<p>This simulator allows several different planes (with widely varying aerodynamics) to be flown, but the same principles described below, apply to more or less, all of them. It is recommended that as well as reading the information below, you view the various drawfiles included with the game that describe enemy and friendly forces.</p>
<p>On entering the cockpit of your plane, you will see a view from the front of your plane, looking out of your hanger. You must first taxi out onto the runway, (which is at 90 degrees to the direction you are pointing) before you can take off. Press 4, for 40% power and you will slowly move towards the runway. Use <> (controlling the nose wheel steering) to turn left onto the runway, then press shift+ for full throttle. When at take off speed (see below) pull back the mouse to lift the front of the plane into the air. As long as you are going fast enough, the rear wheels will also leave the ground.</p>
<p>Climb to over a 100 feet and raise the under carriage. Now fly level until you reach a suitable cruising speed, at which you will now be ready to fly your first manoeuvres.</p>
<p>Turning the plane to the left or right, is done by first rolling the plane onto its side and then moving the mouse back to pull the plane to the side.</p>
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<h5>Air Combat</h5>
<p>Dogfighting in the Hornet will usually consist of a head on confrontation with enemy planes and then a series of tight turns and loops in an attempt to get on the enemies tail. Using the 20mm cannon against the enemy will usually require you to first get on the enemies tail and then fire ahead of the target, so that he flies into your line of fire. Most planes will be destroyed after three or four hits.</p>
<p>Your other main air to air weapon, is the AIM 9L Sidewinder. This is a heat seeking weapon that homes in on the infra red emissions from enemy planes. To use the missiles, first point towards the enemy plane and press RETURN to lock on. A green box will appear, indicating you have about a 40% chance of a hit (the missile is picking up the warm leading edges of the enemy plane). If a red box appears around the enemy plane, the Sidewinder has locked onto the very hot exhaust from the targets engine giving about a 90% chance of a hit. Now press the middle mouse button to launch the Sidewinder.</p>
<p>The Super Etendard and Hercules planes are not designed to fly in air combat and so enemy planes should be avoided at all costs when flying these aircraft.</p>
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<h5>Ground Attack</h5>
<p>The first method of ground attack is with cannon or unguided rockets. To use these, fly in slowly with air brakes on and simply line your sights up with the target and fire the weapon. Use long bursts of cannon or salvos of rockets to destroy enemy buildings or "hardened" targets.</p>
<p>The F/A 18 also carries AGM-65B Mavericks which are optically guided missiles. To use these guided missiles, point in the direction of the enemy target and press RETURN to lock the missile on. Then press the middle button to launch the weapon. Several missiles are often needed to destroy the enemy target. Mavericks are expensive weapons, not to be wasted on minor targets. Valid targets show as yellow on your radar.</p>
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<h5>Navigation</h5>
<p>The easiest way to get to the target area is to use the preset waypoints. These are programmed into your plane's onboard computer, allowing your inertial navigation system to guide you to the target area. Waypoint O will always be your home base and so can be used to find your way back after a strike mission. Other waypoints will mark targets, or simply your flight path, and these should be flown to in numerical order. Your plane has several ways of telling you which direction to fly in, in order to get to a certain waypoint. First use ";" to toggle to the correct waypoint. Then use either the marker at the top of the HUD display, or your pointing compass, to head towards the waypoint (turn to the left or right until the large green needle is pointing upwards).</p>
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<h5>Credits</h5>
<p>Simulator design and Menu Program/Graphics by <strong>Cobra</strong><br>
Music by <strong>Exel</strong><br>
Intro Sequence by <strong>Nemesis</strong><br>
<br>
<h4>Controls</h4>
<p>Mouse controls within Menu environment (when menus are on screen) :</p>
<tr><td> Keyboard </td><td> - </td><td> Ctrl K </td></tr>
