Falcon 3 The Official Combat Strategy Book

THE OFFICIAL COMBAT STRATEGY HOOH
Falcon 3
THE OFFICIAL COMBAT STRATEGY BOOK
HOWARD "WHIPLASH" BORNSTEIN
)
PRIMA PUBLISHING
P.O. Box 1260
ROCKLIN, CA 95677
916-786-0426
Copyright 1993 by Howard "Whiplash" Bornstein
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical , including photocopying, recording,
or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from
Prima Publishing, except for the inclusion of quotations in a review .
Secrets of the Games Series Creative Editor: Rusel DeMaria

Cover design : The Dunlavey Studio
Cover illustration: Matthew Holmes
30 renderings: Ocean Quigley
Book design: Kathleen Vian and Howard Bornstein
Book layout: Howard Bornstein
Indexer: Kathleen Vian
Pictures courtesy of General Dynamics, Howard Bornstein, and the public archives
Prima Publishing
Rocklin, CA 95677
Printed in the United States of America

93 94 95 96 RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Bornstein, Howard, 1950-

Falcon3 : the official combat strategy book: the ultimate book-and-disk combo,
including exclusive missions I by Howard "Whiplash" Bornstein.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-55958-160-3
1. Falcon (Computer program). 2. Computer war games. 3. Fighter plane
combat-Computer simulation. 4. Flight simulators. 5. Air interdiction-Computer
simulation. 6. F-16 Uet fighter plane)-Computer simulation . I. Falcon Three. II. Title.
Ill. Title: Falcon 3, the official combat strategy book .
U310.B668 1992
358.4'148-dc20 91-31194
CIP
The author and publisher have made every effort in the preparation of this book to
insure the accuracy of the information . However, the information in this book is sold
without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author nor the publisher will
be liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly, indirectly, inciden-
tally, or consequentially by the programs or information in this book.
SECRETS OF THE GAMES SERIES
Now AVAILABLE
COMPUTER GAME BOOKS
SirnEarth: The Official Strategy Guide
Harpoon Battlebook
JetFighter II: The Official Strategy Guide
The Official Lucasfilm Garnes Air Combat Strategies Book
Sid Meier's Civilization, or Rome on 640K a Day
Wing Commander I and II: The Ultimate Strategy Guide
Chuck Yeager's Air Combat Handbook
Ultima: The Avatar Adventures
A-Train: The Official Strategy Guide
Heaven & Earth: The Official Strategy Guide
PowerMonger: The Official Strategy Guide
Dynarnix Great War Planes: The Ultimate Strategy Guide
Falcon 3: The Official Combat Strategy Book (with disk)
VIDEO GAME BOOKS

Nintendo Games Secrets, Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4
Nintendo Game Boy Secrets, Volumes 1and2
Nintendo Garnes Secrets Greatest Tips
Sega Genesis Secrets, Volumes 1, 2, and 3
Sega Genesis Garnes Secrets Greatest Tips
Official Sega Genesis Power Tips Book (in full color!)
Super NES Garnes Secrets, Volumes 1, 2, and 3
Super Mario World Game Secrets
TurboGrafx-16 and TurboExpress Garnes Secrets, Volumes 1and2
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Game Secrets
HOW TO ORDER:
Quantity discounts are available from the publisher, Prima Publishing,
P.O. Box 1260 BK, Rocklin, CA 95677; telephone (916)-786-0426. On your
letterhead include information concerning the intended use of the books
and the number of books you wish to purchase.
Notice of Limited Warranty
By opening the sealed disk container in this book, you agree to
the following terms and conditions. If, upon reading the follow-
ing disclaimer and notice of limited warranty, you cannot agree to
the terms and conditions set forth, return the unused book with
unopened disk to the place where you purchased it for a refund.
The enclosed disk is warranted by Prima Publishing to be free of

physical defects in materials and workmanship for a period of sixty
(60) days from end user's purchase of the book/disk combination.
During the sixty-day term of the limited warranty, Prima will
provide a replacement disk upon the return of a defective disk.
The remedy for breach of this limited warranty shall consist entirely
of replacement of the defective disk and shall cover no other dam-
ages, including loss or corruption of data, changes in the functional
characteristics of the hardware or operating system, deleterious
interaction with other software, or any other special, incidental, or
consequential claims that may arise.
Prima and the authors specifically disclaim any and all other war-
ranties, either express or implied, including warranties of merchant-
ability, suitability to a particular task or purpose, or freedom from
errors. In no event shall Prima or the authors be liable for damages
in excess of the purchase price paid for the book/ disk combination,
even if Prima and/ or the author have previously been notified that
the possibility of such damages exists.
The enclosed software is copyrighted by the copyright holders of

the book and may not be copied except onto one hard disk for use
by a single concurrent user or to a backup disk, and may not be
distributed for profit, rented, or used for other commercial purposes
except by permission of the copyright holders.
CONTENTS v
Acknowledgments . ...................................... ix
Introduction .. ..... ....... . . .. ........ ........ . . ....... xi
PART ONE
GETTING STARTED
1 Navigating Falcon .............................. 3

The Parts ofFalcon . . . ..... . .......................... 4
The Versions ofFalcon 3. 0 ............. ........ . .. ..... 8
2 Setting the Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Difficulty Levels . ............ .. ..... ..... ............... 18
System Setup ................................. . ........ 34
Menu Configuration . . .... ... .. .... ...................... 38
3 Falcon Artificial Intelligence ........... ... ........... 41

Autopilot ... .. . .............. . ........ . . ........... . . . 42
Wingmen ........................... .......... ..... .. . 48
Enemy Aircraft . ....................... . . ........ ....... 59
4 Instant Action .......... .. ... ... .................... 65

Going for Points . ....................... ........... ..... 66
Strategic Training . .. ......... ......................... .. 80
vi CONTENTS
PART Two
GETTING SERIOUS
5 HUD and Weapons Strategies ............... ......... 85

HUD Basics ..... .. ....... .. ......... ......... ......... 86
Air-to-Air HUD Modes . ....................... . ..... ... .. 93
Missile Firing Strategies ......... .. . .... ............ . ... .. 98
Air-to-Ground HUD Modes .. . ............ ........ .. . .... 708
/LS HUD Mode ... ... . .. .. .. ... .. ... . ... .. ............ 722
6 Radar Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

SAD Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732
SAM Radar ..... . .... .. ....... ............. .... ...... 737
High Fidelity Radar (HFR) ....... . ... . ................... 740
Ground Map (GM) Mode . .. . . ..... ... ....... ... ........ . 753
7 Countermeasure Strategies ............... ... . . . .... 159

The Threat Warning System . .................... . ........ 760
Using Countermeasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 765
8 Navigation and Fuel Management Strategies .. ... .. . . 177

Cockpit Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 778
Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 779
CONTENTS vii
9 Dogfighting Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Keeping Track of Your Target . .............. . . . .......... 186
Maneuvering to W in ...... . ........... . . . ....... . ..... 192
Determining Enem y Damage ............................ 197
Ejecting ............................................ 20 1
10 Tallyho! .......... . ...................... . ........ 205

Visua l Identifica tion ................................ . .. 206
Electronic Identification . ... .. ...................... . ... 214
11 View Strategies ........................ .. ....... . . 217

Inside the Cockpit ..... . .. . ... ... .. . .................. 218
Outside the Cockpit ... . ............... . ............... 233
12 ACM/ ....... .. ................................... 243

ACM/ Basics . . ... . .. . . .. ............................. 244
VCR Controls . . ...... . .............. . . ... ............ 247
ACM / Modes ........................ . .. . ........ . ... 256
Strategies for Using ACM / ...................... . ....... 261
13 Hidden Features of Falcon 3.0 ...... .. .. . ....... . . . 269

H idden Keys ....................... . ... . .... . ....... 270
Special Tricks . .......................... . ............ 276
Hidden Hot Spots . ................ . ................... 278
viii CONTENTS
PART THREE
GETTING EVEN
14 Red Flag: Basic Flight Training ............. .. .. ... . 287

Red Flag Basics . ....................... . .......... . .. 288
Flight Training Missions ..... .... .... ............. . .... 293
15 Red Flag: Air-to-Air Missions .................... .. 301

Types of Air-to-Air Missions ...... ... .... .. . .. ... ....... 302
The Mission List . .. .......... .. ............... . . ... .. 304
16 Red Flag: Air-to-Ground Missions .................. 321
17 Campaign . ........... .. ............... .. ......... 335

How Campaign Works . . ....................... ... .... 336
Preparing for a Mission . ... ... ......... ............... . 344
Flying Your Mission ....... ... ........... . ...... . ..... 352
Appendix A: About the Book Disk ................. 355

Appendix B: The HOTAS Controller .. . ........ .... 357
Index ................................... .......... 363

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book took a long time to write. It was started nine months before
Falcon 3.0 was released, when I was beta-testing the product, and contin-
ued for another nine months after Falcon shipped. I want to thank my
long-suffering editor and friend, Rusel DeMaria, both for suggesting this
book and for agonizing with me through the various changes and permu-
tations that took place due to the long gestation of the product. My thanks
also to Ben Dominitz, publisher at Prima, for his patience, understanding,
and faith in me and this book.
I received a lot of help from various people at Spectrum Holobyte. Marisa

"No.19" Ong was-as usual-friendly, helpful, and inexplicably cheerful
through the many ups and downs that accompanied Falcon's develop-
ment. She kept me supplied with beta versions, provided information and
updates, and was the general conduit for information and contacts at
Spectrum Holobyte. She also provided the exceptional on-line product
support on CompuServe. There were many difficult stretches working
with Falcon, but Marisa made them bearable.
My thanks also to Robert "Spaceman" Geidt and Smokin' Joe Ward, who
provided help and information and were intimately involved in the very
fine documentation that comes with Falcon 3.0.
I also want to thank Michael "Papa Bear" Mancuso and Daniel "Bullfrog"
Deremiah for taking time out of their busy schedules to talk with me about
the inner workings of Falcon.
x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The real hero at Spectrum Holobyte for me was Steve "Scorpion"

Blankenship, associate product manager. Steve took a real interest in this
book and went far out of his way to help get me information and answers
to questions. He believes in the product and wanted to help me let people
know about the depths of Falcon 3.0. Steve spent at least 50 hours on the
phone with me answering the pages of questions I gave him. He tracked
down the programmers, searched the internal documentation, and simply
sat down with the simulation to try out things to get answers. He also ran
an incredible amount of interference for me at Spectrum Holobyte,
smoothing ruffled feathers and taking some heat on my account. I owe him
a lot for his commitment, integrity, and even-temperedness. This book
simply would not have been possible without his help.
I'd particularly like to thank Rob "Orinoco" Heittman, Greg "Tweety"

Prete, and Steve Kramp for allowing me to include their incredibly useful
Falcon utilities with this book. These guys are part of the Flight Simulator
Forum "Skunk Works" on CompuServe and continually amaze us all with
the things they come out with. They have also raised our awareness about
the intricacies of Falcon with their comments and discussions on the
FSFORUM and GAMPUBS forums on CompuServe.
In addition, let me thank Terry "Pinecone" Carraway, Steve "Auger"

Edwards, and Greg Prete for reviewing parts of my manuscript and
offering helpful suggestions. These guys are all Falcon experts and part of
the dedicated, committed (and sometimes ignored) Falcon beta test team.
While I relied on them to find the glaring technical errors, all the humiliat-
ing mistakes left in the book are definitely my own!
Also, I must mention the ongoing help given by Mike "Grandpa" Barrs,
Tom "KC" Basham, and others on FSFORUM and GAMPUBS. Thanks, you
guys!
I want to express my thanks and awe to Ocean Quigley for his incredible
30 renderings, used throughout the book. Ocean is an marvelous artist in a
variety of media, but he really knows how to make a computer sing.
My final thanks go to my wife, Kathi, for coming up with the elegant book
design and for all her help during production-and particularly for
bearing with me through another Falcon book!
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Falcon 3: The Official Combat Strategy Book. If you've bought this
book, it's probably because you own Falcon 3.0 or are planning to get it
soon. If you've played Falcon 3.0, you have had a taste of the complexity,
depth, and realism in this simulator-elements that add up to a challenge
that will keep you entertained for months and years.
Falcon 3.0 is a new category of product. Not just a shoot-' em-up arcade
game, it breaks new ground as far as flight simulators go. If you've owned
previous versions of Falcon, you've seen a steady progression toward more
realism in every aspect of the simulator. Falcon 3.0 has pushed flight and
combat simulators to a new level with the following advances:
Flight model Falcon has two very accurate flight models. The Complex
flight model produces a realistic simulation of flight. You must rigor-
ously maintain your energy state, and you are subject to the stresses of
G forces. The High Fidelity flight model provides, in a limited sphere,
the most accurate flight model available on personal computers any-
where. (This flight model requires a floating-point chip.)
Graphics The visual graphics in Falcon 3.0 are absolutely stunning.

Terrain, sky, clouds, and aircraft are all rendered with more-than-
believable realism. You can actually recognize an aircraft by its visual
appearance. F-4 Phantoms look like they're supposed to, and the
F-117A Stealth Fighters are completely awesome, if you're lucky
enough to get a visual ID on one. Falcon 3.0 uses realistic colors for the
sky and the ground, not the gaudy colors you're used to in arcade
xii INTRODUCTION
simulations. You will have the challenge of keeping sight of an aircraft

against the sky, and when you turn toward the sun, it will glare into
your eyes. Falcon 3.0 has clouds that fade in and out as you fly through
them and a sky that gets darker as you fly higher.
Aircraft types In Falcon 3.0, you'll see over 33 different kinds of aircraft,
both friendly and enemy, with even more added in Operation: Fighting
Tiger. Each is depicted accurately, both visually as well as aerodynami-
cally. In addition, you fly missions with a squad of aircraft that you
command.
Avionics Falcon 3.0 provides you with a radar model that is based on
the real APG-66 F-16A radar. Most of its radar modes are accurately
simulated, giving you unprecedented control over intercepts.
Weapons You can load over 18 different types of ordnance and equip-
ment on your F-16. You choose the stores based on the mission you
choose to fly.
Mission builder Falcon 3.0 has a module called Red Flag that you can
use to create and save missions that you build. You control the types of
friendly and enemy aircraft that fly, where they are located, and what
they are armed with. You also control the setup and deployment of
friendly and enemy ground troops, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, and
surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).
Campaigns Falcon 3.0 has a sophisticated campaign structure where

you assign and fly missions that are a small part of an overall war. The
success or failure of your campaign mission affects the overall outcome
of the war and determines what your next mission will be. No two
campaigns are ever alike.
INTRODUCTION xiii
Getting into Falcon 3.0 can be a bit daunting. The Falcon user's manual
Why This Book
itself is over 350 pages long. I know. I wrote a lot of it. And yet the user's
manual only scratches the surface of Falcon 3.0. It tells you the what of
Falcon 3.0, but not the why and how.
This book is not designed to replace the user's manual, but to supplement
it. It will teach you strategies. Falcon 3.0 creates a complex world where
many things occur in predictable (and sometimes unpredictable) ways. The
more information you have about this world, the more likely you are to
survive. This book gives you lots of good information about staying alive
and winning in the Falcon world. It is gleaned from information received
directly from the designers and programmers of Falcon 3.0-and from over
2,000 hours of working directly with various versions of this simulator!
You still need your Falcon user's manual. But this book will expand on
some the information in the user's manual and fill in areas where it's silent.
It will also correct some of the mistakes and errors that inevitably slip into
documentation of this scope and depth. But primarily, it will give you ways
to win in Falcon 3.0.
This book will show you how to use the High Fidelity Radar mode to run
successful intercepts. It will show you the best way to use your armament
to bring down the bad guys. It will fill you in on coordinating your actions
with your wingmen. It will show you how to take advantage of the incred-
ible Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation tool (ACMI) to analyze
your missions after you've flown them.
With this book comes a disk that contains a large variety of specially
created Red Flag missions. These missions are designed to give you the
experience you need to hone your flying and fighting skills. They start
where the Falcon 3.0 training missions leave off, and they will save you
untold hours of trying to set up missions yourself.
The disk also includes several powerful utilities-in particular, F3MAPS

and Falconer-that work with Falcon 3.0. With F3MAPS, which was
created by Greg "Tweety" Prete, you can change the theater of operations
xiv INTRODUCTION
in Instant Action and in Red Flag to any of the standard theaters of opera-
tions. In other words, you can set up Red Flag missions in Panama and fly
Instant Action missions in Israel. You can also have F3MAPS automatically
generate exciting Red Flag missions for you.
With Falconer, you can adjust all your pilot and squadron information.
You have complete control over the ratings and abilities of every pilot in
every squadron when you use Falconer-thanks to the efforts of Rob
"Orinoco" Heittman.
Falcon 3.0 offers so much that it is difficult to know where to begin and
how to approach the simulator. Many people get overwhelmed right at the
beginning and then put the product on the shelf. This book is here to
provide you with a successful path to engaging and winning with the
simulator. With this book, the book disk, and plenty of practice, you' ll
have Falcon 3.0 off the shelf and in the skies.
Part One of this book, "Getting Started," introduces you to Falcon, starting
How This Book with a quick overview of its parts and the settings you need to choose
Is Organized before you take off into the skies. It also introduces you to the logic behind
the computer-controlled enemy pilots-Falcon's artificial intelligence-and
then gets you into the action with tips on how to win in Instant Action.
Part Two, "Getting Serious," is really the meat of this book. It covers, in
depth, strategies for using your HUD, weapons, radar, and countermea-
sures. It also tells you about navigation and fuel management strategies
and how to win at dogfighting. You learn how to identify the enemy and
how to use Falcon's various views to your best advantage. Finally, Part
Two also gives an in-depth look at ACMI, the mission playback tool.
Part Three, "Getting Even," is where you get to put all your learning and
knowledge to work. This part contains a description of all the custom Red
Flag missions that are included on the book disk. These missions are
important training tools that will help you gain mastery in the skies. Part
Three also explains how campaigns work and what contributes to your
success or failure in a campaign.
INTRODUCTION xv
In the Appendixes, you'll find a brief description of the different utilities

that are on the book disk. You'll also find a description of an innovative
flight control system called HOTAS that will make your experience of
flying an F-16 as realistic as you can get without joining the Air Force.
You can approach this book in any order you desire. Each chapter tries to
stand on its own. However, with a program as complex as Falcon, you
almost need to understand everything before you can understand any-
thing. Many of the chapters will bear rereading because there's a lot of
information to absorb. Because of the interconnectedness of the parts of
Falcon, there is, of necessity, some redundancy of material in the chapters.
With Falcon 3.0 and this book, you'll get as close as you can to actual air
combat, experiencing the difficulties and thrills without the danger and
destruction. I hope you get great enjoyment from Falcon-and a great
appreciation for the fighter pilots who put their lives on the line every day
of the week.
Good luck, good hunting, and here's hoping you keep the pointy end
forward!
-Whiplash
PART ONE
GETTING STARTED
1. Navigating Falcon 3
2. Setting the Switches 17
3. Falcon Artificial Intelligence 41
4. Instant Action 65
CHAPTER 1
NAVIGATING FALCON
Falcon 3.0 is a complex environment to navigate, and we're

not just talking about the theaters of operations. Just finding
your way to the different parts of the program can be a chal-
lenge. In addition, Falcon 3.0 has a history-various versions
of the software have introduced changes and improvements
that you'll want to know about. This chapter will help you
navigate the parts of Falcon in its many versions.
4 GETTING STARTED
The Parts of Falcon

Falcon 3.0 is really three programs in one: Instant Action, Red Flag, and
Campaign. In addition to these three modules, you'll find the War Room,
the Squadron Ready Room, the Mission Computer, and the ACMI replay
system. Here's a briefing.
The Instant Action module

Instant Action
puts you in the air, surrounded
by enemies who are trying to
shoot you down. You get into
the action immediately, and
the enemies just keep coming.
There are also ground targets
you can attack, assuming you
survive the first wave of air
attacks.
While you have unlimited

weapons and fuel in Instant
Action, the enemies are also unlimited. You'll eventually get shot down, so
the idea here is to go for points and practice. Chapter 4, "Instant Action,"
has more information, including how to get high scores, how scoring is
determined, and some basic strategies for winning.
The second module in Falcon

Red Flag
3.0 is Red Flag. Red Flag is
based on the training exer-
cises conducted at the Red
Flag trainings at Nellis AFB in
Nevada several times a year.
In Falcon, Red Flag is a mis-
sion-building module and one
of the most powerful and use-
ful parts of Falcon 3.0. In Red
Flag, unlike Instant Action
and Campaign, you control
all the parameters. You can determine who is in the air and who is on the
ground. You create the missions you want to fly and control all the elements.
1 NAVIGATING FALCON 5
Because Red Flag is so useful as a training area, we've included lots of

Red Flag missions on the disk that comes with this book. In these
missions, we set you up to fly against virtually every type of aircraft
you'll encounter in Falcon 3.0. We provide head-to-head missions, rear-
pursuit missions, multiple-aircraft missions, and various kinds of ground
attacks. Virtually all the kinds of missions you'll fly in Falcon 3.0 are
included on this disk, so you won't have to go to all the trouble of setting
them up yourself.
The Campaign module is

Campaign
the most complex part of
Falcon 3.0. In Campaign,
you take all the lessons
you've learned flying Red
Flag missions and flying in
Instant Action, and you use
them in a "real-world"
campaign that's being
fought within Falcon's
virtual world. Here you are
a squadron commander,
getting orders to complete various missions. You don't choose the mis-
sions; you just obey orders. But you do get to choose the number of aircraft
you assign to a mission, which pilots go on the mission, what their weap-
ons load is, and what route they take. Oh, yeah. You also get to go along
and lead the mission! The campaigns provide a lot of realism in Falcon 3.0
and can be absolutely consuming.
The War Room is your
home base. You create and The War Room
select squadrons here. You
also choose the theater of
operations you want to
participate in. The War
Room is your point of
departure for Instant
Action, Red Flag, and the
campaigns, as well as
ACMI, the Squadron Ready
Room, and the Configura-
tion screen.
6 GETTING STARTED
The Squadron Ready Room

The Squadron
contains all the information
Ready Room
about your squadrons and
pilots. It includes pilot infor-
mation, such as their skills in
dogfighting, bombing, and
flying, as well as each pilot's
fatiguerating.Italsoincludes
information about your air-
to-air and air-to-ground kills,
as well as your overall squad-
ron rating. A list of the top
ten pilots is kept in the Squad-
ron Ready Room.
You can use the Falconer utility-included on the disk with this book-to
modify or reset all of your pilots' skill parameters in the Squadron Ready
Room. This is extremely useful for controlling your missions and cam-
paigns and recovering from crashes or other anomalous behavior by the
Falcon 3.0 simulator.
The Mission Computer will help you learn to visually identify every
The Mission aircraft and ground unit in Falcon 3.0. It also provides information about
Computer each asset. The Mission Computer is buried within the Red Flag and
Campaign modules, but once you know where to find it, you should spend
some time learning to identify the enemy. We'll talk more about identify-
ing the enemy later in Chapter 10, "Tallyho!"
In many ways, ACMI is the core

ACMI
of Falcon 3.0 from the desktop
fighter pilot's perspective. In
ACMI,youcanreplayandana-
lyze your missions and dog-
fights from infinite perspec-
tives. You can determine what
you did right and whatyoudid
wrong. You can study the
enemy's tactics and learn how
to avoid getting wasted. You
can also watch the battle proceed in other areas of the theater, both on the
ground and in the air. ACMI may end up being your most useful and most
fascinating tool in Falcon 3.0. Chapter 12, "ACMI," tells you how to use
this tool.
NOTE: In order to use ACMI, you'll need to have at least 2 megabytes of EMS
memory. If you want to spend money making your Falcon experience better, your
best-spent dollars will go toward more memory. With extra EMS memory, you'll be
able to hear digitized sound and voices and record ACMI tapes. ACMI is one of the
most enjoyable features of Falcon 3.0, so if you don't have enough memory to use
it, get some!
8 GETTING STARTED
The Versions of Falcon 3.0

The F-16 started out as a simple, low-cost, lightweight, daytime, air-to-air
jet fighter. However, over the years it has evolved into a comprehensive
combat platform that performs all-weather air-to-ground missions and
contains a suite of highly advanced avionics and exotic weapons. The F-16
continues to evolve through a program known as the Multinational Staged
Improvement Program (MSIP).
In some ways, you can think of Falcon 3.0 as having its own MSIP
(multiversion staged improvement program). Falcon 3.0 has evolved
through several different versions of the original program and also offers
an add-on campaign disk called Operation: Fighting Tiger. These new
versions have been introduced for two reasons: to fix bugs and to add
improvements.
When Falcon 3.0 was originally released, it was replete with bugs. Its
Bugs installer program didn't work, its sound didn't work, it crashed frequently
(independent of your own flying skills), and it could generally be consid-
ered a program that was released before its time. Since then, there have
been four major releases (although version E hasn't been officially released
as of this writing) and a campaign disk (which has been released as of this
writing).
Each release fixed bugs from previous versions. However, because each
release also added new features, new bugs were often introduced. While
Falcon 3.0 has become fairly stable, you should still expect to find bugs in
it. These bugs will either be things that don't work the way they're sup-
posed to or bugs that simply cause your system to crash. The latter type of
bug is thankfully relatively infrequent. But many cases of the former bug
type still exist in Falcon. Some of the more odious bugs are discussed in the
appropriate chapters of this book.
Because other elements of this simulation are so excellent, the bugs in

Falcon can seem even more annoying than usual and can be incredibly
frustrating. Your best bet, if you run into problematic bugs in Falcon, is to
communicate to Spectrum Holobyte in writing about your discoveries and
urge them to continue to improve the product. Spectrum Holobyte's
customers keep them in business, and if enough of you express dissatisfac-
tion, the chances are good that they'll respond.
Along with bug fixes, the newer versions added additional capabilities and Improvements
improvements to the simulation. Version D was the most noticeable
version change. In version D, the enemy pilots were made much more
aggressive and intelligent-too much so for some people! In addition,
missiles, which were previously modeled incorrectly, were made to work
properly, as were flares and chaff. Suddenly in version D, you have real,
aggressive, intelligent enemies along with working weapons and counter-
measures. Dogfighting took on an entirely different tone in version D.
Operation: Fighting Tiger, the add-on campaign disk, added new enemy
aircraft, new SAMs and ships, new weapons for your F-16, and even a new
model F-16, called the FSX. As Falcon has evolved and as new features and
improvements have been added, the program has become a very compre-
hensive, complex, and ultimately challenging simulation.
One side effect of having new versions is that certain incompatibilities

Incompatibilities
across versions have occurred. For example, squadrons cannot be trans-
ferred from version to version. If you're in the middle of a campaign and
get a new version of Falcon, you won't be able to move your squadron and
campaign conditions over to the new version. You'll have to start from
scratch in the new version, so you may want to finish your campaign in the
version you're currently using. One partial solution to this problem is to
use Falconer, one of the utilities on the disk that comes with this book, to
modify your new squadron in the new version of Falcon to reflect the
conditions of your old squadron. Unfortunately, you won't be able to start
the campaign in the same place you left off in an older version.
The other incompatibility across versions is with ACMI. You won't be able
to record ACMI tapes in one version and then play them back in another.
You'll want to keep this in mind if you trade tapes with your friends, who
may have different versions.
You can tell which version of Falcon you're running by looking at the
opening screen (the one with the F-16 pilot in his cockpit). The version is
listed at the bottom right of the screen. For example, it might read "V3.0D."
Here's a list of the major changes in Falcon's various versions.

10 GETIING STARTED
This is the original release of Falcon 3.0. It had quite a few bugs. Most of
Version 3.0
these were addressed in the later versions, as described below.
The changes in version A were as follows:

Version 3.0A
The joystick calibration was rewritten. Users of joysticks with a throttle
now have the option of turning off the joystick's throttle control wheel
and using the plus(+) and minus(-) keys on the keyboard instead.
All the Realism Values on the Difficulty Levels area in the Configura-
tion screen were fixed to add up correctly.
Some sound glitches, including the missing IFF squawk, were corrected.
ECM pod, chaff, and flares were made more effective.
The reliability of the Threat Warning Indicator was improved.
The artificial intelligence was improved to allow for autopilot bombing

and landing. Enemy pilot logic was also improved-enemy aircraft are
now more aggressive at higher logic levels.
Glare caused by the sun was adjusted to occur at the appropriate climb
and heading.
In the Red Flag training mission Lesson 4, the F-16 was placed facing in
the correct direction at the beginning of the lesson.
The appropriate pilot skills were set to increase when a Red Flag
mission is successfully completed.
External fuel tanks added by the user were fixed to load correctly.
The effectiveness of anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) was greatly increased.

The amount and type of damage now depend on factors such as air-
speed, altitude, and distance from the artillery.
The problem with keyboards that didn't respond on certain systems

was fixed.
There was never an official release from Spectrum Holobyte of Falcon 3.0B.
Version 3.0B
There were two unofficial releases with this version number, which were
released by hackers and contained a computer virus. To avoid any poten-
tial confusion or damage, Spectrum Holobyte named the release following
version A "version C."
Version C included the following changes:

Version 3.0C
An option was added in Communications mode to directly enter
modem commands of up to 60 characters, so you can now bypass the
default Hayes AT modem setup string and use your own if you're
having difficulty establishing a connection.
The mission criteria for Escort Bomber missions were changed-the

B-52s are no longer required to hit their primary target. Instead, your
aircraft must reach their target site.
Calibration was changed to allow for setups that include a joystick,

ThrustMaster WCS, and MAXX pedals if you choose Joystick instead of
ThrustMaster on the Configuration screen.
Mission debriefing was made more coherent, more accurate, and better
organized. New information was made available for allied aircraft
losses and for both allied and enemy ground unit losses. The post-
mission status of all F-16 pilots was also given.
Digitized radio messages on the Thunderboard and Sound Blaster were

made to work more reliably on fast machines, such as 33 MHz 486s, and
with a bus speed faster than 8 MHz.
ACMI replays were made more accurate.
GBU-15s in autopilot mode were fixed to behave correctly instead of

behaving like Mavericks.
The autopilot was fixed to recognize when it's gone winchester (out
of weapons).
The autopilot's bombing accuracy was improved.

12 G ETTING STARTED
Computer-controlled planes were modified to jettison stores based on

skill level. Also, the heavy bombers' logic was changed so that they will
not jettison stores under any circumstance.
In all flight models, airspeed was changed to increase during dives.
In head-to-head mode, a change was made so that shutting off one

player's radar removes blips from the other player's Threat Warning
Indicator.
Video palette problems caused by bus speeds faster than 8 MHz were
corrected.
The low fuel HUD readout was moved to appear over the Master Arm
Indicator rather than over the AGL Indicator.
The air-to-ground M61Al pipper was adjusted so that it's easier to use
in strafing mode.
The CCIP bombing mechanism became more reliable and more

accurate.
In head-to-head mode, new squadrons were fixed to connect more

reliably.
In Communications Campaign mode, the slave system was fixed so that

it doesn't lag behind the master in the briefing screens.
A fix was added so that aborted missions won't consume supplies or

add to the mission count.
Unused stores at the end of a mission are now restored to your

inventory.
A bug that gave certain systems erroneous "Player disconnected"

messages when you exited to DOS was fixed .
Pilots involved in a campaign are no longer allowed to recover fatigue

by flying in Red Flag missions.
Wingmen were changed to receive their assigned weapons load when

the Limited Weapons option is set to Off.
Enemy aircraft logic was changed so that the enemy can no longer
detect a sidewinder lockon.
Version D introduced the following changes:

Version 3.0D
Tracking of incoming missiles was added to Padlock and Track Views.
When a missile is fired at you, you can track its progress with these two
views.
Air-to-air missiles and SAMs were made more realistic. They can
acquire you much more easily, and ECM is no longer a foolproof
method for defeating them. In addition, missiles were given the ability
to score proximity hits. A missile may detonate when it comes close to
your F-16, causing minor damage from fragmentation.
Flares and chaff were made considerably more effective against

missiles.
ECM was changed to work against all aircraft and radar-guided mis-
siles, not just ground units and SAMs.
Computer-controlled aircraft (both friendly and enemy) were changed

to use ECM pods with more intelligence.
The logic was changed so that enemy aircraft are randomly given ECM
pods. They use them according to their own skill level.
Weapons effectiveness (the High/Medium/Low settings) became more

realistic.
Enemy aircraft were given the logic to use ECM to break a radar lock.
Computer-controlled aircraft (both friendly and enemy) were given

greater flying skills.
14 GETIING STARTED
Jettison controls were changed:
Ctrl-K jettisons all stores except for wingtip missiles and the ECM pod
(if you loaded one prior to takeoff).
Ctrl-F jettisons all additional fuel tanks (both centerline and wing).
Ctrl-C jettisons your ECM pod only. This is the only way to jettison your
ECMpod.
Version E was not finalized at the time of this writing, but it will most
Version 3.0 E likely use the FALCON.EXE file from Operation: Fighting Tiger, without the
theater-specific features. Therefore, its new features should include:
New digitized voice messages
Three new wingman commands
New colors for sky and terrain, including a nighttime

mission with black sky and stars
New threat warning indicator codes
Two variations of the ILS landing system
A new landing aid, called VASI
Overcast weather
Improved debrief
Note that the comments made about version E in this book are prelimi-
nary, and the changes may be slightly different in the final version.
When you install Operation: Fighting Tiger, it modifies your FALCON.EXE

Version 3.01 file and changes the version number to 3.01. This change includes three
new theaters of operations, along with a variety of new weapons, radar
types, and other goodies.
The new theaters of operation are the Kurile Islands, Kashmir, and Korea.
New aircraft, ships, and weapons have been added to Operation: Fighting
Tiger. Aircraft include the FSX, the MiG-31 Foxhound, the Mirage 2000, the
J-7 Airguard, the Q-5 Fantan, the Jaguar, the Mitsubishi F-1, the F-5E Tiger
II, and the secret Soviet unmanned fighter.
In the Kurile theater, a variety of boats have been added, including the
Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, Kirov-class battle cruisers, Udaloy-
class destroyers, Ivan Rogov-class amphibious warfare ships, Berezina-
class replenishment oilers, Lebed-class air-cushioned landing craft, and
Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers.
New weapons have been added, including the AGM-84A Harpoon anti-
ship missile, the AIM-9R sidewinder, the AIM-120E AMRAAM radar-
guided missile, the AA-9 AMOS air-to-air missile, the AA-10 Alamo air-to-
air missile, and the AA-11 Archer air-to-air missile. New SAMs include the
SA-N-9, the SA-N-6 Grumble, the SA-N-8 Gremlin, the SA-N-4 Gecko, and
the Patriot missile. A variety of new enemy long-range search and acquisi-
tion radars have also been added. Other features added in Operation:
Fighting Tiger are the same as those listed above for version E.
NOTE: A major bug was introduced in Operation: Fighting Tiger. In Red Flag,
buildings, bunkers, and other permanent map objects no longer show damage
when you destroy them. You will see your bomb craters, but the buildings and
bridges will no longer collapse. Other objects-such as tanks, trucks, and artillery-
will show damage as usual.
If you have an older version of Falcon, we strongly recommend that you

Upgrading to
upgrade to the most current version. Besides fixing a variety of bugs, the
Newer Versions
newer versions have many of the features described in this book. We've
included the most current update patch at the time of this printing on the
disk that comes with this book. Use it if it's a later version than yours.
You'll find directions for applying the update patch in the README.TXT
file on the disk.
You can get the most current update free from Spectrum Holobyte by
sending them your name, address, serial number, and the kind of disk you
would like (3.5-inch or 5.25-inch). Contact Spectrum Holobyte at:
2490 Mariner Square Loop, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-522-1164.
CHAPTER 2
SETTING THE SWITCHES
Falcon 3.0 has lots of characteristics that you can customize to

tailor the simulation to your own skill level and enjoyment.
You can dramatically alter the "feel" of the simulation by
modifying these configurable settings. You do most of the
setup in the Configuration screens, although you can then
temporarily modify these Configuration settings from the
menu bar once you're in the simulation.
You use two screens to set up the basic configuration param-

eters. These are the Difficulty Levels screen and the System
Setup screen. General information about these settings is
included in the Falcon user's manual, so we won't repeat that
information here. We will explain how the choices you make
determine how you learn and progress with Falcon.
18 GETTING STARTED
Difficulty Levels
You use the Difficulty Levels screen to control all the parameters that
determine how difficult the simulation is. You'll want to choose these
settings as you start to use the simulation and then change them as you
progress in your own skill and competence. Try lots of different settings-
you'll have a different experience with each of them.
The Skill Level settings define a preselected set of difficulty

Skill Levels parameters. When you select Beginner, Intermediate, or
Advanced, the program automatically sets many of the
parameters for you. While this may seem like a convenience,
we recommend that you set the difficulty levels of each item
yourself.You do so by selecting the Custom setting and then
individually choosing the other settings on the Configuration screen. This
way, you'll know exactly what you'll be getting, and you'll have a setting
that's right for you.
The Enemy Logic Level setting is one of the settings that will
Enemy Logic Level affect you most directly in the simulation. The enemy can be
extremely dangerous when you choose the higher settings.
If you start off too high, you'll quickly get discouraged.
Before you even know what's happening, you'll be turned
into a smoking cinder.
The Enemy Logic Level setting refers specifically to the logic level of
airborne enemy threats. There's a different setting to control the skill level
of enemy surface-to-air missile (SAM) and anti-aircraft artillery (AAA)
operators.
2 SETTING THE SWITCHES 19
Besides the specifics described in the Falcon user's manual, the enemy
logic levels affect how "smart" the enemy is. The higher the enemy logic
level, the quicker the enemy will look around and see you. They will also
perceive their relationship to you more quickly as the logic level gets
higher. That is, they'll be able to determine if they have the advantage or
disadvantage and react accordingly. And of course, at the higher levels,
they'll be able to execute basic fighter maneuvers (BFM) more effectively.
For example, a Trainee will take longer to see you, he'll take longer to
execute the maneuver, and he won't execute it very well. An Ace, on the
other hand, will see you much sooner, figure out what he needs to do, and
execute the maneuver (and you, if you're not on your toes) much more
effectively. An Ace will wait for a better tracking shot before firing on you,
whereas a Trainee will take poor snap shots. The Ace will wait to fire until
he's within good parameters. The Trainee will fire his missiles while
pulling high Gs, so his missile will not track. An Ace, on the other hand,
will pull lead before he fires (that is, he will point the nose of his aircraft in
front of you), but then ease off pulling Gs before he actually fires his
missile. This gives the missile time to track you and stay with you.
Another thing to remember about the Ace enemy logic level is that these
guys will turn off their radars and sneak up on you, vectored by their own
ground control intercept (GCI) radar. If you don't keep your eyes peeled,
the first indication you'll get that the enemy is nearby will be the explosion
in your cockpit and Bitchin' Betty screaming at you. Comforting thought!
The Falcon user's manual says that the enemy logic levels are "incremen-
tal." That is, if you set the level to Veteran, you may get enemies set to any
logic level from Trainee to Veteran. This isn't true any more. When you set
an enemy logic level, the enemies are all set to that level. However, there is
some variation within a given enemy logic level. For example, the Trainee
level has an effectiveness rating of 0 to 25, Cadet is from 25 to 50, Veteran is
from 50 to 75, and Ace is from 75 to 100. If you set the level to Veteran,
you'll get enemies that are all Veterans, but their effectiveness will be set
randomly anywhere within the range from 50 to 75.
When you choose an enemy logic level, you don't change how the enemy
aircraft or enemy weapons work. You only affect the men behind the
machines. For example, enemy aircraft fly the same, no matter how you set
20 GETTING STARTED
up the logic levels. The aircraft will all pull the number of Gs they are rated
at, independent of the logic level.
In Falcon 3.0, the MiG pilots can actually pull high Gs all day, even though
this is not realistic. They were made "supermen" as a counter to your being
able to also pull high Gs without effect when you use the outside views,
like the Track view.
How to Start Out with the Enemy
If you're just starting out with Falcon 3.0, we recommend that you set
the enemy logic level to Trainee. This is the lowest setting and provides
the lowest threat level from the enemy. Don 't feel embarrassed that you
won't be considered "macho" enough if you play with the Trainee
setting. You are engaged in deadly combat and, as a warrior, you need
to proceed strategically. This means you need to learn everything you
can about the simulation and the enemy. You won't be able to learn
anything if you're immediately overwhelmed.
Even if you've been playing Falcon 3.0 for some time, it's useful to return
to the lowest enemy logic level to sharpen certain skills. There's a
tendency to feel that you must always play at the most difficult settings
you ca n stand, and while this is a very exciting challenge, it's also useful
to vary this approach with other settings. At the lower levels, you have a
chance to see more of what is going on with enemy tactics since you're
not always surviving by the skin of your teeth.
Also, keep in mind that you may want to change the enemy logic level
depending on the activity you're engaged in . For example, in Instant
Action, even with the enemy logic level set to Trainee, you may be in for
a challenge because the sky is filled with bad guys and their sheer
numbers may overwhelm you. Conversely, you may feel quite comfort-
able flying a Red Flag mission against one MiG-29 at Veteran level. But
if you return to Instant Action at Veteran , you might find it impossibly
difficult. Campaign is somewhere between the two because you don't
know what might be coming your way. In addition, if you've enabled
SAMs and AAA, you up the difficulty level significantly, and this may
affect how difficult the enemy logic level seems. You will need to
experiment quite a bit until you find the combination that challenges
you, gives you thrills and sweaty palms, but doesn't devastate you.
Falcon 3.0 has four flight models: Simplified, Moderate,

Flight Models
Complex, and High Fidelity (HF). Once you choose a
flight model in the Configuration screen, you can't
change it while you're flying. The highest-level flight
model, the HF flight model, requires that you have a
math coprocessing chip installed in your computer. This
chip doesn' t increase the frame rate of the graphics display. It only allows
the simulation to perform the floating-point calculations required by the
HF flight model.
Here's a suggestion: Start out immediately flying with the Complex flight
model. If Falcon 3.0 were just an arcade game, the setting you choose
wouldn't be so important. But Falcon 3.0 is a highly realistic combat flight
simulation with realistic flight dynamics, and your ability to fly is para-
mount to having a successful session. So you might as well learn to fly
properly from the beginning. You need to learn the "feel" of flying. At the
simplified setting, there is virtually no weight or drag influence, which
changes the feel. This isn't the real problem, however. The real problem is
that at the Simplified setting, your ability to turn and roll the aircraft is
severely limited. You'll just be training yourself in ways that you'll soon
have to unlearn.
The Moderate setting is better in this regard, but we recommend that you
go right to the Complex flight model setting. This flight model is one of the
best available in a flight simulation, and if you start off learning how to fly
with it, you'll progress most quickly. What you want to do is make flying
as realistic as possible and then reduce the other threats at the start so that
you can master flying without being overwhelmed by the enemy. As you
progress in your flying skills, you can start increasing the other difficulty
settings.
There are some important differences between the Complex and the HF
flight models. The HF flight model provides the most accurate "feel" of
flying of any flight simulation available today. In particular, it models a
sense of momentum that has to be experienced to be believed. When you
roll the aircraft, not only will it roll with incredible fluidity, but you' ll feel a
sense of momentum as the aircraft comes out of the roll. In the HF flight
model, your aircraft is incredibly sensitive and will turn on a dime-
subject to the appropriate G forces, of course! It gives you a particular
22 GETTING STARTED
advantage over the enemies because you'll be able to turn and roll faster
than they can, since they always fly with the Complex flight model. (This is
another reason to start off with at least the Complex flight model.)
So the HF flight model sounds almost too good to be true. Unfortunately, it

is. The HF flight model has several problems. It is the flight model used in
the ASAT military trainer that Sphere co-built for the Air Force. This flight
model was originally taken from a military F-15 simulator so, in one sense
it is probably the most realistic combat aircraft flight model you'll ever
experience. On the other hand, it was designed specifically for situational
awareness and air intercept training on a lightly loaded aircraft. This
means that it doesn't have the proper characteristics for flying a heavily
loaded aircraft or for flying at low speeds.
While the HF flight model does model weight and drag influences, it
doesn't model G limitations. (Unfortunately, neither do any of the other
flight models in Falcon 3.0.) There is no limitation for pulling Gs no matter
how loaded down you are. In addition, the HF model is ineffective below
about 300 knots. Below 300 knots, the simulation automatically switches to
the Complex flight model. You will run into a very noticeable "transition"
between the HF flight model and the Complex flight model when it
switches. Because the performance and handling characteristics are so
different between these two models, you'll probably find that switching
between them is very disruptive.
If this transition only happened as you were slowing down to come in for a
landing, it wouldn't be much of a problem. Unfortunately, you tend to find
this happening in the heat of battle. Because you bleed off energy quickly
in a turning war, you may be just about to close on the six of an enemy
when your airspeed drops below 300 knots. Suddenly, your F-16, which
had been handling like a Porsche, now handles-relatively-like a truck.
You end up cranking extra hard on the turns, and then when you pick up
enough speed to put you back into the HF model, you overcompensate on
the turns and lose your track on the enemy.
In addition, there are other difficulties and differences with the HF model.
Speed brakes are super-effective in the HF model and only moderately
effective in the Complex model. You may find that you can coast right
along at 450 knots forever in HF even with your RPMs at 0 percent! The
calibration of airspeed in the HF model is not the same as in Complex. If

you're flying at 450 knots to keep up with another flight that is traveling at
450 knots, you'll find that you'll be going approximately 40 knots faster
than they are since all computer-controlled aircraft use the Complex
flight model.
Another problem is that the HF model won't work if your aircraft is

carrying over 32,000 pounds. At this weight, your aircraft will dive into the
ground. Unfortunately, sometimes the simulation itself will give you a
default load of over 32,000 pounds ground weight.
Finally, you won't be able to play back ACMI tapes recorded in the HF
flight model on computers that don't have a math coprocessor chip. This
means that you won' t be able to share your tapes with people who do not
have math chips in their computers.
For overall playability and consistency, the Complex flight model is

therefore the model of choice. It's accurate enough to give you a real feel
for flying, and it doesn't change on you when you least expect it. If you
already have a math coprocessor chip in your computer, by all means
experiment with the HF flight model. Despite these problems, you may
decide you want to use it for your main flight model. Unless you've got
money to burn, however, we don't recommend you go buy a math chip
just to run the HF flight model. At least, try it on someone else's machine
first before you buy the chip.
Weapons Effectiveness has three levels: High, Medium,

and Low. When this setting is High, you don't have to be Weapons
as accurate as when it is set toLow. High effectiveness Effectiveness
means that you'll score a kill even if you're not directly
hitting your target. Low effectiveness means you have to
be more accurate with your aiming.
Start out with the easiest Weapons Effectiveness setting-that is, High-so
that you can get some experience scoring kills without having to be an
expert. If you keep discouraging yourself by making the settings too
difficult, you'll quickly tire of Falcon 3.0 and put it (and this book!) up on
the shelf. Once you become adept at the High setting, then switch to
Medium and finally to Low. At the Low setting, the most challenging
24 GETTING STARTED
practice is to score a guns kill against another aircraft. Your cannon rounds
have to literally hit the other aircraft, and that ain't easy traveling at 500
knots behind a twisting, turning, MiG with his hair on fire.
What is Weapons Effedivenessl
Weapons effectiveness applies to your cannon against air and ground

targets, to iron bombs, to unguided rockets, and to the proximity detona-
tion of air-to-air missiles. It doesn't really apply to guided missiles and
bombs, because once you lock a Maverick onto its target, for example, it
is virtually guaranteed to hit it. According to the statistics compiled by
the Fighter Weapons School at Nellis, the Maverick has actually had an
87 percent success rate in combat launches and a 94 percent success
rate in tactical training launches. In Falcon 3.0, however, its success is
virtually 100 percent.
Weapons effectiveness determines damage to ground targets, too. You

can get a visual indication of the area of damage when a bomb goes off
by watching the white "shock ring" that surrounds a bomb explosion.
This is the area of destruction plus 40 feet when your weapons effective-
ness is set to High.
Even if the enemy is within this blast radius, however, they aren't
guaranteed kills. The enemy may be in foxholes and escape damage if
they are near the edge of the blast ring. When you use cluster bomb
units, some people and trucks away from the center of the blast area may
also survive. Random factors determine survival in Falcon 3.0, giving it a
bit more realism than if you just assume everything is toast.
By the way, if you decide to hose down the enemy with your cannon,
the targets must be within the small black holes that the cannon rounds
leave on the ground in order to be considered "hit." If you can do this,
you are one hot shot!
Surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery

