DISCONTINUED. Due to IC flagging this script and others like it, in addition to ECW switching to leaving IC on, I've stopped using—and thus maintaining—this script.
Most Recent Update: v1.3.3, 21:30 UTC, September 14, 2022
An optimized (faster AND more thorough) F-5 autostart macro for use primarily on Enigma's CW server (but also in general)
This Macro allows you to easily configure/change:
- airspeed index (default is 325kts, corner speed for the tiger)
- countermeasure programs (Default for Chaff: 2 salvos, 1s apart, each a burst of 3 chaff at .3s intervals, Flare is untouched by default)
- UHF and TACAN Frequencies (default is 253MHz and 84X respectively, these are set with Enigma's Cold War Server in mind)
- HSI Course and Heading
- External Lighting (default is nav lights at 2%, taxi light on, all others off)
It also always makes sure:
- external fuel tanks feed properly (centerline and pylon fuel tank feed on, crossfeed on)
- sidewinders start off selected
- sidewinder volume is ~50%
- RWR is on and display brightness is maxed (also runs the RWR test sequence near the end of the whole macro, which makes life easier/gives you an auditory cue that the script is done)
- Radar is powered on and warmed up (though NOT activated, it's left in STBY)
- internal lights and the selected external lights are on
- backup Attitude indicator is uncaged
- chaff and flares are enabled (chaff as prgm, flare as sgl release)
- lots of other stuff I'm probably forgetting
If you have any bugs, questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions for features, let me know in the comments!
HOW-TO:
INSTALL: Extract and paste the contained file to C:\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F-5E\Cockpit\Scripts\
(updates will overwrite the macro file. As such, I recommend placing the zip folder itself inside the listed directory, then just dropping the contained file back inside the scripts folder whenever an upd ate overwrites it.)
MODIFY: Open the file in notepad/notepad++/any other text editor, the config section is right at the top and should be fairly self-explanatory
USE: Enter a cold F-5, and press Win+Home! It's that simple!
(Note: This startup runs *significantly* faster than the default one, and also prepares the F-5 almost perfectly for CAP work. If you request rearming *immediately* after the air is applied to an engine, it doesn't interrupt anything, and your total startup time is under 3 mins. For this to work, you will want to open the rearming screen, sel ect your preferred loadout in advance, and wait for your pilot to request "chief, apply ground air supply" on either engine. Then hit "OK" *immediately* after. The rearm should then finish with a few seconds to spare.)
***NOTE: This startup macro has been configured by "DJBscout"/"DJBiscuit". Feel free to use, modify, and/or redistribute this file. Send it to all your friends who might need it! However, if you do so, please credit me! On that very note, this script was inspired by /u/SlipHavoc's scripts, and I took a couple ideas fr om him here and there. However, all of the actual code modifications are my own work.***
Changelog:
v1.3.3
-fixed a few small bugs
-like my F1 script, exterior lights are now on by default (the increase in morning and/or evening flights on ECW prompted this change)
-formation lights at 100%, beacon on. Those two are the main change and can both be turned off.
-this can be adjusted in the file if you don't like it.
v1.3.2:
-Added CMDS Readback Option (By default set to run at the end of the script)
- If you set "DemoCMStart" and/or "DemoCMEnd" to "1", the CM program will virtually run, sending a message for "CHAFF" or "FLARE" in the same way your CMDS will shoot actual chaff or flares when you hit the dispense button
- Does not yet account for total quantities of Chaff/Flares, and cannot handle continuous dispense yet
- Running at the start lets you get a quick sense for what the options actually look like. However, if you use a flare burst, especially one with a long interval, it will take a *very* long time to run.
v1.3.1:
-TIMING TUNED
-Script is now faster (<2m30s fr om start to finish)
-You can still rearm mid-script, but you MUST hit "OK" on the rearming menu just as your pilot requests "chief, apply ground air supply"
- You *should* have a second or two of leeway, especially on the first/left engine
-Message durations now line up fairly closely with the time the tasks take
-moved lighting towards front of script (for prettier night startup and better visibility)
-set pylon droptanks to be on by default, instead of just the centerline one
v1.2.3
-fixed a bug with the script failing/stopping if you rearmed as the left engine was being started
-added some guts that *can* be used to set QFE if you un-comment them, though personally I find it fairly useless and prefer just eyeballing my stacks of snake-eyes :P
-changed default TACAN channel to 84X (for the syria map)
v1.2.2
-fixed a bug where CMDS wasn't set properly due to power being turned on too early (lol oops)
v1.2.1:
-Changed default lighting profile (Taxi/landing light only works if *Nav* lights are on, so I have nav lights set to 2%, the minimum value that lets the taxi light work)
-Added IFF Setup (not sure if it does anything, but it *should* make it so the F-5 can be interrogated on servers without magic IFF, and regardless, it doesn't hurt)
v1.2:
-Added control of external lighting (Taxi is on, and Formation lights are at 25% by default)
v1.1:
-Rearranged some items to better facilitate night/dark startups
-Added Support for TACAN X/Y Selection
-Script now states the HDG, CRS, UHF Frequency, TACAN Frequency it is configured for/switching to as it switches them (this is theoretically possible for airspeed as well, but significantly more complex due to the nonlinear scale)
v1.0: Initial Upload