<tr><td> Mouse </td><td> - </td><td> Ctrl M </td></tr>
<tr><td> Calibrate joystick </td><td> - </td><td> Ctrl Z </td></tr>
</table>
<p>Note: Although it may be hard at first to control the plane with the mouse, it is much better in the long run to use the mouse and not keyboard control.</p>
<p>Keyboard control (Use cursor keys to steer aircraft)</p>
<tr><td> AIM-9L Sidewinder</td><td> USA</td><td> IR</td><td> 15km</td><td> AA </td></tr>
<tr><td> AIM-120A AMRAAM</td><td> USA</td><td> Radar</td><td> 25km</td><td> AA </td></tr>
<tr><td> AA-2 Atoll</td><td> USSR</td><td> IR</td><td> 10km</td><td> AA </td></tr>
<tr><td> AA-8 Aphid</td><td> USSR</td><td> IR</td><td> 15km</td><td> AA </td></tr>
<tr><td> Magic 550</td><td> France</td><td> IR</td><td> 13km</td><td> AA </td></tr>
<tr><td> AGM-65B Maverick</td><td> USA</td><td> TV</td><td> 15km</td><td> AG </td></tr>
</table>
<p><b>Key:</b> IR - infra red, AA - Air to air, AG - Air to ground</p>
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<h4>Briefing</h4>
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<h5>Training Mission Briefing</h5>
<p>Before qualifying for active United States Air Force service, you must first learn basic flying and weapons delivery skills in friendly airspace. The USAFs training base in the Nevada Desert will be your area of operations while learning to fly the F/A-18. Practice air to ground ranges are located at waypoint 1, with a drone launcher for air to air practice at waypoint 2.</p>
<p>Many other pilots will be training at the same time as you and they will often practice dummy attack runs on your plane. It may be beneficial to practice dogfighting with these Hornets but obviously do not fire on them under any circumstances.</p>
<p>A second airfield is located at waypoint 3.</p>
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<h5>Mission 1 Briefing</h5>
<p>Having recently flown in to the area of operations you realise that UN forces are heavily outnumbered and are in a dangerous situation. The enemy must be attacked and removed from the islands quickly, before an effective defence can be prepared and reinforcements shipped in.</p>
<p>A forward base from which friendly forces can operate is needed. A target island has been selected which is located on the edge of enemy control. F/A 18s will attack the island, remove all defences allowing the C130 Hercules to bring in our equipment.</p>
<p>Enemy defences are expected to be light, with only small numbers of Super Etendard aircraft operating in an emergency air defence role.</p>
<p>All Hornets will be armed as follows :</p>
<ul>
<li> 2 x Wing tip mounted Aim 9L Sidewinders<br>
<li> 6 x AGM-65B Maverick on twin triple ejector racks.<br>
<li> 2 x 19 shot folding fin rocket pods.<br>
</ul>
<p>Time is of the utmost importance, and the island must be captured quickly to allow further attacks on the enemy and to prevent counter attacks by the Super Etendards.</p>
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<h5>Mission 2 Briefing</h5>
<p>Now operating from the forward base you have just captured, defensive patrols must be flown to protect the island from enemy counter-attacks.</p>
<p>Intelligence reports movement of enemy shipping in the local area - a counter-attack is expected at any minute. We have not yet had time to fly in any ground defences and so our small number of F/A 18s are our only hope of survival.</p>
<p>Primary mission targets are the enemy carrier and its escorts, with any other enemy shipping as secondary targets. You are also required to provide air cover for the island. Therefore all planes will carry the following anti-ship and air to air ordanance :</p>
<ul>
<li> 2 x Wing tip mounted Aim 9L Sidewinders<br>
<li> 8 x Penguin 3 Anti-Ship Missile<br>
<li> 2 x 19 shot folding fin rocket pods.<br>
</ul>
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<h5>Mission 3 Briefing</h5>
<p>All high altitude recconaisance has been temporarily suspended after the near loss of a valuable J-STARS Infra Red scanning aircraft. The plane was engaged by several advanced enemy Surface to Air missile systems (thought to be a unit of SA-12 launchers) and was extremely lucky to survive a direct hit by a SAM. Apparently the missile failed to explode and was carried home in the wing of our aircraft.</p>
<p>Technical experts are examining the SAM in the hope of improving our ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) systems, but despite this, the enemy SAM launchers must be destroyed. Our recconaisance planes are just too valuable to risk in any more missions, while these SAMs are still active.</p>