SAMs and AAA (AAA) are real threats in Falcon 3.0 (as in the real world),
and you want to adjust these settings carefully.
There are five settings for SAMs and AAA. The first setting
turns them off completely, and the other four settings set
them to increasing levels of difficulty.
Four kinds of SAMs can be fired at you in the original Falcon 3.0:
SA-6 Gainful CW mobile radar-guided missile

SA-8 Gecko mobile pulse-doppler radar-guided missile
SA-2 permanent-site, pulse-doppler radar-guided SAM
SA-7 Grail infrared homing missile
In addition, you'll have to contend with the ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft

cannon and the ZSU-57-2 mobile anti-aircraft cannon.
In Operation: Fighting Tiger, you get hit with a whole slew of additional
SAMs. You will encounter the SA-N-9, the SA-N-6 Grumble, the SA-N-8
Gremlin, and the SA-N-4 Gecko. These are naval fleet defense SAMs.
When you set the SAM/ AAA difficulty setting, you're setting parameters
that affect the crews of the SAM and AAA systems, not the weapons
themselves. The SAMs will always fly the same, no matter what setting
you choose. What differs is how well trained and how smart the crews are.
When you set the level to Recruits, the SAM and AAA operators are not
very smart or well trained. For example, instead of manning their stations
and vigorously watching their radar units, the crew may sneak outside for
a smoke, or play cards, only checking their radar periodically. So they will
take longer to notice you as a threat. Because they are not very well
trained, they will take longer to see you, aim, lock you up on radar, and
fire on you. With the lower settings, you'll thus have more time to get in
and get out before the missiles and flak start coming at you.
Recruits and lower level operators are also less intelligent about how they
deploy their weapons. Each permanent SA-2 SAM site has six SAM
launchers surrounding a radar unit. Recruits will launch all six missiles at
the first aircraft they see, holding none back in reserve. The Elites, on the
other hand, will only launch one or two missiles and hold some back,
waiting for other planes in your party or a second wave to come by.
In Falcon 3.0E and Operation: Fighting Tiger, you can be picked up by the
enemy's long-range search radar nets, which will spot you at up to 90
miles out and relay your position to individual SAM sites. These sites will
26 GETTING STARTED
be ready for you as you get near. Prior to Version 3.0E, you would only be
spotted when you got within the range of an individual SAM site, which is
about 5 miles.
The lethality of SAM and AAA threats increases as you move up the
settings from Recruits to Elite. You need to experiment with the settings to
find one that is appropriate for your level of experience. In the beginning,
turn the SAMs and AAA off completely. Survival in the Falcon world is
hard enough as it is, and to have missiles coming at you from unseen
locations before you're well trained can be unnerving at best, and fatal at
slightly less than best.
Learn your flying, bombing, and dogfighting skills first. Then, when you're
ready, add SAMs and AAA at the Recruit level. As you gain experience,
you can increase the level of these anti-aircraft threats. Be sure to practice
SAM avoidance and SAM-killing tactics with the Red Flag missions on the
disk. These will help you to survive in Instant Action and in the cam-
paigns. Also, be sure to read Chapter 7, "Countermeasure Strategies,"
which describes the best ways to avoid becoming SAM bait.
With the HUD configuration setting, you choose between

HUD two kinds of HUD displays, known as the model A and
model C displays. This choice is a bit confusing because
Falcon 3.0 simulates the F-16 model A jet fighter. The model
A was the first variant of the F-16, which went into major production in
1976. The F-16 model C is part of the F-16 program Multinational Staged
Improvement Program phase III (MSIP III), first deployed in the late 1980s.
This improvement in the F-16 includes the addition of two multifunction
CRT displays, a LANTIRN-compatible HUD, and improvements in
Two views of an F-16C

cockpit
specific avionics and radar packages. The AMRAAM missile system is

really a component of the F-16C variant.
Falcon 3.0 simulates the model A F-16 because, even though the Air Force
is starting to deploy the model C version now, there are thousands of
model A F-16s throughout the world.
The model C HUD setting gives you a HUD with displays that are similar
to the HUD displays on the F-16 model C. But when you choose this
setting, nothing else in the F-16 changes. This setting simply cleans up
some of the "clutter" in the F-16 model A HUD.
In the model A HUD, your air-

speed, altitude, and heading are
designated by moving scales
running along the sides and
bottom of the HUD. In the model C
HUD, the scales are replaced by
discrete displays showing the
current values. In addition, with
the model C HUD, when you have
a target locked up and within
weapons parameters, a flashing
"SHOOT" message appears on
your HUD.
While the model C HUD display is somewhat "cleaner," we recommend

using the model A version because its moving scales-particularly the
altitude scale-give you continuous feedback on your position and condi-
tion. Because you don't have tactile and bodily feedback while flying a
simulator, these scales provide some of the clues your body is missing.
Obviously, this is a personal choice, but try them both before you decide.
If you pick the model A HUD display, you can clean the display up
somewhat by using the F3MAPS utility on the disk. This utility gives you
the option of removing some of the clutter on either HUD. See the Appen-
dix for more details about F3MAPS and the other Falcon 3.0 utilities
supplied with this book.
28 GETTING STARTED
When you turn the Limited Fuel option to Off, you

Limited Fuel won't have to worry about considering your fuel state
when you fly missions. Fuel management is an impor-
tant consideration in planning and flying missions, and
you'll need to learn how to estimate your fuel requirements. But you may
want to put off learning this skill until you master some of the others.
If you turn Limited Fuel to Off, you can use your afterburner with aban-
don, keeping your energy level high, without worrying about paying the
penalty. You also don't incur the extra weight and drag penalties of
loading external fuel tanks. But when you're ready for an additional dose
of realism, turn this setting to On. You'll gain your understanding of fuel
management primarily through experience, but be sure to see Chapter 8,
"Navigation and Fuel Management Strategies."
Note that when you fly in Instant Action, you have unlimited fuel no
matter what the setting is in the Configuration screen.
The Limited Armament option gives you two choices:

Limited you carry only the type and number of weapons you
Armament select in the Armament screen, or you have unlimited
numbers of all the weapons available in Falcon3.0. There
is a real advantage in turning Limited Armament to Off because not
only do you get unlimited numbers of weapons, but you get everything.
This is particularly useful as you're learning about the different weapons
systems. You don't have to be able to decide ahead of time to load the
appropriate weapons for the mission (something you won't readily be able
to do until you have more experience). You just select the weapon system
you're interested in, and up it comes. The Stores Control Panel (SCP)
shows you that you have 99 of the current weapon on-board-this is
Falcon's shorthand for "unlimited."
Feel free to fly with the Limited Armament option turned to Off, but don't
get too complacent. You'll be in for a bit of a shock when you turn this
option to On. Suddenly every shot counts! It's very different to find yourself
over enemy territory with a bunch of hostiles out for your skin and then
discover that you only have four missiles! Total! You can't afford to be
cavalier about shooting at anything that moves. When you select Limited
Armament, you'd better know how to fire a missile within parameters for
a good kill, or you probably won't be coming back. If your mission is air-
to-ground, your safety may not be as much at risk, but if you don't hit your
target and complete your mission, the war will not go well, and you can
probably kiss off your retirement benefits.
Be aware that, unlike the weapons themselves, when you turn this option
to Off, Falcon does not explicitly give you an ECM jammer or extra fuel
tanks, even though you load these options from the Armament screen. You
must explicitly load an ECM jammer at the Armament screen, or you won't
have one assigned to your aircraft, even with the unlimited armament
option.
When you fly in Instant Action, of course, you always have unlimited
armament (including an ECM jammer) and unlimited fuel.
You can limit your store of chaff and flares just as

you can limit weapons and fuel. If you set Limited Limited Chaff and
Chaff/Flares to On, you'll only have 30 of each. Flares
Prior to version D, chaff and flares were only
marginally effective at spoofing missiles. However, with version D, they
become extremely important countermeasures. When you learn how to use
chaff and flares properly, they will save your life many times.
Practice with unlimited chaff and flares until you're adept at using them to
evade both air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. Use the Red Flag missions
supplied on the disk to help you practice evading SAMs. After you get
used to flying Campaign missions, fly a few with limited chaff and flares.
As you start to bring the realism of the simulation closer to reality, you
begin to see how many things you have to consider and worry about. Hey,
maybe you should be flying a nice safe wooden desk!
One of the most amazing things about Falcon 3.0 is the

Radar
simulation of the avionics suite on the F-16. The most
interesting, useful, and realistic instrument that Falcon
simulates is the APG-66 radar.
30 GETTING STARTED
The APG-66 radar can simultaneously track 64 different targets and affords
the pilot great control over scanning the sky for the enemy and running
intercepts. Falcon 3.0 gives you three variations of this radar: the Situ-
ational Awareness Display (SAD), the Situational Awareness Mode (SAM),
and the High Fidelity Radar (HFR).
SAO mode
The Situational Awareness Display is a fictional mode of the APG-66 radar
because it shows you the enemy's location in a 360-degree circle around
you. The way radar works, of course, is to bounce a microwave beam off
an object in front of the radar dish and time the return signal. Since the
radar dish is in the nose of your F-16, you should only be able to see objects
in front of you. The other two radar modes show you only targets that
actually reflect the radar beam from the nose of your plane, but SAD mode
gives you an indication of every aircraft around you for up to 80 nautical
miles.
If you want to learn how to fly like the real F-16 pilots fly, you'll eventually
want to learn to use the High Fidelity Radar mode. But start off with the
SAD radar mode. It will help you to learn situational awareness. Situ-
ational awareness (or SA) is the ability to create a comprehensive 3D
picture of all the activity going on in the sky around you and your relation-
ship to it. You also need to be able to determine the most dangerous threats
and how you can respond to them. SAD mode helps you to do this because
it gives you a lot of information about everybody in the sky around you.
When you switch to the other radar modes, you have to work much harder
to get the same kind of information that you get in SAD mode. SAD mode
makes the procedure for getting this information easier. But you still have to
learn how to use it properly in all radar modes.
SAM mode
SAM mode is much more like the HFR mode than the SAD radar mode. It
shows you only targets that reflect the radar energy from the front of your
aircraft. It differs from HFR primarily in that it automatically performs
some of the operations you must perform manually with HFR mode. This
is a trade-off, however. SAM makes operating the radar easier than HFR
mode, but you don't have as much control over what you can do with the
radar. It's like the tradeoff of easy-versus-control that you might get with
an automatic versus a stick transmission on a car.
SAM mode is the proper mode to switch to when you want more realism
with radar operations but don't want all the details and difficulty of
operating the real thing. It's also a good mode to use as a trainer for
learning to use the HFR mode.
HFR mode
The High Fidelity Radar mode is very close in operation to the real APG-66
multifunction radar made by Westinghouse. With the HFR mode, you
independently set the range, altitude, and azimuth scans. You lock up
individual targets manually. And you choose among four submodes
within HFR. As with the real APG-66, you can select normal air mode
(NAM), situational awareness mode (SAM), single target track mode
(STT), or air combat maneuvering mode (ACM).
All these controls give you an extended ability to find and track enemy
targets without giving away your own position by excessive emissions of
radar energy. When you're ready for the ultimate challenge, switch to HFR
mode. Remember: once you set the radar mode in the Configuration
screen, you won't be able to change it while you're flying.
All radar modes also support Ground Map mode, which you select by
pressing F7 from the keyboard.
This switch determines whether you can have midair

Collisions
collisions or not. In general, you should always keep
this switch turned on. You want to learn how to fly
without running into things, so you might as well start out right. In reality,
the sky is quite big, and it is pretty hard to actually have a midair collision.
However, when you're in a tight knife fight, you need to be concerned
about getting too close because you may very well ram the other aircraft.
Smacking into the plane you're chasing a few times will make you a little
bit more cautious the next time you go up.
This setting doesn't keep you from colliding with the ground no matter
what it's set to.
32 GETIING STARTED
The Redout/Blackout switch controls whether the pro-

Redout and
gram simulates the experiences of redout and blackout.
Blackout You get redout from pushing too many negative Gs,
which causes blood to rush into your head, bursting many tiny blood vessels
in the eyes. You incur blackout by pulling too many positive Gs, which pulls
the blood from your head, thereby starving your brain of oxygen.
These effects are simulated quite nicely in Falcon 3.0 when you have this
setting turned on. While turning redout and blackout on makes the simula-
tor highly realistic, you may want to keep it off to counterbalance aspects
of the simulator that aren't so realistic. In particular, some of the enemy
aircraft, like the MiG-19s (A.KA. the MiGs from Hell!), routinely pull 9 Gs
or more for extended periods of time. The MiG-19s were programmed this
way in Falcon 3.0 to compensate for the fact that you can fly in Track view
without incurring any visual penalties even when you sustain heavy Gs. So
to counterbalance the advantage given the enemy, which was supposed to
counterbalance the advantage given you (but which goes too far), you can
keep this switch turned off. Then both you and the enemy can pull or push
Gs all day without effect.
You can choose from three intelligence levels in Falcon

Intelligence
3.0: Perfect, Standard, and Limited. These settings are
supposed to provide various degrees of accuracy in infor-
mation that you get while in a campaign. They should
affect the indications of radar sites that show up on the tactical map displays
and in the mission planning. But in reality, these settings have no real
effect in Falcon 3.0. This feature was never implemented in the simulation,
and except for using the setting as a multiplier for some randomization
values in computing how the war is going, Falcon does not use this Con-
figuration setting. You essentially always have Standard intelligence. The
reason you don't have perfect intelligence is that there are always some
SAM and AAA sites set up near targets that never show up on the tactical
maps. This is realistic, and you must be prepared for the unexpected.
In Operation: Fighting Tiger, the Intelligence switch was

changed to Campaign options. There are three Cam-
paign options: Easy, Standard, and Hard. As you
make the setting more difficult, you get fewer replace-
ments and supplies during your campaign. In addition, you'll run into
more mobile SAMs and AAA near enemy columns and around targets,
and the skies will tend to have more enemy aircraft.
Jet Fuel Starter Run

light on the "dash" of
an F-16
34 GETTING STARTED
System Setup
While the Difficulty Levels screen controls the aspects that vary the diffi-
culty in Falcon 3.0, you use the System Setup screen to choose settings that
affect the overall operation of the simulator.
The Detail Level determines how much detail is displayed in

Detail Level the simulator as you fly around (which will, incidentally,
directly affect your frame rate). Details include things like
terrain, ground texturing, clouds, and a gradient horizon.
The Detail Level settings are as follows:
Minimum shows no terrain, no gradient horizon, no

clouds, and no ground texture. With this setting, the ground and the
sky are flat, monochromatic areas. It will be very difficult to navigate
visually with this setting. It is a good setting to choose, however, on a
slower computer when you want to engage in smooth dogfighting.
Medium gives you 3D terrain, simple ground texture, and a gradient

horizon, but no clouds.
High gives you clouds, a gradient horizon, 3D terrain, and simple

ground texture.
Max provides clouds, a gradient horizon, 3D terrain, and complex

ground texture in the immediate area of your aircraft and simple
ground texture for an area beyond that.
Notice that although the complex ground texture looks impressive when
you view the flight from an outside view, like Track view, it is actually
quite hard to judge the distance to the ground visually using this option.
You may prefer to use the High detail level with the simple ground
texture. Not only will this generally give you a better feel for distance, but
it requires less processing power to use.
The settings you choose trade off detail versus the frame rate of the simula-
tion. The more detail the simulation shows, the more processing power it
uses and the slower the frame rate. The frame rate translates directly into
how smooth the simulation feels-the higher the frame rate, the smoother
the simulation. Remember that having a math coprocessor chip won't
affect frame rate. It's used only to implement the High Fidelity flight
model.
Different activities require different amounts of processing power, but in

general, it's a good idea to pick a detail level that gives you a frame rate
you're happy with. For example, you might love to go guns against other
aircraft. This requires being very close to the other aircraft and having very
fine flying control. If the frame rate is not fast, the motion is jerky, and one
tends to overcompensate during flying. Because of this, you'll want to keep
the detail level lower than you might otherwise. This gives you a better
frame rate.
For example, on a 33 MHz 386 computer, you might find that Maximum
detail is right on the edge of acceptable frame rate, especially if you're
doing lots of air-to-air dogfighting. So you would choose the High or
Medium setting. If you want to engage in dogfighting and are running on
a slower computer, you may want to set the detail level to Minimum. You
won't see much scenery, but your dogfighting will be smooth. The actual
frame rate will depend on the speed of your processor. See the section on
debug mode in Chapter 13, "Hidden Features of Falcon," for information
on determining the actual frame rate the simulation is running at.
The Detail Level setting in the Configuration screen sets up the default
setting that will be used every time you enter the simulation in Instant
Action, Red Flag, or Campaign. So if you set it to a detail level that you're
comfortable with most of the time, you won't have to spend time changing
it each time before you go flying.
36 GETTING STARTED
Once you're in the simulation, you can alter your default setting by using
the Options menu, described in the section on "Menu Configuration" at
the end of this chapter.
Your Flight Control choices are Keyboard, Joystick, and

Flight Control ThrustMaster. You cannot control the F-16 with a mouse.
The ThrustMaster setting takes into account the extra but-
tons on the ThrustMaster Flight Control Stick and Weapons
Control System and the signals sent from the HOTAS con-
troller. (See the Appendix.) If you want to make your Falcon
experience as realistic as possible, you'll want to get the
ThrustMaster controls and the HOT AS controller.
You can turn off all background sound or choose among

Background Engine, Sidewinder, and Engine and Sidewinder. The Back-
Sound ground Sound setting refers to the sounds that are on most
of the time (that is, background sounds). It doesn't affect
other sounds such as wingman and AW ACS messages,
voice warning messages (like "pull up"), and IFF tones. If
you want to turn off all sounds, you can choose All Off from
the Sound item in the Options menu. However, if you do so,
you won't get voice warnings or IFF tones. Without IFF tones, you'll have a
hard time determining who is the enemy and who is your friend. In Instant
Action, of course, you don't need IFF because everybody is out to kill you!
You can use this setting to choose whether you hear radio
Radio Messages messages or not, as well as which sound system you use to
hear them. You must have at least 1 MB of expanded memory
to hear these messages, and you can hear them with any of
the options you choose, including the PC speaker. However,
the quality will be much better if you use a sound card like
the SoundBlaster.
NOTE: You can use the SoundBlaster Pro with Falcon 3.0, but it will not take
advantage of the extra capabilities in the SoundBlaster Pro. Instead , it will act just
like a normal SoundBlaster.
2 SETIING THE SWITCHES 37
When you turn the EMS setting to

On, Falcon loads important data into EMS
EMS memory, and the simulator
runs faster and smoother, since it
doesn't have to load the data from
disk each time it needs it. The switches for EMS are the switches under the
Altitude Data and Object Data labels. If you have extra EMS memory, turn
these settings on.
NOTE: Even though the Falcon 3.0 user's manual says that the cockpit bitmap
images will be loaded into memory if you have EMS, this feature was never
implemented. Had it been implemented, this feature would have loaded the
graphics for the front, left, right, and rear cockpit views into memory so that there
would be no delay when you switched among these views. As it is, each time you
change to one of these views, the program has to go to the hard disk to get the
image, so there is a short delay.
When you turn the Animation option to On, you

get some information that you may not get Animation
otherwise. The animation tells you the disposition
of your mission. You may see yourself being
picked up by a rescue copter or marched away as
a prisoner of war. You can avoid sitting through the animations by press-
ing any key, which stops them and takes you to the next part of Falcon.
F-16 cockpit console

38 GETTING STARTED
Menu Configuration
You get into the menu configuration mode by pressing ESC any time
you're in the simulation. When you press ESC, you'll see the menu bar
appear across the top of the screen. The File menu provides commands to
End or Abort the game, Return to Cockpit, or Replay ACMI tapes. We
discuss how the Replay command works in Chapter 12, "ACMI." The
other commands are discussed in the Falcon user's manual.
You use the Control Menu to change the flight controller. You may select
either the keyboard or a joystick as your flight controller. You'll use this
menu primarily if you need to recalibrate your joystick. You'll also come
here the first time you calibrate your joystick.
The Options menu allows you to alter the way the simulation displays the
world. With it, you can temporarily modify your permanent Configuration
settings. From the Options menu, you can modify such elements as the
world detail, terrain, clouds and horizon, and magnification scale. You
may also choose to change which sounds you hear and whether you can
collide with another aircraft. Here are some tips for using the Options
menu.
The World Detail level controls the same elements that are set with the
World Detail Configuration Detail Level settings. If you want to temporarily modify
these settings, do it with the World Detail settings. They will stay in effect
until you leave the simulation (that is, go back to the War Room or Red
Flag Control, or start a new Campaign mission). You can also modify
individual elements of the World Detail settings by using the other menu
items in the Options menu.
The flexibility of the Options menu is that you can "overrule" World Detail
Terrain settings and control individual aspects of them. For example, you may turn
the 3D terrain on or off from the Terrain menu item. Terrain is automati-
cally set in the World Detail level setting, but you can control it individu-
ally from this menu item.
For example, if you selected Minimum from the World Detail menu, you
would have a flat surface, no gradient horizon, and no clouds. You could
then turn Terrain on, and the simulation would display 3D terrain, but still
no gradient horizon and no clouds. Be careful if you choose this option in
the middle of flying, though. Where there was once flat ground, you may
suddenly find yourself in the middle of a mountain!
In the same manner, you can use the Clouds and the Horizon menu items
to turn these display options on or off independently from the World Clouds and
Detail menu, so you can create your own combination of display options to Horizon
suit your needs. First select a World Detail setting, and then modify it with
these other menu items.
The Change Scale option is preset to 2X magnification and will always

revert to this setting the next time you enter the simulation, no matter what Scale
you select.
Unfortunately, after you go to all the trouble of setting up the various

display options you want from the Option menu, the next time you enter
the simulation, the display options (and everything else you set in the
Options menu) revert back to the setting you selected in the Configuration
screen. That is why it's best to find a Detail Level setting that you like and
set it from the Configuration screen. Then you won't have to mess with the
Options menu except in special cases.
There is no scale option in the Configuration screen, so you always set it

from the Option menu. Because the default display option is 2X, if you
normally use the lX setting, you'll have to change this setting manually
every time you enter the simulation. Fortunately, the utility F3MAPS that
comes with this book lets you change the default magnification to any of
the scale choices: lX, 2X, 4X, 8X.
Navigating Menus
Once you enter the menu mode by pressing ESC, you pull down the
menus by typing the underlined letter in each menu. You can make the
menu "close" by pressing ESC again. And you can also exit menu mode
by pressing ESC when no menus are pulled down.
CHAPTER 3
FALCON ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
Much of what makes Falcon such a compelling and

challenging simulation is the action of enemy aircraft. These
guys don't act like simple computer-controlled drones, but
instead appear to have a steely intelligence that makes them
formidable adversaries.
In fact, Falcon has a control logic-an artificial intelligence

(Al) factor-that applies to all computer-controlled aircraft,
whether it's the enemy, your wingman, or your own F-16
while it's flying on autopilot. The artificial intelligence
determines the kind of activities these aircraft can engage in
and how they will respond is various situations. You'll
encounter its effects throughout the simulation, as explained
in this chapter.
42 GETTING STARTED
Autopilot
An F-16 has an autopilot mode that takes over some of the chores of flying
for you. In Falcon 3.0, your autopilot does quite a bit more than it does on a
real F-16. It flies to your waypoints at a set speed and altitude. It takes off
and lands at specified waypoints. It detects and engages enemy aircraft
and fires weapons, uses electronic and physical countermeasures when
needed, and attacks ground targets. You can turn your own autopilot on
and off at will.
In addition, the same logic that's used in your autopilot is also used in the
control logic of your wingmen and in the control logic of the enemy
aircraft. If you understand how your autopilot works, you'll have a better
understanding of your wingmen and how the enemy aircraft will perform.
The real autopilot in the F-16 performs the func-

Flying to tion of flying the aircraft at a given heading, air-
Waypoints speed, and altitude. This takes some of the drudg-
ery away from the pilot on long journeys. The
Falcon autopilot (AP) also performs these func-
tions. You set up waypoints in the Waypoint screen
of either Red Flag or the campaigns. A waypoint
has a location, an altitude, and an airspeed (as well
as an action-to be discussed later) associated
with it. When you turn on your AP, it tries to fly to
the next waypoint at the specified altitude and
airspeed.
When the AP is engaged, it will change your

heading and altitude, adjust your throttle, and
even use your speed brakes to bring you to your
3 FALCON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 43
next waypoint. The AP responds to the waypoint currently displayed in the

lower right corner of the HUD. If you change the waypoint by using the
Previous Waypoint or Bypass Waypoint command, the AP immediately
adjusts the flying parameters of your aircraft to bring you to the new
waypoint.
The AP monitors your altitude and adjusts for mountains and obstacles in
your way. If you set the altitude to 1,000 feet, the AP understands this to
mean 1,000 feet above ground level. When you come across a mountain
range, the AP takes you up over the mountain range, trying to keep the
1,000-foot clearance above the ground.
Getting to a Waypoint with Navigational Damage
Even if you 've sustained navigational damage-the NAV caution light is

o n- you can switch among your waypoints with Shift-B and Shift-V, and
your autopilot will take you to the new waypoint. If you've drawn a map
with your waypoints, you can still find your way home even with
damage. Once your waypoint is selected, get the AWACS vector by
pressing Shift-N . Not only will it confirm the waypoint setting with range
and heading values (as opposed to simply letting the AP fly it blindly),
but it will also tell you the distance to the current waypoint. This is
useful if your current waypoint is your home base and you ' re concerned
about your fuel state. See "Waypoint Commands, " later in this chapter,
for information on the Shift-B and Shift-V commands.
Your AP will perform

Taking Off and
excellent takeoffs and
automated landings if you
Landing
set your waypoint at a
recognized air base. When
you place the waypoint
marker in a waypoint setup
screen over an air base,
you'll get two new action
codes: Take off and Land.
You can only select these
44 GETTING STARTED
actions if the waypoint is on an air base, and even then, the actions only
appear for certain air bases. Contrary to information in the Falcon user's
manual, you can't select the Land waypoint action on some arbitrary spot
on a map.
On takeoff, the AP will fire up your engine, perform the takeoff, raise your
landing gear, and turn toward your next waypoint, flying at the preset
altitude and airspeed.
For landings, the AP will line up your aircraft with the runway, adjust
your airspeed and angle of attack, lower your landing gear, bring you
down right on the center line, and taxi you off the runway and park. You
can learn a lot by watching the AP land your plane-particularly in Track
view.
If you come near enemy aircraft while flying on autopilot, it will, in certain
Engaging Enemy circumstances, engage the enemy aircraft and fire weapons at it. The action
Aircraft and Firing the AP takes depends on the action code you set with your waypoints.
Weapons
With any air-to-air aggressive action codes-such as CAP, Search and
Destroy, or Intercept-the AP will search out and attack enemy aircraft.
This means that your aircraft (or your wingmen) will leave their assigned
flight paths and go after enemy planes. The AP will control your radar,
selecting the appropriate radar mode and range, and choose an appropri-
ate weapon. It will fly aggressive basic fighter maneuvers (BFM) to bring
your aircraft into an advantageous position, and then it will fire your
weapons at the enemy. It will also fly BFM to keep the enemy from getting
behind you.
While the AP will try to keep you from crashing into the ground, as noted
above, it is possible to crash during wild combat maneuvers. If the AP goes
aggressively after another aircraft that flies toward the ground-either to
escape you or because it is out of control-your aircraft may follow it right
into the ground. The AP may not have time to pull up before you crash. So
be aware of its limitations, and be prepared to resume manual control
when you need to.
With less aggressive air-to-air action codes-such as Escort, CAS, Bomb,

Take off, and Land-the AP will try to maintain its flight path. Only if
you're directly threatened by other enemy aircraft or SAMs will the AP
engage the enemy or stray from its preset flight plan.
Your AP will use either

Using Electronic
electronic countermeasures
(by turning on your and Physical
ALQ-131 jamming pod, if Countermeasures
you have one) or standard
countermeasures (chaff and
flares) when necessary. If an
enemy aircraft gets behind
you and locks on its radar,
your AP will release chaff
and flares. It will also turn
your jamming pod on when
you're locked up by ground
radar. (AP use of electronic
countermeasures was
added in Falcon version D.)
If the waypoint action code is set to Bomb, CAS, or Search and Destroy, the
AP will select the appropriate weapons and attack nearby ground targets. Attacking
You' ll notice a significant difference when the AP uses guided bombs and Ground Targets
missiles like the Maverick or the GBUs. The AP range for locking onto
targets when using these weapons is about 12 nautical miles (nm). When
you use these weapons under manual control, you'll only be able to lock
on at a range of about 5 miles. This is just a programming glitch in Falcon.
And even though it limits you while flying manually, you can exploit this
difference to your advantage if you know about it.
For example, if you're flying an air-to-ground mission with wingmen, your

wingmen will lock up and fire at the 12-mile range, since they are all using
the AP logic. If you're flying manually, they will be firing before you can
even see or lock onto a target. You have two choices in this situation. You
can switch your aircraft to AP and let your AP lock up and fire your Ma vs,
or you can continue to fly on manual, holding your guided missiles in
46 GETTING STARTED
reserve. As you get closer to AP Uses the Complex Flight Model

your target, you'll be able to
see whetheryourwingies took The AP for your aircraft, for your
out the targets. If they missed wingmen, and for all enemy aircraft
some targets, you can go in always uses the Complex fli ght model
and finish the job manually. for al I maneuvers-even if you have
selected the High Fidelity (or any other)
Even though your AP (and flight model for yourself. The effects
What You can sometimes be surprising. For
your wingmen) can lock onto
example, suppose you're flyin g the HF
Control When targets at a range greater than
flight model with an F-16 loaded with
You're Using AP you can visually, they also more than 32,000 pounds. This is the
need time to set up for the limit the HF flight model can tolerate. If
target. You should have at you use the AP for takeoff, you'll take
least 10 miles between a bomb- off fine, because you can fly with this
ing waypoint and the previ- amount of weight with the Complex
ous waypoint. This require- flight model . But as soon as you switch
ment is due to the program- off the AP, your plane will nose over
ming issues within Falcon and and dive to the ground. When you
doesn't reflect the require- switch off AP, the HF flight model takes
ments of a real bombing run. over, and you run into the problem . If
you turn the AP back on, your aircraft
will resume flying normally. Whew!
When you turn the AP on, it
controls most of the func-
tions in your F-16. If you change the throttle settings or the weapons
selection, the AP will change it right back to what it wants to use.
However, you can control some things independently of the AP.
Specifically, you can do the following:
Fire weapons. You can actually fire whatever weapon the AP selects at
any time by pressing the Spacebar or hitting the Fire button on your
joystick.
Turn radar on/off. You can manually turn your radar on and off. You
may want to turn your radar off if the enemy is jamming you, which
will keep your heat-seeker missiles from locking up. When you turn off
your radar, the heat-seekers are no longer slaved to the radar and thus
no longer subject to jamming. Turning off the radar also makes you less
visible to enemy planes because you no longer show up on their threat

indicators. Your AP may turn your radar back on, but it usually won't
happen immediately.
Dispense flares and chaff. You can manually dispense flares and chaff if
you think the AP isn't doing enough to protect you from getting a SAM
or AA missile up your tailpipe.
Turn ECM on and off. If you have an ECM pod loaded, you can manu-
ally turn it on or off. The AP will also turn it on and off when it needs
to, so your commands may be overridden at some point. But it's usually
not instantaneous, as it is with weapons selection or other actions.
Use Acceleration mode. You can use or lock the Acceleration mode while
flying with AP. This makes for some interesting action if you're en-
gaged in battle and not just flying between waypoints. Be sure to turn
Acceleration mode off before you turn off the AP; otherwise, you may fly
right into the ground before you know what's happening.
F-16 pilot silhouetted

in his canopy
48 GETTING STARTED
Wingmen
Falcon 3.0 gives you the advantage of flying with wingmen, who will
accompany you through the dangers of your mission, rendering assistance,
watching your six, bombing targets, and blabbering on the radio inces-
santly. Really! These guys have no radio discipline!
The wingmen use the same basic control logic that the enemy aircraft use.
This means that your wingmen can take off and land, fly to waypoints,
perform waypoint actions, such as bombing, CAP, intercept, CAS, and
search and destroy. Wingmen use their radars, turn on their ECM pods if
they've got them, try to save their hides with flares and chaff, and fire
missiles and cannon rounds with abandon.
When you're flying with your wingmen, you may want to know what's
going on in their artificial minds. Here's a summary.
Wingmen generally keep their radars on standby. This means that they are
Radar not irradiating all over the place and showing up on the enemy's threat
warning receivers. When their radars are not on, they rely on visually
acquiring any enemy aircraft. They can do this from as far as 10 miles
away. (They've got really good eyesight!) Once they engage an enemy
aircraft, they will turn their radars on.
However, there are three missions where

wingmen keep their radars on: CAP,
intercept, and search and destroy. On CAP
and search and destroy missions, your
wingmen will use their radars in the 10- to
40-nm range, but they won't engage the
enemy until he gets within 20 miles. On an
intercept mission, your wingmen will engage the enemy as far away as 40
miles. On all other missions, they keep their radars off until you or the
AWAC calls out a target. The wingmen' s radar use is not tied in any way
to your own.
Calling Out a Target for Your Wingman
The way you call out a target to your wingman is by first identifying it
yourself on your own radar and then pressing Shift-E to tell your
wingmen to engage. When you tell them to engage, they will turn on
th e ir radars and try to find the enemy. Wingmen will only set their radars
to a 40-nm scan range or closer. They will never use the 80-nm range. If
you want long-range scanning on your flight, you 've got to do it yourself.
As with radar, your wingmen's use of ECM is independent of your own.

They will turn on their jamming pods when they need them-when they ECM
get missile lock or launch indicators on their threat warning panels-and
then they will turn them off when the need is no longer present. In this
regard, they can be much smarter than you. If you get used to leaving your
jamming pod on all the time, the enemy will quickly send out a flight of
four MiG-29s to punch out your lights.
Your wingmen chatter constantly, although you need at least 1 MB of EMS

memory to hear them. They are really trying to help you, although they Voice Messages
can definitely get annoying at times. The most useful messages are when
they give you tracking information, like "Stranger at four o'clock." This
means that one of your wingmen has detected an unidentified aircraft at
your four o'clock position. When a wingman gives you a direction refer-
ence, it' s always in reference to your own aircraft. This information can be
useful in helping you spot enemies or missiles. However, if you're maneu-
vering all over the sky, your wingman's reference won't mean much.
50 GETTING STARTED
When you hear him yell out "Magic, magic" or "Atoll, atoll" or "Apex
inbound," your wingman is really trying to save your skin. On the other
hand, the times you'll want to strangle him is when he keeps repeating
endlessly "Request you check joker"-he's worried you haven't noticed
you've been flying on fumes for the last 20 minutes. Or he'll bug you with
"Be advised, I've gone winchester," which means he's out of weapons,
wants to get back to the 0 Club for a cool beer, and is wondering why
you're still lingering around out here.
Your wingmen will call out every radar contact they get. Unfortunately,
they're a bit lacking in gray matter, because they call out contacts without
first checking their IFF to see if they are friendly. After a while, you'll just
ignore their warnings, because most of them are for friendly aircraft. Use
your own radar to find the bad guys.
You can tell your wingies to shut up by pressing Shift-R (for radio silence).
If you really want to hear them again, any wingman command will start
them gabbing.
Your wingman will generally try to stay with you, even if you vary from
Wingman your flight plan. His job is to cover your wing and look out for your six. He
Commands does this pretty well. However, your wingman will break away from you if
he is under attack or locked up on radar. He will try to evade and
counterfire. He will also leave your formation if you issue some of the
wingman commands.
An important thing to note concerning wingman commands is that most of

them apply only to your immediate wingman. This is the wingman closest
to you. If you command a flight of four aircraft, your personal wingman is
the one designated "1st wingman" on the Armament screen or the one
listed as aircraft ID 02 in ACMI. If you issue a Break Right command, only
your own wingman will break away. The other two aircraft in your flight
will stay with you and follow you or your flight plan.
The wingman commands deal with maneuvers, waypoints, fighting, and

radio communications.
You can command your wingman to perform a number of flying maneu-

Wingman
vers. These are:
Maneuvers
Break Right-Shift-0
A Break Right command
causes your wingman to
make a sharp horizontal
turn to his right. He will fly
in this direction for a while
and then return to fly in
formation with you.
Break Left-Shift-A
A Break Left command
make a sharp horizontal
turn to his left. He will fly in
this direction for a while
formation with you.
Break High-Shift-W
A Break High command
make a sharp vertical climb.
He will climb for a while
formation with you.
52 GETTING STARTED
Break Low-Shift-X
A Break Low command
make a sharp vertical
descent. He will dive for a
while and then return to fly
in formation with you. If he
is too low to perform this
maneuver, he will answer
with "Unable" or, if he's in
a really defiant mood, "kilo
mile alpha," which is
phonetic for "kiss my ass!"
Fly Straight and Level-Shift-5

This command causes your wingman to fly straight and level in the
direction he is already going. If he is in formation with you and you're also
flying straight and level, you won't notice any change. However, if you can
issue this command and then break right or left, your wingman will not try
to follow you. This maneuver can be useful against an oncoming enemy.
Let your wingman take him on head-to-head while you slip around behind
him.
You can also use this command with another wingman command. For
example, if you want to extend the range of a Break Right command to
your wingman, first issue the Break Right command and, before he starts
to come back to formation, issue the Fly Straight and Level command.
You'll keep him flying off to the right for a longer period. Then, when he
decides to return to formation, he will make a much bigger loop back.
You may also want to issue this command if your wingie decides he wants
to attack a ground target, and it isn't the one your flight is supposed to hit.
If you hear him call out a target that's not the one you want him to attack,
rein him back in with a Fly Straight and Level command.
Bracket Right and Bracket Left-Shift-C/Shift-Z

The bracket commands are
used to sandwich a target
that is coming head-on
toward you between you
and your wingman. If you
tell your wingman to
bracket right, you'll then
break left. The enemy has to
go for one or the other of
you. If he goes for you, your
wingman comes around
and pounces on him. If he
goes for your wingman, you sneak around and jump him. If he's stupid
enough to go through the middle, you both jump on him and beat the
stuffing out of him.
Note that you can create your own type of bracket command by using the
Break and Fly Straight and Level commands. You may even have more
control with these commands because you can control how long your
wingman will fly "out" before he comes back in toward you by how many
times you issue the Fly Straight and Level command.
With the Bracket command, your wingie will pull out to one side for a
while and then come back toward you. The time it takes him to do this
maneuver determines how far away the enemy should be before you
execute it. This maneuver is normally done at about 15 nm. If you control
your wingman with Break and Fly Straight and Level commands, you can
perform this maneuver at any distance you want. However, it will take
some real practice to determine the proper timings for these actions. Use
the Red Flag mission 1MG29HW to practice your 2Vl bracket maneuvers.
54 GETTING STARTED
Drag Right and Drag Left-Shift-3/Shift-2

The drag maneuver is a fairly
complex maneuver that can
sometimes be effective, but you
have to know when to use it
and identify the proper situa-
tions for it. The basic idea is
that your wingman acts as a
decoy target for the enemy
fighter. The enemy goes after
your poor wingman, and you
sneak in behind him and let
him have it.
When you execute a Drag Right command, your wingman will turn in
such a way as to place the target at his right rear position. He will continue
in his turn in hopes of "dragging" the target around with him and away
from you. If you turn off your radar for a few moments, you might encour-
age the enemy to go after your buddy.
But don't get confused about left and right here. If you're going head-to-
head with an enemy aircraft and issue a Drag Right command, your
wingman will break left in relation to you to place the target at his right
rear. As he continues around to the left, the target is at his rear right side.
Similarly, if he drags left, he will actually break to your right.
Another important thing to remember is that your wingman needs to be

looking at the same target you're looking at. If he's not locked onto the
same target as you, your drag attempt will be really screwed up.
You can tell if the wingman is looking at the same target you are by
listening to him call out his contacts. Your wingman will either pick up
enemies with his radar or visually. He may not have his radar turned on,
depending on the kind of mission you're flying. If his radar is turned off,
you may be able to get him to turn it on and lock up the bogey by issuing
the Engage command. Otherwise, you'll have to bring him into visual
range before he will see the target. This is usually too close to perform a
drag maneuver.
If the wingman identifies the target verbally, you can simply issue the
Drag command, and he will usually respond. If he doesn't see it, you must
first issue the Engage command. If a wingman responds with "Unable," it
means that his positional geometry makes the maneuver impossible or that
he doesn't see the enemy.
With Operation: Fighting Tiger, you have two additional wingman New Maneuvers
maneuvers: in Operation:
Fighting Tiger
Spread Formation-Shift-F
The Spread Formation
command causes all the
aircraft in your flight (not
just your wingman) to
double their distance from
one another. You can issue
the Spread Formation
command multiple times,
but your wingmen will
never move so far apart that
they lose visual contact with
one another.
Close Up Formation-Shift-G
The Close Up Formation
command causes all your
wingmen to halve their
distance from one another.
As with the Spread Forma-
tion command, you can
issue Close Up Formation
several times, but your
wingmen will never fly so
close as to be dangerous to
one another. (If you tell
them to tighten up the
formation too much, one of your wingmen will answer back with a smart
remark-check it out!)
56 GETTING STARTED
Wingman Distances in Formation
The following table shows the approximate distances in feet between

your wingmen based on the type of formation they are flying.
Formation Altitude Wingtip-to-Wingtip Nose-to-Tail

Separation Separation Separation
V Stack 480 0 480

C Stack 960 0 0
H Stack 480 960 0
Ladder 720 0 720
Wedge 0 720 0
Vic 0 720 675
Echelon 720 480 480
Sometimes you need to give your wingmen instructions about waypoints

Waypoint while flying. You use these commands:
Commands
Bypass Waypoint-Shift-B
When you issue the Bypass Waypoint command, your own navigation
computer will skip to the next programmed waypoint. This information
will also be conveyed to your wingmen, and all of them will also set their
navigational computers to the next programmed waypoint. If you're on the
last waypoint, you'll get a message from the AWACS plane saying "Nega-
tive pigeons to home plate." This message literally means that they can't
give you directions to your home base. You usually program your last
waypoint to be your home base. If it's a different waypoint, you need to
use the Previous Waypoint command to go back to it.
Previous Waypoint-Shift-V
When you use the Previous Waypoint command, you set your navigation
computer to the previous waypoint and simultaneously send the message
to all your wingmen to do the same. Thus, by using the Previous and
Bypass Waypoint commands, you can move up and back through all your
programmed waypoints.
If Your Wingmen Won't Land
While you can usually get your wingmen to return to base with you by
setting your waypoint on your home base, you may have trouble getting
them to land. Your wingmen won 't land once they return to base if they
have not hit all their waypoints. For example, if your flight plan has five
waypoints and you miss hitting one of them, your wingmen will most
likely miss the waypoint also since they're following you . In this case,
they will simply circle the field without landing when you return . If you
want them to land upon return to base, make sure you hit every
waypoint. If you don't, you'll have to use the Shift-H command to make
them land.
Return to Base-Shift-H
This command, new to Operation: Fighting Tiger, causes your wingmen to
stop whatever they are doing and immediately return to base. They will
take the most direct approach they can from their current position. This
command is useful if you can't get your wingmen to land. Use it with
caution, however. Once you issue it, they won't want to go anywhere else.
In other words, be very careful you don't hit this sequence by accident. It's
not like the Eject command, which you have to hit three times in a row. If
you press Shift-H by accident, your guys are gone!
You can also end the mission before you return to base by selecting End
Mission from the File menu. However, since this is sort of like cheating,
Falcon computes a random value based on your distance to your air base
to determine whether you "ran into any trouble" on your way home. You
are most likely to "run into trouble" in Panama, because there are three
enemy fronts in the Panama theater of operations. In Panama, you may
even incur damage while you're circling your air base if you quit without
landing.
Finally, when you want to tell your wingmen how to fight, you can use
Fighting
these commands:
Commands
Engage-Shift-E
The Engage command gives your wingmen permission to enter into the
fight and actively attack air or ground targets, depending on the mission
type. This command applies to all the wingmen in your flight. Normally,
58 GETTING STARTED
your wingmen won't engage an aircraft unless it's actually firing on them.
They will, however, pester you mercilessly with requests for "Permission
to engage!" Press Shift-E to allow them to engage.
If you're on a CAS or bombing mission, and you allow your wingmen to

engage, they may attack a ground target that's not your intended target. In
this case, you can stop them by issuing the Disengage command.
Disengage-Shift-Q
This command tells your wingmen to break off the attack and join up with
you. Your wingmen will continue to fight if their lives are in direct danger.
Otherwise, they will stop their attack and rejoin you in formation. Use this
command when you've had enough fun for one day.
Keep Radio Silence-Shift-R

Your wingmen can really get on your nerves with all their ceaseless radio
chatter. You can tell them to shut up by issuing the Shift-R command. This
turns off the sound, but you continue to get the wingman messages
displayed across the top of the screen. You still need to be alert if you want
to see their "missile inbound" messages.
You can get them to start gabbing again by simply issuing any wingman
command.
F-16s ready for takeoff

during the Gulf War
Enemy Aircraft
MiG-29s in Falcon
flying a tight
formation
Enemy aircraft use the same basic logic as your wingmen and your own
plane when it's flying on autopilot. Because their actions are fairly simple,
enemy aircraft can coordinate well together and, at the higher logic levels,
they can be very effective at working in teams or groups.
Enemy aircraft are created at mission time, depending on the type of

mission you're flying. They are also initialized at specific points in space
that correspond with your mission. For example, if you're on a CAS
mission, you might run into enemy air support near the target site. If
you're defending a bombing run on your base, the enemy planes are
created close to your air base.
In addition, "randoms" are created over time, almost always in pairs. You
can encounter these planes anywhere. So you may come upon an unex-
pected flight during ingress or egress, and if you linger around an area too
long, you'll also probably run into trouble. The enemy will eventually
detect you and send out someone to investigate.
Enemy aircraft always "appear" in the air. You won't (too bad!) see them
taking off from enemy air bases.
60 GETTING STARTED
When an enemy aircraft is created, it is initialized with a random weapons

Enemy Fuel and load that is realistic for that type of aircraft. For example, a MiG-19 won't
Weapons be given AA-7 Apex AMRAAM missiles or a load of heavy iron bombs. It
will only be given, and fire, weapons that it should have. Enemy aircraft
are also initialized with a random amount of fuel, again corresponding to a
realistic value for the aircraft.
This randomization makes life much more realistic. It would be unrealistic

to come across a flight of enemy aircraft, each with a full, satisfied belly of
fuel, bristling with a complete load of shiny new weapons. Instead, you'll
find aircraft with varying amounts of fuel and weapons, which is much
more consistent with a wartime scenario, where aircraft have been flying
around for a while, using gas and using weapons as they engage other
aircraft.
Once an enemy aircraft fires off

