you toward the next
- INS waypoint (it does not, however, avoid hills and mountains!). When the
- autopilot is on, the "AUTO" light is illuminated. turn off autopilot
- simply by touching the control stick. Note that if your avionics are
- damaged (the "AV" damage light is on), the autopilot doesn`t function.
-
- Weapons Bay Doors: Before using any weapon in your bays you must open the
- weapons bay doors, using the Bay Doors key (8). The "BAY" light flashes
- when the bay oors are open. After launching the weapon you should toggle
- the doores closed again Note that damage to you bay doors (the "BD" light
- is lit) jams the doors open.
-
- Flaps: the Flaps key (9) toggles the wing flaps between extended and
- retracted When the flaps are extended the "FLAPS" light illuminates and the
- aircraft slows and gains lift. High speeds (in excess of 300 kts) can rip
- off the flaps. causing serious damage
-
- Brakes: the Brake key (0) toggles the airbrake in and out. When the brake
- is extended the "BRAKE" light illuminates and the aircraft slows down.
- When on the ground. The Brake key toggles the landing gear brakes on and
- off
-
- Ejection Seat: Tap Eject (ShiftF10) to "punchout" of your plane. Your
- F-117A has an ACES II ejection seat, one of the safestm, most flexible
- designs available. Your best chance of surviving a bailout exists if your
- altitude is between 2.000` and 14,000` while flying level or climbing
- slightly.
-
- Evasion and Defense Systems
-
- Electromagnetic Visibility (EMV) Scale
-
- This gauge shows the current "stealthiness" of your aircraft.
-
- Your EMV: The "visibility" of your plane to enemy radars appears as a bar
- extending from the left of this gauge. Your EMV increases as you climb to
- a higher altitude, increase speed, open your bay doors, lower your gear, or
- use your jammers.
-
- Enemy Radars: The bars that extend intermittently from the right of the
- scale represent incoming enemny radar signals. Enemy ground based (EGRs)
- appear on the top, enemy aircraft radars (EARs) on the bottom. The bars
- are colour coded to give additional detection information.
-
- Detection: If an incoming signal overlaps your EMV bar, it has detected
- you (the Detection Warning Light flashes and you hear a warning beep). A
- pink incoming signal means that a ground radar has faintly detected you; a
- yellow bar means you have been fully detected. If an incoming air radar
- signal appears white on the gauge an enemy aircraft has detected you.
-
- The colors of search radar signals that appear on your Satellite map and
- HUD are colored identically to those on the EMV gauge. So that you can
- easily locate the radar that has detected you (see "Display Colors
- Summary," in the Appendix).
-
- Warning Devices
-
- Search Warning: Frequently a single search detection does not give the
- enemy sufficient data to recognize your plane, but when you have definitely
- been seen, a message appears on your HUD to indicate the enemy has "seen"
- your plane.
-
- Radar Tracking Warning: Long-range and medium- range Surface to Air
- Missiles (SAMs) must track you for a time before firing. Tracking radar
- appears as a short, narrow arc on the Satellite/Radar map.
-
- When enemy tracking radar tracks you, the "TRAK" warning light flashes.
- Note, however, that some short-range enemy missiles (some IR-homers, see
- page 82) do not use a radar tracking system. Therefore, "TRAK" is not a
- foolproof warning of impending attack.
-
- Missile Warning Lights: If a radar-guided missile is homing on your
- aircraft the "RAD" light flashes. If an IR (infrared homing) missile is
- homing on you, the "IR" light flashes.
-
- The appropriate light continues to flash as long as any missile of that
- type is pursuing you. If jammers or some other device confuse the
- missille, the light goes off. If the missile later finds you, the light
- flashes again.
-
- Missile Proximity Klaxon: When a missile is within a few seconds of
- hitting your plane, the Missile Proximity Klaxon sounds, signaling you to
- react quickly or be hit! Typically you'll drop chaff or a flare, depending
- on the type of threat (chaff for radar missiles, flares for IR missiles).