<p>Your job is to fly to the target island and destroy all suspected SAM launchers. The mission must be flown below 200 feet as the area will be protected by SA-6 low level SAMS. As long as the targets are destroyed quickly, you should be able to avoid enemy air cover. Due to obvious reasons, recconaisance sources are limited.</p>
<p>All Hornets will be armed as follows :</p>
<ul>
<li> 2 x Wing tip mounted Aim 9L Sidewinders.<br>
<li> 6 x AGM-65B Maverick on twin triple ejector racks.<br>
<li> 6 x 19 shot folding fin rocket pods.<br>
</ul>
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<h5>Mission 4 Briefing</h5>
<p>Due to a restriction by the US navy high command, our recconaisance aircraft are still grounded. Enemy supply ships were recently spotted by an F/A-18 pilot and we need to know the extent of the any reinforcement. Desperate situations require desperate actions and this occasion is no exception.</p>
<p>At 1600 hours you will take off from this base in a captured Super Etendard (it was still in its hanger, intact, when we captured this island) and fly, via waypoints to an enemy airfield where you will land and taxi to the south end of the runway. Here you will meet our undercover special forces and pickup whatever intelligence they have for you. When you are alongside their truck, turn off your engine and the information will be passed to you. Then immediately take off again and return home via the waypoints (a non direct route will be flown, to prevent the enemy from recognizing your true intentions). Luckily, enemy aircraft movements are very unorganized, so you are unlikely to be noticed.</p>
<p>Avoid enemy aircraft wherever possible, maintain radio silence, and do not use your radar. These measures will hopefully prevent the enemy from discovering your true identity before you can return home.</p>
<p>As you know, the Etendard is a strike aircraft and has very poor air to capability so if the enemy become suspicious, your chances of survival will not be high.</p>
<p>Your Super Etendard will be armed as follows :</p>
<ul>
<li> 2 x 30mm defa cannon. (with limited ammunition)<br>
<li> 2 x 22 shot, folding fin rocket pods.<br>
</ul>
<p>This is a highly dangerous mission, but the entire operation, depends on your success.</p>
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<h5>Mission 5 Briefing</h5>
<p>A sneak attack on our supply base by enemy strike fighters has left a number of air force personnel dead and injured. Almost all medical equipment was destroyed by the rocket attack and therefore extra supplies are needed urgently. To add to our problems, winds of up to eighty kilometres an hour are sweeping across the islands, making take off and landing impossible for choppers.</p>
<p>Our only hope saving the injured, is to risk flying a Hercules to the supply base. As our most experienced pilot, you have been volunteered to fly the mission.</p>
<p>Take off and landing in high winds is very tricky, and so several precautions need to be taken. On take off, the wind will be more or less from the east so there should not be too much sideways drift. It will however be difficult to reach a normal take off speed although this should not cause any problems.</p>
<p>Landing the C13O back on the runway will be much harder, with the wind blowing across the runway. Approach at at least 7O% power as you will have to fly the plane into the wind at about 3O degrees to the runway. Bring the plane down slowly using rudder to check any side-slip. On touch down, quickly use the nose wheel steering to line the plane back up along the runway, and turn on the wheel brakes.</p>
<p>Remember, if your first approach doesn't look good, hit the power, gear up and go round again : don't risk losing the plane and the supplies you're carrying.</p>
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<h5>Mission 6 Briefing</h5>
<p>With the enemies counter-attack defeated , and much of their SAM cover destroyed, the task of recovering these islands now seems more realistic. You are now required to fly several strike missions against enemy islands. Our special forces are now fully in place, and will move in and capture the enemy airfields after you have removed most of the defences.</p>
<p>On landing at another airfield, turn off your engine, and as long as there are no enemy forces in the local area, your plane will be refueled and rearmed.</p>
<p>Your plane will be armed as follows :</p>
<ul>
<li> 2 x Wing tip mounted Aim 9L Sidewinders<br>
<li> 6 x AGM-65B Maverick on twin triple ejector racks.<br>