A Little Help from Your Friends
its weapons, it doesn't automati-
cally get rearmed. When its weap- When you're flying around in any
ons are gone, it does an RTB (re- of the campaign theaters of opera-
turn to base). The same is true for tion, you'll encounter allied planes
fuel. When the enemy aircraft gets as well as enemy planes. Many of
to its bingo point, it bugs out. these allied planes are created as
"randoms" just like the enemy
Interestingly, a enemy aircraft planes. They follow the exact same
won't actually fly back to a base logic as the enemy randoms,
and land. Instead, it leaves the except that they are fighting on
area and when it gets outside of your side. You may be in the
your radar range (80 nm) it sim- middle of a hairy dogfight, about to
lose your boxer shorts with the
ply "disappears." However,ifyou
I ittle hearts on them, when sud-
chase an enemy plane that is leav- denly the MiG that's been on your
ing because it has a low fuel con- tail bursts into flames . You lucked
dition, you can force it to run out out! A passing flight of F-18s just
of fuel. It will finally take the long saved your DNA by "randomly"
dive down and crash! You may flying by and engaging the enemy!
see the enemy pilot eject if he has
to ditch because he's out of gas!
Because the enemy planes are given random amounts of fuel, it sometimes
appears that an enemy plane will suddenly dive into the ground and crash
for no reason. This is not really a bug in Falcon but just a surprised MiG
pilot who is plopped into a fighter aircraft with no go juice and told to fly.
The next thing he knows, he is spiraling down to an "unscheduled land-
ing." Makes you glad you're flying for us and not for them.
Enemy aircraft are also equipped with countermeasures. All enemy aircraft
Enemy
have flares and chaff dispensers. In addition, the following enemy aircraft
randomly get equipped with electronic jammers, like your ALQ-131 Countermeasures
jamming pod, when they are created:
MiG-23 Mirage Fl
MiG-25 Mirage III
MiG-27
MiG-29 In Operation: Fighting Tiger:
Su-24 MiG-31
Tu-22 Mirage 2000
Based on how you have selected the enemy logic level, these aircraft have
the following chances of being assigned jammers:
Ace 50%
Veteran 40%
Cadet 30%
Trainee 20%
Therefore, if you come up against two MiG-29s at Ace level, one of them
will have an ECM jammer and one of them won't.
You usually get a message from your AWACS plane-"AWACS-Enemy

jamming detected in your area" -when the enemy is using his jamming
pod. When the enemy jams you, you won't be able to get a good lock with
your radar and your radar-guided missiles. See "Heat-Seekers and Radar
Jamming" in Chapter 5, "HUD and Weapons Strategies," for more infor-
mation about enemy jamming.
62 GETTING STARTED
All enemy aircraft also have threat warning indicators. This means that
they can spot you if you illuminate them with your radar. If you lock up an
enemy aircraft and then watch it with the Q (Enemy) view, you'll usually
see it jinking madly, trying to break lock. If you spot an enemy visually,
you'll gain a certain temporary advantage by keeping your radar off and
creeping up on it using only your eyeballs. Eventually, he'll spot you
visually and samba out of there, but you may have enough time to hose
him with your cannon or get a heat-seeker lock without using your radar
at all.
What the Enemy Sees
When you're using scan radar (NAM and SAM modes) in Operation:
Fighting Tiger, the enemy sees only periodic "blips" on his radar scope.
He will know someone is out there, but will not really have a good idea
of where. In normal Falcon 3.0, these modes don't help. He can "see"
you as well as if you had him locked up. What changes is his action.
When he's locked up, he'll start jinking.
A WACS E3A Sentry

The venerable MiG-29

in a breaking turn
A MiG-29 in a vertical
climb
CHAPTER 4
INSTANT ACTION
Instant Action is the module that gets you into the action of
Falcon 3.0 right away. It provides instant thrills, experience,
and excitement, but it is definitely more than an arcade game.
It gives you all the complexity of Falcon 3.0 without the over-
head. You'll probably spend more time in Instant Action than
in any other module, and it will not only provide great enter-
tainment, but will also provide great training.
66 GETTING STARTED
Going for Points

Actual F-16 HUD film
of a guns "kill" on an
F-14 Tomcat
In Instant Action, you can never "win." Unless you abort the game, you'll
eventually get shot down. It's only you against an unlimited number of
enemy planes, AAA, and SAMs. You have unlimited weapons and fuel,
but so does the enemy. So besides flying and fighting for the pure thrill of
it, you play for points in Instant Action.
The scoring in Instant Action can be a bit confusing because you don't
necessarily see the same number of icons on the score screen as the number
of planes and ground objects you destroy. There are so many targets in
Falcon 3.0 that there isn't room on the score screen to show everything you
hit. Once you've destroyed enough planes or ground objects to produce
icons across the screen, no more are displayed. Only your points continue
to be totaled.
The aircraft icons represent any aircraft that you've destroyed. A destroyed
aircraft is an aircraft you have blown out of the sky or gotten a "kill" on. A
kill means that you've critically wounded the aircraft, damaging the engine
4 INSTANT ACTION 67
so that the aircraft finally crashes. Any time you see smoke coming from an
aircraft you have shot at, you have shot out the engine. The aircraft will
eventually crash.
The tank icons represent the destruction of any runtime "map object." A
runtime map object is an object that's created when a mission or campaign
is started. For example, tanks, AAA, SAMs, SA-7 squads, and armored
personnel carriers are all runtime map objects because they're created
randomly when the simulation is started. Their positions are not fixed.
Permanent structures like buildings, bunkers, runways, and bridges don't
get scored or listed as tank icons if you destroy them.
Scores for air-to-air combat in Instant Action are determined by the follow-
ing formula: Air-to-Air
Air-to-air score= (damage* base score* skill* number of Scoring
enemy aircraft visible)- (number of AA missiles fired) * 5 Formula
Here is how each parameter is determined.
Damage When you inflict damage on the enemy, you get these points:
1 point for beyond-visual-range (BVR) kill
1 point if you hit a plane but it can still fly (non-fatal damage)
2 points if it flies into the ground
3 points if it blows up
Base score You get a base score depending on the kind of target you
destroy. Obviously, the less dangerous targets give you fewer points,
although the MiG-19s, which are known to many Falcon players as the
"MiGs from Hell," give you fewer points than the MiG-29s or Su-27s,
which are technically more sophisticated aircraft. In Falcon 3.0, the
MiG-19s may be the most dangerous opponents you'll face. Here's how
targets are scored:
60 points for MiG-29, Su-27

50 points for Mirage Fl, MiG-23, Mirage 5
40 points for MiG-19, -21, -25, Mirage III, MiG-27, SA-342, Mi-24
30 points for Su-24, Su-25
20 points for Tu-22
10 points for An-12, IL-76
68 GETTING STARTED
Skill level The skill level is the enemy logic level you've set in the
Configuration screen or the new enemy logic level that Instant Action
jumps the enemies to if you move into the next Instant Action "level"
(see below). Skill level points are something like a reverse handicap: the
lower the skill level, the lower the points. Here are the multipliers:
1 point for Trainee

2 points for Cadet
3 points for Veteran
4 points for Ace
Visual enemies The final parameter is the number of enemy planes that
are within visual range (approximately a 5-mile radius). The more bad
guys you've got buzzing around you, the more difficult your job. So
you're rewarded with extra points when there are more enemies to
confront. If there are five enemy planes within visual range, your score
will be multiplied by a factor of 5.
As mentioned before, you can destroy all the ground targets you want in
Ai r-to-G round Instant Action, but you only get points for non-permanent map objects.
Scoring According to the Instant Action programmer, the air-to-ground scoring is
Formula supposed to use the following formula:
Air-to-ground score = 1,000 *number of enemies in

visual range
The number of enemies in visual range is the same as with air-to-air

scoring and refers to aircraft in visual range, not ground enemies. The
reason for this multiplier is that if you're going after ground targets and
you have bandits on your tail, your chances of dying are much higher, so
you get rewarded with points accordingly.
The 1,000-point value is supposed to be the basic score for each tank-like
object that you destroy. However, if you check your scores, you'll see that
this can't be true. Maybe the Spectrum Holobyte programmers need a long
vacation! Even so, the scores you get for destroying ground objects clearly
4 INSTANT ACTION 69
have a much higher value than the ones you get for destroying aircraft. So
it should be obvious that if you want to go for points in Instant Action, go
after the ground targets.
Instant Action has lots of ground targets, but they may not be obvious
from 20,000 feet. Here are some guidelines: Where to Find
Ground Targets
Look for the white areas on the ground.
This populated area is

to your immediate
right as soon as you
enter Instant Action.
These areas represent cities. You'll spot many buildings, POL structures,
factories, and air bases around the white objects. White areas also have the
greatest concentration of scorable objects that will give you those big points.
Right after you enter Instant Action, you'll find a white area with lots of
targets at your three o'clock. (You start off with a heading of 270 degrees,
and the white area is at 0 degrees.)
70 GETTING STARTED
Find the island.
The island has dozens

of ground targets.
Another place to find lots of ground targets is on the island. The island's
ground targets are mostly tanks, AAA, SAMs, and bunkers, but it also has
some buildings. Of course, feel free to take out the buildings and bunkers.
These are fun and challenging targets-you just won't get points for them.
If you have SAMs/ AAA turned on in the Configuration screen, you'll get
an amazing visual thrill by flying low (below 5,000 feet) over either the city
or the island because you'll be flying through dense AAA flak! You won't
be able to see the ground targets until you get fairly low. Use your video-
guided weapons (Mavericks and GBUs) to help you locate ground targets.
Their images are magnified on the REO, so you'll see things appear under
the REO crosshair before you see them appear visually.
4 INSTANT ACTION 71
Record a flight with ACM/.
With ACM/, you can

get close enough to
smell the diesel fumes!
When you record with ACMI, you can go back and review the flight.
Chapter 12, "ACMI," gives you useful methods for looking at any part of
the area you flew in, including the ground.
Set the magnification factor to 4X or BX.

The ground targets will then be magnified. While this makes them easier to
see, it doesn't increase the target's size. That is, only the visual size is
magnified, not the strike zone. So it may look like your bombs are hitting
right on the target, but they may actually only be hitting near it.
72 GETTING STARTED
Fly very low and watch from Track view.
Down in the weeds,

you can see everything.
If you fly at around 300 feet, you'll get a good outside view of things, so
you'll see much more than you would from the cockpit. Just remember that
you need to fly carefully at that altitude. Otherwise, you might hiccup and
help the local farmer dig his irrigation canal.
The best weapons for taking out scoring ground targets are the guided
The Best missiles-specifically the Maverick AGM-65B and AGM-65D-and the
Weapons for GBU-15 guided bomb units. They lock up on very small targets quickly
Ground Targets and easily, and you can pop off five or six of these suckers in no time.
Check out Chapter 5, "HUD and Weapons Strategies," for more detailed
information on using these weapons.
If you've enabled SAMs and AAA, you can also use the AGM-45A Shrike
and the AGM-88A HARM, because the SAMs and AAA will generate a
radar source that these missiles can lock onto.
4 INSTANT ACTION 73
If you're brave and experienced, you can also try using cluster bomb units
(CBUs) against your targets. Your CBUs will destroy tanks and ground
personnel over a fairly large area, so you may be able to rack up quite a
few "kills" with a single bomb run. But CBUs are not "stand-off" weapons
like your Mavs, so you'll definitely be putting yourself at risk when you
use them.
You can advance through four levels of "experience" in Instant Action.

Levels in Instant
These levels correspond to the enemy logic level settings on the Configura-
Action
tion screen.
Assume you have the enemy logic level set to the easiest level-Trainee. To
go to the next level, you must destroy every aircraft in the first wave that's
presented to you in Instant Action. There are fourteen aircraft in each
wave. Twelve are fixed, and two are "randoms." You must destroy all
fourteen to advance to the next level, including the two helicopters, which
are counted among the twelve. If you don't destroy the twelve fairly soon,
additional randoms will be generated, which you must then also destroy in
order to advance to the next level.
When you have destroyed everything in the first wave, a message on

the screen announces that you're "advancing to the next level." The
program then bumps you up to the next level-in this case, Cadet. You
must then destroy all the aircraft in the new wave to proceed to the next
level. You will proceed this way until you reach Ace level (these levels are
actually for the enemy, not you), where you'll stay. If you start at Veteran
level, you'll automatically advance to the next level, which would be
Ace level.
In order to score high in Instant Action, you have to stay alive. Instant
Strategies for
Action has its own rules and conditions, and the better you know them, the
longer you' ll survive. You are plopped down into the midst of an infinite Staying Alive
number of "enemies with an attitude," so you'd better learn how to
stay alive.
74 G ETTING STARTED
The following strategies will help keep you alive in Instant Action:
Use your weapons liberally.

You have unlimited armament in Instant Action, so take advantage of it.
While you're penalized 5 points for every missile you fire, this is basically
insignificant to your overall score. Fire two or three missiles at every target
you aim at. While you can keep your cannon firing continuously, it's better
to use Instant Action as a place to sharpen your close-in dogfighting skills.
So use your cannon liberally, but not continuously. Wait until you think
you're set up for a guns shot, and then fire away. Use the feedback from
firing to hone your aiming ability. You don't have to be concerned with
running out of rounds in Instant Action, so you can learn how to aim
accurately. Then, in Red Flag or Campaign, you'll be able to shoot down an
enemy without spraying your entire load of cannon shells on one target.
Use the best weapon for the job.

In air-to-air encounters, you have the choice of using your guns, the AIM-
9P and AIM-9M heat-seeking missiles, or the AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-
guided missile. The AIM-9P is a rear-aspect-only heat-seeker, which means
you have to be behind the enemy you're shooting at to get a high probabil-
ity of kill. The AIM-9M, on the other hand, is an all-aspect missile, which
means you can fire it at any angle and from any position with a reasonable
chance of scoring. In Instant Action, one is just as plentiful as the other,
and the point penalties are the same. So unless you just want the challenge,
always use the AIM-9Ms.
Likewise, the AIM-120 AMRAAM is a heavy and expensive missile, but in

Instant Action you have an unlimited supply. Use them liberally when you
lock up an aircraft at a range of greater than 5 miles.
Always fly with your ECM pod turned on.

In Instant Action, you always have an ECM jamming pod. When you fly in
Red Flag or in a campaign, you won't want to keep your jamming pod
turned on all the time, because it warns the enemy you're corning. But in
Instant Action, they already know you're out there, so you're not fooling
anybody by keeping it turned off.
4 INSTANT ACTION 75
Not only will your jamming pod make it difficult for aircraft to lock you up
with their missiles, but you'll also disrupt ground AAA and radar-guided
SAMs. This disruption will go a long way toward keeping you alive. But
keep in mind that the ECM pod won't keep you safe from shoulder-
launched SA-7s. These babies home in on the heat signature from your
F-16, not its radar image. You've got to keep your eyes open to avoid them,
as explained in Chapter 7, "Countermeasure Strategies."
Identify the most dangerous threats and attack them first.

Many different kinds of aircraft will come at you in Instant Action. Some
are dangerous, and some are not. You need to find the dangerous ones
right away and get them before they get you. At the higher enemy logic
levels, you may only get one chance to bag an enemy before he gets you.
The enemy is so good, and there are so many of them that, if you don't act
aggressively immediately, you'll quickly memorize all of your caution
lamps, since you'll see them lit so often.
To help you identify air threats, learn to use the different views and your
instruments effectively. You'll take advantage of the different views
primarily to provide situational awareness, to identify the different threats,
and to dogfight most effectively. Chapter 11, "View Strategies," has more
details on using the views in Falcon 3.0 to help you win.
Chapter 10, "Tallyho!," gives you important pointers about how to identify
the enemy. The instruments that will help you identify enemies are your
radar and your threat warning equipment. Your radar will help you
identify threats by showing you their airspeed and their aspect angle. The
airspeed of an aircraft can give you some clues as to the type of aircraft it
is. The aspect angle tells you if they are heading your way or not. If they
are heading your way, they probably have nasty things in mind. It turns
out that in Instant Action, almost everybody is headed your way with
nasty things in mind.
Also, keep a close eye on your Threat Warning Indicator. When an enemy
aircraft is painting you with his radar, your Threat Warning Indicator can
identify the type of radar. The radar type appears as a number in a dia-
mond on the indicator. When you see this number, you can make some
guesses about the type of aircraft that is locked onto you.
76 GETTING STARTED
Identifying Aircraft by Radar Type
Type Definition Aircraft

Type 1 Look down, shoot down MiG-29, Su-27
These are high-performance aircraft on par with the F-16. Dangerous and clever.
Type 2 Single target track MiG-23 , MiG-25,

MiG-27
Mostly you'll see the MiC-27s. They are big and a bit lumbering. You should be
able to outfly them.
Type 3 Continuous wave MiG-19, MiG-21

These are the Falcon 3.0 "MiCs from Hell! " Drop everything and blast these guys
out of the sky as soon as you can . If you get jumped by two MiC-19s at one time,
you'll be in for one hell of a fight!
Type 4 Targeting Mirage Ill, Mirage 5,

Mirage Fl
These aircraft are not common in Instant Action, but when they do show up, they
are very aggressive!
Type 5 Attack Su-24

While basically a ground attack aircraft, the Su-24 will shoot you down with
guns if he can. And he is very accurate with his guns. You should be able to
outfly him easily.
Type 6 Early warning IL-76 Mainstay

The /L-76 is a floating target, but the /L-76 is usually escorted by MiC-19s, so
look for them, get them first, and then, if you have time, come back and plaster
the IL -76.
4 INSTANT ACTION 77
Don 't try for a guns kill unless you 've got some breathing room.
One of the most thrilling aspects of dogfighting is a guns kill. It requires all
your skill in flying and fighting to smoke a bandit with your cannons,
because you have to be close enough to almost see his face in the canopy.
But you want to be sure you're in a 1VI (one versus one) battle when you
go for a guns kill in Instant Action. If you're taking your time maneuvering
for position, and there's another bandit nearby, he's going to sneak up on
your six and send you spiraling into the ground while you're busy getting
into position. Make sure you clear the air of everyone else before you allow
yourself the luxury of a guns kill. Of course, if a bad guy is about to cross
your path at 500 feet, by all means, switch to guns and stitch him up.
In Falcon 3.0 version C and earlier, there were scripts for each wave of
aircraft. The same aircraft always came in the same location and the same Who's Coming
order. It was possible (with a lot of experience) to know ahead of time who When
was coming at you when. The Falcon programmers decided that this was
too easy, so in version D, they changed the algorithm. Now, other than the
Tu-22s and the Su-25s (the "welcoming committee") that you always see in
front of you at the beginning of Instant Action, all the enemy aircraft are
created randomly. You won't be able to predict the action, and you'll have
to keep your eyes peeled constantly. It is really you against the universe up
there, and the only help you have is your wits, your skill, and your deadly
F-16.
You can use some common sense on the initial setup. You know you' ll face
four Tu-22 bombers escorted by two Su-25s. Take out the Su-25s immedi-
ately! If you don't, they will turn on your six and gun you down. Shoot
them down before you do anything else. If you get them right away, you
can also go for the Tu-22s. They will be wallowing up there like fat guppies
and will be easy to shoot down.
If you have to spend some time going after the Su-25s, then you'd better
check the area with Padlock view. Some more bad guys will be in the area
very soon, and you may be too involved with them to pick off the bombers.
An alternative strategy is to ignore the Su-25s and immediately head for

the white area at your three o'clock. Zoom over there, select your Maver-
icks, and fire at every ground target you can see. If you take out these
78 GETTING STARTED
ground targets with the Tu-22s or the Su-25s in visual range, you'll get
very high scores. You can easily score in the hundreds of thousands by
starting off with this approach and then continuing to destroy ground
targets. Be careful of the SA-7 SAMs and all the AAA, however. And don't
keep your attention focused on the ground for too long because some
enemy ace will come by and clean your clock before you know it.
When you get involved in a furball, a general rule is to take your best shots
Leaving the Area
and then, if you're not immediately victorious, plug in your burner and
disengage. Get some space between you and the bad guys, catch your
breath, and then come back blazing. You might turn the fight to your
advantage that way.
If you find the density of enemy aircraft in Instant Action is generally more
than you want to deal with, you can thin things down a bit. First, take out
the two Su-25s right in front of you. Then use Padlock view to see if
anyone else is coming at you. If you find someone, go to full burner, fly
away from the bandit, and climb. Climb to 25,000 or 30,000 feet. By going
to burner, heading away from the enemies, and climbing, you'll success-
fully disengage from the battle area. You can fly around looking at the
scenery for a while and eventually the simulator will create some randoms,
usually in pairs, to come after you. Now you have to deal with only one or
two aircraft at a time. You also won't have many SAMs or AAA to contend
with unless you stray over certain areas of the terrain. Up here, things are
not nearly as bad as in your initial starting place in Instant Action.
This approach is particularly useful in version D. Here the MiG-19s are so

aggressive at Veteran and Ace levels that you may not get any enjoyment
because you'll be shot down so often. Start out at the lower logic levels
until you get a feel for how bad these suckers are. When you go to the
higher levels, disengage immediately after firing on the Su-25s. Climb and
get out of there. Then try to take out the MiG-19s with BVR (beyond visual
range) shots.
If you take this approach, you'll have much more leisure to practice your
flying and fighting skills. Then, when you feel that you're really hot stuff,
head back for the island.
4 INST ANT ACTION 79
Waypoints in Instant Action
You'll periodically hear the AWACS giving you waypoint instructions in

Instant Action. And you'll see two waypoints set up in you r HUD. You
may find this rather strange, since, as far as you knew, you didn't have a
mission per se. What do these waypoints mean? They are simply two
points within the "action" area that will keep you supplied with air and
ground threats. They are used primarily as an aid if you fly Instant Action
on autopilot. The waypoints keep the AP in the area where the bad guys
are.
One of your Mavericks

heading for a tank in
Instant Action
Ow! That's the kind of

headache that hurts all
day!
80 GETTING STARTED
Strategic Training
Besides being a quick way to get into the action, Instant Action offers an
arena where you can learn specific skills-and then keep them sharp.
The best way to use Instant Action for training is to set the enemy logic
Guns Practice level to Trainee. By making the enemy as docile as possible, you can fly
around and practice shooting them down with minimum danger to
yourself. This is particularly good training for learning to make a guns kill.
With the enemy logic set to its easiest level, you can afford to use your
guns on more than the last aircraft in the sky. But remember, even at
Trainee level, the enemy can and will shoot you down, so don't let one get
behind you while you're busy with the guy in front.
You can also practice landing at the enemy air bases in Instant Action
Landing Practice
when you get tired of clearing the skies. This is always good practice.
There are plenty of ground targets in Instant Action, so learn to switch to

Air-to-Ground different air-to-ground weapons and use them effectively. For best results,
Practice use the Red Flag missions supplied on the disk that comes with this book
to learn each specific air-to-ground weapon. Then keep your skills sharp in
Instant Action.
Changing the Theater of Operation with F3MAPS
Normally, when you enter Instant Action, you're placed in the Kuwait
theater of operations. However, you can use the F3MAPS utility program
to change the theater of operations for Instant Action from Kuwait to
Panama, Israel, Red Flag (Nevada), or-if you have Operation : Fighting
Tiger-Korea, Kashmir, or the Kurile Islands. Each theater has different
terrain and different ground objects, and it's a real thrill to suddenly have
new scenery and targets in Instant Action. See the Appendix for details
about F3MAPS.
4 INST ANT ACTION 81
If you have Operation: Fighting Tiger or version E of Falcon, you'll have a

new "time of day." These versions have replaced the dusk time of day with
Nighttime in
Instant Action
a nighttime flight. At night, it is very dark, and there's not a lot you can see.
In Instant Action, this kind of visual blindness can be fatal real fast.
Falcon randomly picks a time of day for you to fly at the start of each
Instant Action session, but if you don't like flying at night in Instant
Action, you can change the time of day with Shift-T. Each time you press
Shift-T, you cycle to a new time of day. Likewise, if you want to see what
it's like flying around blind as a banana, use Shift-T to make it dark.
For Quick Restarts
If you don't care about points, use the Abort command to end an Instant
Action game. You probably want to get right back into the action . When
you use the Abort command , you go right to the War Room, bypassing
two screens. It' s the quickest possible way to get yourself back in the air.
The SA-6 is a delightful

missile, designed to
keep your adrenal
glands in good
working condition.
PART TWO
GETTING SERIOUS
5. HUD and Weapons Strategies 85

6. Radar Strategies 131
7. Countermeasure Strategies 159
8. Navigation and Fuel Management Strategies 177
9. Dogfighting Strategies 185
10. Tallyho! 205
11. View Strategies 217
12. ACM/ 243
13. Hidden Features of Falcon 3.0 269
CHAPTER 5
HUD AND WEAPONS
STRATEGIES ,
The HUD is one of the most important instruments you use in

Falcon 3.0. It displays a vast amount of information right in
front of your eyes while you're flying. It's like a cybernetic
overlay on your vision that shows not only your airspeed,
altitude, and heading, but also information about the currently
selected weapon and the enemy you have targeted.
The Falcon 3.0 user's manual briefly describes each display on

the HUD for the various HUD modes, but the descriptions are
like a manufacturer's specs. You need to know how to use
these instruments to survive. So this chapter explains which of
the instruments are important, which you can ignore, and
which will save your life.
86 G ETTING SERIOUS
HUD Basics
You will probably rely on your HUD more in Falcon 3.0 than a real fighter
pilot would, because you don't have the same field of vision and visual
acuity you would have if you were sitting in the cockpit of a real F-16. In
addition, the HUD and lower cockpit instruments take up most of the
screen in Falcon 3.0, so your attention will be centered on the HUD and
radar. If either instrument is damaged in a fight, you will sorely miss it.
The HUD is intimately tied in with both your radar and your Stores
Control Panel. When you select a weapon system with your Stores Control
Panel, the appropriate aiming reticles and mode indicators are displayed
on the HUD. Data from the radar are also projected onto the HUD to give
you information about the target you are tracking. If either the radar or the
Stores Control Panel is damaged, it will affect the operation of the HUD.
No matter which HUD mode you're using, you always see a basic set of
displays. These displays are important for the primary functions of flying
the aircraft.
NOTE: Falcon 3.0 gives you the option, in the Configuration screen, of selecting
between a model A and a model C HUD. The differences are basically cosmetic and
are described in Chapter 2, "Setting the Switches." The discussion of the HUD in
this chapter assumes the model A HUD but applies equally to either HUD type.
5 HUD AND WEAPONS STRATEGIES 87
Your airspeed is obviously important because

Airspeed
your ability to fly is a function of your airspeed.
Airspeed in Falcon 3.0 is measured as True
Airspeed (TAS) in tens of knots. You always want
to be cognizant of your airspeed. It is even more
important in Falcon 3.0 to constantly monitor your
airspeed than it is in real life, because you have
none of the sensory cues of movement that you
have in a real aircraft.
Your airspeed is of primary concern during takeoff, ingress and egress,

dogfighting, and landing.
Takeoff
In order to become airborne, you must have enough forward velocity to
create lift. In Falcon, your ability to become airborne depends on your
airspeed and the weight of your aircraft. Your aircraft is subject to both
weight and drag influences, which means that you will be able to lift off at
a lower speed with a lightly laden aircraft than you can if you load your
bird down with lots of iron.
Ingress and egress

Ingress and egress refer to your travel toward and away from a target.
Watching your airspeed is important in these activities for several reasons.
You'll most likely be flying with wingmen, who, fortunately, will do their
best to stay with you. They want to fly at the speed you set up in the
waypoint screen, but if you fly faster or slower, they will try to keep right
on your wing. However, you may also be tasked to escort a bombing
mission. In this case, you'll need to stay with the bombers you're escorting,
or your protection will be useless. You need to keep your eyes on your
airspeed indicator to make sure you're not going too fast or too slow. If
you can see the bombers visually or track them on radar, you'll have a
better idea of whether you're traveling at the correct speed.
When you leave a target, you usually want to get the hell out of Dodge,
since the enemy doesn't take kindly to having his bridges, air bases, and
nuclear power plants blown into small, useless pieces. Punch in your
burner and beat feet on your egress. You'll probably just blast out at top
speed, but keep an eye on your airspeed indicator (and your fuel gauge!)
just to be sure.
88 GETTING SERIOUS
Dogfighting
When you get into air-to-air combat, airspeed will make all the difference.
To a fighter pilot, airspeed means energy, and you have to keep your
energy (your "smash") high in a dogfight, or you'll run out of steam and
let the bad guys waltz righteously through your sandbox.
When you are pulling Gs, jinking, and basically slithering all through the
sky, you bleed off airspeed. You need to compensate for the loss, either by
increasing your thrust or by converting altitude into airspeed. In either
case, you need to keep your eye glued to the airspeed indicator, because if
you lose too much energy, you won't be able to maneuver, you won't be
able to catch the enemy, and you won't be able to disengage from the fight.
You will be able to crash and burn, however, and that is probably what
you'll end up doing.
In a dogfight, try to keep your airspeed between 400 and 500 knots. In the
F-16, the speed that gives you the fastest and tightest turning rate-known
as the corner speed or corner velocity-is 450 knots. If you want to take
advantage of the best performance of your aircraft, keep the speed up.
Landing
Your speed is obviously as critical in landing as it is in takeoff. In landing,
you need to balance airspeed, rate of descent, and angle of attack to make a
proper landing. Fortunately, in Falcon 3.0, the requirements for landing are
not as strict as in real life. But you still need to control your airspeed. As
your airspeed decreases, your angle of attack will increase. You'll get the
right angle of attack by controlling your airspeed.
The most important thing to worry about is stalling. If you drop below 160
knots, you will stall and fall out of the sky. In Falcon 3.0, it's better to land
a little fast than a little slow.
If your HUD is damaged in battle, you'll have to rely on your eyes and
your backup airspeed indicator (on the left side of your cockpit) to tell you
how fast you're going. For landing, you will have to judge almost entirely
by your eyes, since you won't have time to keep switching views.
The altitude indicator is important because you Altitude

can't fly through dirt, and that's what you'll do if
you don't keep your aircraft high enough. In most
cases in Falcon 3.0, you will be able to see the
terrain. Occasionally, if you have clouds turned on
or are flying at night in Operation: Fighting Tiger,
you will be so blind you won't be able to see
anything. Since you aren't armed with topographi-
cal maps containing altitude data about the
terrain, your altitude scale won't really help much
when you can't get a visual fix on the ground.
Knowing your altitude will be important, however, if you want to perform

your air-to-ground weapons delivery according to plan. Depending on the
target and the conditions, you may want to drop ordnance at a specific
altitude. It's easy to just come in at any level and pickle off, but if you want
to try flying more professionally, you'll need to keep an eye on the altitude
scale.
Don't make the deadly mistake of confusing the altitude in the HUD
altitude scale with the Above Ground Level (AGL) readout in the lower
right corner of the HUD. The one that will keep you from playing harp
with the angels is the AGL reading. If you're flying over mountains, the
two readings can vary considerably. Keep your eye on the AGL readout.
h ~
The heading scale provides you with
'
compass readings to help you navigate.

Heading
- - -- - ~ -"- - - -~
You'll normally use your waypoint caret
- L ~ ~ ~ -' ~ ~ - ~
to steer to your target, but if you get lost or disoriented, you'll want to refer
to the basic heading scale.
Another good use of the heading scale is in turning for your bomb run. A
typical bomb run is done by angling off the target by about 45 degrees,
pulling up into a 30-degree climb, and turning down toward your target.
You'll want to check your headings before and during this maneuver to be
sure you are on target.
90 GETTING SERIOUS
G Force Indicator The G force indicator tells you how many Gs

you're pulling at any given time. Falcon 3.0
provides visual feedback for pulling and push-
ing Gs by turning the screen white when you
pull too many Gs and turning it red when you
push too many Gs. These effects mirror some
of the visual changes you would experience if you performed these maneu-
vers in a real aircraft. In addition to these visual experiences, you would also
feel the force of gravity on your entire body. In fact, in a dogfight, the winner
of the battle may be the one who can withstand the force of gravity the longest.
The forces that affect a fighter pilot in a dogfight are tremendous, and require
the pilot to stay in top shape. In Falcon 3.0, however, you can be a complete
couch potato and still be a deadly pilot. The most you sacrifice is your vision,
and if you use the external view, you don't even lose that.
It's up to you to determine how much realism you want to bring to Falcon
3.0. Your may want to take every advantage you can without actually
cheating, and pull Gs like there's no tomorrow. If you take this approach,
you never need to look at the G force indicator at all. You can tell if you're
pulling too many Gs when the screen whites out. Then you can ease back,
but only if you specifically need to see something. Since the enemies pull
Gs with abandon, you should, too.
This readout is totally useless and is of no

Max G Force I
interest to anyone but your crew chief, who l
Indicator
wants to make sure you haven't over- ~/
stressed the airframe. If you're playing to Max G force indicator
win, it'll be pegged at 9.0 or greater all the
time.
The pitch ladder consists of horizontal bars that indicate

Pitch Ladder your angle of climb or dive. The bars are in increments of
2.5 degrees. Positive pitch bars are solid, and negative
pitch bars are dashed. You need to determine your pitch
during takeoff, when you want to climb at about 30
degrees, and during landing, when your descent will be
about-15 degrees until you are quite near the runway. During bombing runs,
your pitch should be between -10 and -25 degrees.
Your pitch ladder may be the only thing to indicate how steep a dive you're
in. If you are heading towards the ground and see your airspeed indicator
edging up to 500 or 600 knots, you'd better check your angle of dive. If it's
greater than about 20 degrees, you will have a devil of a time pulling out safely
and in time unless you're way up there.
The waypoint distance indicator tells

Waypoint Distance
you how far you are from your next
Indicator
waypoint. This helps you plan the next
activity you need to perform. You may
need to set up weapons for your next
waypoint or be on the lookout for SAMs
or enemy aircraft. The waypoint dis-
tance indicators help you orient yourself
in the Falcon world, since it's difficult to know where you are visually-
you can only see 5 miles in any direction.
If you make one of your waypoints your home base, you will always know
how far it you are from home. This will help you figure out your fuel man-
agement and how long you can linger over a target. You get a bonus in
Falcon because, even if you incur NAY damage that wipes out your nav-
igation map and your waypoint readouts, you can still set your autopilot
to any of the waypoints you set up in the waypoint screen. You can bypass
and return to previous waypoints as usual. You just won't see the display
on your HUD. However, if you ask the A WACS for heading information
(Shift-N), it will give you information to get you to your current waypoint,
including distance. It's nice to have the AW ACS around sometimes!
The waypoint caret is your steering cue to your

current waypoint. Head in the direction of the Waypoint Caret
caret, and as you come to the proper heading for
your waypoint, the caret will move toward the
center of the heading scale. When it is aligned at the center tick mark, you
are on the proper heading for your waypoint.
If you're using the model C HUD mode, you steer the same way. When
you're on the proper heading, the arrow, which shows you the direction to
turn, switches to two arrows pointing to the heading value.
92 GETTING SERIOUS
The Mach indicator gives you your air-

Mach Indicator
speed as a value of Mach, which is the speed
of sound at sea level. Mach 1 is the speed of
sound, which is approximately 650 knots.
(This value varies with altitude and other
factors.) Mach 2 is twice the speed of sound,
and so on. You generally won't use this
indicator for anything useful.
You'll find two important warning indicators on the HUD. One gives you
Warnings
fuel information, and the other tells you if you're in danger of crashing.
Fuel
You get two fuel indications on the
HUD. If you see the word FUEL in
large letters across the HUD, it means
that you are at your bingo fuel point.
You need to return to base right away
or else you won't have enough fuel to
get back.
You will also see the word FUEL and

a number in the lower left corner of
the HUD. This number is the amount
of fuel you will have remaining in
your fuel tank after landing (in hundreds of pounds) if you return to base
flying at the current altitude and speed, with the current load of stores. In
other words, it shows you your reserve fuel, assuming you RTB immediately.
Arrowheads
Arrowheads appear when you're in
danger of crashing into the ground.
Your flight control computer deter-
mines if your path is too fast or too
steep for a normal landing, and if it is,
the computer issues the pull-up voice
warning and shows the converging
arrows.You need to respond immedi-
ately if you see these arrows, or you'll
become very well acquainted with a small piece of ground.
Air-to-Air HUD Modes
When you select an air-to-air weapon, various HUD mode graphics appear
on your HUD. The primary graphic is the missile aiming reticle. You use this
to lock up your target with the selected missile. In addition to the missile
reticle, other weapons-specific information appears on the HUD. While the
sizes of missile reticles are different in the different air-to-air HUD modes,
the readouts on the HUD are the same. We'll talk about the readouts in
I general first, and then about the specific missile
reticles.
Around the circle of each missile reticle is a small

arrow, known as the aspect angle caret. This symbol Aspect Angle
is extremely useful for helping you get a picture of Caret
the relationship of a tracked aircraft to your own
aircraft. It's also important for determining if your
\
Aspect
missile is within parameters to make a good kill.
Angle
The aspect angle is the angle between your line of
sight (LOS) and a line running the length of the
enemy's plane. This relationship is easiest to under-
stand if you're directly behind the other aircraft. If
you're behind the enemy and he is heading away
94 GETTING SERIOUS
from you, his aspect angle is 0 degrees. If he is heading directly toward

you, it's 180 degrees. His aspect angle will always be between 0 and 180
degrees and is designated as left or right, depending on which side of his
aircraft you would see if you could see it.
For example, if the enemy is dead in front of you with

an aspect angle of 0 degrees (that is, pointed in the
same direction as you are) and then makes a break to
the right, you will be able to see the right side of the
aircraft as he turns 45 degrees to the right. He would,
atthat point, have an aspect angle of 45 degrees right.
The aspect angle caret would
be on the bottom of the circle at
around eight o'clock.
One way to think about aspect

angle is that the caret points in
the approximate direction that
the aircraft is traveling. If the
Line of sight
aircraft crosses in front of you, /
heading toward your left wing,
the caret will be at the top of the circle at around the one
o'clock spot. The enemy will then have an aspect angle
of about 160 degrees left-he's moving toward your
left, and you could see the left side of his aircraft if he
were within visual range. For more about how to use
the aspect angle caret when firing a missile, see
"Missile Firing Strategies," later in this chapter.
By the way, the aspect angle is also displayed numerically as the bottom figure
of the three-readout stack in the lower right quadrant of the radar.
The distance-to-target indicator is critical I

Distance to
~.L
when you're selecting and firing a mis-
Target sile. Missiles have maximum and opti-
mum firing ranges, and if you want to get Distance to targf.!I
a high PK (probability of kill), you'll need
to fire at the correct distance.
Another reason the distance-to-target readout is important is that in

Falcon 3.0, aircraft are displayed as dots until they get within about a half
mile of you (at the 1X magnification). So you won't be able to judge
distance visually until the other plane is right on top of you. Use the
distance-to-target indicator to keep track of how close the other plane is to
you. You' ll want to use this figure in conjunction with the closure rate
reading, given in the lower right corner of the radar, and the aspect angle
readout to determine whether the aircraft is moving toward you or away
from you. Depending on its direction and closure speed, you will have
more or less time to set up your shot.
The HUD mode indicator is used to

HUD Mode
confirm the weapon you've selected in
the Stores Control Panel. It won't give Indicator
you the whole picture, however, because
you may select different stores that
HUD mode indicator showing two display the same HUD mode indicators
medium range missiles selected and HUD graphics. For example, all of
the iron bombs and the Durandal anti-runway bombs use the CCIP HUD
mode, and you won't be able to distinguish among them just by looking at
the HUD.
The HUD mode indicator does give you a useful datum: the remaining
quantity of the selected weapon. The one case in which this readout
doesn't show up next to the HUD mode indicator is when you've selected
your cannon-the number of cannon rounds remaining isn't shown. For
this information, you need to check your Stores Control Panel. Also, note
that the HUD mode indicator doesn't tell you how many bombs you' ve
chosen to ripple off. Likewise, for this information, you need to check your
Stores Control Panel.
In air-to-ground attacks, you should usually fly with the front view
scrolled down, so you'll be able to see your Stores Control Panel. In air-to-
air missions, you may often have your front view scrolled up to give you a
better view of things. You need to remember to scroll it down periodically
to keep track of the number of cannon rounds you have left and to check
out your Threat Warning Indicator. See Chapter 11, "View Strategies," for
more information about views.
96 GETTING SERIOUS
The target designator (TD) box is one

TD Box
of the most useful elements of your
HUD display. The TD box is drawn
around the enemy that is locked up on
radar-in SAM, SIT, or ACM modes.
The value of the TD box is that it
shows the position of the target as a
line-of-sight position through your
HUD. If you look through the HUD to
the center of the TD box, you will be
looking at the exact position of the target in space, even if it is beyond visual
range! The TD box also helps keep track of a target within visual range
when things are getting fast and furious . Even when a target is visible, it's
easy to lose it in the ground clutter or if you get distracted by another
aircraft. Just look for the TD box, and you'll be able to spot the target again.
Problems with the TD Box
The TD box is drawn around the target that is currently locked up on the
radar. However, there are various ways a target can break lock. He can
simply move outside of the scan of your radar. He can beam you by
flying perpendicular to your radar beam. He can jam you with his own
ECM pod.
A typical TD box problem occurs when you have a bandit locked up and
are maneuvering hard. He breaks out of the scope of your radar beam,
and you break hard and go after him. You quickly reestablish position on
him, and the TD box reappears on your HUD. The next thing you know,
your screen is turning yellow, and you ' re slowly spiraling into the
ground, with the bandit still showing in the TO box on your HUD! No,
you haven't been jumped on by a confederate. It was your ori ginal ban-
dit who shot you down. Here's what happened : when you positioned
yourse lf back on your target, the radar locked onto a different target
within its field of view. Therefore, when tracking a target with the TD
box, it's critical that you always check the distance-to-target indicator.
For example, suppose you're on the tail of a MiG at 1.5 miles, break
lock, and then re-establish lock. If the distance-to-target indicator now
shows 6.5 miles, chances are that your radar is locked onto a different
target. You need to break radar lock (using the X key) and try to lock up
your o ri ginal target again.
The target locator lines and diamond X are also extremely useful, particu-
larly in Falcon 3.0, where you don't have the visual range and acuity you Target Locator
would have in real life. These indicators point to where the target is when and Diamond X
the TD box disappears off your HUD. They will continue to indicate target
position as long as your radar has a lock on the target. While not as effec-
tive as the TD box, the target locator and diamond X indicators will help
you steer toward your target even when you can't see it.
98 GETTING SERIOUS
Missile Firing Strategies

AIM-9M coming off the
rail of an F-16
Now that you know how to use your air-to-air HUD displays, you can
work on strategies for using your air-to-air missiles and your M61Al
Vulcan cannon in combat. You have two types of air-to-air missiles: heat-
seeking missiles and active-radar-guided missiles.
In Falcon 3.0, you'll use two kinds of heat-seeking (or Sidewinder) missiles:
The Heat-Seeking the AIM-9P, which is a rear-aspect missile, and the AIM-9M, which is an
Missiles all-aspect missile. In Operation: Fighting Tiger, you may also use the
AIM-9R missile.
AIM-9P
The AIM-9P ("Papa") is a
rear-aspect heat-seeker. Its
seeker head is not as sensi-
tive or sophisticated as that
of the AIM-9M ("Mike")
model, so it must pick up the heat signa-
ture from the enemy's engine. This means
you must be on the tail of the enemy to get
a lock on with the Papa. In reality, you
need to have an aspect angle within 60L
to 60R to have a probability of a good kill
with a Papa.
00
Aspect angle carets at 60 right and left
In Falcon, however, you will actually get a tone and lock on even if the
other aircraft is heading directly toward you (with an aspect of 180)! And
if you fire a couple of Papas at a plane coming right at you, you have a
chance to hit it-even though you probably wouldn't in the real world.
The Falcon user's manual says that the range of the Papa is 6 miles, but
you wont get a lock-on tone until you're within about 4.7 miles. In addi-
tion, you must have the target within the aiming reticle of the missile to get
a lock on. Once you're locked on, you don't have to keep the target within
the reticle. In fact, it's sometimes to your advantage not to have the target
within the reticle when you fire. The discussion of the AIM-9M that
follows describes how to pull lead to insure a good hit on a target.
AIM-9M
The AIM-9M ("Mike") is a
much more sophisticated
version of this heat-seeker.
Its seeker head is so sensi-
tive that it can pick up the
heat emissions from the leading edge flaps of the aircraft as it moves
through the air. It can get a good lock on an aircraft from any angle, and is
called an all-aspect missile because of this capability.
As in the case of the Papa, the Falcon 3.0 manual says that the Mike has a
range of 6 miles. But again, you won't get a tone until you're within about
4.7 miles. With the Mike, however, you don't have to place the TD box
within the aiming reticle to get
a lock on because the missile is
slaved to your radar. As long
as you're generally pointed at
the aircraft (if you have a TD
box somewhere on the HUD),
you'll be able to lock up the
plane with the Mike missile,
assuming you're within range.
Aspect
angle
Of course, your best probabil-
ity of kill (PK) is still a rear-
aspect shot, if for no other
reason than this: the enemy has
"' Lmeo
f \ the least possibility of jinking
sight
and throwing off the missile.
0
For both missile types, how-
ever, you need to lead the
enemy's movements.
Pulling lead Aspect of 95 left

100 GETIING SERIOUS
For example, if the enemy plane shows an aspect angle of 30L, the aspect
caret will be at the bottom of the circle at about five o'clock. If you put the
TD box right in the center of the aiming reticle and fire, the enemy may be
able to spoof your missile. Remember, he will probably use flares and chaff
to throw off your missiles and will break away from the direction of the
missile. If you aim where he is, by the time your missile gets there, all it will
see are his flares. Instead, you have to aim where he will be! This is called
pulling lead (rhymes with reed). So if he is turning to your left, you need to
aim toward the left in front of him. Then your missile will have a much
better chance of staying locked on and hitting the target.
Another factor to consider is the number of Gs you're pulling when you

fire your missile. Suppose you're in a tight turn, pulling 5 or 6 Gs. As soon
as you launch your weapon, it's no longer under the influence of your
aircraft's turn. It will straighten out and take off in the direction it finds
itself in upon release. So to have a better chance of hitting your target, you
need to pull lead and then ease off of the Gs just before you fire your
missile. The missile will be aimed properly in front of the target and will
have time to accelerate and keep its lock. The missiles in Falcon 3.0 are
modeled very accurately (at least in version D and later). This means that
they start out slow and then accelerate up to their maximum speed.
NOTE: In versions prior to version D, the flight dynamics of the missiles were
inverted. They could maneuver very well at slow speeds and very poorly at high
speeds. In version D, this was corrected, and missiles now track and fly properly.
But this means that until the missile comes up to speed, it's sort of sitting there.
That's why you must pull enough lead to allow the missile to keep its lock until it
can maneuver accurately on its own.
All missiles in Falcon 3.0 (yours and the enemy's) fly "pure pursuit,"
which means that they point their noses right at the target and try to keep
them on the target until they hit it. Fortunately for you, the enemy's
missiles don't fly lead pursuit, which would cause them to aim ahead of you
and make them considerably more deadly. The fact that your missiles also
fly pure pursuit is another reason why you need to pull lead when you fire
an air-to-air missile.
The Sound of Sidewinders