-
- Defenses
-
- Flare: this is a small, finely tuned heat decoy. Tap Flare (1) to release
- a flare cartridge behind your plane. The flare light illuminates while the
- flare is active and the digital readout indicates the number you have
- remaining. For the next 2-5 seconds the intense heat of the flare will
- cause all enemy infrared guided missiles to home on the flare instead of
- your aircraft.
-
- Chaff: Tap Chaff (2) to release a chaff cartridge behind your plane. The
- chaff light illuminates while the chaff is active and the digital readout
- indicates the number you have remaining. For the next two or more seconds
- the aluminum sheets of the chaff cartridge will confuse all enemy radar
- guided missiles, causing them to home on the chaff instead of your
- aircraft.
-
- Important Exception: Enemy Doppler radar-guided missiles will not home on
- chaff unless your course is perpendicular to that of the missile. As long
- as the missile chases you from the rear, or attacks from straight ahead,
- chaff has no effect.
-
- Decoys; Your F-117A carries three decoys. To launch a decoy, tap Decoy
- (5). The "decoy" light illuminates while the decoy is running, and the
- digital readout indicates the number you have remaining.
-
- Each decoy is a computer-controlled radar emitter/reflector and an IR
- source. To enemy radar and infrared it looks like your plane, but
- stronger. The decoy gradually floats down via parachute and self destructs
- betore landing. Enemy missiles, aircraft and ground radars are fooled by
- decoys, although the amount of time depends on the experience and skill of
- the opposition (typically trom 20 to 60 seconds) During this time the enemy
- chases the decoy instead of you.
-
- Infrared (IR) Jammer: the IR hammer key (3) toggles ths device on and off.
- When the jammer is running the "IRJ" light illuminates. This device emits
- heat pulses to confuse a missile's guidance system. The missile stops
- homing on your plane and flies straight ahead. The jammer is highly
- effective against first generation IR missiles, but good only at long range
- against second generation missiles (see page 83). Using the IR jammer
- reduces your speed, and it shuts down automatically to avoid overheating.
-
- ECM Radar Jammer: The ECM key (4) toggles this device on and off. When
- the jammer is running the "ECM" light illuminates. This jammer "blinds"
- radar guided missiles. The jammer is particulary effective against older
- "beam rider" missiles, but good only at long range against "semi-active"
- radar homers (see page 79). The only drawback to using ECM is that your
- EMV is increased
-
- Damage
-
- The upper left of the cockpit has a bank of "telltale" lights that indicate
- which systems (if any) are damaged.
-
- Missile Warnings (MW): When the "MW" damage light is illuminated, the
- Missile Warning system is inoperative. The "RAD" and "IR" missile warning
- lights no longer work.
-
- Engine (ENG): When the "ENG" light is illuminated, engine damage has
- reduced the maximum thrust possible. Any additional damage further reduces
- thrust
-
- Flight Control (FC): When the "FC" damage light is illuminated, flight
- control computer damage makes the F-117A more difficult to control.
-
- Avionics (AV): When the "AV" light is illuminated, avionics damage has
- disabled your Inertial Navigation System (INS) and autopilot.
-
- Bay Doors (BD): When the "BD" light is lit, the weapons bay doors are
- damaged and jammed open, permanently increasing your EMV.
-
- Jammers (JAM): When the "JAM" light is illuminated, your ECM and IR
- jammers no Ionger function.
-
- Fuel Tank (Fuel): When the "FUEL" light illuminates damage and stress
- breakage is causing fuel to leak. Once a leak starts, any furthur damage
- increases the rate of fuel loss.
-
- Fire Control (FIRE): When the "FIRE" light illuminates your fire control
- systems are damaged.
-
- Random Malfunctions: Your F-117A is an extremely complicated piece of
- equippment. Random malfunctions are possible in any of the systems at any
- time. The malfunction may include the reporting systems onboard the craft.
- If so you wont know that something has malfunctioned until you discover it
- doesnt work!
-
- Malfunctions are more likely in intense combat situations, due to the heavy
- burden that places on your sophisticated electronic systems.