If you have a sound board installed in your computer, you'll hear two
tones from the heat-seeking Sidewinder missiles. The first is the back-
ground tone, and the second is a higher tone that sounds when the
missile locks on. You want to wait until you hear this second tone before
firing. With the PC speaker, you get just one tone, which means that the
missile has locked on.
When the missile locks on, you'll also see the seeker head diamond start
to flash. In addition, if you're flying with the model C HUD, you'll see
the message "SHOOT!" appear across the HUD.
There is a funny inaccuracy in the way that Falcon 3.0 produces the
Sidewinder tones with sound boards like the SoundBlaster. You'll hear
the background growl start at a low pitch, and then the lock-on tone is
produced at a higher pitch. However, when it reverts back to the back-
ground growl, the tone steps up even higher than the lock-on pitch. And
if you get another lock on, the tone goes even higher. In other words,
each time you get a new sound, it is pitched higher than the last sound.
This is not the way the audio of a real Sidewinder works, but this
shouldn't produce any real problems in using the system.
One thing to note, however, is that the lock-on tone sometimes sticks
"on." If you continue to get a lock-on tone when the diamond seeker
head tracker returns to the center of the HUD or resumes its ping-pong
motion, you have run across a sound driver bug and should just ignore
the tone. Try pressing the S key to toggle sound on and off. This might
" unstick" the sound .
AIM-9R
The AIM-9R missile is available only in Operation: Fighting Tiger, and then
only in the Kurile Islands theater of operations. The AIM-9R is the newest
version of the all-aspect Sidewinder missile. It has better control and
guidance electronics, better target acquisition, and better resistance to
ECM. It has the same range as the AIM-9M but, due to its higher "intelli-
gence," should provide a better probability of kill. You can use the same
strategies with this missile as with the AIM-9M.
102 GETTING SERIOUS
With Falcon 3.0 versions D and E, enemy aircraft have the ability to jam
Heat-Seekers and
your radar, much as you can jam theirs with your ALQ-131. If you receive
Radar Jamming
a message from your AW ACS controller warning you of ECM jamming in
your area, you'll find that you'll no longer be able to lock your radar, and
thus your missiles, onto some of your targets. Although the electronic
jamming is designed to screw up your radar, and your heat-seekers detect
the infrared signature of the enemy aircraft rather than their radar signa-
tures, you'll still have problems locking on. In normal mode, the heat-
seeker is slaved to the radar to help you get a quick, strong lock. So when
you experience jamming, you have to take special action to enable your
heat-seekers to lock on and home into your targets.
First, turn your radar to standby with the R key. As long as your radar is
on, the jamming will confuse the radar /heat-seeker interface. Once the
radar is off, the seeker heads of your missiles will pick up the infrared
signature of the closest enemy aircraft and lock on-assuming you are
within range and parameters. You'll hear the tone and see the diamond
flash in the HUD. You can then fire your missile normally.
Although changing the lock to a different target is much more difficult in

this mode, there are a couple of ways to do it. If you maneuver so that the
lock is broken, the tone stops sounding and the diamond stops flashing.
You can then simply re-establish lock as you did originally. The difficulty
is in breaking lock of a target you don' t want to shoot. There is no built-in
way to do this. However, you can get around this by switching to air-to-
ground mode. Just press the Backspace key. Then switch back to air-to-air
mode by pressing Enter. When you return, you will be back in your missile
HUD mode with no lock. You can then lock up the best target within the
aiming reticle.
Test firing of an
AIM-9l (the predeces-
sor of the AIM-9M).
The images show it
before and after
striking the test target.
How the Heat-Seeker Works
The AIM-9M infrared missile has a seeker head that is cooled with argon
gas, which makes it very sensitive to heat sources. It detects a heat
source, such as the engine exhaust of an enemy aircraft, and locks its
guidance system onto that. When the missile is fired, it steers itself
toward the heat source. The AIM-9M is sensitive enough to be able to
detect the heat from air friction off the leading edge flaps and fuselage of
fast-moving aircraft, making it an all-aspect IR missile.
The real AIM-9M seeker head has two states: caged and uncaged. When
the seeker head is caged, it's looking straight ahead, along the fuselage
reference line of the aircraft. It's in "boresight" mode and will lock onto
the strongest heat source within its (limited) field of view.
In uncaged mode, the seeker head actively searches for heat sources by
moving around on gimbals. In Falcon 3.0, the ping-panging diamond
that you see in the missile HUD mode display represents the movement
of the seeker head looking for heat sources. When it finds and locks onto
an active source, it emits a characteristic "growl" that tells the pilot that
the missile has a good lock.
While the seeker head is in uncaged mode and the pilot's radar is in STT
mode, the heat-seeker's seeker head is slaved to the radar. This means
that the seeker head "looks" at the target that the radar has locked up.
This mode is particularly useful if there are multiple heat sources and the
pilot wants the missile to discriminate among the sources to lock onto
one specific source.
Because the seeker head is slaved to the radar, the enemy can disrupt the
lock of the heat-seeking missile when they use ECM. This seems counter-
intuitive because ECM is a kind of electronic jamming, and the AIM-9M
uses infrared detection. However, since the seeker head is slaved to the
radar, and the radar is jammed by the ECM, the AIM-9M gets confused.
104 GETTING SERIOUS
Besides the standard short-range heat-seeking missiles, your F-16 is

Active-Radar- equipped with a medium-range active-radar-guided missile called the
Guided Missiles AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile). It is
designed as a BVR (beyond visual range) weapon. It is large and expen-
sive, but it gives you a serious advantage over the enemy. Only the most
advanced enemy aircraft-the MiG-29, the Su-27, and the Mirage
fighters-carry a similar BVR radar-guided missile.
AIM-120
The AIM-120 is an all-aspect
missile with its own active
radar guidance system. Once
you fire it, you can leave the
area or go after another tar-
get. You don't have to irradiate your target with your APG-66 to keep the
AMRAAM homing in. The AMRAAM, while expensive, is somewhat
disappointing in its performance. If your target is a slow-moving transport,
like an An-12, you have a good chance of success. If it is a nimble MiG-19
whose pilot has spotted you on his threat warning indicator, your chances
of hitting it are slim.
One way to tell if you're likely to hit your target is to watch its change of
direction with the aspect angle caret. If the caret moves slowly and doesn' t
vary too much-for example, if it moves from four o'clock to eight o'clock
and back-you'll have a good chance of scoring a kill. If, on the other hand,
it's moving all around the dial, the aircraft you've targeted has detected
your lock-on and is frantically jinking and probably dropping chaff
packets. Your chances of hitting this target are substantially reduced. You
might want to wait to get closer and, after getting into an advantageous
position, go after him with a short-range heat-seeking missile.
Rather than simply trying to shoot down a target, you can u se a different
kind of strategy with the AIM-120s. If you're on a multi-plane flight and
spot a group of enemy aircraft coming your way, you can use your
AMRAAMs to break up their formation and scatter them. Fire two to four
AIM-120s at the group. The idea is not necessarily to shoot them down-
although, if you're lucky, one or more missiles will hit their targets-but
rather to break up the group. Once they break formation to avoid being hit,
you and your wingmen can go after the individual targets and pick them
off one by one. It's to your advantage to make them become defensive first.
Unfortunately, you can't explicitly tell your wingmen to shoot their

AMRAAMs, but if you give them permission to engage (Shift-E) and you
are within range for the AMRAAM, they will likely fire their missiles.
The enemy can beam your AIM-120 missile by turning perpendicular to its
flight. Beaming is a method of defeating pulse-doppler radars. These type
of radars rely on radar pulses to determine the doppler shift of moving
objects. Objects that move closer or farther away create a discernable
doppler shift. If an aircraft flies perpendicular to a ground-based pulse-
doppler radar, the radar won't see any movement toward or away from it
and will usually lose the lock.
In Falcon 3.0, this capability applies

to air radar also. Beaming an air-
borne target isn't as realistic, since
your aircraft or missile is also
moving toward the target, which
creates closure. The AIM-120 missile
uses active pulse-doppler radar to
track a target. If the enemy turns
perpendicular to the missile while it
is flying toward him, Falcon will
allow his action to beam the radar,
and it will lose lock. You can see this
happen visually with the TD box on
the HUD. Sometimes the TD box
will be drawn in dashes instead of
solid lines. This indicates that the enemy is flying perpendicular (check out
the aspect angle indicator) and your radar is in danger of losing lock. Often
the radar reacquires the lock, but sometimes it will lose the lock entirely.
If an enemy beams your AIM-120, the missile will continue to fly straight
after losing lock. If the enemy flies back into the path of the missile, the
radar in the AIM-120 can reacquire the lock and go after him. This is not so
likely unless the enemy is quite far away, since the missile travels at 1,700
mph, which means that it will fly past him relatively quickly.
106 GETTING SERIOUS
While Falcon 3.0 has modeled this ability to reacquire lock, it works only
for the aircraft that was originally locked up. If another aircraft comes into
the path of the AIM-120, it will not be locked up. Similarly, once a heat-
seeking missile loses lock, it won't reacquire a lock on any aircraft.
The best range to score a hit with the AIM-120 is within 9 to 11 miles.
Although the Falcon 3.0 user's manual lists the effective range of the AIM-
120 as 30 miles, you will not be able to achieve a lock until you get within
just under 18 miles.
AIM-120E
The AIM-120E AMRAAM is the upgraded version of the AIM-120. It has a
better radar, can detect targets at longer range, and is more resistant to
ECM. You will only find this weapon available in Operation: Fighting Tiger,
and only in the Kurile Islands theater. You can use the same strategies with
this missile as with the standard AIM-120.
AMRAAM coming off

the rail of an F-16
Cun kills
One of the greatest thrills you can have in Falcon 3.0 is dov\rning an enemy
plane with your cannon-the M61Al Vulcan. To shoot down a plane with
your cannon, you have to be within one-half mile and have great control of
your aircraft. Most likely, the enemy plane will be maneuvering hard to get
away from you, so you will have to be flying like a champ to stay on it
while you align your target with your aiming funnel. At that range, when
you hit your target, you'll see parts of the plane break off, and smoke will
pour out. Or if you've given it a fatal shot, you'll see yellow billows of fire
erupt from the aircraft. It is truly awesome!
Learning to make a guns kill is really learning to fly. You need to fly the
enemy plane right into the kill zone. Pressing the trigger is the easy part.
Targeting the enemy is another thing.
The cannon HUD mode in Falcon

3.0 uses an aiming funnel, rather
than the standard circular aiming
reticle found on the real F-16A. The
rounds from your cannon are
supposed to follow the narrow end of
the funnel. It is designed to guide
you in getting the enemy into
position, particularly when you are
in a hard turn. As you turn hard, the
funnel elongates. You're supposed to steer the F-16 so that the enemy
appears at the narrow end of the funnel. Then you fire. The funnel doesn't
exactly work as advertised, however. It gives you an approximate aiming
tool, but often the kill area is near the wide end of the funnel. You'll find
that as you get nearer the target, the kill area moves toward the open end
of the funnel. The best approach is to simply watch where your tracers are
flying and try to make them hit the target.
If you want to make gun kills, practice in Instant Action or use the Red
Flag missions provided on the disk. Take the opportunity to liberally fire
your cannon until you learn the proper distance, angle, and position you
need to hit your target. Learn to fire the cannon in short, controlled bursts,
rather than in one long burst. While you have 515 rounds of 20-mm cannon
shells, the M61Al fires them at a rate of 6,000 rounds per minute. This
means that you have only about 5 seconds of sustained firing time! When
you are flying a campaign with limited armament, you can exhaust your
store of rounds very quickly. So be liberal with them in Instant Action,
where you have an unlimited amount. Use that opportunity to learn how
to become accurate, so that in a campaign, you can conserve your stores
and put them to good use.
108 GETTING SERIOUS
Air-to-Ground HUD Modes
When you select an air-to-ground weapon from your Stores Control Panel,
the HUD switches to a specific air-to-ground HUD mode. As with the air-
to-air HUD rriodes, the air-to-ground HUD modes display specific graph-
ics on the HUD to help you deploy your weapon. In addition, some of the
air-to-ground weapons also display an image on the REO screen. Most of
your air-to-ground weapons fall into two broad categories: guided missiles
and bombs, on the one hand, and dumb bombs on the other.
Your "smart" weapons are your Mavericks, the guided bomb units
Guided Missiles (GBUs), and the HARM and Shrike. In Operation: Fighting Tiger, you also
have the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Each of these missiles will lock onto a
target and guide itself accurately to the site of lock-on. These missiles are
known as fire-and-forget weapons because, once you send them on their way,
you have no additional responsibility to guide them to their target. They
will continue on accurately while you break hard and get out of the area.
This is a vast improvement over command-guided weapons, which require
you to keep your aircraft radar on the target, or the traditional iron bombs
that free-fall to a target site, subject to wind conditions and accuracy of
aim.
All of the guided weapons in Falcon 3.0 use the same method of locking
on. When you switch to a guided weapon, the weapon system does a scan
of the area in front of your aircraft. This area is known as the scan sector.
The scan sector covers the viewing area of the HUD. It determines the
"closest" target according to the order of the targets it scans. When you
press the T key, you will cycle through the targets covered by the scan.
If a target appears within the HUD and the T key doesn' t lock it up, there
are two possible explanations. First, the target may not have been within
the scan sector when the scan was first done (when you selected the
weapons system). To rescan the scan sector, press the X key. Then succes-
sive presses of the T key should lock up the target you're interested in.
The second reason you may not be able to lock up the target is simply a
bug in Falcon 3.0. Sometimes it simply doesn't see objects in the scan
sector. Unfortunately, this can be frustrating when you're coming on to
your target and trying desperately to lock it up with one of these guided
weapons. To avoid this problem, you may want to choose a different type
of weapon for a target that has many objects close together.
One thing you don't have to worry about: you won't be targeting already-
destroyed targets because the T key won't lock onto a destroyed target.
Mavericks
Two models of Mavericks
are available in Falcon 3.0.
These are the video ver-
sion-the Maverick
AGM-65B-and the infra-
red version-the Maverick AGM-65D. They are virtually the same missile.
The only difference is the way they lock onto targets. The AGM-65B uses a
2X magnification video camera in the front of the weapon to visually lock
onto the target. This missile is designed for daylight conditions. At dusk or
night, there's not enough light to ensure a proper lock-on. The AGM-65D
uses an infrared-sensitive seeker head to detect heat sources. It is much
better for use at night or in bad weather.
In Falcon 3.0, alas, there's no operational difference between the two Maver-
icks. While it would have been a natural for the programmers to differentiate
110 GETTING SERIOUS
between them (especially since Operation:

A tank locked up on a
Fighting Tiger gives you a dark-night mission
Maverick video
scenario), this was never done. Neither mis-
display
sile has any particular advantage in locking
up targets in day or night missions. You may
freely choose either AGM-65B or AGM-650
missiles for any mission you fly where Mav-
ericks are appropriate.
The range of the Mavericks in Falcon 3.0 is problematic. The missile's

effective range is about 14 miles, and, in fact, your wingmen will lock on
and fire their Mavericks at 12 to 14 miles from the target. However, you
will not be able to lock your own Mavericks onto a target until you get
within 3 miles! In reality, you wouldn't be able to see or lock onto a target
as small as a tank at 14 miles. In Falcon, however, your wingmen do it half
a dozen times before lunch.
You can deal with

An AGM-65 Maverick
this discrepancy in
entering and exploding
a bunker several ways. First,
as you get near
your target, you
can switch to auto-
pilot. When you fly
under autopilot,
your plane uses the same logic as your wingmen's aircraft, and the autopi-
lot will lock on and fire your Mavericks at the same range as theirs. You
can think of this as a new automated weapons system that your squadron
is testing out. You can also hold back some or all of your Mavericks until
you get within the 3-mile range. This allows you to be the flight backup to
make sure the target is destroyed. If your wingmen haven't taken out all
the targets, you can go in there up close and personal and finish the job. By
waiting until you get into range, however, you defeat much of the value of
the Maverick as a stand-off weapon. On the other hand, you do get to take
advantage of it as a highly effective way to up your adrenaline level!
Guided bomb units (CBUs)

The GBUs are devastating
weapons because they
combine the most powerful
standard iron bomb with a
highly effective guidance
system. The GBUs are basically Mk-84s-that is, 2,000-pound bombs-with
a TV-guidance system to control them on their way to the target.
GBUs are the ordnance of choice to

An Iraqi bunker
take out those really tough targets.
targeted by a GBU
They pack the power you need with a during the Gulf War
first-rate guidance system, so you are
most likely to score a kill if you have
locked up the target correctly. You can
take out the same kind of targets with
standard Mk-84 2,000-pound iron
bombs, but you'd better be really good
with the CCIP targeting system, or you will just be churning up a lot of
mud for nothing.
NOTE: While real GBUs use the momentum of your aircraft to "glide" to their
target, in Falcon 3.0 they're actually modeled on the Maverick missile. Thus, you'll
see GBUs take off and fly out in front of your aircraft on their way to the target.
Anti-radiation missiles: HARMs and Shrikes

The anti-radiation missile
.___ '-...._ was a development that
-- 7
--- came out of the Vietnam
war. When allied pilots
came up against the mas-
sive SAM batteries of the North Vietnamese, these missiles were developed
to counteract the threat.
The concept is simple. These missiles and on-board electronics identify and
locate the radars from SAM and AAA sites by their radar signatures. When
you get painted by a SAM site, the system identifies the site and locks on
your missile; when you launch it, it homes in on the radar signal that is
trying to paint you or guide a SAM up your tailpipe. It will destroy the
radar unit guiding these SAMs, dramatically reducing their effectiveness.
112 GETTING SERIOUS
These missions were flown by the "wild-weasels," originally in F-105

"Thuds" and later in F-4C Phantoms. These crazies engaged in a high-tech
game of "chicken" with the enemy, trying to see who would flinch first.
You didn't want to lose this game.
Even though anti-radiation missiles use passive radar detection, the enemy
SAM operators in the Vietnam war were able to defeat the anti-radiation
missiles simply by turning off their radars when the SAM-busters came
around. While this was still considered a victory for the allies, since the
SAMs couldn't launch, the SAMs were not actually destroyed and could
attack less-protected aircraft at a later time.
The HARM (High-Speed Anti-Radiation

A Marine FIA-18 Missile) was developed to counter this
carrying an AJM-9
action by SAM operators. Not only did it
sidewinder and a
have a much longer range and travel
HARM missile
faster, so that it could be used as a true
stand-off weapons system, but it would
also remember the location of a SAM
radar, even if the radar operator turned
the radar off. It would destroy an enemy
SAM site before the operators knew it
was coming.
The Shrike missile-an earlier-generation anti-radiation missile-has an

effective range of 12 miles and will work for all enemy radar-guided
weapons except the SA-8 Gecko SAM. This SAM uses pulse-doppler radar,
while the other enemy radar-guided weapons use continuous-wave (CW)
radar. If you see the number 2 in the SAM rectangle that appears on your
TWI, a pulse-doppler radar is painting you, and the Shrike won't be
effective against it. Shrikes will work against CW radars that show up as a
1 or 3 in the TWI box.
The HARM will effectively attack both CW and pulse-doppler radars. It

theoretically has a much greater range. However, as mentioned earlier,
both the Shrike and the HARM missiles are limited to about a 3-mile range
in Falcon 3.0 when you fire them. In Falcon 3.01, the range has been in-
creased to its documented range-45 nm for the HARM and 12 nm for the
Shrike.
Unlike Mavericks and GBUs, the anti-radiation missiles will still keep their
locks if the target you lock onto goes outside the HUD, and you will still be
able to fire them. If the target is outside the HUD, the crosshair appears
dashed, meaning that the target is not directly ahead of you.
The standard ordnance that has been used since World War II is the iron
bomb. Falcon 3.0 has several variations of these, and they are the "work- Continuously
horse" weapons. They are simple, inexpensive, and effective if placed Computed Impact
properly on target. But learning to hit the target takes some practice. Point (CCIP)
Several of the Red Flag missions included on the disk with this book will Weapons
help you hone your skills in dropping iron.
The standard iron bombs are the 500-pound (Mk-82), the 1,000-pound (Mk-
83), and the 2,000-pound (Mk-84) bombs. In addition, you'll also use the
Durandal anti-runway bomb and the CBU anti-personnel bomb.
To deliver these weapons, the F-16 fire- F-16 HUD image in

control computer uses a method of CCIP mode targeting a
weapons delivery called continuously runway.
computed impact point (CCIP), which
automatically calculates the instanta-
neous bombing solution at each
moment and displays the target pipper
on the HUD. The pipper is the circle
with the dot in the center (the infa-
mous "death dot") that shows where
your bombs would hit at any moment you released them. The F-16 also
uses another bombing method, called continuously computed release point
(CCRP), which tells you when to release your bombs in order to hit the
target you designate. If you were flying a real F-16, you would use CCRP
to hit a target below the HUD and out of view. Falcon 3.0 uses only CCIP,
although the implementation of CCIP in Falcon 3.0 is actually a blend of
CCIP and CCRP.
When you select an iron bomb from your Stores Control Panel, the fire control
computer sets up the CCIP HUD mode on your HUD. You can identify it by
the CCIP discrete in the lower left corner of the HUD as well as the CCIP
114 GETTING SERIOUS
pipper floating in the center of the

HUD. The fire-control computer con-
tinuously computes the exact location
your bombs would hit-given your
attack angle, altitude, and airspeed-
if you released the bombs at this mo-
ment. This spot is represented by the
position of the death dot. This position
is updated each moment, so you al-
ways have an indication of where your
CCIP "death dot"
bombs will hit.
You place the death dot on your target and "designate" it by pressing the
Spacebar. The impact line lengthens from the flight path marker in the
center of the HUD to the top of the HUD. You also see a release cue that
moves down the displayed impact line to the release bar. When the release
cue hits the release bar, the flight control computer automatically releases
the bombs ("pickles" them) and puts them right on the spot the death dot
is sitting on at pickle time.
To make this work, fly toward your target until you are within range. Then
position the target so it is at your ten o'clock or two o'clock. Then pull up
the nose of your aircraft slightly and roll into the target. For example, if
you position the target at your ten o'clock position, fly straight and level
until you are within range. Then bank left and pull slightly back on the
stick until the nose comes down on your target. This maneuver will put
you in a shallow dive, aimed right at your target. Straighten out, designate
your target, and when the bombs pickle, pull up hard and get out of there.
CCIP in Falcon 3.0 is a very accurate bombing system if you follow these
guidelines:
Let the fire control computer pickle the bombs.

You can manually release your bombs by pressing the Spacebar twice, but
you have to be very experienced to be accurate with this method. If
Falcon's CCIP system were accurate, you would have an easy time with
this method because, as long as the death dot was on the target, your
bombs would hit. However, it's not accurate. If you manually release your
bombs before the release cue and release bar intersect, your bombs will
always fall short. You have to lift the nose of your plane just before manu-
ally releasing the bombs to "lob" them a little farther. It takes a lot of
practice to know how much to raise the nose and determine when to
release.
If you keep the death dot on the target until the release cue and release bar
intersect, you will have an accurate bombing solution and a very good
chance of hitting the target. In other words, let the computer do it for you.
Dive at an angle of 10 to 30 degrees.

If your dive angle is less than about 10 degrees, the pipper will not stay on
the target. It will move above the target, and either your bombs won't
pickle, or they will release but won't hit the target. If your dive angle is
greater than about 30 degrees, the CCIP may reset your target designation.
This problem is basically a bug in Falcon. In addition, even if the CCIP
doesn't reset at a steep dive angle, the bombing solution is such that you
must get quite close to the ground before your bombs release, and you'll be
in danger of getting "fragged" by your own bombs.
Keep the pipper on the target.

As you approach your target, the pipper may walk away from the target.
You need to steer your aircraft to keep the pipper directly on the target. If
it walks away, you may have to abort your bomb run and come around
again. If you have time, cancel the bombing designation with the X key and
try to redesignate.
Mk-82/83/84 bombs
The Mk-82/83/84 bombs
are identical except for the
amount of explosive. You
want to pick the weapon
that's right for the job. If
you always load up with the most powerful weapons, you'll be one mean,
ugly sucker, but your aircraft will wallow like a pig trying to carry around
all that iron. See the Target Weapons List at the end of this chapter. It will
tell you what weapons you'll need to take out the different targets.
116 GETTING SERIOUS
When you use these

F-16 releasing Mk-82s
bombs, you need to
watch out for fragmenta-
tion damage that occurs
when a bomb hits just
below your own aircraft.
One solution to this
problem is to use the
Mk-82HD Snakeye. The
HD stands for high drag.
TheSnakeyebombshave
fins that open and create
drag when the bomb is dropped. This drag means that the bomb will hit well
behind your aircraft instead of right under it. More current retarded-delivery
weapons use parachutes rather than fins to slow down the weapon.
With Snakeyes, you can perform low-

A boy and his Mk-84
level bombing runs without nearly as
much danger of sustaining fragmenta-
tion damage to your aircraft as you would
with the other bombs. This advantage
can be real important if all you have are
iron bombs and you have to come into a
hot area filled with SAMs and AAA. In
this case, you want to come in real low
and real fast. You'll need a high-drag
bomb to keep from blowing yourself out of the sky.
In addition, in order to escape frag damage from your own bombs, you
should adhere to the following minimum release altitudes:
Weapon Minimum Safe Release Altitude

Mk-82HD 100 feet
Mk-82 950 feet
Mk-83 1,225 feet
Mk-84 1,500 feet
CBU 475 feet
Durand al 50 feet
These figures assume that you' re flying your F-16 straight and level at 550
knots before and after you release your weapons. You can get away with
lower altitudes if you fly faster or perform at least a 4-G pull-away imme-
diately after pickling your bombs.
Ourandal
The Durandal is a special-
purpose bomb that was
___
~" __;,.___' -- -- - ~-
---~,...... --- developed for the sole
purpose of destroying
enemy runways. Standard
iron bombs create craters in runways that can be quickly filled in. A load of
Mk-84s may appear to incapacitate a runway, but the enemy can quickly
fill in the holes and have aircraft launching again within hours.
The Durandal works a little differently. When it is released, a small para-

chute deploys on the Durandal, retarding the fall of the bomb so that the
warhead points straight down. Then a small rocket motor fires, shooting
the bomb into the runway. The warhead has a delayed-action fuse, which
allows the Durandal to penetrate under the runway. When the bomb goes
off, it throws up huge chunks of concrete across the runway, making it
much more difficult to repair. A Durandal attack can incapacitate an
enemy runway for days or weeks.
In Falcon 3.0, you must use a Durandal to get credit for destroying a
runway. In addition, Durandals will not destroy any other type of target.
The graphic image of a Durandal in Falcon 3.0 looks just like any other iron
bomb falling. You won't see the parachute deploy or the rocket motor fire .
You can release the Durandal as low as 50 feet AGL, assuming you're
flying straight and level at 550 knots.
A Durandal about to
hit a runway, after
penetration, and
exploding from under
the runway
118 GETTING SERIOUS
CBU-84
CBUs, or cluster bomb units,
are devastating little devices.
Each CBU is a canister that
contains 202 little bomblets
that spread out over a large
area, destroying everything in their path. CBUs are particularly effective
against "soft targets" -that is, people and trucks. It will also destroy some
armored personnel carriers and AAA. You will use CBUs against ground
troops, truck caravans, and AAA sites. Try not to think about their effect
on the guys on the ground.
Release your CBUs no lower than 475 feet, if you're flying straight and
level at 550 knots.
Aerial view of a
devastating CBU
attack
LAU-5003A Rocket Launcher

The LAU is a dramatic
weapon that fires dozens of
small, unguided rockets at
ground targets. It's effective
against the same kinds of
targets as the CBUs. In Falcon 3.0, you can have up to 19 rockets in the air
at the same time. However, aiming the LAU is quite difficult, and in
practice, it is very hard to score a kill with it, since its blast radius is small.
It is most effective against a column of trucks. Try the Red Flag mission
TRUCKSl to see how many trucks you can hit with the LAU. If you have a
choice, you will be much more effective with CBUs against these targets,
but the LAU rockets look very cool. If you get really good, you'll have lots
of fun with them.
Cannon
Your M161A Vulcan cannon can be used for ground strafing as well as air-
to-air combat. But this is quite difficult to do, and you subject yourself to
ground fire and SA-7 shoulder-launched SAMs when you get low enough
to use your guns. The only targets you will be able to destroy on the
ground with your cannons are people and trucks. You have to hit them
directly to destroy them. (In other words, they must be within the black
"holes" made by your cannon rounds.)
F- I 6 in Saudi Arabia
being loaded up
during the Gulf War.
An Mk-84 sits in the
foreground.
120 GETTING SERIOUS
Target Weapons list
Here are some of the targets you'll find in Falcon 3.0 and the ordnan ce
required to destroy them:
Target Weapons
Large buildings Two GBUs or Mk-84s
Small buildings Mavericks, Mk-83s, or Mk-82s
Tanks Mavericks or Mk-83s
Trucks LAU s, Mk-82, strafing
Bunkers Require direct hits with GBUs or Mk-84s
AAA CBUs, Mavericks, Mk-82/83/84s, LAU s
Runways Durandals only
People Everything
Petroleum, oil, and Anything but strafing

lubricant (POL) structures
F- I 6 loaded with
Mk-82s
Chemical or biological Two Mk-84s or GB Us

weapons plant
Small bridges Mavericks or Mk-83s
Large bridges GBUs or Mk-84s. Minimum one bomb. It

doesn 't matter how many smaller bombs
you use . If it's not a Mk-84, the large
bridge won't go down.
Nuclear sites Same as large bridges
Power stations Same as large or small buildings, based

on their size
SAM sites Anything except strafing. Permanent SAM

sites consist of the radar van and six
launchers. Taking out the radar doesn't
shut down the site. Each launcher has a
small fire control system as well as an
electro-optical aiming system. The SAM
operators will revert to local control if the
radar goes down, although accuracy and
range will be degraded by half.
F-16 with its full

weapons array
122 GETTING SERIOUS
/LS HUD Mode
o.~
35 00 01
I I I
A
I
Glide slope deviation b-;r S

15
Your F-16 has a special HUD mode called the Instrument Landing System
Instrument
(ILS) . This mode projects ILS steering bars on the HUD to help you line up
Landing System
for a proper landing. Once you're familiar with the ILS, you can work on
(ILS) perfecting your takeoffs and landings.
The ILS reads a radio signal from a transmitter at the near end of the
runway and calculates your position relative to a beam that is sent out at
the end of the runway. Your relationship to this beam is then displayed
graphically on your HUD as a set of perpendicular ILS steering bars. These
bars are the localizer deviation (LD) bar, which is vertical, and the glide
slope deviation (GSD) bar, which is horizontal.
The LD bar shows you when you're lined up properly with the center of
the runway, while the GSD bar lets you know if your glide slope is too
steep or too shallow for a proper landing.
The ILS system in Falcon 3.0 through version D is really more like an omni-
directional beacon than a real ILS system. You can pick up the ILS signal
no matter what your relationship to the runway is. The LD bar will steer
you toward the runway from any direction. The GSD bar is invalid unless
you're approaching the runway from the proper direction. You determine
the proper direction by using the runway heading indicator (the top
number of the three-number stack on the right hand side of the HUD in
ILS HUD mode). This indicator tells you the heading you need to fly to
land properly on the runway. If you land in the opposite direction from the
runway heading indicator, your glide slope indicator won't be correct,
because the glide slope beacon will be coming from the far end of the
runway, not the near end.
Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E have added a second ILS mode-
directional mode-which is much more like the real thing. When you press
the backslash (\) key, you turn on ILS, which defaults to beacon mode.
You can then press Shift-\ to toggle between beacon and directional mode.
In both modes, you get the runway heading indicator on the HUD: in
beacon mode, it's followed by the letter B, and in directional mode, it's
followed by the letter D.
In directional mode, you must be approximately lined up with the runway

for the glide slope deviation bar to have any meaning. Use the LD and
GSD bars to fine-tune your approach. When you line the bars up so that
they intersect each other, you'll be flying a 3-degree glide slope right down
the middle of the runway. If the bars do not intersect each other's middles,
fly in the direction of the intersection. For example, if the intersection is to
the upper right, you need to bank right slightly and climb.
In a real ILS, you won't see valid steering bars unless you're within 35
degrees of alignment with either side of the runway while you're under 10
miles out and within 10 degrees of either side up to 18 miles out. In the
Falcon version of ILS, you need to be within 20 degrees of either side of the
runway to get valid ILS steering signals.
NOTE: Interestingly enough, both versions of the ILS have been in Falcon 3.0 from
the beginning. Spectrum Holobye conducted some focus groups, which indicated
that people would be confused by the real ILS system, so they made the ILS omni-
directional. However, the code to display either system has been in all versions.
The utility F3ILS2 has a feature that lets you switch the ILS modes for version D, so
if you're running this version, you can actually use the directional mode of ILS. Of
course, if you're using an older version, we recommend that you upgrade to the
newest available version. You can find information on upgrading at the end of
Chapter 1, "Navigating Falcon."
124 GETTING SERIOUS
In Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E, you'll find a new landing aid
Visual Approach called the visual approach slope indicator (VASI). The VASI system shows
Slope Indicator you visually whether you are above or below the proper glideslope.
(VASI)
The VASI system consists of two pairs of bi-colored lights about 50 feet
apart at the approach end of the runway. The lights will be either red or
white. The color changes when you're above or below the glide slope. If
both lights are red, you're above the glide slope. You'll need to push the
stick forward to increase your glide angle. If both lights are white, you're
below the glide slope. Pull back on the stick a bit. You can tell that you're
on the proper glide slope when the front lights are white and the rear
lights are red.
Unfortunately, this new landing aid doesn't appear at any of the air bases
in Red Flag. You'll only find it in the campaigns.
You'll use your HUD readouts to help with basic flying endeavors like
Takeoff takeoffs and landings. Taking off is relatively easy. You just throttle up and
let the aerodynamics of the aircraft do all the work. However, there are a
few things to remember if your want to have a smooth transition into
flight. Here are some tips for takeoff practice.
Always throttle up to full military throttle (100 percent). You may also
want to go into afterburner for a combat takeoff or if you're loaded
down with lots of stores.
Watch your airspeed. Start to pull back on the stick as you cross 150 to
160 knots. Keep pulling back on the stick until your altimeter readout
shows you that you are off the ground. Make sure you don't pass 240
knots on the ground, or your tires will blow out, ending your flight
much earlier than you expected.
As soon as you're airborne, raise your wheels. If you fly faster than 300
knots with your gear down, you will incur damage to your nose wheel
landing system. You will hear a caution warning for a few moments,
and if you don't raise your gear within a few seconds of the caution,
you will incur permanent gear damage.
Landing may be one of the most difficult tasks you'll undertake while
Landing
learning to fly your F-16. It's not that hard, but it may seem like it at first. If
you practice, however, you'll have it down in no time. Here are two sets of
landing instructions-one for keyboard flyers and one for joystick flyers.
Landing with the keyboard

Because you don't have the fine control with the keyboard that you do
with a joystick, you have to use different tactics for landing. The main
difficulty is keeping the nose of your aircraft up while coming in at a slow
speed. With the keyboard, each time you press the stick-back key, it's as if
you yanked back on the stick. It is impossible to simply hold the stick back
the way you need to for landing normally.
The way to land with the keyboard is to perform a shallow "dive" at the
runway and to flare out at the last moment. This means that you bring the
nose up just before you run into the runway. It stops your rate of descent
and bleeds off airspeed. When you time this right, you will drop to the
runway like a feather.
Approach the runway at the slowest speed you can fly and still control the
aircraft. If you can, try to fly at about 200 knots. You should be lined up
with the runway. Use the rudder controls-the bracket keys, [and ]-to
help you line up properly. The rudder controls are very sensitive at slow
speeds, and there's a tendency to overcompensate with them. You may
also want to switch to the ILS HUD mode by pressing the \ key. When you
go into ILS HUD mode, your view out the front of the aircraft will drop
down about 20 degrees. This shift is designed to help you land with a
joystick, but it may be distracting if you're using the keyboard. You may
want to use the utility F3MAPS to permanently remove the ILS viewshift if
you fly using the keyboard. In addition, in Operation: Fighting Tiger and
version E, you can toggle the viewshift on and off using the Shift-Scroll
Lock key combination.
Put your nose right on the beginning of the runway. You want to be at an
altitude of about 1,000 feet at about 1 mile from the runway. You may need
to use your flaps or speed brakes to slow down if you're coming in too fast.
Just as you are about to nose into the runway, tap the stick-back key. You'll
126 GETTING SERIOUS
need to practice this to get just the right feel of how much pressure you
need and how quickly to do this, but this action should bring the nose up,
stop your rate of descent, and slow you down. Then you can just "float" to
the runway. Note also that ground effect is modeled in Falcon 3.0. Ground
effect is the phenomenon that produces the experience of lift as you get
near the ground because the air under your wings gets compressed
between your aircraft and the ground. When you flare suddenly, you may
bounce back up in the air because of ground effect.
As soon as you touch down, extend your speed brake (B), drop your flaps
(F), move your throttle to zero, and hit your wheel brakes (W). Even if your
throttle is at zero, if you don' t have your wheel brakes on, your F-16 will
taxi at about 20 knots, so you can drive off the runway. When you finally
want to stop, engage your wheel brakes. This will bring your ground
speed to zero.
Landing with a joystick

When you land using a joystick, your experience of landing will be much
closer to the real thing. You'll need to be concerned about your angle and
rate of descent, your airspeed, and particularly your angle of attack.
Reread the section in the Falcon 3.0 user's manual about the angle-of-attack
indexer and the angle-of-attack indicator. You want to control your angle
of attack as you approach the runway. The angle of attack of your aircraft
is directly proportional to your airspeed during landing. As your airspeed
decreases, your angle of attack increases. If you're on a proper glide slope
of 3 to 6 degrees, you'll be within the correct angle of attack if your air-
speed is between 150 and 200 knots.
As you approach the runway, try to be about 800 feet above ground level
at about 1 mile from the runway. Be sure you're aligned properly with the
runway, using the rudder controls to make fine adjustments. You should
be dropping at about 20 feet per second. As your angle of attack increases,
your nose will rise up. You will need to add power to keep your airspeed
constant. When you drop your gear, you will incur additional drag, and
your airspeed will bleed off some more. Again, you may need to add
power to keep your airspeed constant.
5 HUD ANO WEAPONS STRATEGIES 127
You should already be in the ILS HUD mode. When you switched to this
mode, the view out the front of your cockpit dropped about 20 degrees.
The purpose of this viewshift is to allow you to see the runway as the nose
of your aircraft rises because the angle of attack increases. The viewshift
simulates your leaning forward to look out over your HUD. In addition,
you will want to use one of the HUD symbols to help you land.
~s oo 01 Find the flight path marker (also

- '- 'I
1
1_:_.d_ known as the velocity vector) symbol
on the HUD. It is the circle with the
three spokes coming out if it, usually
found near the center of the HUD. As
you start your landing approach, it will
drop below the center point of the
HUD. Once you get your airpseed and
angle of attack set properly, the way to
come in for a perfect landing is to place
and keep the flight path marker right
at the start of the runway. If you keep
the flight path marker at the base of
the runway and keep your AOA and
airspeed constant (check your AOA
indexer and indicator), you will come
in for a beautiful landing, touching
down right at the point where the
flight path marker touches the runway.
The most difficult part of this maneu-

ver is preventing your airspeed from
getting too low, which will cause you to stall out. In addition, you need to
watch your rate of descent. If the flight path marker drops below the end
of the runway, you will land short of the runway. In Falcon 3.0, this won't
be fatal, but you might as well learn to land properly. It's such a good
feeling to hit all the parameters and touch down right at the base of the
runway. You can switch to Track view and actually watch your front gear
drop down and touch as your AOA drops.
128 GETTING SERIOUS
Once you touch down, hit your speed brake (B), your flaps (F), drop your
throttle to 0 percent RPM, and hit your wheel brakes (W). If you release
your wheel brakes once you drop below about 50 knots, you will still be
able to taxi even though your RPMs are at 0. Engage your wheel brakes
again to come to a complete stop.
While you're on the runway, the rudder controls actuate the nose wheel
steering system, although you'll have minimum control from between
about 100 knots and about 60 knots. Below 60 knots, you'll have very
sensitive control.
The Flap About Flaps
There are a few really strange elements in Falcon 3.0. Flaps are one of
them. Unlike those of older aircraft, the flaps in an F-16 are almost
entirely controlled by the flight control computer, rather than under
manual co ntrol by the pilot. In addition, the F-16 has both leading edge
flaps and trailing edge flaps . Controlling flaps and rudder are generally
not part of an F-16 pilot's normal activities, although he may use the
rudder manually on landing or strafing. In Falcon 3.0, there is a Flaps
key that "lowers" and "raises" the flaps. The flaps referred to in Falcon
3.0 are the trailing edge flaps, which create both lift and drag. They were
included in Falcon 3.0 because in earlier versions of Falcon, users were
upset that there were no flap contro ls available. These users were used to
traditional flight simulators, in which the simulated aircraft actually had
manually controlled flaps. In one of the strange choices that break with
reality, Spectrum Holobyte put the flap controls in Falcon 3.0.
You can fly in Falcon either using the flaps or ignoring them . If you use
them, you need to compensate for the additional drag (and resultant loss
of airspeed) and the additional lift. If you don 't use them, just fly as
you're accustomed to. In special cases-as when you load down your
aircraft with lots of heavy stores-you may find that putting the flaps
down will make it easier to take off. In most cases, however, you can
ignore the flaps in Falcon 3.0 with no adverse effect.
It is actually quite easy to land in Falcon 3.0 without killing yourself,

compared to landing in the real world. In Falcon 3.0, the landing require-
Falcon 3.0
ments are: Landing
Requirements
Airspeed under 220 knots
Angle of attack between 10 and 16
Glide slope between 3 and 6
Gear down
You may land on any surface in Falcon 3.0. The simulator doesn't check to
see if you're on the runway or not. You can land on a mountainside or even
in the water!
F-16 just after

touchdown
CHAPTER 6
RADAR STRATEGIES
One of the most realistic aspects of Falcon 3.0 is its simulation

of radar use. Three types of radar modes are available in
Falcon 3.0, with the most accurate mode-the High Fidelity
mode-closely modeling the power and complexity of the real
APG-66 radar. This chapter looks at the advantages and disad-
vantages of each radar mode-and the strategies for using
them in Falcon 3.0.
132 GETTING SERIOUS
SAD Radar
The Situational Awareness Display (SAD) radar mode is really a "made-

up" radar mode. A radar works by bouncing a microwave beam off an
object and receiving the reflection back. Based on the time and amplitude
of the received reflection, the radar computer can calculate things like the
distance, speed, and heading of the object being tracked. Of course, this
only works for objects within the radar beam, and since radars in modern
fighter aircraft are in the nose of the aircraft, you can only get radar
reflections from objects in front of you.
SAD mode, however, shows you everybody who's in the sky-in front of
you, behind you, to the left and right, and above and below you. You get a
"god's-eye" view of the airspace around you when you use SAD mode.
One way to think of it is that you are getting a direct data feed from a
nearby AW ACS aircraft. However, you could never get this kind of radar
display directly from the F-16's APG-66 radar.
SAD mode is provided as an aid for the beginning desktop fighter pilot. It
does help you to build the skill of situational awareness (SA), because it
automatically gives you information about every aircraft in the sky around
6 RADAR STRATEGIES 133
you. It's still up to you, the pilot, to take this information and arrange it in
your head, so that you know, by "feel," who is around you and who is the
biggest threat.
In SAD mode, all the targets are shown as squares, and the closest target is
automatically locked up by your radar. It is displayed as a diamond. The
radar provides readouts on the target's heading, speed, aspect angle,
altitude, distance, and closure. You can switch your lock to other targets by
simply pressing the T key. Besides giving you a representation of where
the bogeys are around you in space, the general SAD display also provides
distance and altitude information about all targets. This information can be
very useful once you know how to interpret it.
Function Keys in SAD Mode
In SAD mode, the FS and F6 keys act as target selection keys and will
perform the same function as the T key. In High Fidelity Radar (HFR)
mode, these keys have other purposes.
In Falcon version D and earlier, F7 toggles the Ground Map mode on

and off. However, in Falcon version E and in Operation: Fighting Tiger,
you can't toggle out of Ground Map mode by pressing F7. You must
press FS or F6 to get out of Ground Map mode. See "Ground Map
Mode," at the end of this chapter, for more information.
You can use the F8 key to set the radar range while in SAD radar. It
progresses from 10 nm to 20 nm, 40 nm, and 80 nm. With Operation :
Fighting Tiger, you can also use Shift-F8 to move backwards through the
radar ranges. See the caution below about radar range settings in SAD
mode.
In SAD mode, you're in the center of the radar screen and everybody else
is positioned relative to you. So if a dot appears in the upper right corner of Position
the radar screen, that aircraft is actually to your front and right. A dot that
appears directly to the left of center is really directly to your left. A dot in
the lower part of the screen indicates an aircraft behind you.
134 GETTING SERIOUS
You can determine how far away these objects are by first checking the
Distance distance setting of the radar. You will find this in the upper left corner
before the letters "SAD." For example, a typical display will read "20
SAD." This means that the radar is set to detect out to a range of 20 nm.
This range is covered by the entire radar screen. However, since you are in
the center, the range from you to any edge of the screen will be half the
total range-or 10 miles in this example.
So if you see a dot that is at the bottom center of the screen when the range
is set to 20 nm, you can deduce that you've got an enemy directly behind
you at a distance of 10 miles.
Besides giving distance information, the SAD display also gives you
Relative Altitude relative altitude information. The squares are color-coded to represent their
relationship to you according to altitude. The colors represent the follow-
ing relationships:
Blip color Altitude

Yellow More than 3,000 feet below you
White Within 3,000 feet of your altitude
Blue More than 3,000 feet above you
Another important piece of information that is available to you from the

Target's Direction SAD display is the target's relative direction. Each target has a "tail" that
shows you where the target is heading. Think of the tail as vapor coming
off the aircraft, and this will help you to determine its direction.
The most important task in developing situational awareness is figuring

The Most out who is the most likely candidate to help your significant other collect
Dangerous on your life insurance policy-in other words, who's going to blow you
Threats out of the sky the soonest! The SAD radar mode makes it easy to quickly
determine the most immediate threats.
The things you need to be concerned with in evaluating an enemy's

potential threat to you are his distance from you, his direction of travel,
and his energy state.
Distance
All things being equal (which they never are), the bandit who's the closest
to you is the most dangerous. The closer he is, the more weapon types he
can bring to bear on you, the more easily he can track your progress, and
the quicker he can get within firing range and parameters.
You can easily determine the closest threats by simply noting which blip is
nearest the center of the radar screen.
Direction of travel
The aircraft's direction of travel will tell you whether he is going after you
or running away from you (or possibly even ignoring you). By watching
the "tails" on the radar blips, you can determine the aircraft's direction of
travel, relative to you. Aircraft that are heading toward you are probably
out to make your life miserable, while those that are going away from you
are not as dangerous at the moment! Don't ignore anyone, though. An
aircraft may turn around at any time and play the samba on your canopy.
That' s why your situational awareness has to be continuous.
Energy state
An aircraft's energy state is important for a number of reasons. The more
energy your enemy has, the quicker he can close on you. Once you get into
a dogfight, the aircraft with the higher energy state usually wins. You can
determine an aircraft's energy state in two ways. The altitude information
you get from the color-coding is one method. Aircraft that are higher than
you implicitly have higher energy states because they can convert their
altitude to airspeed. Correspondingly, aircraft that are at a lower altitude
than you will usually have lower energy states than you.
The other way to determine an aircraft's energy state is to track its air-
speed. To do this, you will have to lock the aircraft up on your radar so
that its blip turns into a diamond. Then you can read its airspeed as the
middle value in the three-readout stack at the lower right of the radar
screen. You will need to compare this to your own airspeed to determine
the relative energy state threat to you. You may want to do this specifically
for the white dots on the screen, since they are at approximately the same
altitude as you.
136 GETTING SERIOUS
In short, the most obvious and dangerous threats to you are the blips that
are the closest, pointing directly at you, and at a higher altitude than you.
These guys are probably on their way to turn you into a stencil on the sides
of their aircraft. Conversely, distant aircraft, heading away from you at a
lower altitude than you, are probably the least threatening at the moment.
One other obvious, but important, piece of information in determining

threat is, of course, whether the approaching aircraft is actually the enemy or
not. You must remember to use your IFF (Identify Friend/Foe) and other
methods to determine whether the target you pick up on your radar is
friendly or hostile. You might see a target that has all the characteristics of
the most dangerous threat, and it will turn out to be the cavalry rushing to
your rescue. Imagine your embarrassment at the Officer's Club when you
find out you shot down your CO, who was coming to toss you a cold beer at
20,000 feet. See Chapter 10, for more details on identifying the enemy.
While SAD seems to offer tremendous advantages to you, you should be

aware of its drawbacks, too. First of all, if you get around a bunch of
Problems with
seasoned Falcon jocks and you mention that you use SAD radar mode, you
SAD will be subject to smirks, sneers, ridicule, and various references to your
parentage, sexual preferences, and hormone levels. Experienced Falcon
players would never be caught dead using SAD! Don't take this too
seriously, however. If you are new to Falcon or to combat flight simulators,
SAD is useful for developing your sense of situational awareness. Use it as
long as you need to to feel comfortable in the air. Just don't tell anyone!
There is another, more serious problem with SAD mode. The fire-control
computer tries to lock up the closest target automatically, and it forces
your radar to autorange to the nearest range that picks up this threat. This
means that if the target is within 10 miles of you, the radar will autorange
to 10 nm. The problem with this is that you will have a devil of a time
forcing the radar to see beyond that range. While you can theoretically set
the radar to any range from 10 to 80 nm, in reality, once it picks a range, it
doesn't want to let go. If you're flying a campaign, this will prove to be a
big problem. You'll often be accompanying friendly flights. Your SAD
mode radar will lock onto a friendly aircraft within the 10-nm range, and
you will be blind to anything beyond that range. You really want to be able
to scan far ahead to see what's coming, but you'll have a tough time in
both SAD and SAM radar modes.
SAM Radar
Situational Awareness Mode (SAM) radar is much closer to the real radar
mode in the F-16 than SAD mode. In this mode, your radar display accu-
rately portrays the radar image in front of you as the radar scans out a cone
that is 120 degrees horizontally by 120 degrees vertically. Aircraft are
displayed as green squares, and SAM mode automatically locks onto the
closest aircraft. This locked plane is represented by a diamond.
With SAM, you can see only the aircraft that are in front of you on the
radar. Unlike SAD mode, you can't see aircraft that are to the sides or
behind you. It feels like you're sitting naked out there when you move
from SAD to SAM modes, but, hey, this is the way it is in real life!
You determine your relationship to the other aircraft by their position on

the radar screen. "You" are at the bottom center of the display. The vertical
direction tells you the distance of other aircraft from you. You determine
distance by first looking at the radar range in the upper left corner. This
number represents the entire distance from the top to the bottom of the
radar screen. The distance of an aircraft is proportional to this range. For
example, if the radar is in 40-nm mode and the blip is one quarter of the
way down from the top of the screen, the aircraft is about 30 miles away.
138 GETTING SERIOUS
Halfway down would be 20 miles. Aircraft in the bottom quarter of the

screen are closest-about 10 miles away in this case. This relationship
works for any radar range you set.
The horizontal position of the blip is its horizontal offset from your nose.
Remember that the vertical position is not the vertical offset from your
nose, but the distance from your aircraft. The two 3's along the bottom
scale of the radar represent 30 degrees to either side. The entire scan of the
radar is 60 degrees to each side, or 120 degrees total horizontal scan.
As in SAD mode, the radar automatically locks onto the closest target and
automatically sets the radar range for this target. You change target lock by
pressing the T key.
function Keys in SAM Mode
The FS and F6 keys will switch your lock among targets just like the T
key.
F7 toggles Ground Map mode on and off in Falcon version D and earlier.
Use FS or F6 to get out of Ground Map mode in version E or in
Operation: Fighting Tiger.
F8 is used to select the radar range . Pressing F8 moves through 10 nm to

20 nm, 40 nm, and 80 nm. In Operation: Fighting Tiger, you can also
press Shift-F8 to move backwards through these ranges.
SAM mode automatically sets the horizontal and vertical radar dish
movement for you, and you can see the scan markers moving along the
bottom and left edge of the radar screen. In High Fidelity Radar (HFR)
mode, you'll have to set these manually.
In SAM mode, you don't get color altitude information as you do in SAD
mode. You also don't get the little tails coming off the blips telling you in
which direction the aircraft are moving. You have to determine these data
by other methods. You determine altitude by locking up an aircraft and
reading its altitude in the upper right portion of the radar screen. Its
direction can be deduced by reading its aspect angle, which is the bottom
number in the three-number stack in the lower right part of the radar
screen.
Here's a general strategy for determining threats: Start by getting a sense

of the distances of all the aircraft displayed on the radar screen. Remember,
the closer they are to the bottom of the screen, the closer they are to you,
regardless of the radar range. You need to get concerned when you are in
the 10- or 20-nm range and you've got blips near the bottom of the screen.
Next, quickly switch among all the blips using the T key. Keep your eyes
on the aspect angle value. The planes with an aspect angle nearest to 180
degrees are the ones that are pointed right at you. Chances are they're not
coming over to invite you to the church social.
SAM mode has the same problem that SAD mode has because it automati-
cally locks onto the closest target and then keeps the radar in that range.
You will have a hard time switching to a longer range once SAM has
locked up an aircraft. Even if that aircraft is friendly (as it might be on a
campaign mission with an escort flight), you will not easily be able to look
far ahead.
If you're going to go to the trouble of using SAM mode anyway, take a

deep breath, bite the bullet, and learn the High Fidelity Radar mode.
F-16 nozzle flap s with

engine on afterburner
140 GETTING SERIOUS
High Fidelity Radar
The High Fidelity Radar (HFR) mode is the most realistic and accurate
radar mode in Falcon 3.0. It closely approximates the actual operation of
many aspects of the real APG-66 radar. It also brings you closer to the
complexities of operation of the real thing and makes you realize that
using this equipment in a combat situation is no piece of cake. However,
when you learn how to properly operate and use the APG-66 radar, you
will have a powerful advantage in combat.
In HFR, you will use four submodes: the normal air mode (NAM), the
situational awareness mode (SAM), the single target track mode (STT), and
the air combat maneuvering mode (ACM). In addition, you have control
over more individual elements of the radar. You manually select the
horizontal and the vertical displacement of the radar antenna. You also
manually set the scan range, and you manually select and lock targets.
Here are the details.
Strategies for Azimuth and Elevation Settings, Radar Range, and Mode
You have a wide degree of latitude in setting up your azimuth and
elevation scans in HFR mode. The general rule is that to search a large
area in front of you at a range of 40 nm or more, you select a wide
azimuth setting (60 or 120 degrees) and a high elevation (2 or 4 bars) .
These settings will let you cover a huge volume of air to detect whether
anyone is lurking around. Once you have an idea of who is where and
you want to follow an aircraft or a group of aircraft a little more closely,
switch to a narrower azimuth setting (20 or 60 degrees) and a thinner
elevation setting (1 or 2 bars). Use NAM or SAM to keep your radar
signature low.
When the aircraft is close enough for you to get serious about taking a
shot, switch to Sn. This puts the radar right on the target and keeps it
there. Normally, you won't do this until the target is under 20 nm range,
because your AMRAAM's range is only about 18 nm.
You control the range the radar is scanning by pressing F8. You can cycle
Range in HFR
through 10-nm, 20-nm, 40-nm and 80-nm scan ranges. Pressing Shift-F8
cycles you backwards through the radar ranges in Operation: Fighting Tiger
and version E. When you press FS, the radar defaults to 20-nm NAM radar
mode (it defaults to 80-nm range in Operation: Fighting Tiger). More about
this mode below.
You read the current scan range by looking at the number at the top left of
the REO display. Based on this scan range, you can determine the approxi-
mate distances of blips by their positions on the radar screen. In HFR
mode, you are located at the bottom center of the screen. (There's no
marker for you. This is just where you determine distances and azimuth
relationships from.) If the radar is set to the 20-nm range, the distance from
the top of the display to the bottom represents 20 miles. If a blip is a
quarter of the way down from the top of the screen, it is approximately 15
miles from you. If it is halfway down the screen, it's 10 miles from you.
HFR will autorange if you have a target locked up. This means that if the
radar is set to the 40-nm range and the target you are tracking comes
within 20 miles, the radar will automatically switch to the 20-nm range and
still keep the target locked up.
142 GETTING SERIOUS
The radar antenna is in the nose of the F-16. It can swivel left and right and
Azimuth and
up and down. The radar scans in a simple or a complex pattern. The
Elevation
simple pattern is called a 1-bar scan. In this pattern, the radar scans repeat-
edly between left and right. The horizontal antenna scan-called the
azimuth scan-is indicated in HFR as a moving inverted "T" symbol. You
can set the range of the scan to 20 degrees, 60 degrees, or 120 degrees, and
the azimuth scan marker will reflect this setting as it moves on the REO.
You set the azimuth scan angle with the F9 key. If you press F9 repeatedly,
you cycle through successive scan angles.
The more complex scan patterns are the multi-bar patterns. On the
APG-66, you can have a 2-bar or a 4-bar pattern. With the 2-bar pattern,
the radar scans from left to right, drops down vertically 2.2 degrees, and
then scans from right to left. The radar antenna then lifts up 2.2 degrees
and begins the scan pattern all over again. In the 4-bar pattern, the radar
antenna scans from left to right, drops down, scans right to left, drops
down again, scans from left to right, drops down another bar, and scans
from right to left. Then the antenna raises up three bars in elevation and
begins the pattern again.
:CJ
A'
'
'i
4;
'
2-bar scan 4-bar scan
You control the number of bars by pressing FlO to cycle through the 1-, 2-,
and 4-bar scans. Each time you set an elevation scan, two readouts appear
on the REO to confirm the settings. The minimum and maximum eleva-
tions included in the scan appear as two numbers on the top right side of
the REO. In addition, a top and bottom bar appear against the altitude
scale along the top left of the REO. (See below for more information about
this scale.)
By controlling both the azimuth and the elevation scans, you can control
the way the radar examines the sky in front of you from an expanded 120-
degree-wide, 7-degree-high cone to a narrow 20-degree-wide, 2.2-degree-
high cone. We'll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the
different variations of azimuth and elevation scans when we discuss the
various radar modes.
The Hidden ACM Radar Mode
A hidden ACM radar mode has been in all of the Falcon 3.0 versions and
has been explicitly made available in Operation: Fighting Tiger and
version E. This mode provides a 10-degree-wide by 40-degree-high scan
mode. You can get this mode in all versions by pressing Shift-F6 . Once
you ' re in this mode, you toggle between it and normal ACM mode (20
by 20 degrees) by pressing Shift-F6.
The 1O-by-40-degree scan is angled slightly up and is useful for search-

ing for targets above your aircraft. Note, however, that it is very awkward
to press Shift-F6 while in the heat of battle.
Normal air mode (also called search mode) is

the basic scan mode of the APG-66. The
Normal Air Mode
antenna scans through the area you've set (NAM)
with the azimuth and elevation controls
and presents the returns it receives on the
REO screen. In NAM mode, the radar
represents echoes of other aircraft as small
square blips on the screen. The APG-66 radar can simultaneously track 64
independent aircraft in this mode.
The APG-66 also provides what is known as the target history display.
Each time the antenna scans a target, the target is painted on the screen as
a bright green square. The radar also remembers the last three positions of
the target from the previous three scans and displays these positions as
fading green squares. The oldest target position is faded the most. By
watching the target history display, you can determine quite a bit about
the movement of the aircraft.
144 GETTING SERIOUS
NAM has one more feature that can provide useful information for you.
This is the acquisition corral. You use the acquisition corral to select and
designate targets on your radar screen. In the real F-16, you would move
the acquisition corral by manipulating an XY cursor control on the left-
hand throttle grip to place the corral over the desired target. Then you
would press the Designate switch on the right-hand Side Stick. One press
on the Designate switch puts you into situational awareness mode (SAM).
A double-press (double-designate) puts you in STT mode. In Falcon 3.0,
you move the acquisition corral by pressing the T key. Each time you press
the T key, the corral moves to the next target displayed on your screen.
You designate a target by pressing the Z key. More about these actions and
modes below.
In NAM, you can make use of the acquisition corral without actually
designating a target. When you press the T key, the corral jumps to a target
that is being displayed on the REO. The target remains displayed as a
square, since you haven't designated it, but as soon as the acquisition
corral appears over a target, a new element appears on the radar screen.
This is the search target altitude bar.
The search target altitude bar appears along the

upper left side of the REO and provides a reason-
able indication of the target's altitude. If you di-
vide the REO in half horizontally, the target alti-
tude scale starts at zero and goes to 60,000 feet. The
3 along the top left edge of the REO is halfway up
the scale and stands for 30,000 feet. The search
target altitude bar appears vertically along the
Search target altitude bar
scale with a dot in the center of the bar. You read reading about 18,000 feet
the target altitude across from the dot.
Now how do you put all these pieces of NAM together to take advantage
of this mode? Here are the many things you can determine from NAM.
Target distance and position

When you select the radar range using F8, you indicate what scale the
radar uses to display the targets it tracks. In 40-nm range, the top of the
REO indicates a distance of 40 miles, and the bottom of the REO indicates
your position. A target that appears halfway down the REO display would
be 20 miles from you. So based on the range setting of the radar and the
position of the target blips, you can quickly determine the approximate
range of every target on the radar screen.
The horizontal position on the REO indicates the target's horizontal offset
from the nose of your aircraft. The scale along the bottom is divided into 10
degree marks with 30 degrees on either side, marked by a 3. The horizontal
position of the target indicates its relative offset from you.
Remember, the target's vertical position on the REO indicates its distance
from you, as read from the range scale along the right hand edge of the
REO, and its horizontal position indicates its offset from you, as read from
the bottom scale.
Target speed and heading

You can use the APG-66 target history feature to give you some indication
of the target speed and heading. In general, the distance between the blips
depends on how frequently the target is scanned. The scan rate is con-
trolled by the F9 key. If the spaces between the target history blips of the
target you're tracking are far apart-compared to other blips on the
radar-the target is probably a fast mover. If they are close together, the
target is moving relatively slowly.
The positions of the target history blips

also tell you something about the direction
the targets are moving. For example, it's
easy to spot targets that are moving
directly toward you. These are the ones
you want to worry about immediately.
Target altitude
By moving the acquisition corral to each target and reading the search
target altitude bar, you can quickly determine the approximate altitude of
every target on the REO. Again, knowing the various altitudes can help
you determine which targets pose the greatest threats to you. All other
things being equal, the target that is closest to your altitude is the most
immediate threat because it will be able to reach you the quickest. Here is
146 GETTING SERIOUS
what the Westinghouse Electric Corp. APG-66 Pilot's Radar Manual (pages
21-22) says about using the search target altitude bar feature:
During long range target sorting, the pilot can gain significant
operational advantages by using this search target altitude
feature instead of Single Target Track to obtain target altitude.
First, it is faster than SIT. Second, a simple movement of the
acquisition symbol yields multiple target altitudes. Third, and
most important, the method reduces the chance of detection .
Using SIT to obtain target altitude can reveal the ownship
position to enemy radar. The quickness of the search target
altitude feature reduces the time the radar antenna is directly
pointed at the enemy aircraft.
So from NAM, you can easily determine for each target its relative range,
altitude, bearing to you, direction of travel, and speed. This is quite a lot of
information to have about one or more targets. And the big advantage is
that you substantially reduce the chance that the enemy can detect your
radar emissions and, hence, your position.
Situational awareness mode is the next level

Situational
of radar "focus." It's a combination of search
Awareness Mode and track mode. In SAM, you lock onto one
(SAM) target and also continue to use search mode
for other targets in the sky. The radar switches
between tracking one target and searching.
You select a target in SAM by placing the

acquisition corral on a target and pressing the Z key. This "single-desig-
nates" the target and switches you into SAM. The tracked target appears as
a diamond on the REO. You won't see a target history for the tracked
target, but you will still see target histories for the other targets that appear
on theREO.
When you switch into SAM, you get a new set of numeric readouts on the
REO display. These give you detailed and specific information about the
target you've locked onto. In the lower right corner are four items. The first
three are stacked together and are, from top to bottom, as follows:
Target's magnetic heading

Target's calibrated airspeed
Target's aspect angle to you
In the very bottom right of the REO is the closure rate, in knots, between
you and the target you're tracking.
On the lower left of the REO, two additional readouts appear. These are
the target bearing and range. Bearing is in degrees, and range is in nautical
miles, to the nearest mile. (Range is also displayed in the lower right corner
of the HUD, to the nearest tenth of a mile.)
The target bearing is its positional relationship to you, mapped onto the
compass. For example, if you're heading due north, your heading will be 0
degrees. If an aircraft is off to your right at a 45-degree angle, its bearing is
45 degrees, even though its heading may be 90 degrees. Its bearing is 45
degrees because that's where it is on the compass in relation to you. Even if
you were traveling at a heading of 270 degrees, its bearing would still be 45
degrees.
Target heading
Target heading is the
direction on the compass
in which your target is
heading. If you were in
the enemy plane, this is
the heading you would
see on your HUD. If you
know your target's
heading and your own
heading, and if you can
do some fancy geometry
in your head, you'll be
able to plot an intercept
course.
148 GETTING SERIOUS
Target airspeed Terrain Masking

This readout lets you know how
fast the target is moving (in knots). Pilots use a strategy called terrain
By checking target airspeed, clo- masking to avoid getting picked up
sure rate, and aspect angle, you'll on radar. To use terrain masking,
be able to tell if the target is a you must fly low to the ground so
personal threat to you. If it is a fast that you become lost in the ground
mover (greater than 500 knots), clutter images that appear on any
it's probably a fighter-class air- radars trying to detect you. It's a
craft. dangerous game, because flying
close to the ground puts you in
range of AAA, small-arms fire, and
Target aspect angle
shoulder-launched SAMs. It's also
This readout is the numeric value
easy to make one of the "unsched-
of the aspect angle of the enemy uled landings" flying low and fast.
aircraft in relation to your own
aircraft. The aspect angle is also You can use terrain masking to a
displayed graphically on the aim- limited extent in Falcon 3.0.
ing reticle in the air-to-air missile Basically, if you break the line of
HUD mode. The aspect angle is a sight with a ground- or air-based
number from 0to180 and is mea- radar or optically guided missile,
sured either left or right. For the you will break the lock. If a SAM
rear-aspect AIM-9P, you want an launches at you and you fly behind
aspect of 0 to 60 degrees to make a a mountain, you should be able to
spoof the SAM because the target-
shot. All-aspect missiles don't re-
ing lock will be broken. The same
quire such a stringent aspect, al-
applies to air-based radar. You
though you will tend to have a actually have an advantage in this
higher probability of kill from the regard, because your radar will see
rear. If the enemy's aspect angle is through mountains.
at or near 180 degrees, the target is
moving toward you.
Target closure rate

The target closure rate indicates the speed at which you and the target are
moving toward or away from each other. You may have a positive closure
even though your aircraft may not be heading directly toward the target. If
the aircraft is moving quickly, if the aspect is near 180 degrees, and if the
closure is high, you've got a bad guy coming at you in a hurry, and you'd
better take action quickly.
Target bearing
Target bearing is the compass direction to your target. If the target has a
bearing of 270 degrees, it is at 270 degrees in relation to the magnetic north.
If you steered to a heading of 270 degrees, the target would be directly in
front of you.
Target distance
This is the distance in nautical miles to the target. This value is also dis-
played in the lower right hand corner of the HUD, but it is displayed to
within one tenth of a nautical mile.
Single target track mode is the most fo-

cused radar mode. In this mode you Single Target
literally lock onto your target to the exclu- Track (STT)
sion of everything else. Your target appears
as a diamond, and your radar antenna stays
aimed at the target instead of sweeping the
sky in front of you. You get the same radar
readouts as in SAM mode, but no other
targets show up on the REO. Because the radar is pointed continuously at
the target, he will very likely spot you on his threat warning equipment
and take ev:isive action. Generally, you don't want to lock up a target with
STT until you're ready to shoot him. There are some exceptions to this rule,
however.
Mode Is Best?
If the enemy fires a radar-
guided missile at you, he The advantage of SAM over STT is that
must maintain his radar lock your radar lingers on the target for less
on you to guide the missile time, thereby reducing your likelihood of
to your aircraft. These mis- being detected by the target's threat
siles do not contain their own warning system. SAM puts more radar
energy on the target than NAM, but also
radars, but rather require the
provides more information. Likewise,
radar on the enemy plane to
SAM puts less radar energy on the target
illuminate you. If you can than STT but updates target information
make the enemy plane veer less frequently. The use of each mode is a
away from you, the missile tradeoff of information versus the likeli-
will lose track. If you're fly- hood of warning the enemy of your
ing with the enemy logic lev- position.
els set to the low levels, the
150 GETTING SERIOUS
enemies are fairly green and a bit scared. If you lock them up with your radar,
you will spook them into taking evasive action even if they have a missile in
flight, because they are afraid that you are going to launch a missile at them!
On the other hand, if they are veterans or aces, they have nerves of steel and
won't veer off when you lock them up. In fact, they will wait until the last
moment to take evasive action even if you launch a missile at them .
In Operation: Fighting Tiger, while flying in the Kurile Island theater of

operations, you fall under very constricting rules of engagement (ROE). In
some cases, you will not be able to fire unless fired upon. In these cases,
your only option to get the enemy to leave you or your escorted aircraft
alone is to "fake them out" by making them think that you're about to blast
them into atoms. If you lock up a bandit from a good firing position, you
may just make him drop his shorts and bug out of the area.
In STI mode, the radar will autorange for you. For example, suppose
you're in 40-nm range and have a target locked up in STT. If you're closing
head-to-head, the radar will automatically change to the 20-nm range
when the enemy gets within 20 miles. You can manually change range in
STI at any time with the F8 key.
NOTE: While the above statements should be true, there is a long-standing bug in
Falcon that causes the radar to drop a target when it autoranges. This happens
because the elevation setting gets reset instead of staying the same as the last range,
and the target may no longer be within the "new" scanning cone. This is extremely
frustrating during the heat of battle, and you should watch out for it and quickly
try to reacquire your target.
Air combat mode acts like a special version of

Air Combat Mode STI that automatically locks up the closest
(ACM) aircraft in front of you at a range of 10 miles or
less. In ACM, you'll see the code "ACM" at
the top left of the REO next to a 10, indicating
the range. You should switch to ACM when
you enter a furball and there are a lot of
aircraft zooming around you. The advantage
is that you don't have to manually select a target and then designate it.
ACM does that for you automatically. If you want to lock up a different
target, you must press the Break Lock key (X) to break the target lock. Then
the radar will try to acquire a new target.
Helicopters, Stealth Aircraft, and Radar
You'll notice an interesting phenomenon when you try to lock up a

helicopter or an F-117 A on your radar. You won't be able to! The
helicopter won't lock up at all, and if you happen to paint a Stealth
fighter, you ' ll see radar blips bouncing all around the screen .
Helicopters are hard to lock up because their rotating blades reflect the
radar signals and make it difficult to lock onto them. While in real life
you ca n lock up a helicopter with radar, in Falcon 3.0 it's just about
impossible. You also won't be able to get a lock with your heat-seeking
missiles because the rotor wash will create a confusing IR signature. To
shoot these guys down, you have to acquire them visually and get them
with your ca nnons.
Stealth fighters wreak havoc with your radar, although you wouldn't ever
want to shoot them down. Of course, real Stealth aircraft wouldn't even
show up on your radar, but in Falcon, they drive your radar nuts instead.
NOTE: If you have Falcon 3.0 version D or E and Operation: Fighting Tiger, you may
have encountered the 'Copters from Hell. This bug makes helicopters change their
characteristics and lets them fly literal circles around your F-16. They can follow
you up to 30,000 feet and if you record them in ACMI, you may see their speed
surpass 2,500 knots! You'll also see them flying around with their noses pointed
down and their rotors facing forward. They are, needless to say, very difficult to
shoot down when they are in this mode, but they will usually waste you without
any trouble.
One of the infamous

Falcon 'Coptersfrom
Hell
152 GETTING SERIOUS
The Realities of Radar Detection in Falcon 3.0
One of the reasons you would pick one radar mode over another is the
amount of protection from detection that the different modes provide.
NAM should afford you significantly better protection than STI from the
enemy's threat warning equipment.
In reality, in Falcon 3.0 up through version D, there is no difference. If

the enemy detects you at all, he sees you continuously. The only differ-
ence is that if you lock him up in STT, he may take some evasive action,
since the lock indicator on his TWI turns on. However, whether you
have him locked up or are just scanning him with NAM, he sees you as a
steady blip on his TWI.
In Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E, however, the radars act much
more like real radars. If you are scanning an enemy in NAM, he will see
intermittent blips on his TWI but not a steady image. Of course, the same
thing applies to you. If the enemy is scanning you with his radar, you
will see occasional blips on your TWI but not a solid diamond . This
version makes using radar a much more strategic endeavor than previous
versions.
F-16 ventral air intake

scoop
Ground Map Mode
Ground Map (GM) mode lets you use your radar to view the ground in
front of you for a range of 20 nm. GM mode in Falcon is a fairly crude
approximation of the real ground map mode of the APG-66 radar. It
doesn' t have nearly the utility that the air radar modes in Falcon do. There
are a couple of useful things you can do with GM mode, however.
You select GM mode by pressing F7. This overrides whatever air radar
mode you had set. The way you get out of GM mode depends on the
version of Falcon you're using. In version D and earlier, you can press F7
again to get out of GM mode. In Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E,
you must press FS or F6 to switch back to your air radar modes.
GM mode tries to display a representation of the ground terrain on your

radar screen. It shows roads and rivers, as well as large, permanent ground
objects like buildings and air bases. GM mode will not show you any
moving objects like tanks, trucks, transports, or AAA. You will not be able
to rely on GM mode to find the enemy forces you set up in Red Flag or
those that are created by the simulation in the campaigns. This inadequacy
significantly lessens the usefulness of GM mode.
154 GETTING SERIOUS
You can toggle off the display of roads and rivers in GM mode with the Y
key. Displaying the roads and rivers takes up quite a bit of processing
power, and turning them off will increase your frame rate.
Although GM mode surveys an area up to 20 miles in front of you, you can

Zoom Views use the zoom feature to zoom in on areas. The area you zoom in on is the
area covered by the small rectangle within the radar screen. You can move
this rectangle around to pick any area on the radar screen to enlarge. Use
the Shift key along with the left, right, up, and down arrows to move the
rectangle. It can traverse a 3-X-3 grid on the radar screen.
You can zoom in as much as 16 times (the upper right corner of the REO
reads EXP 16), but when you zoom in more than about 8 times, the ground
appears to move so quickly that any objects on the screen will be gone in a
moment. Use Fl to zoom in and F2 to zoom out.
NOTE: There is an unfortunate side effect of using the zoom in/ out feature while
in GM mode. This zoom feature is unintentionally coupled to the zoom feature of
Track and other outside views. For example, when you change the zoom factor in
GM mode, it will also change the zoom factor in Track view (or any other outside
view). This can be very disconcerting during the heat of battle.
GM mode is useful in a couple of situations. For example, if you select a

GM Strategies ground target (your primary target) for a bombing action in Red Flag or
Campaign, it will have a crosshair over it when you get near enough for it
to show up on the GM mode display. This is helpful in letting you identify
the actual target. You can use this crosshair, along with your waypoint
indicator, to help you locate and ingress toward the target.
NOTE: On the left side of the GM mode display are two values that are supposed
to be the distance and bearing to target. Unfortunately, these values are usually
completely hosed and almost never apply to the target indicated by the crosshair.
You will have to rely on the distance-to-waypoint readout on the HUD for this
information. In most cases, just ignore the readout on the radar.
GM mode is also helpful in identifying runways and air bases sooner than
you can visually. Early identification can be very useful if you need to find
a runway for a quick, unexpected landing. However, the display will often
show the direction of the runway in an incorrect orientation, not the way it
really is. The GM display may show the runway running north/ south
while it actually runs east/west. Use the display to get you there and then
land visually. Of course, since you can land on any terrain in Falcon 3.0,
you don't need to actually hit a runway when you're out of fuel. But if you
want to go for realism, use GM mode to help you find a runway in the
wilderness.
Finally, GM mode can be

helpful in identifying a
specific target in a target-
rich environment. For
example, if your mission
requires you to take out a
bunker in a group of
ground bunkers or a
specific building in an area
where there are many
buildings, you must hit that
specific bunker or building to get credit for destroying your primary
target. However, it is fairly difficult to identify the target that you picked in
the waypoint screen when you suddenly come across 30 or 40 bunkers or
buildings. There are two methods to help you locate your target.
First, before the mission,

use the Zoom to Target
button in the waypoint
screen and study the target
and its surroundings. Try
to memorize what is
around the target and its
relationship to its sur-
roundings. Second, when
you get near the target,
switch to GM mode and
156 GETIING SERIOUS
use the expansion feature to break out the targets into clearer, individual
items. From this view, try to locate your target in relation to the objects
around it. You can usually narrow down the target this way so that when
you get within visual range, you will be able to pick it out.
If you are using a Maverick, GBU, or any other guided ordnance, you will
not be able to lock onto any one specific target. You will have to continue
to hit the T (or X) key repeatedly until the crosshair locks onto the target
you want before you fly past. This can be difficult, and if you get a mission
like this, you might want to use iron bombs instead, because you can
visually place these wherever you want.
When you select either type of Maverick missile or the GBU, the GM
display mode will be replaced with the crosshair aiming device on the
REO. In addition, you'll get the magnified view of any locked-on target.
With any of the other air-to-ground weapons, you will continue to see the
GM mode display.
Fa/con 3 .0 Ground
Map mode showing
buildings of different
sizes
Faleon 3.0 Ground

Map mode breaking
out a string of bunkers
near a road
F-16s onflightline,
loaded for bear
CHAPTER 7
COUNTERMEASU RE STRATEGIES
To be successful in Falcon, you need not only good offensive

skills, but also good defensive skills. You spend a lot of your
time sailing through the air like a happy idiot, just waiting to
rain havoc down on unsuspecting enemies on the ground and
unAmerican enemies in the air. The only problem is that the
enemy objects to getting killed in all the ways you can do it to
him, and he shows his displeasure by hurling an inordinate
number of sharp, exploding things at you at every opportu-
nity he gets. You need to be very aware of the enemy' s arse-
nal, because a lot of it will come your way.
In Falcon, the enemy is fierce and his weapons are lethal. Your
F-16 is equipped with a number of systems that will help you
detect and defeat the weapons that the enemy brings to bear
on you. Learn them well, and you'll be around to tell your
grandchildren about the grand old days when the U.S. could
still afford a military.
160 GETTING SERIOUS
The Threat Warning System

One of the most important defensive systems you have in the F-16 is the
ALR-69 Threat Warning System. It's composed of the Threat Warning
Indicator (TWI) and the Threat Warning Panel (TWP).
The TWI-also known as the Radar Warning Re-

Threat Warning ceiver (RWR)-is a circular display in the upper left
Indicator side of the cockpit. It's connected to a series of
passive receptors on the F-16. These receptors can
detect radar emissions from ground and aircraft
sources. The TWI will tell you if you' re being painted
by enemy radar. Since it is passive, it will work even
if your own radar is turned off.
The TWI gives you vital information about the radar threat that is tracking
you, including the threat's position relative to you, the source of the radar,
and the type of radar that's tracking you.
Threat position
The threat's position is indicated by the position of the marker on the TWI.
You are in the center of the TWI, and the marker's position is relative to
you. If the marker is at the three o'clock position on the TWI, the threat is
to your right. The TWI doesn't give you distance positioning, and, of
course, distance makes a big difference. So you need to use other informa-
tion to deduce the distance of the threat.
Radar source
The radar that's locked onto you in Falcon will come from one of three
sources:
You may be tracked by a ground control radar, usually located at a

SAM or AAA site. This radar is trying to lock you up so it can launch
SAMs or anti-aircraft artillery at you. If a ground radar is tracking you,
it will show up as a large rectangle on the TWI.
An enemy aircraft may also lock you up with its radar. In this case, the
radar will appear as a diamond on the TWI.
A missile may be in flight toward you. If it's actively guided, it will

show up on the TWI as a small square. If you see one of these, you're in
serious, immediate danger!
7 COUNTERMEASURE STRATEGIES 161
Radar type
The type of radar that's tracking you is indicated by a number inside the
marker. Air-to-ground radars (large rectangles) display a number between
1 and 6. Some of these radar types are found only in Operation: Fighting
Tiger. These radar types are associated with the following weapons:
Number Type Weapon Range Altitude
1 Continu ous wave SA-6 Gainful SAM 2 to30nm 300 to 47,000 ft

Straight Flush
Radar range is 20 nm
Fire control and guidance
Limited search
2 Pulse-doppler SA-8 Gecko SAM 1to10 nm 32 to 20,000 ft

Land Roll
Fire control and guidance
2 Pulse-doppler SA-N-4 Gecko 8nm 39,000 ft

Pop Group
Radar range is 25 to 40 nm
Acquisition and fire control
2 Pulse-doppler SA-N-9 8nm 12,000 ft

Cross Swords
Acquisition and fire control
3 Continuous wave ZSU-23-4 Shilka lnm 2,000 ft

Gun Dish radar-guided gun
Radar range is 0 to 12 nm
Fire control
3 Continuous wave AAA on Russian vessels

Brass Tilt
Fire control
162 GETTING SERIOUS
Number Type Weapon Range Altitude

4 Pulse-doppler SA-N-6 Grumble 54nm 30,500 ft
Top pair / Top steer/
Top dome
Air search, acquisition,
and fire control
5 Pulse-doppler Long-range search 93nm

Long Track GCI
Tactical surveillance, GCI,
target handoff to SA-4,
SA-6, and SA-8
6 Chirp Long range, 300nm

Sky Watch multipurpose
Air search, GCI,
tactical surveillance
For enemy air-to-air radar threats (diamonds), you may see up to six types
of radar:
Number Type Aircraft

1 Look down, shoot down MiG-29, Su-27
In OFT: MiG-31, Mirage 2000
2 Single target track MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-27
3 Continuous wave MiG-21, MiG-19
In OFT: J-7
4 Targeting Mirage III, Mirage 5, Mirage Fl
5 Attack Su-24
In OFT: Q-5, Jaguar
6 Early warning IL-76 Mainstay
Note that while the MiG-19 is too small an aircraft to contain a radar, in
Falcon 3.0 it uses a continuous-wave radar like that of the MiG-21, and
you'll see MiG-19s show up on your TWI with a diamond 3. Enemy
aircraft in Falcon 3.0 without radars are the An-12, the Su-25, and the Tu-
22. Also, none of the enemy helicopters carry radar units.
In addition to showing you the position, source, and radar type for threats,
the TWI has a new capability in Operation: Fighting Tiger. It displays
information about the signal strength of the radar that's locked onto you.
The symbols from strong signals are displayed in the inner ring of the TWI;
weaker signals are displayed in the outer ring. Strong signals indicate that
the radar has locked onto you (so you may also see the LCK light appear in
the TWP). Signals in the outer ring are searching radars. The signal
strength isn't a direct measure of the distance from the radar to you,
because a distant radar that is locked onto you will have a stronger signal
than a closer radar that is in search mode.
The TWP tells you if an enemy radar has locked onto

-,'f. your aircraft or if a missile has been fired. It has two Threat Warning
,:,' lights: the LCK light and the LHN light. Each light has Panel
,',;'.''
an associated tone.
~'i.f~il ' LC t~
LtiH When the LCK light appears, you have been locked up
THF:E AT by either a ground unit, an aircraft, or a radar-guided
missile. Use your TWI to help you determine what the
source of the threat is.
When the LHN light appears, a missile is in flight. The LHN light will
come on even if the missile is an infrared horning missile. In reality, there
is no way for the F-16 to detect an IR horning missile launch, but Falcon 3.0
gives you a break because you don't have the clear vision you would have
in real life. As a result, you can use the combination of the LCK and LHN
lights to determine the type of missile corning your way.
If both the LCK and the LHN are on, the missile corning at you is a radar-
guided or heat-seeking missile. The reason it could be a heat-seeking
missile-even though you get a lock indicator-is that the enemy heat-
seeking missile is slaved to its radar. If you see only the LHN light, the
missile is a heat-seeker.
If you know that you are being tagged by a heat-seeker, you can conserve
chaff packets by releasing only flares. You'd better be real sure before you
gamble your life on a few packets of chaff. But if you set yourself up with
limited flares and chaff, a little conservation might make a difference in
your getting back from a long mission.
164 GETTING SERIOUS
One of the most important skills you will need to develop as a fighter pilot
is good situational awareness, based on your radar, your eyes, and your
threat warning systems. From these indicators, you must construct a three-
dimensional world around you, knowing what the threats are and where
they're located . The TWI gives you positional and type information about
threats. Your eyes and radar may give you distance information. You need
to merge these into a big picture so you can react intelligently.
Soviet SAM launching

Using Countermeasures
Falcon 3.0 version D made a significant improvement in the way counter-
measures are used. Prior to that version, chaff and flares had little effect. In
version D, they became significant tools, both for you and for the enemy.
The F-16 carries two ALE-40 flare and chaff dispensers. They are located on
the underside of the flat area inboard of the horizontal tail. By popping
flares, which burn with an intense infrared heat signature, you can fool
enemy heat-seeking missiles into following the flares and not your engine.
When you release the chaff packets, which contain strips of metallic foil,
you will boggle the guidance systems of radar-guided missiles. The chaff
reflects back all kinds of misleading radar images.
You need to release flares and chaff

Countermeasures
immediately when you get a missile
Against Air-to-Air
launch indication on your threat
warning panel. You can tell a missile
Missiles
has launched if the LNH indicator
lights up on the threat warning panel
and you hear the beeping tone. When
you get a launch indication, you
should normally release both flares
and chaff, since you will probably not
have time to determine which kind of Top picture: flares
threat is coming at you. The best way being released from a
to release them is to simply toggle real F-16.
between the 0 and dot (.) keys on the Bottom picture:
numeric keypad (or the Insert and flares released in
Delete keys). Falcon 3.0 F-16.
As soon as you release some flares and

chaff, break hard in one direction and release more flares and chaff. Then
break again. If you're lucky, the missile that's tracking you will go for the
first set of flares or chaff you released, since they are where the missile
originally thought you were. If it changes to track you, you may be able to
fool it with your second release of countermeasures.
Enemy long-range AA missiles-like the AA-7 Apex and the Matra Super
503-use a passive radar homing device. They follow the radar illumina-
166 GETTING SERIOUS
tion that comes from the aircraft radar of the plane that launches them. So
when an enemy fires one of these missiles at you, he must keep you
illuminated with his radar. In this case, you can't rely on your ECM
jarnrner because the radar source can be many miles away. A more effec-
tive method of spoofing these missiles is to get the attacking aircraft to take
his nose (and thus his radar) off you. Launch a missile his way. Then he
becomes defensive and has to jink around to avoid getting hit. Once he
takes his nose off of you, his radar-guided missile loses its track. Remem-
ber that at the higher enemy logic levels, the pilots will play high-stakes
chicken with you and keep their radars on you until the last moment.
Air-to-air missiles are small and may be fired at close range, so you may
not have time to get a visual ID on these missiles. You need to react quickly
by breaking hard and releasing countermeasures. SAMs are a different
story, however.
In version D, SAMs are now a realistic threat. In previous versions, you

Countermeasures could never see them, and you could never spoof them. Basically, if a SAM
Against SAMs launched at you, you would go down. In version D, you can acquire SAMs
visually, and you can use your fancy flying and your countermeasures to
outwit them. If you keep your wits about you, you can almost always
defeat a SAM. Here are some techniques that will help you survive against
SAMs.
Strategies for SA-7 SAMs

The SA-7 is a shoulder-
launched, heat-seeking SAM
that can be carried-and in
Falcon 3.0 is only carried-by
infantry troops. Thus, they are
mobile and difficult to detect
ahead of time. In Falcon 3.0,
however, you can always per-
ceive an SA-7 SAM threat be-
cause there will always be
SA-7s if you come across enemy ground troops and you have the SAMs/
AAA option enabled in the Configuration screen.
Being heat-seekers, SA-7s will almost always be launched at your rear

quarter, so one way to avoid them is not to present your nice, hot engine to
the enemy. If you see a ground troop encampment, don't fly right over it
(unless you are specifically trying to attack it). Go around it so that the
enemy doesn't get a chance to lock onto a hot target. This may not always
work, but it will increase your chances of survival.
Because the SA-7 doesn't use radar

for guidance, the only indication
you will get of a launch is the
launch tone and the LHN light on
your TWP. If you're using one of
the outside views, you won't hear
or see the warnings, and you'll
have to rely on your eyes to pick up
the SAMs. Unfortunately, SAMs and parachutes look quite a lot alike until
you get close.
Once you hear and see the LHN warning, immediately switch to Track
view. Track view (from version Don) locks onto missiles that are locked
onto you when you first enter it. You may not see the missile at first
because it may be outside of visual range. But if you continue looking from
that view, it will come into range. Don't press the T key to try to lock onto the
missile! In Track view (as well as Padlock view), you will only lock onto a
missile when you first enter the view. If you press the T key to look at
other aircraft, you will have to re-enter the view (by pressing 8 for Padlock
and 9 for Track) to again lock on visually to the missile.
We recommend Track view because it gives you an immediate indication

of where in space the missile is coming from in relation to your aircraft. It
also allows you to maneuver and see if your flares or chaff have any effect.
The maneuvers for spoofing SA-7s are fairly straightforward. But before
you start practicing them, it's more important to know which zones are
more or less dangerous.
Probably the worst conditions for an attack by an SA-7 are when you're
flying under 450 knots at an altitude of between 2,000 and 4,000 feet.
168 GETTING SERIOUS
You're fairly close to the target and not going blindingly fast. From the
time you get a launch warning and visually acquire the missile, you have
only a few seconds to maneuver. Usually, you will not have enough time
and speed to out-turn the SAM, and you will go down. SA-7s have an
unnatural propensity for shooting out your engine.
If you do find yourself in this situation, plug in your burner (I know, I

know, you're not supposed to use your afterburner when a heat-seeking
SAM is coming after you) and try to do the tightest vertical loop you can,
heading directly back at the SAM. Of course, you should be pumping out
flares like there's no tomorrow (which, unfortunately for you, there
probably won't be). Because your airspeed is not very fast, you need your
burner to get into a vertical loop. Once you go over the vertical, your
burner won't be pointed toward the SAM and you may live. Of course, this
points you right back at the enemy, who may have other nasty devices to
throw at you. On the other hand, it gives you a chance to return the favor.
You have a much better chance against SA-7s if you're higher or lower. If
you're at 8,000 feet or higher, you'll usually have enough time (assuming
you detect the launch at the beginning) to maneuver, drop flares, and
spoof the SAM. You should drop flares as soon as you detect a launch, then
jink wildly, and drop more flares. Try to break toward the incoming missile,
since this maneuver presents the smallest cross section of your aircraft to
the missile and keeps your engine away from its seekerhead. The main
thing that will allow you to succeed against SA-7s is timing, and the best
way to learn timing is to practice. Use the SA7SAM Red Flag mission that
comes with this book to learn how to avoid SA-7s.
You can also defeat SA-7s by flying very low and very fast. Stay below 200
feet and above 500 knots. If you're lucky, they won't even fire at you
because they won't have a chance to get a lock. If they do fire, release flares
and break hard into the missile. Your speed should keep you from getting
hit. Remember: Don't break toward the ground! (Obvious, but it needed
saying.)
Strategies for radar-guided SAMs

The radar-guided SAMs
you'll come across in Falcon
3.0 are the SA-6 and SA-8
mobile SAMs as well as the
SA-2 permanent SAM. In
addition, in Operation:
Fighting Tiger, you have a
whole slew of new SAMs to
contend with, including the
SA-N-9, the SA-N-6, the
SA-N-4, and the SA-N-8
Navy SAMs. These SAMs are all launched from the ships you'll find in
Operation: Fighting Tiger. The general strategy against all radar-guided
SAMs is essentially the same, but you'll always have to adjust depending
on your individual circumstances.
The first thing you should Soviet SA-6 mobile

do is always, always carry a SAMs
jamming pod. They're
almost always available and
are very effective against
SAMs, so take one and use
it. See "The ALQ-131 Jam-
ming Pod" in this chapter
for information on how to
deploy this countermeasure.
Second, bear in mind that

your first and best defense against SAMs is to avoid them. If at all possible,
plan your mission to avoid known SAM sites. Of course, this may not be
possible, especially if your mission target is a SAM site! Then you'll need to
learn how to defeat a SAM that's launched at you.
Your tactics to defeat a launched radar-guided SAM are going to be very

similar to those you use with a heat-seeking SAM, except that the action
will usually take place at a higher altitude, and you'll have more warning.
On the other hand, these SAMs will come at you faster and pack a bigger
punch.
170 GETTING SERIOUS
It's very important to realize that as soon as a SAM launches at you, you are
immedi~tely on the defensive! If you're just going to wait a couple of mo-
ments longer to get your bombs off or to tag that MiG in front of you
before dealing with the SAM, it may be the last mistake you ever make.
When a SAM launches with your name on it, you need to drop everything
and give it your undivided attention.
A critical concept you need to

A SAM launching .
learn as a fighter pilot is to
"Honor the threat!"
"honor the threat," which
means to take the threat seri-
ously and respond appropri-
ately. When an enemy
launches at you, if you don't
honor the threat, you're going
to be playing saxophone with
the angels (and we don't mean
the Blue Angels!).
Ih order to avoid a SAM you've got to see it, so switch to Track view and
find it. If Track view doesn't give you the SAM view right away (you can
tell because the radar lock came from behind you, and Track view shows
you looking straight ahead), hit the 9 key several more times. In a moment,
it will switch the view so that you're looking in the direction the SAM is
coming from.
Now increase your throttle, going to burner if you have to. To maneuver
wildly against a SAM, you need plenty of power, so build up your smash
right away. Start releasing chaff as you turn toward the SAM.
Once you spot the SAM, put it about 40 degrees off your nose on either
side. Head toward it, keeping it in sight. As soon as it changes from a dot
to a flying telephone pole, break hard into the SAM. That means aim right
at it. This way, you present your smallest cross section to the missile and
force the SAM to overshoot you because it can't turn fast enough to
compensate for your turning into it. Of course, dump rain (chaff) like a
madman. Hey, there's nothing more exciting than playing a game of high-
stakes chicken with a supersonic missile!
We recommend using Track view instead of Padlock view for going

against SAMs, because Track view gives you an immediate visual sense of
where the missile is coming from in relation to your aircraft. With Padlock
view, you have to "interpret" the screen to figure out where the attack is
coming from. That might take just enough time to get you killed. Padlock
does give you a couple of information advantages: Padlock view will
identify the missile coming after you and tell you its approximate distance.
Knowing what killed you while you were interpreting the information
might provide some solace as your burning pieces are scattered all over the
enemy landscape.
A way to avoid SAM Chaff and Flares: How Much Is Enough?

launches is to fly low and
fast . By hugging the Chaff is effective only against radar-
ground at under 200 feet guided SAMs and air-to-air missiles.
and flying fast (over 500 Flares are effective only against heat-
knots), you make a very seeking SAMs and air-to-air missiles. So
difficult target for SAMs to in theory, you would only deploy one or
lock onto. Of course, you the other countermeasure, depending on
what is coming your way. In reality, you
have to be very attentive to
usually don't have the luxury of deter-
your flying because a little mining the kind of missile that's about to
hiccup will send you tag you . When a missile is launched at
smearing across the land- you, deploy both chaff and flares with
scape. In addition, while abandon. Don't worry about wasting
flying low makes it diffi- them, because you might have both
cult for SAMs to get you, it kinds of missiles heading your way and
puts you right in the field you'll need both . Unless you're an
of fire for anti-aircraft guns expert, you should use them liberally
and SA-7s. While AAA when you need them-even if you're
isn't as dangerous as a using the Limited Chaff/Flares option,
SAM, it can shoot you which gives you only 30 of each .
down or damage you.
"Chaff & flares left in the dispens-
ers don 't help you when you're
At the lower SAM/ AAA going down in flames."
settings, the SAM opera- -Steve Auger Edwards
11 11
tors are not very intelligent

and will often fire their
entire volley of missiles at the first target they see. If you want to be really
Draconian about your mission, assign another flight of one aircraft to fly in
172 GETTING SERIOUS
front of your own flight by a few miles. Put some newbie pilot in the plane and
make him the bait for the SAMs. If he survives, then his pilot rating will go way
up. If he doesn't, well, hey, this is war!
The best way to learn how to spoof SAMs is to practice. Use the Red Flag
missions on the disk to practice avoiding SAMs as well as to practice SAM
suppression. Try out the missions and don' t be afraid to get killed a few
dozen times. Better to "die" in practice than to bite the big one over some
hostile territory.
There are other maneuvers for spoofing heat-seeking and radar-guided

SAMs, but you'll get a feel for them yourself after you get comfortable with
the basics presented here. Remember that there is always room for creative
invention.
SA-2 SAM Sites
In Falcon 3.0, the SA-2 sites in the campaigns never actually had active
radar units attached to them. Therefore, you could never really lock your
HARMs onto them and take them out. You could drop iron bombs on
them, but as it turned out, this wouldn't stop the missiles from launchin g.
SA-2 missiles just sort of appeared in midair in unlimited numbers. If
you ' re flying Falcon 3.0 through version D, you're better off to com-
pletely avoid these sites. In Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E, the
SA-2 SAM sites were given real radars and limited missiles. You can
actually destroy these radar sites with your anti-radiation missiles. They
are also limited to firing only six SAMs at any one time, but they'll
provide information to other SAM sites in the SAM network. In Opera-
tion : Fighting Tiger, if you fly over an SA-2 site without destroying it and
then come back later, the enemy will have reloaded and will fire at you
again .
Anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) is a real threat in Falcon, and certainly one of

Countermeasures
the more visually appealing threats. It is so cool to watch AAA explode
Against AAA
around you that you might be tempted to seek it out, just for the visual
thrill. However, after getting blown out of the sky a couple of times, you'll
gain a better respect for these threats.
AAA is radar-guided and will show up on your TWI as a type 3 radar.