-
- Weaponry
-
- These instructions give the bare rudiments of weapons operation. Many
- important considerations and tactical tricks are described in "Chapter 3,
- Techniques and Tac- tics." See "Weapons Effectiveness," page 139, for a
- chart showing weapon effective ness against various targets.
-
- Selecting Weapons
-
- The name of the weapon currently armed and ready for use always appears in
- the lower left corner of the HUD.
-
- Weapon: Tap Weapon (F5) to display the contents of your weapons bays on
- the right MFD. The bay currently selected is highlighted, and the current
- armament appears in the lower left corner of the HUD.
-
- Tap Select Weapon (Space Bar) to change the currently-selected weapon in
- your fire control system. Each key press switches to the next weapons bay,
- and the change is indicated both on the HUD and in the Right MFD Weapon
- display.
-
- Cannon: Your 20mm cannon is always available for use (Unless it is out of
- ammo or damaged).
-
- Firing Weapons
-
- Launching Weapons: Tap Fire Weapon (Return) to launch a weapon. This
- fires one missile or drops one bomb. The currently selected weapon is the
- one used. See pages 68-73, for more specific instructions on launching
- weapons.
-
- The Reconnaissance Camera (135mm/FlIR Camera) is "fired" like a weapon from
- an open weapons bay. Each "shot" takes one picture
-
- Special Equipment can be air-dropped by opening the bay doors and "firing"
- it out. It floats to the ground on a parachute. It is also loaded or
- unloaded on the ground at appropriate airstrips automatically (a message
- appears on your HUD when loading or unloading is complete).
-
- Cannon: Fire Cannon (Backspace or Button 2) tires one burst.
-
- Navigational Systems
-
- Concept: The INS has up to four programmable "waypoints" to map a flight
- plan. The default waypoint setup puts the first point halfway between your
- starting base and primary target the second is the "primary target" the
- third is the secondary target, and the last is your landing point.
-
- Waypoints Display: The Select Way Pt (F7) and Change Way Pt (F8) keys
- display list of INS waypoints on the right side MFD, and your projected
- flight path from waypoint to waypoint on the Satellite Map on the left.
-
- The waypoints list display shows the current time at top. The ETA to each
- waypoint and a fuel gauge across the bottom. The fuel gauge is a bar
- graph, predicting fuel consumption based upon your current speed and
- altitude. The far right side of the bar black region) indicates fuel
- already consumed, the center parts (white for current waypoint and blue for
- others) indicates fuel needed to reach each waypoint, and the far left side
- (green region) indicates fuel reserves.
-
- Selecting Waypoints: The waypoints list has one point highlighted (in
- white). This is the waypoint currently indicated by the INS cursor above
- the Heading Scale on your HUD.
-
- To select a new waypoint, tap Select Way Pt (F7). Then use the Last Point
- (keypad 9) and Next Point (keypad 3) keys to move the highlight up and down
- the list. As you move the highlight the HUD's INS cursor moves
- accordingly.
-
- Changing Waypoints: To change a waypoint to a new location, tap Change Way
- pt (F8). Then use the Last Point (keypad 9) and Next Point (keypad 3) keys
- to select the waypoint you wish to change. Finally, use the keypad
- waypoint keys to actually move the waypoint. You can watch the results in
- the left MFD on Satellite Map.
-
- Tap Reset Way Pt (Shift F8) to reset all waypoints to the original
- waypoints.
-
- Instrument Landing System (ILS)
-
- The ILS key (F9) toggles the ILS display on and off. When the ILS is on a
- vertical and horizontal bar appear on the HUD to guide you to the nearest
- friendly airbase.
-
- Principles of Operation: the ILS is designed to aid you on final approach,
- steering you down a descending "glide slope" to the runway. If you are
- flying a pattern to land, use the ILS to guide you to the airport, then
- turn it off until you are "on final". The ILS guides you to the runway or
- carrier deck, but ends there. Rather than produce inaccurate readings over
- the runway, the ILS automatically turns off before it degrades to useless.
-
- Vertical "Course" Bar: to use the ILS, fly the plane so that the vertical
- bar lines up with with vertical ticks of your Nose Indicator. This means
- you`re on course towards the airbase.