Your jamming pod will give you some effective protection against accurate
AAA firing . Because AAA is radar-guided, it's not just throwing up a wall
of lead; it's targeting particular aircraft. In most cases, that's you!
Besides using your jammer, your best defense against AAA is altitude.
AAA can find you up to 12,000 feet, but you become much less vulnerable
above 5,000 feet. In addition, speed (flying faster than 500 knots) and wild
jinking will also help keep the coroner away.
See Chapter 2, "Setting the Switches," for more information about how the
Configuration settings affect SAM and AAA performance.
AAA over Baghdad

during the Gulf War
The ALQ-131 jamming pod is a fancy piece of high-tech equipment that

will give the enemy radar units fits . It scrambles their signals so that they The ALQ-131
can no longer accurately track you. The real ALQ-131 has both deception Jamming Pod
and jamming modes. In deception mode, the enemy can't even tell where
you are. In jamming mode, they can't get a lock on you. The ALQ-131 in
Falcon 3.0 only supports jamming mode.
Using the ALQ-131 has both advantages and disadvantages. The main
advantage is that you can successfully jam most enemy radars so that their
missiles will miss you or won't even launch at you. From version Don, the
jamming pod jams both SAMs and air-to-air radar-guided missiles. (Prior
to version D, it jammed only SAMs. Remember, however, that if the
aircraft that lauched the radar-guided missile is far away, your jamming
pod will have limited effectiveness, since it must jam the aircraft's radar.)
When you're going into SAM country, your jamming pod may very well
determine whether you come back or not. SAMs in Falcon are serious,
dangerous threats. The ALQ-131 is your best defense against them.
174 GETTING SERIOUS
From version D on, your wingmen will also use their jamming pods if you
load them up with one. Their use is independent of yours. In other words,
just because you turn on your ECM pod doesn't mean that they will light
theirs up. But they will use their pods intelligently. They only turn them on
to thwart specific threats, and then turn them off.
The disadvantage of using a jamming pod is that it sort of lets everybody

know you're out there, since you're filling up the electromagnetic spec-
trum with loud, raucous noise. If you leave your jamming pod on all the
time, the enemy will detect you right away and will almost always send
four MiG-29s out to encourage you to "tone down the noise." They do this
by busting your chops.
The best approach to using the jamming pod is to leave it off until the
enemy has already detected you. When you see the LCK light on your
TWI, you know that somebody-who is most probably in a bad mood-is
trying to send a missile your way. At that point, hit the ECM switch (the E
key) and pump up the volume. If you're really a maniac, you can wait until
you get a launch indicator before hitting the ECM switch. Remember, even
with ECM on, if you get a launch indicator, you want to release chaff and
flares and jink like crazy. Don't risk your life entirely on a piece of equip-
ment that was undoubtedly produced in competition by the lowest bidder!
Don't forget that you can mash the E key all day, but the ALQ-131 is
completely ineffective against infrared-horning missiles.
Test firing of a HARM

anti-radiation missile
about to hit a radar
site
Message written on an
AGM-88 HARM missile
used in the Gulf War
Marine FIA-18 attack

fighter carrying a
HARM missile
CHAPTER 8
NAVIGATION AND FUEL
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
The Falcon world is enormous. Along with Red Flag, you

can fly in six theaters of operations if you have Operation:
Fighting Tiger. It will take quite a while to get your bearings in
this vast simulated landscape. There is an intrinsic difficulty in
learning the terrain because the scenery generator in Falcon
only shows you detailed terrain within a radius of five miles
around you. This makes it difficult to learn and spot land-
marks and to navigate visually. Instead, you'll depend prima-
rily on your navigation system and waypoint indicators. In
addition to your navigation system, Falcon provides you with
a very simplified cockpit map.
In order to travel across the Falcon landscape, you need plenty

of go juice, so you must plan your fuel requirements carefully
or you'll find yourself running on empty. This chapter tells
you how to get there and back without having to call for road
service.
178 GETTING SERIOUS
Cockpit Map
Falcon 3.0 has a simplified moving map display in the cockpit. You bring
up the map on your REO by pressing the C key. This map shows a simpli-
fied representation of the entire theater you're flying in. In addition, it
shows three dynamic features:
Home base You can spot your home base by looking for the red X. This
should be the base you took off from. Sometimes, however, this cross
incorrectly locates the base, so it's better to use your waypoints to find
home.
Your current waypoint The waypoint that's currently showing in your

waypoint readout on the HUD is displayed on the map as a green
triangle. If you watch the map while you change the waypoints, you'll
see this green triangle change positions.
Your position Your own position on the map is shown by the red cross.
This cross will move as you move.
Because the map doesn't have much detail, and because you can't zoom or
pan around, its value is limited. You can use it if you get completely
disoriented and lost, assuming you can recognize landmark elements both
on the map and out the window. In general, however, the cockpit map is
more for show.
8 NAVIGATION AND FUEL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 179
Fuel Management
Fuel management is one of the most important and least understood

aspects of flying missions. You are up in the air, fighting constantly against
gravity's urge to introduce you to the mountains below, and the only thing
that keeps you going is the thrust from your JP-5 fuel as it shoots out the
back of your aircraft. If you run out of fuel during a mission, it's not like
you can just stand by the side of the road with your thumb out. You'll be
lucky if the rescue helicopters can even find a piece of you as big as your
thumb after you auger in from 25,000 feet.
Your internal fuel tank holds almost 7,000 pounds of fuel, which will be
adequate for most missions. But there are a lot of variables during a
mission that you can't always account for. If your fuel planning is tight,
just avoiding one SAM can put you into the dangerous range of fuel
consumption. Your afterburner burns 860 pounds of fuel per minute, and if
you tangle with a MiG or SAM and use your burner, you seriously impact
the fuel you have left to complete your mission and return to base.
You need to consider several factors when you estimate your fuel require-
ments. First, you need to determine the minimum fuel you need to com-
plete your mission "unencumbered." If you could just fly to and from the
target without dealing with other threats, what would be the minimum
180 GETTING SERIOUS
amount of fuel required? You use this amount as your baseline. Then you
want to factor in some extra for air-to-air and air-to-ground threats. You
may also need to detour from your plan to avoid enemy flights.
In addition, you also need to consider the tradeoffs you make if you take
on extra fuel tanks. Fuel tanks are big, cumbersome beasts that hang off
your wings and create all sorts of extra drag. Also, when you load down
with extra tanks, you limit other ordnance you can carry. So your tradeoff
will be carrying enough fuel to get you to the target and back versus
carrying enough weapons to do the job once you get to the target.
To determine your fuel requirements, you first need to calculate the

approximate distances along your waypoints. Use the TACTl or STRATI
map mode on your waypoint screen. These modes have a distance scale
that will help you to figure your waypoint distances. Then use the follow-
ing tables to help you determine how much fuel you need to follow your
flight plan.
Fuel lecpHrements for an f-16 by D~ and Ground Weight (GW)

Internal Internal+ Internal Internal+
Centerline +Wing Centerline + Wing
Drag= 22
GW = 20,113 lbs 450 nm 575 nm
Drag= 100
GW = 23,500 lbs 420 nm 540 nm 710 nm
Drag= 200
GW = 26,000 lbs 370 nm 475 nm 625 nm 730 nm
Drag= 400
GW = 31,500 lbs 290 nm 370 nm 490 nm 575 nm
These figures are for a typical F-16 air-to-air combat mission flown at
8,000 feet and averaging 450 knots. The table is valid for the Complex
and High Fidelity flight models. For the Moderate and Simple flight
models, increase the ranges given in the tabl e by 15 percent and 25
percent, respectively.
The table above assumes a mission flown at 8,000 feet. If your flight plan
takes you to a different altitude, you'll have to correct for the difference,
since fuel usage depends, to a great degree, on your altitude. You will burn
more fuel at lower altitudes than at higher altitudes, because you must
"push" through denser air at lower altitudes. That takes more energy.
Find the altitude that is closest to your flight plan altitude in the altitude
correction table below. Then multiply your flight path distance by the
correction factor that you found in the table. This will give you a more
accurate distance, corrected to your actual altitude.
If you fly at different altitudes during the course of your flight path, you
will want to calculate each leg of the flight path separately and then add
them together to get your final combined flight path distance.
Altitude Adjustment
Altitude 500 ft 8,000 ft 20,000 ft 30,000 ft 40,000 ft
Multiply yo ur fli ght

path distance by: 1.2 .6 .4 .3
Also, use the airspeed correction table to adjust for differences in airspeed.
Airspeed Adjustment
Airspeed 350 kts 450 kts 550 kts 650 kts
Multiply your fli ght

path distance by: .95 1.1 1.2
After you load your aircraft with weapons and stores, you'll want to check
its final drag factor. You'll find this value, along with the total ground
weight (GW) of the aircraft, in the lower right corner of the Armament
screen. By using these figures with the fuel requirements table above,
you'll be able to determine if the internal fuel tank will provide sufficient
fuel for your mission. If not, use the table to determine what extra fuel
supplies you'll need. Remember that you need to include some "slop" in
your fuel calculations for contingencies.
182 GETTING SERIOUS
Let's use the sample flight plan

described by this waypoint
screen and compute the fuel re-
quirements for our flight. There
are five waypoints. We take the
altitude and speed parameters
from the values we set up in the
Waypoint screen. We can esti-
mate the distance for each leg of
the mission using the scale on
the waypoint map.
Waypoint Distance Altitude Airspeed

Start
1 75nm 10,000 550
2 40nm 15,000 550
3 80nm 20,000 550
4 80nm 20,000 550
5 75nm 10,000 450
For this mission, our aircraft has a ground weight of 25,000 lbs and has a
drag factor of 185.
First we determine the approximate distance for the entire flight. We

estimate the flight at 380 nm. Then we use the fuel requirements table to
determine the fuel requirements, given the weight and drag of our aircraft.
We'll use the values of 26,000 lbs and a drag coefficient of 200, even though
both figures are a little high.
The chart tells us that, with the internal fuel tank, we have a range of 370
nm at this configuration-not enough for the flight. But we are loaded with
less weight and drag than the chart gives, and we haven't factored in our
altitude and airspeed.
Using the altitude adjustment table, we multiply the distance for waypoint
2 by .9 (estimating this factor) and the distances for waypoints 3 and 4 by
.6. This gives us a distance of 36 nm for waypoint 2, and 48 nm each for
waypoints 3 and 4. Our total flight path distance is now adjusted to 282
nm.
However, we are traveling at a faster airspeed than the default for the fuel
requirements table, so we also have to use the airspeed adjustment table to
correct for our airspeed. We now need to multiply the distance of
waypoints 1through4by1.1. Waypoint 1 rounds off to 83 nm, waypoint 2
becomes 40 nm, and waypoints 3 and 4 are corrected to 53 nm. The total
distance for the flight now reads at 304 nm, which is within the range
available for the internal fuel tank (370 nm). As long as we don't run into
any surprises, we should be able to complete this mission with the internal
tank only.
Landing at Bingo Bases
An important contingency to consider in your flight plan is an emer-

gency landing at a friendly air base. When you set up your waypoints, be
sure to set at least one waypoint at a nearby friendly air base. By nearby,
we mean an air base somewhere along your flight route that is closer
than your home air base. If you don't have enough fuel to make it back,
you will have to divert to your "bingo" base to land. Write down the
waypoint number for this base so that if you need it, you can find your
way there with your navigational equipment. If you don't need to use the
bingo base on the way home, just bypass the waypoint.
When you land at an alternative air base, you will end the mission. You
don't actually get refueled and then fly back home, although the simula-
tor pretends that you do.
If you can't land at a bingo base or your home base, don't panic. In
Falcon, the landing parameters are fairly easy, and one thing that is not
taken into account is the surface that you land on. This means that you
can cheat the Grim Reaper and give yourself some additional options by
deciding to fly until you run out (or are about out) of fuel and then just
land anywhere. You can land on a road if you want the challenge, but,
as long as you meet the landing parameters, you can land on practically
any surface, even on water! The closer you are to friendly territory the
better, and there is a very good chance that if you land this way, you will
simply be listed as Active, as though you had landed at your home base.
For realism, try to make it to the bingo base. But when all else fails, save
your skin and use every trick that's available to you. This is one of them!
CHAPTER 9
DOGFIGHTING STRATEGIES
Just as pilots in Vietnam developed field-proven strategies for

dealing with the enemy-strategies that were often considered
unorthodox and certainly not "by the book"-Falcon 3.0 jocks
have developed a number of strategies for dealing with enemy
aircraft, particularly in a dogfight. These strategies take the
essential elements that real fighter pilots use and add Falcon-
specific modifications to them so that you'll have a specific
advantage in Falcon 3.0. Since you're in Falcon's world,
you've got to learn to play by its rules. This chapter shows you
how.
186 GETTING SERIOUS
Keeping Track of Your Target

The most important key to winning a dogfight is to always know where
the enemy is. You want to be able to spot the enemy from as far away as
possible. And when the enemy gets within visual range, it's critical to keep
your eyes on him. The old fighter pilot's axiom, "Lose sight, lose the fight,"
couldn't be truer.
While Padlock view goes some way toward helping you keep a visual lock
on your target, you'll want to use a combination of techniques to stay on
top of your target's maneuvers. We recommend the following progression
when you're engaging the enemy.
Step 7. Start with forward view, using your radar.

You want to see the lilj~:;::i::::i;..,.."""::::::;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;:;;;;;;;~~~;::=-"""'i~::;:~
enemy as soon as pos-
sible. Use your radar
and IFF to determine
if there's a threat out
there beyond visual
range. As mentioned
elsewhere, if you use
any radar mode other
than the High Fidelity
Radar (HFR) mode,
you may have diffi-
culty keeping your ra-
dar set to a range of
greater than 10 nm,
which means you will
have a very limited
"distance" view. With
the HFR, you can eas-
ily spot and track en-
emy aircraft as far
away as 80 nm.
Once the enemy gets within about 14 nm, you have the option of firing on
him with your AMRAAMs, assuming you're carrying some. Continue to
track the enemy until he gets within visual range. Then use some of the
techniques described below.
9 DOGFIGHTING STRATEGIES 187
Step 2. Switch to Padlock view to identify the enemy.

"Know your enemy"
Iii
applies in dogfight-
ing as well as
anywhere else. If you
know what kind of
enemy aircraft
you're up against
(and if you've done
your homework),
you'll have an idea
of the specific kind of
threat he represents,
as well as his strengths and weaknesses. By the time the aircraft gets within
about 6 miles, you might be able to get an identification with the Padlock
view. Another way to get a distant identification is to use the Q (Enemy)
view. This view will show you a close-up of the current aircraft you have
locked up on your radar. It doesn't identify the aircraft for you as Padlock
view does, but if you've studied the aircraft using the Mission Computer,
you should be able to identify it visually.
You'll also want to use Padlock view if you don't have an aircraft locked up
on radar. If you're flying around looking for bad guys, switch to Padlock
view, which will be the best way to determine if there are threats within
visual range.
If several enemy aircraft are visible with Padlock view, and if you have time,
try to identify all of them before you take action. You want to deal with the
most dangerous threat first, if possible. For example, if you see MiG-29s or
MiG-19s, you should make them your first priority. Sometimes you won't
have this luxury. If Padlock view shows you a bandit right on your tail, or,
worse, if Padlock view locks onto a missile corning your way, drop every-
thing and deal with this threat! When you get a breather (assuming you've
survived), you can take a little more time to look around and see who is
still out there.
Once you've found the enemy plane you want to go after in Padlock view,
fly toward him until you're in firing position. Use Padlock view if it's fairly
188 GETTING SERIOUS
easy to put your nose on the enemy aircraft. However, if he flies right by
you, try using the next technique.
Step 3. Switch to Track view for a tight turning fight.

While Padlock view
gives you a full 360
view of the world, it is
"interpretive." In other
words, youhavetocre-
ate the image of the
world based on three
different windows in
the Padlock view. It is
much easier to deter-
mine your relationship
with the enemy and
perform your basic fighter maneuvers from Track view.
After you switch to Track view, you must lock up the enemy so that Track
view keeps him and you on the screen together. You can switch among
visible aircraft in Track view by repeatedly pressing the T key. You may
have to do this several times until you identify the enemy you're after,
because Falcon 3.0 sometimes randomly picks the plane Track view locks
up on. If you can't find the enemy you're after, you may have to go back to
Padlock view.
Once you've got the enemy on the screen with you in Track view, you will
maneuver from this view. You want to ultimately bring your nose to bear
on the other aircraft. The basic way to do this is first to put your lift vector
directly on the other aircraft. The lift vector is an imaginary line that runs
vertically out the top of your cockpit. Fly your plane so that this line points
right at the enemy aircraft. You will usually have to honk back on your
stick while you fly in order to keep the lift vector on the bad guy. By
following this method, you'll start to bring your nose onto the other
aircraft. As you're about to point at the other aircraft, go to step 4.
Beware!
Be aware that when you're flying around in Track view, you won't be
able to see your TWI or hear any missile lock-on warning sounds. This
problem can be serious to the point of death, so you may want to switch
periodically to the front view to check for missiles or other enemy
aircraft on your TWI.
Step 4. Switch to forward view and scroll the view up.

If you have been
turning tightly to line
up the aircraft, he will
be in front and above
you (from your
perspective in the
cockpit). Switch to
forward view and
scroll up the view.
This gives you the
best visual view out
the front of your
cockpit. You should be able to see him above your HUD if you're lucky.
Make sure you've got him locked up on your radar. Either you should see
a TD box on your HUD if he is within the field of view of your HUD, or
you should see the target locator line and diamond X on the HUD. Press
the X key (break lock) several times if you don't see either of these or if the
TD box is obviously locked onto another aircraft.
Your best bet is to lock your target up with the TD box on the HUD, get
into weapons parameters, and fire. However, if your adversary is highly
motivated to save his scrawny little computer-generated life, you may
have to do some more fancy flying before you can fire your weapons.
Stay in forward, scrolled-up view as long as you can see the enemy visu-
ally or as long as you still have the diamond X on the HUD. The diamond
X and target locator lines will give you the cues you need to fly toward
him. If you're lucky, he'll come back into visual view, and the TD will
return to the HUD. If, for some reason, he breaks hard or otherwise
190 GETTING SERIOUS
maneuvers so that he completely breaks radar lock, you will lose all your
HUD cues. If this happens, immediately switch back to Track view. This will
help you regain your sense of spatial relationship with him and show you
how to maneuver to bring your nose back on him. We recommend switch-
ing back to Track view rather than Padlock view in this instance. However,
the if sky is filled with bogeys and, when you go to Track view, you can't
tell which one is the guy you are after, you may have to switch back to
Padlock view to identify him.
When you're on a bandit's tail, you've really got to keep your eyes on him
and try to anticipate his maneuvers. You'll be hanging onto the tail of the
tiger for some of the more aggressive enemy pilots! It is important to watch
his wings so you can see which way he is turning. If he reverses on you
and you don't follow immediately, he can get behind you and suddenly
you're bear bait. This is what happens in the classic scissors maneuver.
Any time an aircraft is within visual range, you'll have a hard time keeping
your eyes on the target for several reasons. First, Falcon is very realistic in
its use of colors. You won't see a bright red aircraft starkly contrasted
against a bright blue sky. Instead, you'll see (if you're lucky) a light blue or
gray aircraft against a hazy blue sky. This is why it's so important to use
the TD box on your HUD. As in real life, it's easy to lose sight of an enemy
in Falcon. Then, just to make your life more difficult (and more realistic),
you may lose him in a cloud (if you have clouds enabled). This is very cool
and very frustrating. You're just about to stitch him with 20-mm shells
when he flies into a cloud, and you're no joy. Unfortunately, he won't lose
you in the clouds.
Finally, you may lose your target if he flies into the sun. Falcon glares out
the screen when you are heading directly toward the sun-again, another
very realistic feature . (You can't turn this one off, but you can cheat by
using the Shift-T command to change the time of day.) If you do lose your
target, go back to Track or Padlock view to reacquire him right away!
Step 5. Switch to Padlock view after you get a kill.

Assuming you've maneuvered around, put your nose on him, and fired
your weapons successfully, immediately switch to Padlock view to quickly
determine if there are any more threats around that might pose an immedi-
ate danger to you. If you find one, start the cycle over at step 2. Otherwise,
start at step l.
Of course, this is just a general pattern. There are lots of other contingen-
cies that may change your approach. In particular, if you get fired on by
either an air-to-air missile or a SAM, you'll want to immediately switch to
Padlock or Track view to locate and spoof the enemy missile. This is
described in more detail in Chapter 7, "Countermeasure Strategies."
AIM-9 sidewinder on
an F-16
192 GETTING SERIOUS
Maneuvering to Win
There's more to winning a dogfight than just following a number of simple
rules. You've got to learn to use your weapons properly, to use your
avionics suite to your advantage, to fly like a maniac, and to keep from
getting blown to dust. To be a successful (that is, breathing) fighter pilot is
no mean trick. Mostly it's practice, practice, practice. But here are a few
other tips, gleaned from hard-won battles, to help you win in the air-to-air
arena.
Learn your basic fighter maneuvers.

The Falcon 3.0 user's manual has some basic information about how to fly
basic flight maneuvers. You need to understand about flying lag, pure, and
lead pursuit. You need to understand the mechanics of turning and
acceleration. But you should also learn some specific fighter maneuvers.
The maneuvers that will be the most helpful in the beginning are the break,
the vertical loop, the split-S, the scissors, the Immelman, and the high-G
and low-G yoyos. By using and combining these maneuvers, you' ll be able
to engage the enemy in three dimensions and gain an advantage. The main
technique you want to learn is the out-of-plane (OOP) maneuver. In an
OOP, you don't leave your aircraft; rather, you change your plane of
movement. For example, if an aircraft is approaching you in the horizontal
plane, you gain an advantage by maneuvering in the vertical plane. If you
move out of the plane of movement that the enemy is in, you can often
turn the tide in your favor. Of course, the enemy is doing the same thing!
Many books that describe these maneuvers in detail are available. If you
want to get into a serious study of how to be a fighter pilot, get the book
Fighter Combat Tactics and Maneuvers, by Robert L. Shaw, published by the
Naval Institute Press. This is the hard-core, graduate-level course in flying
and fighting.
Jettison your heavy ordnance.

If you're carrying iron bombs or other extra stuff that you don't absolutely
need (such as fuel tanks), drop them in order to lighten up your F-16 and
reduce drag. This will give you an advantage in a turning fight.
If You Have Unlimited Weapons
If you're flying with unlimited weapons, always choose Clear All Weap-
ons when you go to the Armament screen. The weight and drag load on
your aircraft is computed based on the weapons you select from the
Armament screen. If you're flying with unlimited weapons, you don't
need to choose anything from this screen. Then your weight and drag
wil l be the lowest possible. (Actually, you must explicitly select an
ALQ-131 jamming pod from this screen if you want one. Un limited
armament doesn't automatically give you one.)
Watch for the enemy's contrails.

If the enemy is maneuvering radically and pulling Gs, he will generate
contrails from his wings. You can often see these contrails at more than 6
miles, even when you cannot see the enemy aircraft itself. This is very
helpful, particularly if the enemy has broken radar lock by jamming you or
if you're trying to sneak up on him with your radar off.
Watch for the enemy's flares and chaff.

In a similar vein, if the enemy is dumping chaff and flares, you may be able
to spot him visually at quite a distance. However, there is a built-in prob-
lem with this strategy. It's easy to become confused and think you're
tracking the enemy when, in fact, you're tracking one of his flares. Until he
is larger than just a dot, it is better to track him using the TD box on your
HUD, if possible.
Go for altitude.
You will generally have the advantage over almost all enemy aircraft
(except the MiG-29s) if you're at a high altitude. Try to get to at least 20,000
feet. Use your burner whenever you're climbing. You'll have better perfor-
mance than the enemy, and you should be able to turn this performance
edge to your advantage.
Keep your smash (energy) high.

For a fighter pilot, "speed is life." Because your F-16 in Falcon is subject to
weight and drag influences and flies like a real aircraft, you always need to
be concerned about your energy state. When you climb or turn, you bleed
194 GETTING SERIOUS
off energy, and if you honk wildly on the stick without being concerned
about your energy state, you'll find yourself continually stalling out and
wallowing around like a beached whale. You have two primary ways to
keep your smash high: using your throttle and using gravity.
Use your throttle and afterburner wisely. When you start to climb or pull
high Gs, you should increase your throttle setting. If you're on the tail of a
MiG and he goes vertical, go after him but plug in your burner to keep
your energy high. Don't forget to come out of burner when you level off,
because you'll use a lot of fuel this way, and you may overshoot your
target.
The other way to gain energy or keep your energy state high is to convert
altitude to airspeed. If you are starting to lose smash, unload. This simply
means pointing your nose toward the ground and letting the pull of
gravity increase your airspeed. If you're in a turn with an enemy and you
start losing airspeed, start a diving turn (a low-G yoyo) to help cut the
turning radius and pick up speed. If you're in danger of overshooting
because your airspeed is too high, go into a climbing turn (high-G yoyo) to
cut your turning radius and lower your airspeed. You always want to be
aware of the play of energy with every maneuver you make. Sometimes
you'll need to increase it, and sometimes you'll need to decrease it. Be-
tween your maneuvers and your intelligent use of the throttle, you'll be
able to keep your energy level just where you need it.
Stay out of burner if you get an enemy launch indicator.

If you're in afterburner, you create an enormous heat signature for the
enemy's heat-seeking missiles to track. Fire off flares, but stay out of
burner until your rear is no longer pointed at him. Fortunately, this rule
works both ways. Your own heat-seeking missiles will be more attracted to
the enemy aircraft if he uses his afterburner to escape from you.
Along similar lines, you'll diminish your own missile's ability to track
somewhat (not a large amount, but somewhat) if you're pointed at the sun
when you fire a heat-seeker at the enemy. He may try to lure you into the
sun in order to help him jink your missile. Falcon does model some inter-
ference from the sun, but not as much as you would find in real life. It's
much more difficult for you to pull the enemy into the sun because you
don't have the same awareness of the sun's position in Falcon as you do in
real life. Also, the sun's glare won't make it harder for the enemy to keep a
visual tallyho on you, but it does make it easy for you to lose the enemy if
he flies into the sun.
Stay at your comer speed.

The corner speed of the F-16 is about 450 knots. At this speed, you have the
best combination of fastest and tightest turn-generally giving you your
best performance. However, there are other factors involved with winning
a turning dogfight. For example, if you're mixing it up with a MiG-19,
which has a corner speed of 348 knots in Falcon 3.0, you may overshoot the
MiG-19 because you are going so much faster at your corner speed. But if
you slow down to the MiG-19' s corner speed, he'll definitely trounce you.
The MiG-21, on the other hand, has a corner speed of 462 knots in Falcon,
at which he can pull a maximum of 8.1 Gs. If you fight him at your corner
speed, you'll be able to pull 9 Gs while the MiG-21 will be able to pull less
than 8. Even though you have an advantage over the MiG-21, you'll still
want to use intelligent basic flight maneuvers and not just sit at your
corner speed in the tightest turn you can maintain.
Try to "beam" enemy radar-guided missiles.

You can "beam" pulse-doppler-based radar-guided missiles by flying
perpendicular to their direction of flight (actually, perpendicular to the
direction of the radar beam). If you see a radar-guided missile coming your
way, try to fly perpendicular to it. Of course, continue to pump out chaff,
but if you're lucky, you'll also be able to beam it, and it will lose lock
altogether.
Be aware that the enemy has a range advantage over you with his long-
range radar-guided missiles. While the Falcon manual says that the
AMRAAM has a range of 25 to 30 miles, you won't be able to get a lock
with it until you are within 18 miles of your target. However, the enemy
Matra Super 500 and the AA-7 Apex are listed with ranges of 22 and 25
miles, respectively, and these ranges are accurate in Falcon 3.0. The pro-
grammers decided to limit the range of your missiles to their practical
range but kept the range of the enemy missiles at their theoretical range.
196 GETTING SERIOUS
Make the enemy aircraft move his nose off you when he's launched
a radar-guided missile.
Both models of enemy radar-guided missiles are command-guided. This
means that, in order to keep their lock on you, the enemy plane must keep
its own radar on you. The aircraft radar is what guides the missile to its
target. Your own AIM-120 radar-guided missile has an on-board active
radar that guides itself. After you fire, you can leave the area, and the
missile will continue to track and home in on its target, but the enemy's
missile must receive its radar illumination from the enemy aircraft. If you
can get the enemy to take his nose off you (by popping off a couple of
AMRAAMs, for example), his radar-guided missile will lose track.
Determining Enemy Damage

When you hit an enemy aircraft, you get one of four visual indications that
you've damaged him. You'll normally see either pieces of his aircraft flying
off, smoke trailing out of the aircraft, or flames. In extreme cases, he'll
simply blow up. It is easiest to see these variations when you shoot down
an aircraft with your cannons because you'll be fairly close. But you may
also see them when you fire a missile if you score a proximity hit. A
proximity hit is when your missile explodes near the aircraft and he gets
hit with the shrapnel. The closer your missile is to an aircraft when it
explodes, the greater the damage. This is one of the very cool features that
was added to Falcon 3.0 in version D.
It's useful to know the meaning of each of these kinds of damage, since
they will help you determine whether you need to hang around and try to
continue to beat on your target or whether you can bug out. The following
describes the damage and meaning of each visual indication.
You see pieces flying off the aircraft.
Pieces flying may indicate either no real damage or random damage. The
same thing happens to you if you start to get strafed and then break away
sharply. You may see pieces of your own aircraft fly off without incurring
any damage, or you may get randomized damage. When you damage the
198 GETTING SERIOUS
other aircraft, specific systems on his plane go out, and he cannot use them.
For example, you may damage his radar. He will then be unable to lock
you up with his radar or fire radar-guided missiles. Successive hits that
inflict this kind of damage add up until you produce the next type of
damage indication.
You see smoke trailing out from the aircraft.
When you see smoke coming out from an aircraft you have attacked, it
means that you have damaged his engine. He has complete engine failure
and can no longer produce active propulsion for his aircraft. However, this
does not mean that he is helpless. He may still have working weapons and,
at the higher enemy logic levels, he'll convert altitude into energy, so he'll
still be able to maneuver and possibly shoot you down. Don't get lulled
into complacency and think that he's now a pushover.
If you see smoke coming out of an aircraft you just attacked, climb and
stay behind him. Wait until his speed bleeds off and then finish him (if you
can afford to hang around). Otherwise, climb and turn. It will be hardest
for him to follow you this way because these maneuvers will bleed off his
speed the quickest.
Don' t shoot past an aircraft damaged in this manner. Otherwise, he'll have
you in his gunsights, and you may hit the ground before he does if you let
him get a good shot at you.
A plane with smoke coming out will eventually crash into the ground.
You see flames coming out of the aircraft.
If you see flames coming out of the aircraft after you shoot it, you have
really wasted the sucker! You have killed the aircraft. It's on fire and out of
control. This situation is comparable to that of your own aircraft when all
the caution lights are on and you're spiraling down out of control. You
don' t have to worry about this guy attacking you. As far as the enemy air
force is concerned, he's now just another statistic.
200 GETTING SERIOUS
The aircraft explodes.
Sometimes the aircraft you attack will simply explode in a giant ball of
flames. This often happens if you hit him with more than one missile. An
exploding aircraft means that you have scored a direct hit on his fuel tank.
Hasta la vista, baby!
Downing Versus Destroying an Aircraft
During a debriefing, you may be told that you either downed or de-
stroyed an aircraft. The difference relates to the amount of damage you
did. A downed aircraft had its engine knocked out or its pilot killed. It
eventually spiraled into the ground. A destroyed aircraft was blown up
(that is, you hit a fuel tank). In both cases, the aircraft is considered a kill.
The only place it makes a difference is in Instant Action, where the
points are assigned differently. (See Chapter 4, "Instant Action," for
scoring information.)
Ejecting
It's bound to happen. At some point, you'll get shot down, and your only
option will be to eject (unless you want to go down with your ship like the
captain of a sea vessel). In Falcon, you'll usually live when you eject,
although you may be captured by the enemy and be listed as MIA.
When you eject, you are shot out of the aircraft with the rocket motor of
your ACES II ejection seat. If you watch from Track view when you eject,
you'll actually see yourself fire out of the cockpit and spin down for a
while, strapped to your ejection seat. At a certain point, your parachute
will open, and you'll float to the ground. You can also see enemy or allied
pilots ejecting out of damaged aircraft if you're close enough.
To eject, you press Ctrl-E three times in quick succession (Eject! Eject!
Eject!), just like the ejection call you would give to the guy in back (GIB) if
you were in a two-seater. But you need to be aware of your position before
you pull the loud handle. Since you're rocketed out through the canopy,
it's not a wise idea to eject when you are pointing downward. If you have
enough altitude, you may get away with it, but if you're near the ground,
you will turn yourself into a human javelin. All they'll find of you are your
feet sticking out of the earth.
202 GETTING SERIOUS
In Falcon 3.0, when you choose the nylon letdown as your final choice, you
will fall through the air until you get to about 5,000 feet. Then your chute
will open and you'll float the rest of the way down. The free fall ensures
that you don' t spend hours floating to the ground. Of course, you can end
the mission any time you want, but it's kind of nice to take a break and
enjoy the quiet and the scenery while the rest of the war rages on around
you. So, in general, try to bail out above 5,000 feet.
The ACES II is a zero/zero ejection seat, which means that it is supposed

to save your life even if you are at zero speed and zero altitude. In fact, you
can try sitting on the runway and punching out. You will be shot up about
300 feet and slowly float back down. (Of course, you'll need a few sessions
at the chiropractor's.) But while flying, particularly if you've just had your
plane shot out from under you, you don't usually have the luxury of
setting everything up so nicely. You can punch out at only a couple of
hundred feet, but only if your aircraft is in the proper orientation (that is,
in an upright position). Otherwise, you will end up looking like a splotch
in a Jackson Pollock painting.
~ Enemy pilots ejecting out of a Tu-22

You should also try to be aware of where in the Falcon world you are
when you bail out. The closer you are to friendly territory, the better your
chances of getting picked up by a rescue chopper and being brought back
to your base. If your engine is shot out but you have some altitude, try
gliding towards safe territory for as long as you can before punching out.
This may increase your chances of getting picked up safely.
When the Enemy Ejects
When you shoot down another aircraft, the pilot will likely bail out
before the plane crashes into the ground. Even though you may not
actually see him punch out, you will often see his parachute floating
down afterwards. Parachutes look like white dots until you get very close
to them. Then they look like little parachutes with a man hanging
underneath.
If you are feeling particularly demented some day, and if you have the
leisure, you can actually fly close to and strafe a pilot descending in a
parachute. If you hit it, the parachute will deflate! This is considered a
violation of the unwritten bond among pilots on all sides, but now that
you know about it, you'll probably do it! What a sicko!
In Operation: Fighting Tiger, and in version E, when you shoot down a

plane, the realistic number of occupants will eject out. For example, if
you hit an An-12 with paratroopers, you'll see 10 to 15 people pop out.
If an F-14 gets hit, two pilots will eject in tandem. You can watch all of
this happen at your leisure in ACM!. The only one you can't watch eject
in ACM! is yourself, because the recording stops as soon as you eject.
206 GETTING SERIOUS
Visual Identification
Two views of the Soviet
MiG-29 fighter aircraft
The tried-and-true method of identifying the enemy is with your eyes.

Even if you use the electronic methods of identification described later in
this chapter, you'll often want to have visual confirmation. If you were
really flying in an F-16, you would probably be less than comfortable if
your wingie risked your life by targeting you with a missile, based solely
on the fact that his instruments told him you were an enemy. You'd want
him to make sure by making a visual sighting. You have the same respon-
sibility in Falcon 3.0.
In Falcon, however, the difficulty is exacerbated by the limitations of VGA

graphics resolution. Aircraft appear as single dots until their distance from
you is less than a mile (at lX magnification), so it's quite difficult to iden-
tify aircraft as friendly or enemy if you rely solely on visual sightings.
Ground troops are even harder to identify. Sometimes you can't even see
ground troops. Most often, they just appear as dots on the ground. How-
ever, by following these guidelines, you can learn to identify enemy and
allied aircraft and troops visually in Falcon.
Buried deep within the bowels of Falcon 3.0 is something called the Mission
Using the Mission Computer. It identifies and describes each type of aircraft and most ground
Computer units that appear in the Falcon 3.0 simulation. This computer is very useful
for learning the visual and tactical characteristics of both allied and enemy
aircraft and ground units.
10 TALLYHO! 207
How to Get to the Mission Computer
You get to the Mission Computer through a somewhat circuitous route.

In Red Flag, you first choose Red Flag Control. Then select Nellis Com-
mand . Then choose Report. In Campaign, you get to the Mission Com-
puter by choosing Report from the Briefing screen.
The Report screen gives you four choices: Allied Aircraft, Enemy Aircraft,
Allied Forces, and Enemy Forces. When you select any one of these, you
are taken into the Mission Computer.
For each aircraft or ground vehicle, the Mission Computer shows a photo-
graph of the asset on the right, a description of its capabilities on the left,
and a 3D, computer-generated version of the aircraft or ground vehicle at
the bottom of the screen. For aircraft, the information CRT on the left
provides:
Aircraft name Top speed
Manufacturer Maximum range
Aircraft type Combat radius
Crew capacity Maximum ceiling
Minimum and maximum weight Engine type
Length Radar type
Wingspan
This is the same information you'll find in the "Reference" section of the
Falcon user's manual.
For ground vehicles, the Mission Computer provides:

Name Width
Origin Combat weight
Vehicle type Maximum road speed
Crew capacity Road range
Length Radar type (if applicable)
Height
This information is not included in the Falcon user's manual's "Reference"

section.
208 G ETTING SERIOUS
For missile launchers, the Mission Computer provides:

Name Launch weight
Origin Speed
Missile type Effective range
Missile length Altitude limits
Diameter Radar type
Wingspan
This information is also not in the Falcon user's manual's "Reference"

section.
Trucks and artillery, as well as ground troops with shoulder-launched

SAMs, don't show up on the Mission Computer. Neither do SA-2 SAMs,
which are the SAMS used in the permanent SAM sites you'll find in the
campaigns.
While trying to identify ground units from a high-flying, fast-moving

aircraft is probably an exercise in futility, visually identifying other aircraft
is not. Take time to study each enemy and allied aircraft to get to know
their visual characteristics. Some aircraft, like the F-15 and the MiG-29,
look remarkably alike, and you'll want to be able to make a visual distinc-
tion when you get up close and personal.
The useful things to look for in identifying an aircraft visually are:
Wings-Are they large or small, delta or swept?

Rudder-It is single or double? angled?
Air intakes-Are they single or double, in-front or under-wings?
Engines-Are they single or double? on-wings?
You leave the Mission Computer by pressing the Esc or E key.

10 T All YHO! 209
Controlling the Rotating Image in the Mission Computer
The Mission Computer displays Falcon's visual representation as a

rotating image at the bottom of the screen. A very useful undocumented
feature of the Mission Computer gives you control over this image. You
can speed up or slow down the rotation, as well as change the yaw,
pitch, and roll of the aircraft. By using these hidden controls, you can
orient the aircraft, in many useful ways. For instance, it's useful to get a
head-on view of the aircraft since this view usually displays the smallest
cross-section of the aircraft.
To use these hidden features, press the following keys:
Key Action
+ To increase rotation from the pilot's perspective
To decrease rotation from the pilot's perspective
1 To yaw to the right
Shift-1 To yaw to the left
2 To pitch up
Shift-2 To pitch down
3 To rol I right
Shift-3 To roll left
When you're viewing ground vehicles, you can only increase or de-
crease rotation speed and adjust the yaw. You can't pitch or roll the
images of the ground vehicles.
While you don't have the visual acuity in Falcon 3.0 that you would have
Identification by
in real life, Falcon does give you some useful color hints that can be of
Color
enormous help in identifying aircraft and ground units. Ground units are
easy. Friendly ground units are green and gray, while enemy ground units
are brown. Ground units that you've destroyed are dark gray. You can see
these differences from quite far away. In fact, if you can see a ground unit
at all, you will be able to determine its color and therefore its alliance.
Hint: Think of it this way-

Good guys are Gray and Green,
Bad guys are Brown, and
Dead Guys are Dark Gray.
210 GETTING SERIOUS
When aircraft are more than a mile or so away from you, they appear as
single dots (at lX magnification). Each dot has the main color of the aircraft
it represent, so you can actually get an idea of the kind of aircraft that you're
approaching from its color. However, many aircraft have the same color.
The following tables shows aircraft by color. Aircraft new to Operation:
Fighting Tiger are marked "OFT."
Enemy Allied
Grey An-12 F-16

MiG-25 (with light blue wings) FSX
MiG-29 (with light blue wings) B-52
Mirage Ill (with light blue delta wings) E3
Mirage Fl (with light blue wings) F-4
MiG-3 1 (O FT) F-111 (w ith light blue wings)
Mirage 2000 (OFT) F-14 (with light blue wings)
Q-5 (OFT) F-15
A-4
Tornado
Q-5 (OFT)
Mitsubishi F-1 (OFT)
Light blue IL-76 C-130

MiG-21 F/A-18
Su-25 UH-60
Su-27 J-7 (OFT)
Tu-22 F-5E (OFT)
J-7 (OFT)
Green MiG-19 A-10

MiG-2 7 AH-64
Jaguar (OFT) KFIR-C7
Brown Mil-24 (with blue cockpit) Mirage 5 (with delta wings)

Su-24
MiG-23
Mirage 5 (with delta wings)
SA-342 (with blue cockpit)
Black F-117 A Nighthawk stealth fighter
From this table, you should be able to make several easy IDs, although you
shoutd notice that in Operation: Fighting Tiger, the same model of aircraft is
sometimes used on both sides of the war!
10 TALLYHO! 211
If an aircraft is green and he's coming at you, he's probably a bad guy-
most likely a MiG-19 or a MiG-27. Either can shoot you down. If he's
brown, he'll almost always be an enemy. The Su-24 and the Mirage 5 are
the dangerous ones. If he's black, he's a good guy, and that explains why
your radar has been acting so squirrelly.
Unfortunately, you still have many other aircraft to identify, and you'll
have to use other visual or electronic means to figure out what they are.
You can get a good look at the aircraft in the sky and objects on the ground
Identification in
by flying with the magnification set to the highest setting: 8X magnifica-
tion. A good way to try out this setting is to set the enemy logic level to BX View
Trainee, set magnification to 8X, and fly in Instant Action. You'll be able to
fly around without too much trouble because the enemies won't be very
aggressive, and you'll be able to see a lot of action. You'll see lots of aircraft
in the sky, and you should be able to distinguish features from quite a
distance. This practice is also a good way to test what you've learned using
the Mission Computer. The planes fly slow and lumberingly at 8X, so
you'll have time to take a good look around.
You'll find that ground objects such as tanks, trucks, and AAA are also
enlarged. If you use visually guided bombs like GBUs or Mavericks, you'll
also see the video image magnified 8X. At 1X magnification, the ground
objects will be mere dots until you're right upon them, so using 8X gives
you a safe, quick way to learn how to identify them without scraping the
ground.
Padlock view, described in detail in Chapter 11, "View Strategies," pro-

vides a unique and useful method of seeing what's going on around you.
Identification in
In addition, the aircraft you padlock are identified in the Padlock status Padlock View
window in the upper left corner, next to the label "Target." If the target is
within visual range but too far away to identify, it is labeled "Unknown."
However, Padlock is able to identify targets several miles off-which gives
you a real advantage over your own visual identification in Falcon 3.0.
If you're in a hurry to identify threats using Padlock, the best way is to

switch to Padlock and then cycle through all of the threats by pressing the
T key repeatedly. But don't look at the visual images that Padlock is
212 GETTING SERIOUS
picking out for you. Just keep your eyes on the target name in the Padlock
status window. By going through the available threats, you can quickly
ascertain what is around you and what is likely to be your greatest threat.
However, if you see a MiG-19 show up as the target, stop what you're
doing and go after him, or get out of there. In Falcon 3.0, unlike the real
world, the MiG-19 is probably your most formidable air-to-air threat.
One of the views available to you is the Enemy view. (See Chapter 11.) This
Identification in
is a fascinating view, because you can watch an enemy aircraft fly just as
the Enemy (Q)
you watch your own aircraft fly from Track view. You can also use it to
View follow your missiles as they track and hit (and often miss) the enemy
aircraft you're shooting at.
You can use the Enemy view (by pressing the Q key) to "cheat" and see
who your enemy is visually. The Enemy view only lists the enemy as
"Threat," so you'll have to be able to ID him by sight. But you will be as
close as you are with the Mission Computer. If you've done your home-
work there, you'll have no problem making a visual ID using Enemy view.
This means that you can get a visual ID of an enemy up to 80 nm away!
Now that's pretty good eyesight!
"If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin' ."

-Terry "Pinecone" Carraway
Former A-10 driver
While this"view obviously isn't realistic, one way you can rationalize it is
that it makes up for the lack of visual acuity in Falcon 3.0. It's as though
you had a ground controller or AW ACS controller giving you more
information. The information pane along the bottom of Enemy view tells
you the enemy's speed, heading, and altitude; just what you would get
from an AWACS controller.
If you lock up an enemy aircraft and switch to Enemy view, you will
almost always see him jinking, and often releasing chaff and flares. This is
because he sees that you have locked him up on his threat indicator and is
taking evasive action. Keep in mind, though, that Enemy view will only
show you an aircraft that you have locked up with your radar. If he is not
locked up or if he breaks lock, Enemy view will not work or will revert to
Track view, watching your F-16.
10 TALLYHO! 213
Enemy view won't work for viewing ground targets the way it does for air
targets. You can't examine a ground target before you fire a missile at it.
Even if you have locked onto a target with a smart weapon like a Maverick
or a GBU, pressing Q won't show you the target. Once you fire your
missile, you can press Q and watch your missile travel to the target and
obliterate it. But you can't examine ground targets in advance of firing, as
you can with air targets.
A word of caution: It's fascinating to watch your missiles fly along toward
their destiny in Enemy view, and it's easy to forget that you're flying a
high-performance aircraft while you're doing it. Don't get too wrapped up
in watching from Enemy view, or you may very well crash your own
aircraft!
A-JO Warthog with

CBUs and air-to-air
missiles
214 GETTING SERIOU S
Electronic Identification
The F-16 is crammed with electronic gear, and the purpose of much of this
gear is to help you identify threats. Besides relying on your eyes, you want
to be able to take advantage of this equipment to help you stay alive.
Your Threat Warning Indicator is one of the most useful pieces of equip-
Identification
ment for getting information about potential threats. It lets you know
with the TWI when you are being painted by a ground radar unit or another aircraft's
radar. (While the Falcon user's manual says that in SAD radar mode, the
TWI shows you every enemy whether he is painting you or not, in actual-
ity, you won't see any aircraft show up on the TWI in SAD mode. You will
see ground threats appear on it, however.) It also indicates the type of radar
that is painting you. A number appears in each box or diamond that
represents a threat. By knowing what these numbers mean, you can get a
good idea of the type of plane or SAM that is locking you up.
For example, for a ground radar unit, the number 1 indicates a continuous-
wave, Straight Flush radar unit, which can only be an SA-6 Gainful SAM.
10 TALLYHO! 215
For a complete list of radar types and their associated weapons or aircraft,
see the section on the "Threat Warning Indicator" in Chapter 7, "Counter-
measure Strategies."
For aircraft radar, you could use the axiom that the lower the number of
the radar type, the higher the threat. For example, the MiG-29, which uses
type 1 radar, is a potent aircraft that can outperform the F-16 in some ways.
However, there's an exception to this rule. In Falcon 3.0, it's the MiG-19-
with type 3 radar-that's the most dangerous, because it can maneuver so
well. Although this isn't realistic, some of the parameters in the Falcon
world are different from those in the real world, and if you want to learn
how to survive, you have to learn the rules.
The IFF-or Identify Friend/Foe-is an ingenious device that lets you

Identification
know whether other aircraft are friendlies or enemies. When you interro-
gate another aircraft with IFF, its transponder will either respond with a with IFF
tone or not respond at all. If it doesn't respond, the threat is an enemy
aircraft. In the real world, you would be a bit hesitant about firing on
another aircraft on the basis of the IFF return alone. It could be a friendly
who just has a bad transponder. You wouldn't want to come back to the 0
club and find out you just shot down your CO's best friend. In Falcon 3.0,
however, you never get an incorrect IFF reading. (Unfortunately, the IFF
tone does not always work properly in many Falcon versions due to a
bug.)
You interrogate another aircraft by pressing the N key. The IFF system
responds with a tone and a light on the IFF console (located in the lower
left view) if the aircraft is friendly. If there is no response, it's an enemy. If
you've turned the sound off, you will have to use the IFF light, visible from
your normal left view. A green light means the aircraft is friendly. No light
means "Watch out!"
CHAPTER 11
VIEW STRATEGIES
Until programs like Falcon 3.0 are converted to true virtual

reality systems, you'll have to create your view of the world
by looking at different angles on a flat screen. In Falcon 3.0,
you can use lots of different views to figure out what's going
on in the Falcon world. Some of these are from inside the
cockpit, looking out. But in addition, Falcon has some spec-
tacular views from outside the aircraft. These outside views
not only give you an incredible perspective on flying, but will
also provide some real strategic advantages for you. This
chapter has all the details.
218 GETTING SERIOUS
Inside the Cockpit

Falcon 3.0 gives you four main views from inside the cockpit: front, left,
right, and rear. These four views provide a 360-degree field of view around
your aircraft. You can also look straight up, which can be quite useful in
certain kinds of encounters, or use the secret "down" view, which is
interesting, but not all that useful.
The four main views have two variations: normal and raised. The normal
views provide eye-level images from the cockpit. They are the views that
will allow you to examine all of the instrumentation and avionics within
your aircraft. Raised views, accessed by pressing the Scroll Lock key, scroll
up to show the views over the edge of the cockpit. They give you a much
better view of what's going on outside the cockpit.
In addition, Falcon has a special Padlock view that you'll find particularly
useful for dogfighting.
The normal front view is a

Front Views view you'll see a lot. From it,
you see the sky out the front
of the cockpit, and you also
see your main cockpit instru-
ments. These are the HUD,
the REO, the threat warning
systems, the stores control
panel, the RPM indicator, the
flare and chaff counters, and a
few other miscellaneous lights
and indicators.
You will generally want to use the normal front view for takeoffs, land-
ings, flying, navigating, attacking ground targets, and making radar
intercepts. You need to be able to see and use your instruments for these
activities, and this is the view that lets you do it.
When you press the Scroll Lock key, the front view scrolls up so that only
the HUD is visible. All the rest of the cockpit instruments are no longer in
sight.
11 VIEW STRATEGIES 219
The raised view is extremely useful during tight turning encounters with
an enemy aircraft. Usually during a turning war, the enemy is ahead and
"above" you. You will probably be on knife edge, and so will your prey. In
order to see him, you will have to see a bit above the top of the HUD. The
raised view gives you that advantage.
It's critical to be able to keep your eyes on the enemy, because he's smart
and dangerous and will reverse on you when you least expect it. Suppose
you're pulling into a hard left turn, chasing a MiG-21. If he suddenly
breaks right and you don't see it, the next thing you know, he'll be on your
tail. In order to stay on a bandit and close the gap, you need to be able to
see him, see what he does, anticipate his maneuvers, and move in on him.
With the raised front view, you have a good opportunity to watch the
enemy's flying maneuvers and match them.
The raised front view only

gives you a certain range of
view. When or if your target
goes above this view, you
may have to switch to
another view to keep tabs
on him. You probably won't
have to switch views
immediately because your
instruments can still help
you for a while. If you have
locked the target up with
radar, he will appear as a
TD box on your HUD as
long as he's within the field
of view of the HUD. When
he goes outside of the HUD
field of view, you will still
be able to track him using
the target locator line and
the diamond X. These give
you a geometric indication
of where the target is. A
good rule of thumb is to
220 GETTING SERIOUS
stay in the front raised view as long as you have the target locked up and
are tracking him with the target locator line and the diamond X readouts.
As soon as you lose these, you should immediately switch into another
view.
While you have a definite visual advantage flying with the front raised
view, you lose sight of a number of critical instruments. The temptation is
strong to remain in this view, but you must remember to switch to normal
front view frequently to check these instruments. The instruments that are
important are:
Radar While the radar is not the most critical instrument for you to
check while in the raised front view, it's your long-range warning
system that lets you track objects beyond visual range. If you' re in a
furball, you'll probably be in ACM radar mode. In ACM mode, the
radar will automatically lock onto the closest target in its field of view.
This target will be displayed as a TD box on your HUD, which you'll be
able to see. Once the feathers stop flying, be sure to switch to normal
view and check your radar so you can see what may be coming toward
you from a distance.
TWI The Threat Warning Indicator is probably the most important

instrument you' ll miss seeing while you're in the raised front view. It's
extremely important to know if other aircraft are painting you with
their radars, because they probably have evil intentions if they are. You
need to know 1) that they are painting you, 2) where they are, and 3) who
they are. The TWI can tell you. When you see a diamond or rectangle on
the TWI, you know that somebody has your number. The position on
the TWI shows you the direction they're painting you from, and the
number inside the diamond or rectangle can tell you a lot about who
they are and, therefore, how dangerous they are. You miss all this when
you fly with the front view raised.
TWP The Threat Warning Panel tells you if someone has locked on their
radar or launched a missile at you. This, of course, is extremely impor-
tant information. But you also get an audible warning in either case. So
you don't absolutely need to be down in normal front view to tell
you're about to be hit. However, if you hear the lockon or launch tone,
you should immediately drop to normal view and check both the TWP
and the TWI to determine the who, what, and where of the threat.
RPMs If you're flying with the keyboard as your flight controller or

with only one joystick, the only indication you have of your RPM
setting is the RPM gauge. You won't be able to depend on bodily
sensations to determine acceleration or deceleration as you would in a
real aircraft. You will be able to tell, in a very crude way, by looking at
your airspeed indicator on the HUD. But this will not give you timely
information. By the time you've determined that your RPMs must be
low-because your airspeed has dropped-it will be too late.
Unfortunately, the PC speaker doesn't give you audio feedback about

your throttle setting. If you're using a SoundBlaster card, you'll hear a
very quiet whine that changes with your throttle setting, but it won't be
very obvious. If you throttle back because you're about to overshoot the
guy you're tailing, you have to do it by feel. You may unintentionally
throttle back to idle and lose all your airspeed and energy. After a
while, you can become proficient at knowing just how much you have
changed the throttle simply by knowing how long you held the plus or
minus key down, but this is not the ultimate solution. You will need to
switch to normal view to check your RPM settings on a regular basis.
This is not necessarily easy in the heat of battle.
NOTE: If you turn your throttle down to idle (below 60 percent RPM), you
won't be able to engage the afterburner from the keyboard . If your throttle is
at idle and you press the I key, you'll hear the sound of your burner going
on, but you won't really go into burner. You need to be above 60 percent RPM
for your burner to work in Falcon 3.0. You don't have this problem with the
ThrustMaster Weapons Control System.
Stores Control Panel During air-to-air engagements, if you can't see the
Stores Control Panel, you won't be able to tell how many rounds of
cannon shells you have left. This could leave you in a difficult situation
if you run out before you've finished off your target.
222 GETTING SERIOUS
When you're attempting an air-to-ground mission, you should rarely

use the raised front view. You can't tell which AG weapon you select by
looking at the HUD mode only. In an air-to-air battle, however, you can
distinguish among the AA weapons from the HUD modes.
Status Control Panel The Status Control Panel, in the lower right of the
front cockpit view, has lamps that give you status information on ECM,
flaps, autopilot, gear, speed brakes, and wheel brakes. The items that
will be critical to you during a dogfight are ECM and speed brakes.
In the confusion and excitement of a battle, your fingers will be flying

over the keyboard, and you may unintentionally turn off (or on) your
ECM pod, if you have one. If you have been counting on jamming that
SAM site, you'll be in for a big surprise if you've unintentionally turned
off the pod. The only way to know for sure is to check the ECM light on
the Status Control Panel periodically.
Likewise, since the speed break is a toggle in Falcon 3.0, you may forget
the state it's in if you use it frequently. You won't be able to get the
performance you expect out of your F-16 if the speed brake is in the
opposite position from what you expect. This can have serious conse-
quences during a battle. In a real F-16, you would be able to feel the
tremendous drag caused by your extended boards, but in Falcon 3.0,
you have to rely on the Brake light. Of course, you can always watch
your speed indicator on the HUD to see if your speed increases or
decreases when you press the B key. Nevertheless, this is an inaccurate
method at best.
From the normal left view,

Left Views you'll be able to see the instru-
ments on the left side of your
cockpit: the fuel indicator, the
landing gear lights, the AVTR
panel, the backup airspeed
indicator, the IFF lamp, and
the compass. These instru-
ments are described in the
Falcon 3.0 user's manual. But
note that the early versions of
the manual don't indicate the IFF lamp, and that they describe a backup
altimeter instead of a backup airspeed indicator. That backup altimeter
never made it into Falcon 3.0.
The normal left view provides a very limited view outside the cockpit. In
addition, the view is skewed quite a bit, so that if you are looking out to
your left at the runway parallel to you, it will appear to be angled down.
Still, the normal left view will let you see what objects are on the ground
below and just to your left.
When you raise the left view by pressing the Scroll Lock key, you're
looking directly out to your left. There is no indication of the direction
you' re looking because the entire view is outside. Unlike earlier versions of
Falcon, you won't see your wings, so you won't be able to tell from the
view which side you're looking out of. You can deduce it from the direc-
tion of ground motion, however. When you're looking out the raised left
view, the ground and clouds move from right to left. When you' re looking
out the raised right view, they move from left to right.
The left raised view is useful for following the movements of an enemy
aircraft, for checking on the status of your wingmen, and for looking at the
ground when you bank to the left.
In the normal right view,

Right Views
you see the caution light
panel that contains all the
caution lights for your F-16.
These lights are explained
in the Falcon 3.0 user's
manual. The out-the-
window view from the
right normal view is the
same as that from the left
normal view, in that it will
be of little use to you for
flying or fighting .
224 GETTING SERIOUS
The raised right view is identical to the left raised view, except that you see
directly out to the right. Again, you have no visual indication of which
view you're looking at, other than the movement of clouds and ground in
relation to you.
In the normal rear view, you

Rear Views see out the back of your air-
craft, and you also see your
own (unoccupied!) ejection
seat. There is absolutely no
advantage to using the rear
normal view. When you raise
the rear view, you get the same
view to the rear sides, but a
much better view behind and
above you. You should raise
the rear view as soon as pos-
sible-while you're on the
ground, if you can-and leave it there.
With the up view, you can look directly up through the top of your cock-
Up View pit. As with the raised side view, there is nothing directly in the view to tell
you which view you're looking at, so you'll have to remember which key
you just hit. You won't normally stay in up view for long. There is one
instance, however, when up view is very useful.
If you're on the tail of an enemy and he is moving faster than you, you'll
see him fly up and out of the top of your forward view, even if you are in
the raised forward view. If he's moving fast, you can switch to up view
and reacquire him from there. You will often be able to see him reverse his
direction from this view, and you can make the corresponding moves to
follow him. It takes a little practice until you can master the timing for
when you have to switch to the up view to be able to see him fly by, but it
can be a useful skill to acquire.
NOTE: For some unknown reason, up view will sometimes switch to Track view.
You'll have to press the U key again to get back into up view.
Falcon has a hidden down view. It is exactly the opposite of up view, with
Down View
the exception that, since the bottom of your cockpit is not made of a clear,
transparent plastic like the top, it's "cheating" to look down. In action, the
down view doesn't come in that handy. If you need to look straight down,
you're probably better off using Satellite view discussed below. To get the
down view, press Shift-U.
Padlock view is a unique

Padlock View
view for flight simulators.
It tries, in a fairly successful
way, to simulate a crucial
action of a pilot in a dog-
fight-that of padlocking.
Once you're within visual
range of an enemy aircraft,
it's critical to keep the ene-
my in view. Things happen
so fast in high-performance
jet aircraft that just a mo-
ment's lack of vigilance is
enough to return you back to your primitive elements. So when a pilot
spots a bad guy near him, he "padlocks" him; that is, he glues his eyes to
the enemy and keeps them there, independent of where he's flying his
plane.
A pilot who has padlocked the enemy swivels his head around while he
watches his target so he can keep track of him. It's not unusual in a dog-
fight for a fighter pilot to be turning hard to look over his shoulder while
pulling his plane into a high-G yoyo. In a dogfight, his nose and the nose of
the F-16 are frequently going in opposite directions.
In Falcon 3.0, this action is simulated with the Padlock view. Once you
padlock an aircraft, the view stays with it and swivels around as though
you were swiveling your head to watch the aircraft wherever it might go.
All this action takes place in the main Padlock window. Above this win-
dow are three smaller windows that provide special information to help
226 GETTING SERIOUS
you interpret the Padlock window and to provide you with additional
information that your eyes can't give you due to the limits of resolution of
the display monitor.
The small center window

is the 360-degree window
that shows you where the
main Padlock window is I..: I
looking. It's as though
you took the bubble of the cockpit, split it down the back, and unfurled it.
There's a HUD in the middle of the image that indicates the view from the
front of your plane, as well as half of your ejector seat at each edge. You
will see a rectangle move around this window. The rectangle indicates the
view the main Padlock window is seeing and where it is in relation to your
plane. If the rectangle is near the center of the 360-degree window, you're
looking out the front. If it's near either side of the window, you're looking
out the rear. When you look toward the front of the aircraft, you'll see the
I
HUD move in and out of the main Padlock window. When you look out
the rear of the aircraft, you will see the tail move in and out of view.
The small right window is the target loca-

tor window. It shows you the movements
of the horizon as though you were looking
out the front of your aircraft. This window
is an indispensable aid in keeping you i....~~..11!
.... ~~
..... --~~......i
oriented with the horizon, because it's very

easy to get disoriented while using Padlock view for any length of time.
A tiny HUD is drawn in the target locator window, and a target locator
line is drawn from the HUD to the padlocked aircraft. You use this guide
as you use the real target locator line, pulling your aircraft in the direction
of the target.
The window in the upper left is the Pad-

lock status window. This window pro-
vides positive identification of your pad-
locked aircraft as well as critical flight
information for your own aircraft.
The advantage of using Padlock view is that you can keep your eyes on
Dogfighting with
enemy aircraft throughout the duration of a dogfight. Here's a typical
Padlock View
scenario of an intercept:
You' re in normal front view, and you've been tracking a bogey on your
radar. Your readouts tell you he's heading directly at you at a distance of 8
miles, and your combined closure rate is nearly 1,000 knots! You know
you're going to make a head-to-head pass, and it's crucial that you don't
lose sight of him.
At about 5 miles, you switch to Padlock view. At this point, Padlock view
looks like the raised front view, with the HUD in the center of the screen.
You can see the target designator box in the HUD. Suddenly, you see a
smaller green box appear over the TD box. The Padlock status window
lists Unknown for the target. He's still too far away to make a positive ID.
As the aircraft gets closer, the Target field changes to MiG-27. Oh, great!
Well, he's really no match for your F-16. But wait! Suddenly you see
another dot beside the padlocked MiG-27. You can't tell what it is on the
screen, but you hit the T key to padlock on this new target. The small box
jumps to the new aircraft near the first MiG-27. This time the small
box is red, although the first MiG-27 is still locked up in the TD box on
your HUD.
The Padlock status window identifies this new aircraft as a MiG-27, too.
Hmmm. This may not be so easy. You steer your aircraft so the TD box on
the MiG that's locked up by radar moves toward the center of the HUD,
into the missile reticle. Meanwhile, you're still padlocked on the second
MiG, which is moving to the left of your HUD. Your HUD swings to the
right in the main Padlock window, which is where it would "seem to be" if
you were looking out the left forward part of your canopy. You hear the
growl of the Sidewinder as the seekerhead detects a heat signature from
the leading edge flaps of the MiG. Thank goodness for those all-aspect
missiles! You hit the fire button and pop off a Mike version of the AIM-9.
At the same time, you break high and to the right.
As you turn, you keep your eyes on the second threat, hoping your first
missile found its target. At least it should be keeping that MiG occupied
while you attend to his partner.
228 GETTING SERIOUS
You now break hard to the left as the MiG flies past you. You pull hard Gs
and watch the rectangle in the 360-degree window move toward the center
of the screen. Pretty soon you see your HUD coming back into view of the
main Padlock window with the MiG still visible. He's still surrounded by a
red box, which means he isn't locked up by your radar. You press X to
break the lock of any other aircraft. The radar then scans in front of you,
and since it's in ACM mode, it locks up on the first aircraft it sees-
your MiG.
In another 3 seconds, you get good tone and fire off another Sidewinder. It
follows the MiG as though it had left a trail of bread crumbs, and in
another 2 seconds the MiG explodes in midair. Must'uv gotten a fuel tank!
You press the T key to check out any other threats, and Padlock locks onto
the first MiG-27 spiraling down to the ground, trailing smoke. Lucky you.
Your first missile tagged him in the lips. A further check shows that you're
clean, clear, and naked. You switch back to normal front view and try to
bring your pulse back to normal.
You've just followed a typical dogfight using Padlock view to bring you to
victory. While not covering all the strategies and principles for using
Padlock view, this account does touch on several important ideas:
Padlock view will identify the aircraft at a much more distant range than you
could visually on the VGA monitor.
Padlock simulates the kind of vision you would have if you were inside
the cockpit of the aircraft (and had 20-10 vision). You can't get that kind of
resolution and clarity on a VGA monitor, and Padlock view compensates
for this. You can actually padlock an aircraft before it is represented by one
pixel on the screen. And you will be able to identify the type of aircraft
when it is only one pixel. Knowing who your enemy is this early in the
game is very helpful.
The aircraft you 're padlocking is not necessarily the aircraft you have locked
up with your radar.
Padlock and radar lock are two entirely separate operations. In fact, there
is only one element in Padlock view that relates the two. The box that
surrounds the aircraft you have padlocked turns green if that aircraft is
also locked up on radar. If it's not locked, the box will be red. You may
have an aircraft locked up on radar and see it with a green padlock box,
even if it isn't within the view of your HUD. This is because the radar can
scan a much wider field than the HUD.
If the aircraft is not locked up on radar, you have to go through all the
manual operations to lock it up, depending on the radar mode you're
using. Pressing the T key in Padlock view will not change the radar lock
for you. You should be in ACM radar mode when you are close enough to
use Padlock view, because ACM automatically locks up aircraft that come
into range. When you have your head swiveling all over the place, you
don't have time to be manually locking up aircraft. You want the radar to
do it for you.
You will need to keep pounding on the X key to lock up the padlocked
aircraft. Of course, you also need to point your nose at him so the radar can
bounce some radiation off him. After you hit the X key a few times, the
radar will lock him up and the padlock box will turn green.
You can fire your weapons while in Padlock.

As long as the HUD is in view, you can use it as always to line up, lock on,
and fire your weapons. Padlock view then lets you follow the aircraft-
even if it moves off to your side-to see what happened. Your missiles are
your best bet in Padlock view. It's much harder to use your guns, because
the HUD itself may move about.
Padlock view is the best view for checking out your six.
While the rear view gives you a look directly behind you, Padlock will
show you if another plane is coming in on your six from above, from
below, or from the sides. Attack from behind is the most deadly and most
difficult to detect, and if you don't use Padlock to see who's sneaking up
on you, the chances are, you'll be heading down in flames sooner or later.
Once you've taken care of your primary threat, switch to Padlock view and
cycle through all of the planes in visible range to see if anyone is on your
tail. In fact, if you're tight on the tail of another plane, you may want to hit
the T key a few times to see if someone is on your tail at the same time. It's
a favorite trick of the MiGs to work in pairs, with one acting as bait. As you
230 GETTING SERIOUS
go after one, another comes up behind you and turns you into a tossed
salad. If your target is in front of you at a couple of miles, you can probably
afford to take a quick look behind. It may save your life.
You'll encounter a few problems in Padlock view. Some are inherent in the
Problems with activity that Padlock view is simulating, and some are due to the imple-
Padlock View mentation of Padlock itself.
You can 't see your TWI when using Padlock view.
If your head is swiveling all around the cockpit like Linda Blair's in The
Exorcist, you won't be able to see your Threat Warning Indicator-so you
won't be able to tell if another plane has its radar locked up on you. You
will get the audio indication of radar lock and launch, but you can't tell
from the sound whether the radar is from a SAM or from another aircraft.
And if you've got the sound turned off, you're really in a sorry mess.
You need to switch back to normal front view periodically to check the
TWI. This may take several steps, because you may also have the raised
front view to track enemy aircraft visually while they are in front of you. If
you know that the front view is raised, you can press the Scroll Lock key
while you're in Padlock view. This will shift the front view down to
normal, even though you are not in front view. Then, when you do switch
to front view, you'll be able to see the TWI immediately, without having to
go through another keystroke.
You can 't see your RPM gauge.

You need to have good control over your throttle to keep your energy state
at a proper level, and you can' t check your RPMs while you're in Padlock
view. With a sound board like the SoundBlaster, you get a very tiny whine
that can sometimes give you an indication of throttle position. But gener-
ally, you need to see the RPM gauge to tell where your throttle is.
You can 't see your speed brake status light.

It's very frustrating when you go to fly after the bad guys and then watch
them pull away from you like you're standing still. What's going on here?
You're flying a lean, mean F-16! Yeah, but if you fly around all day with
your boards hanging out, you're not going to catch anyone. And you can't
tell your speed brake status while you're in Padlock view.
You can 't see your ECM status light.

As with your speed brakes, you can't tell if you've turned your ECM
jammer on or off unless you're inside the cockpit. If you fly around with
your jammer on all the time, you'll be paid a visit by a group of MiG-29s
who will want to dance to your music. And when these guys dance, they
like to step on your toes!
You 'll usually padlock all of your wingmen first.

Padlock tries to use a simple algorithm to simulate your looking at the
most likely threat first. As a result, Padlock tries to lock onto the closest
aircraft first, assuming that the closest aircraft is most likely to be the most
serious threat to you. Unfortunately, Padlock doesn't distinguish between
friendly and enemy aircraft.
You'll notice this problem particularly when you're flying a mission in Red
Flag or Campaign with several wingmen tucked in close. Even though you
would tend to know where your wingmen are while flying in formation,
when you switch to Padlock view, it will cycle through each of your
wingmen before it goes to look for some other aircraft in the sky near you.
The solution to this and other cases in which you want to identify a
particular aircraft in a hurry is to switch to Padlock view and hit the T key
quickly. But also to keep your eyes glued, not on the Padlock window, but
on the Padlock status window, next to the Target field . As you flash
through the various padlocked aircraft, if your eyes are watching the target
name, you will be able to recognize a threat much more quickly than if you
tried to do it visually in the Padlock window. Once you get used to the fact
that Padlock will always show you your three wingmen before you see
anything else, you can press the T key twice quickly after you enter
Padlock view and then see what appears as the target on the third press of
the T key. You only need to hit the T key twice to see all three of your
wingmen because Padlock locks onto your first wingman as soon as you
enter the view.
The HUD moves in funny ways while in Padlock mode.

While you're looking forward, the HUD appears in its normal position. But
as Padlock moves the view to follow the aircraft you're padlocked onto,
the HUD moves around in strange ways. This movement is supposed to
simulate the relation of the HUD to your point of view as you move your
232 GETTING SERIOUS
head, but things get very strange sometimes. A particular problem is that
you may see a target and the TD box right in the center of the missile
reticle on the HUD, but if you switch to normal forward view, the target
and TD box are no longer in the HUD at all. This makes you wonder what
would have happened if you had launched a missile while in Padlock
view. In particular, it will be very hard to get an accurate guns shot be-
cause of this strange tendency of Padlock view.
Padlocking SAMs and Air-to-Air Missiles
From version Don, Padlock view, Track view, and Wingman view ca n
a ll padlock missiles. If you hear the launch warning from your TWI or if
you hear one of your wingmen call out a missile, press the 8 key for
Padlock view, the 9 key for Track view, or the 7 key for Wingman view.
If the missile is locked onto you, the view will position itself so that
you're lookin g at the missile (even if it is too far away to be visible).
In Padlock view, the missile type will appear next to the Target name .
You ' ll see something like "Target: SAM(IR)." This tells you that you're
seeing an infrared SAM. In the other views, if you keep looking, you'll
eventually see the missile when it comes into visual range. Track view is
the most useful view for learning to spoof missiles aimed at you, because
you can get a clear, quick idea of where they are coming from in relation
to you . You can also watch yourself pumping out flares and chaff to see
if they are effective. It's quite a thrill to be jinking wildly, pumping out
confetti, and watch a missile whiz past you, missing you by mere feet!
Sometimes the missile will actua ll y hit your flares or chaff and explode!
This level of realism in Falcon is extraordinary!
Note that you'll only be able to lock onto a missile in these views the
first time you select the view. For example, if you get a missile launc h
warning on your threat warning system and you switch to Padlock view,
you'll be able to see the missile if it's within range and locked onto you.
However, if you start switching around to other targets with the T key,
you won't be able to come back to the missile. To reacquire the missile
in Padlock view, you'll have to press the 8 key again. The Track and
Wingman views work the same way.
Outside the Cockpit

In Falcon 3.0, you have the opportunity to view the action from some
rather unusual positions-positions you would never get in real life. Not
only are they visually exciting, but these outside-the-cockpit views can
actually help you fly and fight.
Track view is one of the

most exciting and useful
Track View
views in Falcon. It gives you
the perspective of a track
plane, flying right on your
wing, where your wingman
might be. The view sticks to
your plane like glue, but
you can rotate the view both
horizontally and vertically.
In Track view, you normally

start out looking behind
your own aircraft. However, you can rotate the view around your aircraft
horizontally by pressing F3 and F4. F3 rotates the view to the left; F4
rotates the view to the right. Hold down the Control key to slow the
rotation down. You can also rotate up and down by pressing Shift-F3 and
Shift-F4. Add the Control key to these combinations to slow the up and
down rotations. In addition, you can move closer to or further from your
F-16 in Track view by pressing Fl to zoom in or F2 to zoom out.
Track view has an additional feature. It will lock onto a plane that is within
visual range and keep it and your aircraft in view together. It maneuvers
the view of the track plane itself so that both your aircraft and the one you
are "visually locked onto" are always displayed on the screen together.
This operation is much like Padlock view, and in fact, this aspect of Track
view uses the same logic that Padlock view uses. You can switch among
the aircraft that are within visual range by repeatedly pressing the T key.
Each time you press T, Track view locks up another aircraft and keeps it
and your F-16 on the screen together.
Track view is such a good general view that you will want to take advan-
tage of it for the following situations:
234 GETTING SERIOUS
Use Track view to get your bearings.

Switch to Track view and do a quick 360-degree spin to see where you are
in relation to the terrain and to get a quick view of what is around you in
the sky. This action is similar to swiveling your head around the cockpit.
While Padlock view swivels your head, the difference in Track view is that
you control where your head goes. In Padlock view, your head just sort of
goes where it wants to and you follow along. In Track view, you know
ahead of time that you're going to look to your left or right because the
view follows your keystrokes.
Getting your bearings is critically important in Falcon in general, and in

combat flying in particular. It helps you to attain the situational awareness
that is so crucial to success in air-to-air combat.
Use Track view to monitor your dogfights.

Track view is a great view for dogfighting-particularly when you use it to
lock onto the aircraft you're going after, as described above. Track view
gives you many of the benefits of Padlock view, but it also gives you an
outside-the-cockpit perspective. In Padlock view, you have to go through
some fairly difficult mental gymnastics to construct in your mind the
image of what is taking place around you. But in Track view, you see the
whole thing clearly from an outside perspective.
Because Track view always keeps your aircraft and the enemy aircraft
visible at the same time, it's almost as good as watching the fight from the
ACMI perspective, except in Track view, it's happening in real time, not in
a playback. It takes a little practice to figure out how to turn to get the
advantage over the enemy you're watching in Track view, but once you
do, you may find it your favorite view for dogfighting.
If you're able to maneuver in Track view so that your nose is pointed at the
enemy, it's useful to switch back to forward view to lock up and fire your
weapons. Unlike Padlock view, you have no indication that your radar has
locked onto the target you are trying to close on in Track view. So it's hit-
or-miss when you try to fire your weapons in Track view-although I have
shot down a plane with cannons while in Track view! Switch back to the
raised front view, lock up your heat-seeker or maneuver for a cannon kill,
and go get him! If you miss the firing pass and he gets out of your sights,
go back to Track view to reacquire him.
See Chapter 9, "Dogfighting Strategies," for more information on how to

put all these views together in a tactical way that will help you win in a
dogfight. Each of the views in Falcon 3.0 has its advantages and disadvan-
tages, but when you use them in a proper combination, they can signifi-
cantly enhance your dogfighting performance.
Track SAMs and missiles in Track view.

Track view will lock onto SAMs and air-to-air missiles just as Padlock view
does, and you can use similar procedures to spoof SAMs. Chapter 7,
"Countermeasure Strategies," provides more details about SAM-spoofing.
In Satellite view, you look down on your F-16 from directly above. You can Satellite View
see more or less ground below you, depending on the zoom setting. When
you zoom out to 12 or 13, you'll be able to see most of the area under and
around your F-16 as you fly.
This view is useful when you've lost sight of your ground target and can't
seem to find it with a 360-degree scan from Track view. Often, if you fly
right over your target, it will seem to disappear. This is because you can't
normally look straight down while you're in an aircraft. If you switch to
Satellite view, you may be able to spot the target if it's below you.
You may also use the hidden down view (Shift-U) to look directly down
through the floor of the F-16. However, if you want to see the ground
below you the way a real fighter jock would do it, you need to flip inverted
and then look "up" using the U key.
236 GETTING SERIOUS
Watching Your Bombs Hit

It's not a good policy to watch your bombs hit the target you are trying to
destroy. (Your job is to dump them and get out of the area-a recon
plane will tell your commanders whether you hit your target or not.)
However, you'll probably have an almost unbearable urge to watch the
results of your little gift to the enemy.
You cannot use the Q key to watch iron bombs hit as you would with a
guided missile. The "safe" way to observe the results of your bomb run is
to record the episode on your AVTR and watch the whole thing on the
ACMI at your leisure, over a cold beer-assuming you made it home, of
course! But you can fairly easily watch the action from Satellite view
without incurring too much danger to yourself.
Here's how to do it. Assuming you're going in for a CCIP bombing run,
set the pipper on the target, designate the target, and watch as the
horizontal bar moves down the line to the release point. As it hits the
release point, switch to Satellite view, which gives you a view looking
straight down on top of your F-16 (with the ground passing by under-
neath). You may want to zoom the view out a bit, but you'll probably be
able to follow the bombs even with the magnification at 1X or 2X. With
higher magnifications, you'll be able to see more detail on the targets
that you hit. Satellite view keeps the bombs and your F-16 together.
You can actually fly your aircraft to a certain extent from this view. For
example, after you drop your bombs, you should pull up so you don't
crash into the ground or incur frag damage. Don't use this technique in a
heavy SAM environment, however, or your view of your bombs hitting
will be the last view you remember.
Ground view is basically the reverse of Satellite view. You're looking up at

Ground View the F-16 from the ground. This is not a very useful view, and you probably
won't use it often. You can make Ground view become Satellite view and
vice versa by using the vertical rotation keys (Shift-F3 and Shift-F4).
Another interesting and unique view in Falcon 3.0 is Missile/Enemy view.

Missile/Enemy
It provides some of the most spectacular scenes you can see, and it can also
View
provide a certain tactical value (if you want to risk being labeled a
"cheat"). Missile/Enemy view shows you the view as seen from a missile
that you launch at an air or ground target. You can follow the missile right
into the target.
The way Missile/Enemy view works depends on whether your target is an

aircraft or a ground target.
Missile/Enemy view gives you three views of air targets.

You evoke Enemy view by
pressing the Q key after you
have fired a missile. You'll
get one of three views when
you press Q. Pressing the Q
key repeatedly cycles
through the other views.
One view places you

directly behind the missile,
following it to its target.
You can use all the normal
outside view manipulation
keys, such as the zoom keys and the rotate keys, while you're in this view.
Once the missile hits the target, you return automatically to Track view.
Another variation of this view is from about a half-mile in front of your

missile, looking back at your aircraft. It's as if you were zooming toward
the target facing backwards, looking at the plane that launched the missile.
This is a somewhat strange view.
The third type of view you may get from Missile/Enemy view is a close-up
of the enemy craft. It's like a Track view of the enemy plane. You can
watch him jink and try to shake off your missile. You'll actually see him
releasing chaff and flares in an attempt to spoof your missile. If your luck
is good, you'll see the missile plow right into him and watch him spin
down, trailing smoke and flames .
238 GETTING SERIOUS
You usually cycle through these views when you press the Q key, but not
always in this order. Sometimes they cycle in an order known only to the
program.
A Special Q View
In one special case, you can see an enemy aircraft with Missile/Enemy
view even though you haven't fired a missile. Any aircraft you have
locked up on radar will appear in Enemy view if you press the Q key.
This makes the Q key a tempting way to determine the type and identity
of an aircraft even when it's beyond visual range. With the Q key, you'll
get a close-up look at an aircraft, even if you lock it up at 80 nautical
miles. Because you can use the rotate keys from this view, you can spin
the view around and see if the target has any buddies flying with him.
You'll have to decide if you want to use this secret detection device in
combat.
This special Q view is also a good way to determine if your missile hit
your target-particularly for BVR (beyond visual range) shots. If you
know that you got a kill, that's one less bad guy to have to worry about.
This is information should be avai lable from your AWACS controller, but
since it isn't in Falcon 3.0, you might justify using the Q view for this
purpose.
Missile/Enemy view gives you two views of ground targets .

When you press Q to view
missiles fired at ground tar-
gets, you get either the view
from behind the guided mis-
sile or a view from the ground
target itself, looking at the
missile coming at it. In either
case, you can use the Q view
to see if you've destroyed your
ground target instead of wait-
ing for the recon plane to fly ~
over and report back to CHQ.
Missile/Enemy view only works with guided missiles, such as GBUs,

Mavericks, HARMs, or Shrikes. It doesn't work when you drop iron
bombs.
When you fire at a

ground target in
Missile/Enemy view,
you get a view
reminiscent of some of
the f ootage from the
smart weapons used in
Desert Storm .
Wingman view shows you your wingman's aircraft. Its main use is to see
Wingman View
what your wingman is doing. (You can see what you're doing by using
Track view.) Each time you press the 7 key, you cycle through views of
each of your wingmen and then through views of any allied aircraft that
are nearby. If you hear your wingman call out that he is engaged with the
enemy and if you are not engaged yourself, switch to Wingman view to
watch the action. Your wingmen will be identified by their call signs.
If you switch to Wingman view after a wingman calls out a missile alert
(assuming you have determined that the missile is not aimed at you), the
Wingman view will lock onto the incoming missile just as in Track or
Padlock view.
Chase view is a dynamic view that is similar to Track view. The difference
Chase View
is that the camera doesn't stick tight to you as it does in Track view. In
Chase view, the camera sort of "catches up" after you bank or maneuver.
It's a lot of fun to try flying over a winding road at 100 feet while in Chase
view, but it's not such a useful view during combat.
Chase view can be useful for gaining situational awareness when you're
flying with your wingmen. If you use Track view or Padlock view to see
what's going on around you, you'll always lock up visually on the aircraft
that are near you. When you switch to Chase view, you'll see your own
F-16 from behind your plane, looking straight ahead. Simply use the rotate
right and left keys (F3 and F4) to do a quick 360-degree visual sweep of the
area. Falcon won't automatically lock the view onto another aircraft as it
does with Track and Padlock view.
240 GETTING SERIOUS
Using the outside views can be very helpful for certain situations. They can
Problems with
help you keep your eyes on another aircraft and interpret its relationship
Outside Views to your own plane. You can also avoid the effects of G forces by staying in
one of the outside views-even if you have Blackout and Redout enabled
in the Configuration screen. But you should also be aware of the problems
inherent in using using the outside views. Many of these are the same
problems you'll encounter using Padlock view.
You won't be able to see or hear lock or launch warnings.

While in an outside view, you won't be able to see your TWI to notice if
aircraft or SAMs have locked you up. And you won't be able to see or hear
the launch warnings when they fire on you. While Track view will lock
onto a missile that is fired at you, you have to select Track view after the
missile has launched. If you are already in Track view when the missile
launches, it will not lock up the missile for you.
You won't be able to hear Betty warning you of damage.

In an outside view, you hear the roar of your engine. You can also hear
AAA explode around you, the sound of your missiles and guns firing,
chaff and flares being dumped, and aircraft buzzing you, but you won't be
able to hear Bitchin' Betty warning you of damage to your aircraft. For
example, you may have sustained guns damage without knowing it. If
you've been setting yourself up for that perfect guns kill and you jump
back into the cockpit and pull the trigger, the only sound you may hear is
your crest falling.
Of course, if you sustain any nonlethal damage while in an outside view,

you'll usually be able to see pieces of your aircraft fly off. This is your clue
to return to the cockpit and check out your caution lights.
You won't be able to hear Betty tell you to "pull up."

You can easily become disoriented in an outside view, especially if you're
also locked onto another aircraft using the T key. It often becomes hard to
tell which way is up. You may be in a fatal dive toward the ground with-
out knowing it. Normally, when you're inside the cockpit, Bitchin' Betty
will scream "Pull up, pull up" as a gentle reminder to bring your nose up.
If you're outside the cockpit sightseeing, you'll miss her warning.
You won 't be able to use your radar.

You obviously can't take advantage of your radar if you spend a lot of time
in outside views. Since your radar is one of the more important and
valuable pieces of equipment in your aircraft, you put yourself at a disad-
vantage by staying outside too long.
You won 't be able to tell if your speed brakes are on.
If you're flying wildly, trying to stay on some MiG's tail, you have to
control your speed. You can usually tell if your burner is on in Track
view, but not from every angle. Furthermore, you won't be able to tell if
you've popped your boards. If you fly around with your speed brakes
extended, you'll be wasting fuel, slowing yourself down, and generally
making an ass of yourself (as well as violating the fighter pilot's primary
rule: "Always look good!"). The only way to know for sure is to go back
inside the cockpit.
You won 't be able to tell if your ECM jammer is on.

If somebody's fired a missile at you, you want to start playing that sweet
music from your jammer. It would be pretty humiliating to get shot down
because you turned your jammer off instead of on while you were in an
outside view. As in Padlock view, the solution to these problems is simply
not to hang out in outer space too long. Jump back into the cockpit periodi-
cally and scan your instruments. If things are copacetic, by all means jump
back outside. But remember to check back in frequently, or you'll be
humming a funeral dirge at your own funeral.
F-14 Tomcat about to

make a carrier launch
CHAPTER 12
ACMI
ACMI stands for Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation.

It's a system that's used at the Red Flag training exercises at
Nellis Air Force Base to evaluate the various missions that are
flown. In Falcon 3.0, you'll use it the same way-to evaluate
your air-to-air and air-to-ground tactics. In addition, you'll be
able to see the action over the entire battle area, because you
can view any part of the battle area in ACMI, not just the scene
through your HUD.
The secret of successful air combat is to learn from your

mistakes, and ACMI is all about learning. You use it to
analyze your tactics and those of your enemies. You can view
your battles from many perspectives with ACMI, and these
perspectives will teach you where you were brilliant and
where you were foxtrot uniform.
244 GETTING SERIOUS
ACM/ Basics
~:9 +
- I I ?!
: l I 1 :;1
-
i:.o-:..r. , ,I I ' "
:- ;I I '\
ss:- I I ~
flRMj' l <'J ,
.S'935()s/ /,i-,, t
1
9:9 I I I ,1
The ACMI system evolved out of the Air Combat Maneuvering Range
(ACMR) which was first set up at the Marine Corps Training Center in
Yuma, Arizona, and at the Miramar Naval Air Station in California. ACMI
improved on the design and technology of the ACMR.
When pilots at Red Flag take to the air, they carry the Airborne Instrumen-
tation System (AIS). The AIS is a device that is housed in an AIM-9
Sidewinder shell and carries the on-board instruments that communicate
with the ACMI ground stations. The AIS includes air data sensors, a
weapons bus monitor, a transponder, and an inertial unit. The system
records the positions and maneuvers of the aircraft, including velocities,
angular rates, and acceleration, so that the aircraft's actions can be re-
viewed after the engagement. The weapons bus monitor simulates the
actions of the various weapons a pilot carries. It provides control and
computational information for the missile switch position, seeker-head
aiming, simulated doppler parameters, and other information that allows
the ground controllers to determine whether a pilot scored a hit or a miss
during a dogfight.
This information is transmitted to various remote, solar-battery-powered

ground tracking stations located around the range. These tracking stations
12 ACMI 245
then transmit the information to the ACMI tracking instrumentation

station, the control and computation station, and the display and debrief-
ing station.
Falcon 3.0 recreates the ACMI system, with some very useful additions.
With ACMI, you can review your combat engagements in either VCR or ACMI in
ACMI (wireframe) mode. You can view the action from various positions, Falcon 3.0
and even change your viewing position while the action is taking place! In
some ways, ACMI is the centerpiece of Falcon 3.0. This is where you can
review and understand in detail what takes place in dogfights and air-to-
ground missions.
NOTE: To use ACM!, you'll need at least 2 megabytes of RAM in EMS. (This extra
memory is also used for digitized sounds and other features of Falcon 3.0.) Add
the extra memory to your computer if you don' t have it. You won' t be able to run
ACMI without it, and you definitely will want to run ACMI. The cost of computer
memory is low enough today that you should get at least 2 megabytes for Falcon.
You can use ACMI in several ways. The most enjoyable is simply to replay
a great dogfight in VCR mode and watch yourself blast a bandit into little
pieces. Usually, the best view for watching the action is Track view. It puts
you right behind your aircraft so you can see everything going on around
you. More useful, however, is ACMI mode. In this mode, you can analyze
every aspect of a dogfight or air-to-ground attack and determine what
made it work or fail. We'll talk about each aspect of ACMI in detail.
In Falcon 3.0, the ACMI system uses the tapes you

Components of
make with your Airborne Video Tape Recorder
(A VTR). These tapes record both visual informa- ACMI
tion and telemetered information from your
airborne sensors. The tapes are then played
through the ACMI system. You can play them in
normal video mode or in ACMI instrumentation
mode, as described later in this chapter.
You turn on your AVTR while in flight by pressing Ctrl-R. If you check out Recording Your
your lower left cockpit view, you'll see the A VTR status light. It should
Tape During
read "ON." The AVTR continues recording until you press Ctrl-R again to
Battle
turn it off. If you run out of tape, the tape starts recording from the begin-
ning again, overwriting whatever you had at the start of your tape.
246 GETTING SERIOUS
You can press Ctrl-S to display the AVTR dialog and save your tape under
a name you choose. This command is supposed to reset your AVTR and let
you start recording a new tape, but it doesn't function properly. After you
save the tape, your AVTR continues recording, but it doesn't reset first. So
the second tape you save has all the action from the first tape, along with
whatever new action you have since recorded. You're also asked explicitly
to save the tape again when you end the simulation. You can select Cancel
when this second dialog appears, since you've already saved the part you
wanted using the Ctrl-S command.
After you record a tape, you can view it with the ACMI VCR.
Warning:
If you abort a game rather than ending normally-that is, if you choose
Abort Game rather than End Game from the File menu-you also abort
any AVTR tape you were recording. Remember, if you want to keep a
tape you make, don't choose Abort!
Viewing a Tape Without Leaving the Game
You can stop the simulation during the middle of a battle by pressing the
Esc key, which will switch you to Menu mode. Choose the File menu
and locate Replay in this menu. Normally, Replay is dimmed, but if
you've been recording an AVTR tape, Replay is enabled. For example,
you can start recording during a dogfight and then stop the simulation by
pressing the Esc key . Then, by selecting Replay, you ca n view the tape
you just made without leaving the simulation. (You'll use the VCR
controls described below.) After you finish watching the tape, you select
Return to Game from the File menu, and you're right back in the simula-
tion , just where you left off when you first pressed Esc.
A word of caution: This feature is fairly fragile. You ca n watch a tape

from start to end and single-step, but if you try to use some of the more
esoteric features of ACMI that are described in this chapter, you may find
that the ACMI system hangs, crashes, or otherwise goes bonkers. It's
generally stable when you view a tape outside of the simulation, but if
you stop in the middle to look at a tape, try not to do anything fancy.
12 ACMI 247
VCR Controls
The ACMI VCR operates like a standard VCR-with the addition of

several controls that are specific to ACMI.
When you "press" the power switch, you turn the VCR off.
Power
You then return to wherever you were when you chose
ACMI. This could be several places in the simulation.
Press Power whenever you're ready to leave ACMI. The

keyboard version of the Power button is Esc or E.
Use the Load button to display the list of tapes that are Load
available. You can select a tape from this list and load it into
the VCR. When you load in a tape, the last tape that was
loaded in is automatically removed. You'll have to reload it if you want
to view it again. You can also use the L key on the keyboard to load a new
tape.
The counter in the lower left corner of the VCR gives a Counter
COIJtHEFi
:::: ::.: frame count of every frame played on the tape. The
counter changes as you advance the tape through
normal play, fast forward, or single-step. It also
changes when you jump to an index or otherwise move the tape. The
counter reads 0001 at the beginning of the tape.
As the tape plays, the counter advances, counting the num-

Counter Reset
ber of frames that have been played. You can immediately
start the tape from the beginning by resetting the counter.
The Counter Reset button does this. Either click the
Counter Reset button or press C on the keyboard to start
the tape over. The counter is reset to 0001, and the tape head is positioned
at the start of the tape. If the tape was playing at the time you pressed
Counter Reset, it continues playing, starting at the beginning of the tape.
248 GETTING SERIOUS
The timer gives you another way to measure how

Timer TIMEF;
much of the tape has been played. It measures the
tape in real time-hours, minutes, and seconds.
::: ::: ::: .:
: -:
While the counter represents the actual time of the
actions in the recording, it may not exactly follow real time. Its tracking
depends on the speed of your computer and its ability to generate the
images. If you record with complex images, the timing will be consistent
with the action in the recording, but the actual playback on your computer
may be slower than the real-time action. In other words, one minute of
recorded time may take a little longer than one minute to play back.
Use both the timer and the counter to find particular segments of a tape.
When you reset the counter, the timer is also reset to 0 hours, 0 minutes,
and 0 seconds.
When you record an A VTR tape, the record- ltrnn: tiO. TOTAL
Index Number/
Total
ing system creates index marks on the tape.
These indexes divide a long tape into seg-
::: ::: ::: ::: .:
: ::: ::: ::: :::
ments that facilitate searching. In addition,
indexes are created each time you turn the A VTR on and off with the
Ctrl-R key combination. The Index No. readout tells you which index
segment you're currently in.
The Total readout tells you the total number of indexes in the current tape.
You can move through the index marks using the Prev Index and Next
Index keys, described later.
These buttons switch playback between the standard VCR

ACM I/Replay replay and the ACMI display. The ACMI display represents all
the terrain and objects as wireframe images. See"ACMI Modes,"
later in this chapter, for details.
You can use the Tab key to switch between modes from the keyboard.
The Zoom and Rotate buttons perform the normal

Zoom/Rotate
zoom and rotate features when you use any exter-
nal view. While you can activate these from the
controls on the VCR, it is usually much easier to use
12 ACMI 249
the keyboard to control zoom and rotate. Use Fl to zoom in and F2 to

zoom out. Rotate left is F3; rotate right is F4. Note that, unlike the controls
in normal Track view, rotating up and down are controlled with FS and F6
in ACMI, not Shift-F3 and Shift-F4. You may add the Control key with the
rotation keys (but not the zoom keys) to slow down the speed of rotation.
The view selection buttons control the view:

Cockpit Views
It can be one of the four cockpit views or an
external view. The four internal views are
front, left, right, and rear.
Front view
This view shows you your basic front view and includes the HUD. The
HUD displays your airspeed, altitude, heading, Gs, and the rest of the
standard HUD information. This information is very useful in evaluating
your performance and tactics. For example, if you're involved in a vertical
scissors with a MiG-29, watching your airspeed in the front view will make
it easy to see if you run out of energy and go into a stall. If you sustain
damage that destroys your HUD, the HUD goes blank on the ACMI tape.
Unfortunately, the front view doesn't show you your radar or TWI, so
you'll have to remember what these instruments displayed during the
original battle.
Left view
Left view is included for completeness, but it's generally not useful in
ACMI replays. It doesn't show any of the left view cockpit instruments.
Right view
Like the left view, right view is included for completeness but is generally
not useful. It doesn' t show any of the right view cockpit caution lights.
Rear view
While rear view is also generally not useful in ACMI replays, you can use
it to learn how to spot which way an enemy breaks after a head-to-head
pass. To get into a turning war and get on the enemy's six, you want to
break the same way he's breaking when he passes you. For example,
250 GETTING SERIOUS
suppose you go head-to-head with a MiG-29 and he passes behind you. If

you switch to rear view and see him break to your right, you'll want to
break hard to your left. That will put you in a circle that will bring you up
behind him. ~
This tactic is particularly useful for aircraft that you
can out-turn. The F-16 should be able to out-turn just
about anything, but at the higher enemy logic levels
in Falcon 3.0, several of the aircraft will be able to
match or beat you in a turning war. You may need to
use additional tactics to defeat them.
You can view the action with one of six external