-
- Horizontal "Glide Slope" Bar: The horizontal bar of the ILS represents the
- "glide slope," an imaginary sloping line extending from the airbase into
- the sky. If the bar is above the horizontal ticks of your Nose Indicator.
- You are beneath the glide slope You can either fly straight ahead until you
- "intercept" it, or climb to get to the glide slope faster. If the bar is
- beneath your Nose Indicator, you are above the glide slope and should
- descend until the bar aligns directly with the Nose Indicator.
-
- Postflight Debriefing
-
- After the mission you are debriefed. Your commander goes over the mission
- step by step, evaluating each event as it occurs and assigning a numerical
- score. Basically if you accomplish the mission and follow the Rules of
- Engagement (see below), you`ll do very well. The more difficult the
- opposition, the more credit you`ll get.
-
- Ending A Mission
-
- When you land, stop, and turn off your engines, the mission is over. You
- cannot refuel or rearm to continue the mission. Stealth missions are
- carefully planned "one shot" operations. If a mission fails, higher-ups
- will decide later whether to try again, and if so, when, where and how.
-
- Crashes
-
- If you're using Easy or Realistic landings, crashing the airccraft ends the
- mission and your career. To remain alive, you must eject before the plane
- hits the ground. Of course, selecting "No Crash" eliminates this problem -
- but greatly reduces your potential score.
-
- Bailing out
-
- If you survive a bailout, you now have to worry about where you did it.
- Ejecting over the sea, far from an enemy coastline, is ideal because the
- aircraft sinks out of sight and you can be rescued. The next best location
- is over friendly territory. Again, you can be rescued, but fragments of
- the wreckage may be found by the public or by enemy spies. Bailing out
- over enemy territory is bad: even though your F-117A has a self destruct
- mechanism. Fragments of the plane will certainly be found by the enemy
- teaching them valuable secrets of US stealth technology. In addition,
- you`ll probably be captured and suffer a public trial and humiliation
- before the USAF manages to get you back
-
- Scoring
-
- Above all follow the Rules of Engagement and accomplish the primary
- objective it's hard to do badly if you achieve this. Failing that, at
- least accomplish the secondary objective. If you fail both of these, it is
- difficult to gain any credit.
-
- Cold War: It's important that nobody detect you. Visual sightings by
- enemy aircraft do the most damage Enemy radars that positively track your
- plane are also bad
-
- Needless to say, random destruction is also unacceptable in Cold War, and
- destroying friendly planes and ground installations is the worst possible
- event. However, destruction of neutral or civilian targets is almost as
- bad. The least embarr- rassing events are destruction of enemy military
- targets, although even that should be avoided. In fact, the only time it
- is "permissible" to destroy target is if your mission orders require it,
- the enemy has sighted or tracked you, or if the enemy fired first.
-
- Limited War: It's also important to avoid detection during a Limited War
- although the penalties aren't as great. Your commander wholeheartedly
- approves of attacks on enemy forces, including military aircraft and
- obvious military installations put civilian targets (passenger airliners,
- oil wells, refineries, bridges, etc.) cause political problems and lower
- your Score.
-
- Conventional War: In this situation your commander doesnt care if you are
- detected. unless of course your plane is damaged by enemy fire (F-117As
- are very expensive).
-
- You gain credit for destroying anything in enemy territory, even civilian
- targets although military ones are worth more). In fact, your commander
- rather expects that you`ll do a bit more than just hit the objectives. The
- only possible negatives come from the destruction of neutrals and
- friendlies.
-
- Reputation
-
- If your rating on a mission is high, your commander will recommend you for
- a Decoration. The five possible decorations, from easiest to most
- difficult to achieve are;
-
- AM: Airman`s Medal. recognizing good performance.
- DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross. for superior performance in combat.
- SS: Silver Star for Valor. for heroism in combat.
- AFC: Air Force Cross, for extreme heroism.
- CMOH: Congressional Medal of Honor. America`s highest military decoration
-
- You must be outstandingly successful against the toughest opposition to be
- nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor
-
- Other Decorations
-
- The Purple Heart is awarded to pilots who come home wounded. Surviving a
- mission with a badly damaged aircraft frequently yields this award.
-
- The Combat Readiness Medal is awarded to almost everyone in a combat unit.
- Beyond this, the number of missions you survive determines what other
- ribbons you may receive: 5 missions for the Overseas Ribbon Short Tour, 15
- missions for the Overseas Ribbon Lang Tour. 30 missions for the Longevity
- Service Ribbon, and 60 missions for the Langevity Service Ribbon with Gold
- Cluster
-
- Promotions
-
- Your starting rank is 2nd lieutenant. Promotions are based both on your
- total score and on your average score per mission. Therefore, if you "goof
- up" and do badly in a mission. You may need extra high-scoring missions
- before you qualify for promotion.
-
- In addition, you can`t get promoted without sufficient experience.
-
- Ranks available, from lowest to highest, include:
-
- 2nd Lt: Second lieutenant
- 1st Lt: First lieutenant
- Capt: Captain
- Maj: Major
- Lt.Col: Lieutenant Colonel
- Col: Colonel
- B.Gen: Brigadier General
-
- Brigadier General is not a flying rank. You don't have a chance of earning
- that rank until you're retired from active duty. No pilot is expected to
- fly more than 99 missions After that the Air Force decides: are you
- promoted to Brigadier General, are you simply given a Washington desk job,
- or do they suggest you leave the service and seek your fortune in civilian
- life? Very few pilots survive 99 missions with a record good enough to
- earn their "star."
-
- Incidentally, don't feel bad about a middling rank. In active fighter
- squadrons most pilots are First lieutenants and Captains. Majors serve as
- flight leaders, Lieutenant Colonels as higher squadron officers or
- commanders, and full Colonels as squadron or wing commanders. Promotion to
- Major or above is increasingly difficult. A Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel
- still flying active combat missions is rare in the USAF.
-
- TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS
- ---------------------
-
- How To Fly
-
- This discussion of lift and flight is not rigorous or precise in a
- scientific sense. It only provides a rudimentary portrayal of the physics
- of flight and its practical effect on aircraft handling.
-
- Lift: Aircraft fly because of a pressure difference created by the
- difference in the speed of the air flowing over the top of the wing as
- opposed to the bottom. Air moves faster over the top of the wing than it
- does over the bottom, creating high pressure beneath the wing and low
- pressure above it. The wing is pushed upward to compen- sate, providing
- lift. When the pressure difference becomes great enough, the upward lift
- is greater than the plane's weight and the aircraft flies
-
- Speed and Lift: The amount of lift generated by the wing varies with
- airspeed. The faster the plane flies, the faster the air flows over the
- wings, and the greater the pressure difference. If your plane is in level
- flight at a certain speed, reducing the speed reduces lift, causing a
- descent (without nosing down).
-
- Angle of Attack and Lift: the amount of lift generated also varies with
- the angle between the wings and the airflow. If you pitch up a few
- degrees, you increase the pressure difference and, therefore, the lift. If
- you pitch the nose down, the reverse occurs. The difference between the
- airflow direction and a horizontal line through the wing is the "angle of
- attack" (AOA). Angle of attack is visible on your HUD in NAV and CND
- modes. Whenever your Nose Indicator is above your Flight Path Indicator,
- the difference between the two is the Angle of Attack.
-
- Level Flight: To achieve "level" flight at a given power setting, a pilot
- raises or lowers the nose until his vertical velocity is zero (no ascent or
- descent appears on the "VVI"). Note that a pitch of 0o may show ascent or
- descent. Nosing up or down to a new "angle of attack" adds or subtracts
- lift as needed to achieve level flight.
-
- To achieve "level" flight at a given speed, the pilot gets into level
- flight, adjusts his throttle to achieve the desired speed, then adjusts his
- pitch to find level flight for that airspeed.
-
- The Effect Of Roll
-
- The force of lift is always perpendicular to the wing. So if the wings are
- banked, the lift force is no longer straight up relative to the ground.
- Instead it has two components, one moving the aircraft sideways, the other
- straight up. This causes the plane to turn, and, since upward lift (the
- force opposing gravity) is diminished to lose altitude.
-
- During a turn the pilot can adjust the angle of attack by control stick
- "back pressure," that is, by pulling back slightly on the stick, the amount
- of adjustment is very small. Over correcting is a common error among
- beginner pilots.
-
- Special Situations
-
- Stalls: An aerodynamic stall occurs when the wing's angle of attack
- becomes too large. The air stops flowing smoothly over the wing, and
- instead part breaks away onto an independent path. This erases the
- pressure difference, vastly reduces lift, and generally causes the nose to
- drop. Stall speed varies considerably depending on many factors. Tight
- turns increase the stall speed. Note that simultaneously the act of
- turning tends to decrease your airspeed. As a result, stalls are quite
- common in tight turns. The F-117A has an audible stall warning horn. A
- Stall Warning light in the upper left of the console, and a colored bar
- showing stall speed on the HUD`s Airspeed Indicator.
-
- The F-117A includes a computerized stall recovery governor that instantly
- reconfigures the wing edges for automatic recovery, making your job much
- easier. To recover from a stall, first level the wings, then bring the
- pitch back to normal. A stall invariably costs you altitude. So a stall
- at low altitude can be fatal!
-
- Flaps: Lowering flaps extends the wing surface and increases the pressure
- Difference. Adding more lift they also increase drag, which lowers your
- speed. However, flaps are only useful at low speeds (under 350 knots).
-
- Flying The F-117A
-
- The F-117A is unflyable. The design is one of the most surprising ever
- seen - many experts said it wouldn't fly when they first saw it. In fact,
- a pilot would find it very Difficult maybe impossible - to fly without the
- aid of sophisticated onboard flight control computers. This aircraft, like
- some others, is said to "fly by wire"
-
- The pilot uses a normal control stick (much like your joystick) and uses it
- just like pilot of a normal civilian aircraft. But the pilot is not
- communicating with the control surfaces of the aircraft: instead he is
- talking to the computer, and it is talking to the control surfaces. When
- the pilots says "bank," the computer interprets his command and makes the
- wings bank, all the while correcting this and that to keep the plane
- airborne
-
- Remember, when you are flying this aircraft, you are interfacing with a
- computer that is flying the aircraft!
-
- Taking Off
-
- While sitting on the runway, the following pre flight check-out:
-
- Check Your INS. Tap Maps (F3) until the satellite map is displayed on your
- left MFD. Now tap Select Way Pt (F7) to show the INS waypoints list on the
- right MFD. the INS cursor above the heading scale on the HUD indicates the
- direction in which you must fly to reach the first waypoint listed on the
- right MFD; by using the Next and Previous Waypoint keys (Shift/keypad 3 and
- 9) you can cycle through all the waypoints currently assigned. Advanced
- pilots may way want to change the location of one or more waypoints at this
- time.
-
- Check armament: Tap Weapons (F5) to check your weapons on the right MFD.
- Use Select Weapons (Space Bar) to cycle through the weapons. Note the
- active weapon appears in the lower left corner of the HUD.
-
- Extend the Flaps: Tap Flaps (9). Note the "FLAPS" light in the upper
- right corner of the console. Flaps increase lift during takeoff.
-
- Check the Catapult System (Carriers only): When launching from an aircraft
- carrier, the brakes will be set. The "BRAKE" light will be illuminated
-
- Start the Engines: Start your engines by tapping Max Pwr (Shift +)
-
- Activate Catapult (Carriers only): Tap Brakes (0) to release the brakes
- and catapult, hurling you off the deck.
-
- Accelerate Past Stall Speed: As you move down the runway or carrier deck,
- watch the speed scale (left side of the HUD) carefully. A colored bar
- (stall speed Indicator) will gradually go down. When it drops below the
- center tick-mark, your plane is past stall speed.
-
- Climb into the Sky: Pull back gently on the stick. As you start climbing,
- watch the altitude scale on the right side of the HUD.
-
- Retract Landing Gear: Tap Gear (6) to raise your landing gear. Dont leave
- the gear down both it and your plane can be damaged if left down at high
- speeds.
-
- Retract Flaps: Tap Flaps (9) to retract flaps. You no longer need extra
- lift.
-
- Turn onto Course: Pull the stick left or right until the INS cursor is
- aligned with the center tick on the heading scale. Alternatively, you can
- simply tap Autopilot and let your autopilot turn you onto the correct
- course to the first waypoint. Since this is a stealth mission, you'll want
- to stay low. About 200" to 500` is ideal.
-
- Smooth Flying Techniques
-
- A Light Touch: Use a light touch on the Control Stick. The most common
- error "ham fist" on the stick, throwing the plane around the sky in wild
- abandon. Unless an emergency never push the stick to the limit.
-
- Chasing the Gauges: When you change an aircraft`s operating regime (move
- stick, change the throttle, and so on), the effects of the change takes a
- second or two settle out" and show on the gauges. For smooth flying. make
- a change then observe effects before making another. Constant adjustment
- and correction should be avoided, because all you'll do is "chase the
- gauges" overcorrecting every move.
-
- Straight and Level Flight: To be a good combat pilot. you must master
- level flight. Do this in a training scenario, rather than real life.
-
- Climb to an altitude of about 2,000' and level the aircraft so the nose of
- the plane points at the horizon. Now reduce the throttle to about 75% to
- achieve an economical cruising speed. Although the Nose Indicator appears
- level with the horizon, the HUDs altimeter and VVI probably show the plane
- is climbing or descending. If you`re climbing, push forward on the Control
- Stick, then let go and observe the effects. If you`re descending pull back
- a bit instead. Your objective is to keep the altimeter rock steady
-
- You`ll notice that your Flight Path indicator aims at the horizon, but your
- Nose Indicator may be pointed above Or below it, depending on your speed.
- Generally the slower you're travelling. The higher you must pitch the nose
- to achieve level flight.
-
- Now experiment a little Tap Brakes (0). This slows down your plane. Watch
- the HUD and notice how the Flight Path Indicator drops. Meanwhile, on the
- sides of the HUD, your speed is dropping and so is your altitude. To
- achieve level flight at this new lower speed pitch up until the Flight Path
- Indicator is level with the horizon.
-
- Turns: As you pull the stick right or left and your roll angle increases
- beyond 45o, the stall speed rises from the normal 120 knots (kts) range to
- over 200 kts (in a 90o roll) Tight turns "bleed off" airspeed, so a long,
- tight turn may cause a stall. Keeping an eye on the airspeed and stall
- speed is particularly important when making tight turns at low altitude,
- because stalls cause you to lose altitude rather quickly.
-
- In extremely tight turns (where you roll 80o, 85o, or even 90o), you can
- tighten your turn rate by pulling back on the stick. However, this bleeds
- airspeed even faster a close eye on the Stall Speed Indicator bar.
-
- Loops are easy in the F-117A, but ballistic ("straightup") climbs can be
- maintained only for short periods.
-
- Remember that any prolonged vertical maneuver greatly reduces airspeed,
- which risks a stall if you didn`t start the maneuver with a lot of speed.
- However, going vertical is very handy for changing direction. Since you
- can roll while vertical, quickly pointing your nose in the desired
- direction, then push down into level flight again.
-
- Low Altitude Flying: At altitudes under 500', expect increased buffets
- downdrafts, and other irregularities that make flying difficult. Also
- beware of low ridges and mountains. It`s easy to fly into a mountain if
- you're not looking. Good pilots develop a "cross check" routine of
- scanning the entire HUD periodically, to make sure everything is okay
-
- In "No Crash" and "Easy" flight modes you have a barometric / laser
- altimeter. If you drop below 200'. This device automatically but gently
- pushes your plane back up. Be warned, the device automatically turns off
- when the landing gear is down, or when the gun is firing. The device is
- not proof against power dives, stalls, or other radical maneuvers, but
- works fine in normal flight regimes. In fully realistic flight the
- automatic altimeter is turned off, allowing skillful pilots to cruise at
- even lower altitudes.
-
- End Of Part 1
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