External Views views. You can use the arrows next to the view
mode window to cycle through the various
external views, but it's much easier
to choose them from the keyboard.
The external views are:
View Key
Satellite 1
Enemy 2
Wingman 7
Missile 8
Track
9 \
Independent 0 .~ ~
Only the number keys along the top of the keyboard
will select these views. You can't select them from the
numeric keypad.
Satellite view
Satellite view is useful for getting a good overview of what's happening.
You may need to zoom out enough to observe the movements of the
aircraft without having them go off your screen. Because the view is top-
down, it's really two-dimensional, but you can use the vertical rotation
keys to give you a little bit of depth perception.
12 ACMI 251
Enemy view
The Enemy view is interesting to use when the bad guy gets you instead of
the other way around. It can be instructive to see, from his perspective,
how he approaches you and gets into a kill position. It's also fun to switch
to Enemy view when you have bagged your enemy and he's spinning in to
promenade with the ground.
Enemy view actually switches among all the aircraft near your F-16,
including allied aircraft. It doesn't restrict your view to the enemy alone.
Note, however, that the aircraft you want to view needs to be within
about 5 miles of your F-16. Otherwise, he won't show up in Enemy view.
Wingman view
Wingman view is much like Track view in that it gives you an external
view of your wingman's aircraft. If you have a wingman, you can see
things from his point of view. For example, if you are practicing wingman
tactics, this view will show you what he does and where he goes. You can
press the 7 key (the Wingman view key) repeatedly to switch among the
various wingmen you have in the air.
Missile view
Missile view gives you the point of view of an air-to-air or air-to-ground
missile that you've fired. It will not track dumb bombs like the Mk-84.
Missile view is useful to see if you got the hits you expected with your
missiles. It's also a good way to get a clear understanding of the effective-
ness of flares and chaff. When you watch a missile homing in on your
target and then end up tracking an enemy flare, you'll develop a greater
respect (and hopefully a better set of tactics) for countermeasures. Of
course, watching a Maverick or GBU slide into a ground target is very
satisfying.
Missile view will only show you your missiles. It won't display missiles
fired from enemy planes, nor will it display missiles fired from your
wingmen. To get Missile view, you must press the 8 key after a missile is
fired. Otherwise, it will act like Track view.
Tra ck view
This is the basic Track view that shows your aircraft in the center of the
screen from behind. It gives you the view as you are flying. But from
252 GETTING SERIOUS
outside the aircraft, you get a much broader sense of the world. Track view
is one of the most useful ways to view the activity in ACMI. You will be
able to use it in combination with other features of ACMI to get a very
complete picture of what took place during your recorded engagement.
Independent view
Independent view leaves you in space while everything continues to move
around you, very much like the special Pause-Tab mode (Chapter 13,
"Hidden Features of Falcon") . The difference is that you can review the
action in ACMI over and over again. Independent view is one of the most
interesting and useful views in ACMI, and you'll find out how to take
advantage of it in great detail later.
Once you're in Independent view, you can use the numeric keypad to
move around in the "world" freely:
Key Movement
Left arrow Left
Right arrow Right
Up arrow Forward
Down arrow Backward
Page Up Up
Page Down Down
F3 Rotate left
F4 Rotate right
F5 Rotate up
F6 Rotate down
You'll need to figure out your orientation, because these controls always
move your point of view as though you were looking at the horizon. For
example, even if you use the rotation keys to look directly down at the
ground, the up arrow will move you forward as though you were looking
at the horizon, not forward according to your point of view (which would
be down toward the ground). In other words, the arrows don't move you
in the direction you are viewing, but move you as though you were
floating in space looking at the horizon.
12 ACMI 253
The altitude lines (described later) can help you regain your orientation if
you get lost. There's also another way to regain your normal orientation
using Independent view. You only have two axes of rotation with the
rotation keys. You can control pitch and yaw, but not roll. However, your
aircraft flies in all three axes. Thus, at some point while watching your
aircraft in Track view, you may find yourself in a very strange orientation
and won't be able to adjust your view so that the horizon is "horizontal,"
which would make it much easier to comprehend. If you switch to Inde-
pendent view and press either the left or the right rotation key (F3 or F4),
the scene will immediately switch so that the horizon is in its normal
orientation again. Then it will be much easier to use the movement
controls.
This display tells you the percentage of tape that has

Tape%
played. It is another device you can use to mark a
specific place in the tape you're interested in.
The name of the current tape is shown in the Tape

~~~~~~~~
:;::.,.i:;:: Tape Name/

Name window. When you move the tape marker,
Searching ...
you see the message "Searching ... " appear briefly.
The tape scale repre-

sents the tape from Tape Scale
start to finish. The scale
is divided into the
same number of segments as there are indexes on the tape (as shown by
the Index Total readout). If there are five indexes, the first 20 percent of the
scale represents the frames in the first index, the next 20 percent of the
scale represents the frames in the second index, and so on. Even though the
scale is divided evenly, index segments may be of varied lengths of time.
So the first index segment may represent only 2 minutes of recorded time,
while the second index segment may represent 5 minutes. Each segment
still corresponds to 20% of the tape scale.
The tape scale has a marker (the tape indicator) that moves as the tape
plays. You can drag the tape indicator directly with a mouse to any posi-
tion on the scale. The VCR will search for that segment and then display
254 GETTING SERIOUS
the frame at the location of the tape indicator. You can also move the
indicator from the keyboard with the semicolon (;) and quote (') keys. The
semicolon key moves the indicator to the left, and the quote key moves it
to the right. As you move the tape indicator, the Time % readout changes
to show you the percentage of the tape you're pointing to. When you're at
the position you're interested in, press the P key to position the tape at that
point. The tape counter and timer values are automatically updated.
Transport F L. Ii. " T1 F r F . t 1[ FF f F; EI.I ti E:-:T

~
u
I ti[I E:-! I tHt E::

M
.I . r ;H
Controls
f'tH4 '+tf+ +ff'I Mff+ Hlf , lff+ Hlf '. ........, ioH- I .' liffl Mt I , ~
The VCR in ACMI uses standard transport controls found on most VCRs:
Play
The Play button starts the tape playing from its current location. The tape
continues to the end and then stops. Use the V key on the keyboard to play
the tape.
Stop
The Stop button stops the tape during Hiding the VCR Controls
Play or Fast Forward. You can use the
B key to stop from the keyboard. You'll You can switch to full-screen
never really need to use the Stop but- view while in ACMI, so that
ton, however, because the Frame but- the VCR controls don't take up
ton acts like Stop and provides addi- the bottom portion of the
tional functionality. screen. To toggle between full-
screen view and VCR view,
Frame press the Enter key.
The Frame button acts both as a stop
command and as a single-step com
mand. Each time you press the Frame button, the VCR steps to the next
frame. If you hold down the Frame button, the VCR acts as though the
Play button were pressed, but the action stops as soon as you release the
button. The Frame button is thus very useful for viewing a specific mo-
ment when something happens very quickly-as in a missile strike. You
can use the N key to control the Frame button from the keyboard.
12 ACMI 255
Fast Forward (FF)

Fast Forward moves the tape much faster than Play, but still shows you the
action. Use it to skip through parts of the tape you're not interested in. You
can execute Fast Forward from the keyboard with the M key.
Prev Index and Next Index

You can go directly to the previous index mark on the tape with the Prev
Index button, and to the next index mark with the Next Index button. It
doesn't take any real time to jump from index to index. From the keyboard,
use the < key to go to the previous index and the > key to go to the next
index.
A 8-52 making a
carpet-bombing run ,
captured with ACM/
256 GETIING SERIOUS
ACM/ Modes
ACMI has two modes: Replay and ACMI. The mode is controlled by the
ACMl/Replay button (or by the Tab key).
WatchingyourtapeinReplay
Replay Mode
mode is similar to viewing
the film from a gun camera in
traditional fighters. It used to
be that the gun camera would
turn on only while the guns
were firing, since the amount
of film was limited. Nowa-
days, modern combat jets
have a small video camera
(the Airborne Video Tape
Recorder, or AVTR), located just in front of the HUD that can record for
hours and include the HUD information. When you play back in Replay
mode, you see the action as though it were taped on a VCR-but from any
of the 10 views described in the previous section on ''VCR Controls."
ACMI mode is much like the

ACMI Mode ACMI system used at the real
Red Flag exercises. It gives
you a wire-frame depiction of
the aircraft and terrain with a
grid overlay. It also provides
optional identification, speed,
altitude, and heading infor-
mation for every aircraft in
the theater. Each grid square
in ACMI represents 6,554
square feet, or 1.25 square miles. (This information is useful for judging
distances.) You'll see all missile launches and guns firing in ACMl mode,
just as you do in Replay mode.
In addition, ACMI mode has several display options that can make it much
easier to see what's happening in the air-to-air arena, especially if lots of
aircraft are flying around. Here's how to use these options.
12 ACMI 257
Trails
It can be very difficult to get an idea of how aircraft are
maneuvering, particularly if they're any distance from
you. All you may see is a dot moving across the sky. By
turning on Trails, you can display a "contrail" behind
the aircraft that will help you chart its progress. Each aircraft leaves a
colored trail from each wing-green from the right wing and red from the
left wing. The arrows next to the Trails readout on the VCR decrease or
increase the length of the trails. You can also decrease or increase the trails
using the [and] keys. If you're looking at the aircraft from a distance,
you'll probably want to make the trails longer. The maximum trail length
is 64 units.
By watching the trails, you

can see the yaw, pitch, and
roll of the aircraft. Because
the trails off each wing
have different colors, you'll
see the colored trails spiral
around the plane when it
rolls.
Trails are particularly

useful when you've
zoomed or moved far away
from the aircraft of interest.
Getting Long Trails Fast For example, if you're trying to figure out
how that MiG got on your tail, a useful
To immediately get the method is to zoom the view all the way out,
longest trails setting set the trails to 64, and go into Satellite
when you are at 0 trai Is, view. You're now looking at the scene from
press the [ key once. the top down, effectively turning the battle
area into a two-dimensional scene--which
can simplify the action. By watching the
maneuvers of each plane as described by its trails, you'll be able to under-
stand how the aircraft got into the relationships they did. Once you make a
first examination from this view, use some of the other techniques de-
scribed in this chapter to further refine your understanding of the maneu-
vers in your dogfight.
258 GETTING SERIOUS
Altitude lines
You can display altitude lines-blue lines drawn from each air-
craft perpendicular to the ground-to show you the relative
altitudes of the various aircraft in the sky. The altitude of aircraft
can be difficult to judge whenthe aircraft look like dots.
Another practical use of the

altitude lines is to help you
orient yourself when you start
using the rotation keys. Sup-
pose you' re in Track view and
your F-16 is in a climb. If you
stop the playback, you' ll be
looking up into the sky, from
behind your F-16. If you start
using the rotation keys, you
can easily become disori-
ented, because you may no
longer have a horizon line
running horizontally across your screen. By turning on the altitude lines,
you will quickly figure out "which way is up" (or down, in this case) and
orient yourself to the ground.
You can display altitude lines from the keyboard with the F7 key.
Plane information
In normal ACMI mode, aircraft are shown as wireframe
images with ID numbers assigned to them. When you
select the Plane Info option, ACMI attaches a block of
information to each aircraft in the sky. This block gives
you information about four parameters:
The ID number is followed by the type of aircraft.

A is the aircraft's altitude.
Sis the aircraft's speed.
His the aircraft's heading.
12 ACMI 259
For example, a typical information block might read:
15:SU-25
A:07747
5:0445
H:244
This block indicates that the aircraft with the ID of 15 is an SU-25 flying at
an altitude of 7,747 feet and an airspeed of 445 knots, with a heading of 244
degrees. Note that in ACMI, altitude is given as altitude above sea level,
not above ground level. Thus an aircraft may crash into the ground and
show an altitude of 5,000 feet.
Your F-16 is always labeled with

Viewing Distant Targets and Terrain
the ID number 01 . Your aircraft
and all allied aircraft display their
You can see both terrain and targets
flight information in bright yel- much further away in ACMI mode
low. All enemy aircraft are la- than in Replay mode. The terrain is
beled in brown. The information drawn for much further than the 5-
blocks stay with the aircraft as mi le limit you get in Replay mode.
they move, and the values are Aircraft are always identified-no
updated in real time, so you have matter what their distance- by their
a continuous record of all of the aircraft ID numbers.
pertinent flight parameters of
every aircraft in action.
You can turn the plane information on or off from the keyboard with the
F8 key.
Radar lock
Every time your radar locks onto another aircraft, you'll see a white line
emerge from your F-16 and move toward the aircraft it has locked up.
Radar lock lines can help you understand an encounter, especially if you
thought you locked up one target but actually were locked onto another.
You'll only see the radar lock from you own aircraft. Enemy or allied radar
use is not shown in ACMI.
260 GETTING SERIOUS
Settings, Kinks, and Quirks in ACMI
When you use ACMI, keep in mind the following:
The settings that you're flying with when you record a segment in
ACMI get recorded and play back the same way. This includes the
flight model you fly with . So if you recorded your tape in the High
Fidelity flight model (on a computer with a math coprocessor) you
won't be able to play it back on another computer that doesn' t have a
math coprocessor chip.
ACMI records your terrain and detail settings, as well as the time of
day. You can't change any of these attributes in ACMI.
You'll notice that if you have clouds enabled, they won ' t fade in and
out as you fly through them.
ACMI records the magnification settings.
You won 't hear any sounds on your tape.
Even though your AVTR is theoretically still running after you eject
from the aircraft and until your aircraft augers in, the tape stops the
moment you eject in Falcon 3.0 .
ACMI occasionally gets out of sync positionally. You may see this
problem when you play back a recording of a perfect landing. You
landed right down the middle of the runway, but when you play back
the action, ACMI shows you landing 50 feet to the right or the left of the
runway! Sometimes, the MiG you shot down or the building you
bombed won ' t be hit or destroyed when you play back the tape. It's as if
reality had rewritten itself while you weren't watching! This is just an
occasiona l bug in ACMI that has to do with how it records the action .
You may run into this problem every once in a while, but usually ACMI
records things properly. This is no consolation , however, when you've
just had the dogfight of your life and proudly go to show it to your
buddies. If they don't believe that you really did shoot down that MiG ,
just show them this paragraph!
12 ACMI 261
Strategies for Using ACM /

ACMI is a flexible and versatile tool. You'll be able to use it to evaluate
your dogfighting, flying, and air-to-ground skills. As you work with it,
you'll develop your own techniques to help you understand your suc-
cesses and failures. We'll get you started with some basic strategies.
The best way to learn how to take advantage of ACMI is to use it. Try
Evaluating Air-to-
taking one of the lVl head-to-head Red Flag missions and turning on
ACMI just before the merge. Record the action until either you or your Air Tactics
enemy gets shot down. Then go into ACMI and try the following:
First, play the mission back in Replay mode using Track view. You'll see
all the action from just behind your aircraft. This is a spectacular position
to view things from, especially if you are on the enemy's six and going for
a guns kill!
Then start the tape again and switch to ACMI mode. There are several
useful ways to view your actions in ACMI mode. Try these:
Watch the enemy and yourself at the same time in Track view.
After you switch to ACMI mode, press the ] key or click the Trails arrow
on the VCR controls to extend the trails. You will get a historical view of
the movement of all aircraft. You may also want to press F7 and F8 to get
you the altitude lines and the aircraft ID and flight information. Switch to
Track view by pressing 9. Track view places you right behind your aircraft
and keeps you in this position throughout the tape.
If you go into Track view in normal flight while in Instant Action, Red
Flag, or Campaign, you'll start out directly behind your own aircraft, but
you'll change your orientation when another aircraft comes into visual
range-Track view locks you and the closest enemy together on the screen.
It continuously adjusts your view so that the enemy is always visible with
you on the screen. You can get this same feature to work in ACMI, but you
have to make it happen explicitly by pressing the T key. As soon as you
press T, the closest aircraft to you appears in the upper center of the screen
along with your aircraft. It remains in the display with your craft no matter
what either craft does.
262 GETTING SERIOUS
By switching to Track view in ACMI mode and then pressing T, you can
watch both aircraft battle it out. The history trail makes the maneuvers
clearer. In addition, it is often helpful to zoom out a bit so you can see
more of the combat area. Even if the planes are single dots, the trails show
you what's happening.
By the way, this trick won't work when you're viewing an enemy aircraft
using Enemy view. T won't lock up the enemy aircraft and another aircraft.
You'll have to use the rotate keys to find and follow another aircraft while
watching your tape in Enemy view.
Switch among aircraft in Track or Satellite view.

When you're in ACMI mode, each aircraft is identified by an ID number.
Your F-16 is always number 01. Allied aircraft are numbered sequentially
after yours. After all the allied aircraft are assigned ID numbers, the enemy
aircraft are numbered. For example, if you record a 2V2 fight with two
F-16s flying against two MiG-29s, your F-16 will have ID 01, the second
F-16 will have ID 02, and the MiG-29s will be identified as 03 and 04.
Because each aircraft is assigned an ID and because you can identify the
type of aircraft with the Plane Info option, you can select any aircraft you
want to look at. In fact, you can follow the actions of every single plane in
the theater. You can rerun the tape five times, each time watching the
action from a different aircraft's point of view.
There are several ways to track what a specific enemy (or allied) plane
does throughout a tape. First, use Track view and then press the T key.
Each time you press the T key, you switch to a different aircraft on the
same screen as your F-16. If two MiG-19s are after you and you want to
watch one as he goes after you, press the T key until the one you want is
on the screen with you. Be sure to note his ID number. Once you know the
ID number, you can use the Enemy view key (2) to cycle through all the
enemy (and allied) planes until the one with the right ID number comes
into view. Then you can watch the action from his point of view.
You may want to switch to Satellite view now. Zoom out so that both
aircraft are visible. Then use the vertical rotation buttons or the FS and F6
12 ACMI 263
keys to rotate the world so that you are viewing it at a 45 angle. From this
point of view, you can easily visualize what's happening between the two
aircraft.
Use Independent view to get a better view of two aircraft.

Satellite view always keeps your aircraft in the center of the screen. An
even more useful way to view the scene is to switch to Independent view.
Then you're just hanging in space watching the action. You can get a much
better idea of the relationship of two aircraft as they maneuver from this
view since you're not moving with them.
You can also get more distance from the action with Independent view
than with Satellite view, which may allow you a better position to see
everything. Try this: switch to Satellite view (1) and zoom all the way out,
so the aircraft are small dots below you. Then switch to Independent view
(0) and press the Page Up key to continue moving upward above the
action. When you are high enough to see everything, stop and press the
Play button.
A potential problem with Independent view is that the planes will often fly
outside of the field of view. To avoid this problem, zoom out as far as you
can. The planes will be nothing more than dots, but with the trails and
altitude lines, you will be able to determine the basic movements of both
aircraft and understand the relationships between them.
An alternate solution is to move your view while the aircraft themselves are
moving. Independent view allows you to move your position in all direc-
tions, not only when the VCR is on Pause but also when it is playing.
Although moving your point of view while the VCR is playing may make
the movements a bit jerky, you'll be able to follow the action and keep
whatever you're watching in view.
Use Independent view to figure out how you got blown out of the sky.
You may be watching a playback of a great dogfight where you're closing
in on the enemy plane, and suddenly-bam!-you explode into flames and
hit the dirt. When you scan around in ACMI mode, you don't see any other
aircraft around in position to shoot you down. What happened? Use ACMI
to find out.
264 GETTING SERIOUS
Run through the tape again and press the Stop button (or the N key) as
soon as your aircraft explodes. Note the tape counter number. Now press 0
to switch to Independent view. Use the down arrow key to back yourself
away from your F-16 just a little. Press the semicolon(;) key to move the
tape head backward, then press P to position the tape in the new position.
The VCR will display "Searching... " while it searches for the new position
on the tape. When the tape stops, you will most likely be staring into clear
sky with no sign of your plane. By switching to Independent view, you
locked yourself in space, looking in this particular direction. Your aircraft
is going to fly into this area in a few moments. Start the tape by pressing
the Play button or by pressing V on the keyboard.
As you move through the tape, watch the tape counter. As you come to the
number where your plane was hit, press N to stop the tape. This is the
single-step key. Single-step through the remaining frames until you see the
frame where your plane exploded. You backed off from being too close to
your plane before you started this run-through, so now you have a little
more room to see what's going on. Wait! Notice that thing that looks like a
missile coming up at your plane from below. It's only there for a frame or
two, but it unmistakably shows that you were shot down by a SAM just as
you were about to score your own kill.
You'll find that you can use this method to figure out how or why you got
shot down in almost every instance.
Use the index keys to track distant enemy aircraft in Enemy view.
The Enemy view key (2) only works when an enemy aircraft is within
about 5 miles of your F-16. If it's farther away, it simply won't show up
among the planes that the 2 key cycles though. However, if you want to
follow a particular aircraft at a certain point on the tape, and you can't get
it to show up using the Enemy view key, this trick may help: First, find a
position in the ACMI tape where you can view this enemy aircraft using
the 2 key. Then, while maintaining a view of this guy, press one of the
index keys(< or>) or the rewind key (C). The tape will jump forward or
back, but usually will keep the enemy aircraft in view. Move the tape until
you get close to the position you're interested in. Then press Play and
proceed as usual.
12 ACMI 265
Learning from Otto
You can learn a lot about dogfighting and about how the enemy aircraft
employ air-to-air tactics against you by letting the computer do all the
work. Record a battle in Instant Action or one of the simple Red Flag
missions, and let your autopilot fly and fight for you. It doesn't matter if
you win or lose, since this is just an educational experiment.
When you watch the playback, notice how both your own aircraft and
the enemy aircraft maneuver. They may do some dumb things, but they
will probably do some clever things, too. The higher your logic level
setting, the more complex the actions will be. Notice in particular how
your own F-16 keeps its energy state high. You can watch how the
afterburner is used, since you'll be able to see it turn on and off. You can
get some good insights into air combat by watching the computer-
controlled aircraft battling it out.
To evaluate air-to-ground tactics, you mainly want to see if your ordnance

was dropped on target and to assess the damage. ACMI is great for these Evaluating Air-to-
tasks, and you'll see some of the most amazing and exciting scenes. Ground Tactics
To determine how a ground

attack went, follow your
flight until it approaches the
target. Pause the VCR and
switch to Track view, and
then to Independent view.
Use the movement controls
to get down to the ground
at the target site. Rotate
your view so that you're
looking at your aircraft or
flight of aircraft as they're
coming in for their bomb
run. You now have the point of view of an observer on the ground at the
target site that's about to be bombed! You may want to move back just a
little, not to protect yourself, but to get a better view. Now either let the
tape run normally, or single-step through the remaining frames that depict
266 GETTING SERIOUS
the bombing run. You will be able to watch your bombs fall, see the
explosions, and determine the kind of damage done. It's quite extraordi-
nary to watch some of these scenes from various points of view.
This method is ideal for determining what takes place with ground troops.
They are fighting a whole war down on the ground, normally out of sight
of you in your Mach 2 jet aircraft. If you see anything, it is usually just little
dots blurring by. By using ACMI and placing yourself on the ground in
Independent view, you can watch all the action.
For example, the GNDWAR Red Flag Mission on the disk places you in
your F-16 on the runway while ground troops from both sides are battling
it out. Start the A VTR, then stay on the ground. That is, just sit in your F-16
without taking off for a few minutes. You'll be able to see some of the
battle raging from your cockpit, but the real action happens when you quit
the mission and review the tape in ACMI. You'll be able to watch tanks
blowing up tanks, artillery firing, helicopters shooting troops, and more.
Notice that when a tank gets hit, its crew jumps out of the burning tank
and runs away! Bet you never knew all this was going on while you were
up in your rarefied atmosphere of 30,000 feet.
Compatibility of ACMI Tapes Across Versions
Due to changes in the simu lation across versions, ACMI tapes are not
compatible among different versions. You can't take a VCR tape you
recorded in Falcon 3.0 version C and play it in version D. This is clearly
a royal pain, and you won't be ab le to show your friends some of the
great battles you fought in ear li er versions. Since you should switch to
version E anyway, and since version E will most likely be the last major
Falcon 3.0 revision for some time, at least you'll be ab le to keep your
current flights and share them with others. And remember, you've gotten
a lot better since those old VCR tapes!
As mentioned before, you can't play an ACMI tape that was recorded on
a machine running with the High Fidelity flight model on a machine that
doesn't support it-that is, on a machine without a math coprocessor
chip.
12 ACMI 267
In this frame, a missile

tracks a MiG-29' s
flare as the MiG
breaks to the right.
One frame later, the

missile detonates on
the flare and the MiG
gets away safely-this
time. You can easily
find these subtle
interactions with
ACM/.
CHAPTER 13
HIDDEN FEATURES OF
FALCON 3.0
In computer games, there's a concept known as the Easter egg.

An Easter egg is a secret feature that is buried in the game,
undocumented, and found only by the diligent, the persistent,
or the lucky. Falcon 3.0 has many Easter eggs hidden away in
it, and knowing about them will give you certain advantages.
They will also make the simulation more fun. And you'll
really impress your friends when you casually say, "Oh, by
the way, did you know about the Pause-Tab debug mode in
Falcon?"
Some of these secret features have been considered "undocu-

mented" because they didn't appear in the original Falcon 3.0
user's manual. Spectrum Holo byte may decide to include
them in future versions of the manual, in which case they will
no longer be undocumented. Also, many of the hidden fea-
tures are described throughout this book. But for early buyers
of Falcon, or for those who just want a one-stop treasure map,
this chapter is it.
270 GETTING SERIOUS
Hidden Keys
The hidden key sequences are almost always the most interesting, valu-
able, and cool types of Easter eggs. Falcon 3.0 has a lot of hidden keys that
can change your actions, views, or perceptions while flying in the simula-
tion. Some only work in certain parts of the program. Be sure to try these
all out!
Shift-T changes the apparent time of day from the time that the simulation
Changing the sets. When you're flying in the Campaign module, Falcon sets the time of
Time of Day- day according to the time your flight is supposed to be taking place. In
Shift-T Instant Action and Red Flag, Falcon randomly picks the time of day for
your flight. In all three, you can use the Shift-T combination to pick your
own time of day for flying.
There are four distinct times in Falcon: early morning, noon, late afternoon,
and dusk (or night in Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E). In the
morning and afternoon, the sun appears near the appropriate horizon. At
noon, it's overhead. At dusk or nighttime, you see the moon (and stars for
the night scene).
Note that Shift-T only changes the way things are viewed. Falcon still thinks
the time of day is the time it originally set. In campaigns, the next mission
will be scheduled at the appropriate time, not based on the new time of
day you set. If you record a mission in ACMI, it records at the time of day
that Falcon set for the mission, not the time you chose to fly it. So for
example, if you got a night mission in Red Flag and switched it to early
morning, you may not be able to see that great guns kill you got on the
MiG when you play it back in ACMI because it will be pitch-black outside!
You can use this feature simply for your personal preference or as a great
way of cheating. If you're going after a MiG and he flies into the sun, a
quick flick of the Shift-T key will put the sun somewhere else in the sky.
Likewise, if you're on a night mission but want to take a quick look at the
bad guys, your finger turns your eyes into perfect night scopes. Who needs
LANTIRN when you've got Shift-T?
13 HIDDEN FEATURES OF FALCON 3.0 271
Autoleveling is a great hidden feature that can either make your life
Autoleveling
simpler or save it, depending on how much you rely on it. When you press
Ctrl-Alt-5 (the 5 has to be on the numeric keypad), Falcon automatically
Your Plane-
changes the orientation of your aircraft so you're flying straight and level. Ctrl-Alt-5
It happens instantaneously.
If you want to fly at the same altitude for a while and are having trouble
getting yourself in a straight and level attitude with the keyboard or
joystick controller, just press Ctrl-Alt-5 and you'll be flying rock-steady.
More important, if you're spiraling out of control toward the ground, the
autolevel feature will keep you from becoming a total mort without raising
a sweat. You can even use it when all the caution lights are lit and you're
about to plow into the ground. In fact, you can slow your speed to zero so
that you just float in the air without falling!
The normal inside-the-cockpit views let you look forward, back, left, right,
Looking Down-
and up. If you press Shift-U, you'll also get to look straight down (through
the floor of the cockpit). This isn't necessarily a great feature, because Shift-U
Satellite view is probably more useful. But it's nice to know about.
The Pause-Tab feature is one of the most fascinating Easter eggs of them all
in Falcon. If you've played with ACMI, you know that you can set ACMI Getting a God's-
in Independent view. This view leaves you floating in space, independent Eye View-
of your aircraft. You can move forward, back, left, right, up, and down. Pause-Tab
You can rotate your point of view and basically go anywhere you want. In
ACMI, you can only do this in a recorded mission, after the real action is
over. With Pause-Tab, you do it while you're flying around in your actual
mission! It will work in Instant Action, Red Flag, or Campaign.
Here's what you do. At any point while you're flying, press P to pause the
simulation. While paused, press the Tab key. You will then be switched to
an outside view, directly behind your F-16. You're now independent and
can move around the world as a disembodied entity-with the help of
some special keys.
272 G ETTING SERIOUS
Speed
You can control your speed as follows:
The plus(+) key increases your traveling velocity.

The minus key(-) slows you down.
When you get into the debug mode, described below, you' ll see a numeric
value for your current velocity.
Movement
You can also control the direction you move:
The Page Up key moves you up.

The Page Down key moves you down.
The up arrow key moves you forward .
The down arrow key moves you backward.
The left arrow key moves you to the left.
The right arrow key moves you to the right.
F3 rotates you to the left.
F4 rotates you to the right.
The other standard keys apply for rotation. Shift-F3 rotates you up and
Shift-F4 rotates you down. Add the Control key to any of these rotation
keys to slow down the speed of the rotation.
Debug mode
You can enter a special debug mode to get coordinate information.
D puts you into debug mode.
When you enter debug mode, a set of numbers appears in the upper left
corner of the screen. The numbers form a pattern like this:
xxxx xxxx
x:xxxxx:xx :xx:xx:xxxx xxx:xx:xxx xxx:xx
xxx:xx
The top two numbers represent an internal grid coordinate system and,
apart from being interesting, are not particularly useful.
The next line contains much more useful coordinate numbers-they

represent your position in the Falcon world. The first number is your
north-south position. The second is your east-west position. The numbers
are in arbitrary units, so they don't have any intrinsic value. The third
number represents your altitude in feet divided by 2. The last number is
your speed when moving through the world. Your speed is also in arbi-
trary units. You can see this value change as you press the + and - keys.
The final value in the bottom line of debug numbers is your frame rate. This
is the number of frames per second that Falcon can draw on the screen. The
higher this number, the faster the frame rate and the smoother the simula-
tion. This value will vary depending on the speed of your processor and
the complexity of the views you're looking at.
For a point of comparison, looking at a clear blue sky with no clouds or

horizon generates a frame rate of 24 frames per second on a 33 MHz 386
PC. Sitting on the runway at Nellis, with clouds and a horizon, gives a
frame rate of 8 frames per second.
You toggle the debug mode on and off by pressing the D key. If you exit
Pause-Tab mode (as described below) without turning off the debug mode,
the numbers will remain while you fly in the simulation. You have to re-
enter Pause-Tab mode and press D again to tum off the numbers.
The Status Box
Note that when you get into Pause-Tab mode, you're in a standard
outside-the-cockpit window with a status box at the bottom. The view is
labeled Pause. (Ever wonder how they did those nice screen shots on the
Falcon box?) Your speed in the status box is shown as zero, and it
doesn't change as you use the+ and - keys. The altitude value in the
status box will change to reflect the altitude as you use the Page Up and
Page Down keys. Notice that the altitude value in the second line of the
debug numbers is double the altitude value in the status box .
The zoom factor won't change, but your heading will. When you use the
rotate keys, the heading value in the status box accurately reflects your
current heading as disembodied spirit.
274 G ETTING SERI OUS
The Transporter
T puts you in the Transporter room.
The coordinates in debug mode can be very useful to note if you find areas
of interest while zooming around the Falcon landscape as a ghost. You can
traverse your way back to them using the movement controls, but there's
also a faster way.
When you press T, a dialog box appears and asks you for an NS (north/
south) coordinate. When you enter it and press the Enter key, the program
asks you for an east/west coordinate. If you enter that coordinate and
press the Enter key again, you're transported instantly to that location. You
remain at the same altitude. The section on "Hidden Hot Spots" at the end
of this chapter provides some coordinates for interesting places in the
Falcon world, so you can try this out.
Running the simulation

The tilde (-) key starts the simulation running while you are in Pause-
Tab mode.
Normally, the simulation is paused (you pressed Pause, remember?) while

you're in Pause-Tab mode. When you press the - key, the simulation
starts, and everything-including your F-16-begins to move. Note that
you won't be able to control your F-16 with your flight controllers in this
mode. If you plan to use the - feature, you probably want to be sure your
F-16 is on autopilot before you enter Pause-Tab mode.
You toggle action on and off with the tilde key. But note that if you turn it
on and then leave Pause-Tab mode, when you return to Pause-Tab mode
later on, the action mode will be on, and your F-16 will immediately zoom
away from you!
Getting out
P takes you out of Pause-Tab mode.
To get out of Pause-Tab mode, press the P key. You will return to the view
you were in when you entered Pause-Tab mode, and the action will start
up again. If you left the debug numbers on the screen, they'll continue to
be displayed as you fly. You'll have to go back into Pause-Tab mode to
turn them off.
One of the very cool things you can do with Pause-Tab is to set up a
bombing run, pickle your bombs, and then switch to autopilot. Then go
into Pause-Tab mode and move yourself down to the target you're bomb-
ing. You can watch the bombs come in and see what your activity looks
like from the view of a peon on the ground. Of course, you'll have to
depend on Otto to keep you alive while you're "out of the body."
A nice hidden key in ACMI is the Enter key. This key toggles the VCR Toggling Controls
controls in and out of view so you can watch the scene with the VCR
in ACMl-
controls on the screen or get rid of them to see a full-screen view of the
Enter Key
action. This key works in either VCR or ACMI mode.
The Mission Computer shows the enemy and allied planes and ground
Rotating Images
objects as rotating three-dimensional objects-just as you would see them
in the simulation. You can control the speed of rotation and yaw (along
in the Mission
with the pitch and roll for the aircraft) with these keys: Computer
1 and Shift-1 control the yaw.

2 and Shift-2 control the pitch.
3 and Shift-3 control the roll.
+ increases the speed of rotation.
- decreases the speed of rotation.
If you hate waiting through the various Campaign information screens

(you know, "You have 12 available aircraft, 9 available pilots, the weather Escaping from the
today will be partly muggy ... "),press the Esc key to go right to the Campaign
Briefing screen. Information
Screen-Esc Key
276 GETTING SERIOUS
Special Tricks
In addition to special keys, you should know about a few special Falcon
tricks. One uses a utility that comes on the disk with this book. For the
other, you just need to know who to talk to-or in this case, who to click.
Falcon has a built-in mechanism for taking pictures of the screen. You can't
Capturing use a normal TSR screen capture program while running Falcon because
Screens Falcon traps all your keystrokes. But you can use the screen capture keys
within Falcon to take your pictures. Then use the program SHOWF3 on the
disk in this book to view the pictures.
Falcon uses different keys to take the screen shot, depending on which part
of the program you're in. Here's the breakdown:
Alt-N captures the screen in the program interface-that is, everything

that's not the simulation itself, including the War Room, the Debriefing
screen, the Waypoints screen, and others. Alt-N doesn't work on either
of the Configuration screens or in the Mission Computer.
Ctrl-Alt-N captures the screen while you're in the simulation (that is,
while you're flying).
N captures the screen in Pause-Tab mode. You can't capture a screen in

normal Pause mode.
Z captures the screen in ACMI, but only in Operation: Fighting Tiger or

version E.
Screens are saved as files labeled FALCON3.000, FALCON3.001, and so

forth. The screen capture mechanism in Falcon stores the screen shots in its
own internal format. If you want to import these pictures into another
application, use your screen capture program while you view the screen
shots in SHOWF3. See the documentation for the SHOWF3 utility for more
information. Thanks to Steve Kramp for this utility.
If you have Operation: Fighting Tiger and are flying in the Kurile Island
theater of operations, you can choose your own mission to fly from a list of
Picking Your
all the built-in mission types. Here's how: Mission in the
Kurile Islands
Go to the War Room and select the Kurile Island theater of operations.
Click the mouse on Danny's head. (Danny is the guy on the left side in
the War Room throwing switches and checking monitors. Marisa
"No.19" Ong is the person on the right.) Danny will say "Yes, Sir!" on
the theater map.
Click the Commit button. You'll get a message from CHQ, and then a
list of missions will appear.
Click the mission from the scrolling list. Missions listed as PGl, PG2,
and so forth are "pregenerated."
If you want to know what it's like to go up against the secret Soviet
unmanned fighter and you can't wait, this is the way to do it!
278 GETTING SERIOUS
Hidden Hot Spots

All kinds of interesting objects are scattered around the Falcon landscape.
You may have already found some of them-like the "Elvis Lives" sign
outside Las Vegas. Others are more carefully hidden. Here are some of the
best, with Transporter coordinates you can use to find them yourself.
In Red Flag, you'll find the following tourist attractions:

In Red Flag
Elvis Lives
A moving neon sign reads "Elvis Lives" outside Las Vegas.
Transporter coordinates:
-71368,-445036
Heading 8
Altitude 300 feet
Neon Cowboy
This is a famous landmark in downtown Las Vegas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
-93397, -484505
Heading 264
Altitude 200 feet
Grand Canyon Faucet

Now you know the source of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.
-365316, 1672511
Heading 44
Altitude 4,340 feet
Grand Canyon Kayaks

There are other ways to traverse the Grand Canyon than buzzing it at 500
knots with your hair on fire!
-296452,699396
Heading 109
Altitude 56 feet
280 GETTING SERIOUS
Grand Canyon Donkeys

This is for the really leisurely trip.
-227964,476323
Heading59
Altitude 1,900 feet
Falcon 3.0 in the Desert

Some think this was left by aliens.
812122,-723375
Heading 0
Altitude 10,000 feet
Gunnery Range 7
This one has seven targets.
715552,-172701
Heading 0
Altitude 7,000 feet
Gunnery Range 2
This one has eleven targets.
990123, -800905
Heading 0
Altitude 7,000 feet
282 GETTING SERIOUS
Godzilla and the Love Boat

Have they been doing more nuclear testing in these waters?
This is only to be found in the Kurile Island theater of operation in

Operation: Fighting Tiger.
-846508,-1601408
Heading 141
Altitude 80 feet
You can kill it with five or

six Mavericks or two GBUs.
Look for this scenic view in Instant Action:

In Instant Action
Permanently Destroyed Bridge
This bridge must have been destroyed by an earthquake!
1111070, 74120
Heading 348
Altitude 25 feet
Loch Ness Monster

It should have been obvious. But if you never noticed, you can see Nessie
at the bottom of the lake during the startup sequence in Falcon 3.0 when
the MiG is being chased and shot down by the F-16.
F-117A Stealthfighter
coming in for a landing
PART THREE
GETTING EVEN
14. Red Flag: Basic Flight Training 287

15. Red Flag: Air-to-Air Missions 301
16. Red Flag: Air-to-Ground Missions 321
17. Campaign 335
CHAPTER 14
RED FLAG:
BASIC FLIGHT TRAINI NG
Red Flag in Falcon 3.0 simulates the Red Flag training

exercises held at Nellis AFB several times a year. These
exercises pit dissimilar aircraft against one another in a
variety of realistic air-to-air and air-to-ground combat
encounters. At Red Flag, U.S. and allied pilots get to train in
war-like scenarios. In the same way, Falcon's Red Flag gives
you control over many aspects of a war-you can set up
enemy and allied ground and air forces. In short, you can
construct your own custom campaigns in Red Flag.
It takes some time to get the hang of using Red Flag and to
set up your own missions. So this book has a disk with a
variety of prebuilt missions that you can either use as is or
modify to change the missions to your liking. This chapter
describes the basic flight training missions. The next two
chapters focus on air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
288 GETTING EVEN
Red Flag Basics
You'll find instructions for using Red Flag in the Falcon user's manual. We
won't repeat them here, but we will give you some tips that will make
your life in Red Flag a little easier-starting with an overview of the
navigational hierarchy you'll encounter in Red Flag. The chart on the next
page may make it easier to find your way around the Red Flag module.
Ten: The Magic Number
When the U .S. analyzed its dismal ai r combat results in the Vietnam
war, the conclusion was that there was a "magic number" of combat
missions that seemed to determine whether a pilot would survive or not.
If a pilot survived 10 combat missions, the chances were dramatically
higher that he would survive the rest of the missions he flew . Several
training programs were then set up to give pilots those critica l 10
missions in combat-like situations, without subjecting them to the actual
dangers of combat. Th e Navy's Top Gun and the Air Force's Red Flag
were two of these programs.
14 RED FLAG: BASIC FLIGHT TRAINING 289
Hierarchy Within Red Flag
Red Flag Control

Load, save, clear, and delete missions.
Nellis Command
Enemy Aircraft
Set number of aircraft number of flights, and formation.
Enemy Waypoints
Set waypoint, altitude, speed, action, and zoom to target.
Enemy Setup
Select the weapon classes the aircraft will have.
Enemy Forces
Add or delete routes and select type and number of forces per route.
Allied Aircraft
Set number of aircraft, number of flights, and formation.
Allied Waypoints
Set waypoint, altitude, speed, action, and zoom to target.
Allied Setup
Select the weapon classes the aircraft will have.
Allied Forces
Add or delete routes and select type and number of forces per route.
Report
Report computer-visual and tactical information on all forces.
Allied Aircraft
Enemy Aircraft
Allied Forces
Enemy Forces
Although you may want to set up each route separately, it's better to create
all your air and ground forces at one time. Here's why: When you add a
Setting up Allied
new route for either the allied or the enemy forces, it's always placed at the and Enemy
right middle of the Red Flag map. If you create a ground force and then Routes
move it to the area where you want it to appear, it's very likely that you'll
want to zoom in on the map in order to position it accurately. Then, when
you create a new route, you'll have to zoom all the way out to 1X magnifi-
cation to find the newly created route. Then you'll need to move it to its
new position, zoom in, and do some more fine tuning.
It' s much less frustrating to create all your routes at the beginning and,
while still at lX magnification, move them all to their approximate loca-
tions on the Red Flag map. Once you have them in their approximate
locations, you can zoom in on the specific areas and fine-tune their posi-
tions. You'll save yourself a lot of time and frustration this way.
290 G ETTING EVEN
Note that you won't be able to change any route paths from Red Flag
Control. You must be in Nellis Command or "deeper" to change allied or
enemy routes.
When you start a new Red Flag scenario with the Clear Mission button in
Getting Rid of
the Red Flag Control screen, Red Flag automatically gives you one allied
Enemy Aircraft flight (your flight), one enemy flight, one allied ground force route, and
one enemy ground force route. You can delete all the ground force routes,
but you can't delete the enemy flight. Even if you want to create a mission
where you practice only air-to-ground maneuvers, you will have at least
one enemy flight flying around somewhere in Red Flag.
In order to eliminate any chance of getting jumped when you're trying to

do something else, drag the enemy flight to one of the far corners of the
Red Flag map. Drag all three waypoint markers-Start, WPl, and WP2-to
the same corner and place them on top of one another. This will ensure
that the enemy aircraft will not intrude on your other activities.
If you're setting up your own Red Flag missions and want to view the
Looking at
various targets at the icon locations on the map, there's a fairly quick way
Bombing Targets to find and view them. Go into the Allied Waypoints screen and place a
waypoint marker over one of the icons. Select the Bomb action with the
Action button. As soon as you do this, the Zoom to Target button becomes
active. Now click the Zoom to Target button. You'll zoom in and be able to
see the target (and any nearby targets) as the scene rotates.
To look at targets at other icon locations on the Red Flag map, simply pick
up the same waypoint marker and place it on another icon. Don't worry
about your strange flight path. You're doing this just to look at targets.
Because you're still set up on the Bomb action for that waypoint, you
merely click the Zoom to Target button again to see the new target. You
can do this for all the icons on the map and easily see what targets are
under the icons. If you try this, you may be in for some surprises. For
example, the icon for the chemical plant really has a horde of bunkers
under it, not a chemical plant. One of the generic target icons lists its
targets as buildings, but you'll really find a gunnery range. And the
strange thing is that you won't be able to destroy the gunnery targets with
your guns! You have to use something more powerful, such as Mavericks.
When you add a waypoint in Red Flag, it's always added after the cur- Adding
rently selected waypoint. So when you want to add an additional
Waypoints
waypoint, be sure to select the waypoint prior to the area where you want
to add a new waypoint. Otherwise, you'll have to pick up all your existing
waypoints and shuffle them around.
You may want to place ground troops at a specific location on the map. Positioning
Use the Zoom button to zoom to at least SOX. When you're at this magnifi-
Ground Troops
cation or greater, you'll be able to see permanent ground features, such as
roads and buildings. You won't, however, be able to see existing "map
objects" such as tanks and trucks, nor will you see any map objects that
you're trying to place.
Try to put the route icon as close to the map scenery as possible. However,
you should understand that the settings on this map are not completely
accurate. You may have to run the mission and see where your forces
actually show up and then move them again, based on what you found
out.
Also note that the positions of ground forces are not stationary. Ground
forces always move between waypoints 1 and 2. If you want them to be
more or less in one location, zoom the map magnification up to 250X (if
you zoom more than this, you'll lose the waypoint icon) and place
waypoints 1 and 2 right on top of each other. The ground troops will still
move a little, but this trick will minimize their movements.
How to Find Your Ground Objects
If, when flying the mission, you can't seem to locate the ground forces
you just placed, switch the object magnification in the Options menu
to BX. This setting will make it much easier to find the ground forces .
In Falcon, prior to Operation: Fighting Tiger, AAA does not work at all in
Problems with
Red Flag. You can set up as many AAA forces as you want, with the SAM/
AAA Configuration settings on any setting up to Elite, and AAA will not
SAMs and AAA
fire on you. This is truly a shame, since AAA is one of the more visually
spectacular components of Falcon.
292 GETTING EVEN
In addition, the first route you choose with SAMs will always have one less
than the numbe~ of SAMs you set. For example, if you set route 1 to
contain one SAM, it will have none, and you'll never get a SAM launched
at you. If you have two routes and both routes have two SAMs, route 1 will
only have one SAM, while route 2 will have two SAMs.
Both of these bugs were fixed in Operation: Fighting Tiger.
Red Flag Remembers Your Last Setup
If you're creating a Red Flag mission and have to leave Red Flag (to get
your flying fix in Instant Action, for example), you don't need to save the
mission. Red Flag remembers the state of things, so everything you set up
will be there when you return. Red Flag will even maintain your current
setup if you leave Falcon altogether. When you restart Falcon and
reenter Red Flag, the flights, ground forces, and settings you last created
will all be there in Red Flag, even though you haven't saved the mission
under a mission name. You will eventually wantto save the setup under
a fi lename so that you can call it back whenever you want, but while
you're building your Red Flag mission, Red Flag remembers where
everythi ng is.
F-15 Strike Eagle

The Flight Training Missions

Falcon 3.0 comes with several Red Flag missions that acquaint you with
basic flying skills, and we've included more with our disk. These missions
will help you learn to fly. The most basic skill you need to develop to be a
hot combat pilot is your ability to fly. Even if you have previous experience
flying other flight simulators (or flying real aircraft!), you'll need to spend
some time getting used to the "feel" of flying in Falcon 3.0. The feel of
flying will depend on the speed of your computer, the number of display
options you select, the flight controller you select, and the flight model you
choose.
The smoothness you feel while flying is a function of the "refresh rate" of
Refresh Rate
your computer. The refresh rate is the number of frames per second that
the simulator can display. The more frames per second, the smoother the
action. Falcon 3.0 is time-based: one minute of flight time takes exactly one
minute, and you'll cover the same ground in one minute (assuming a
constant airspeed) whether your computer is a 20-MHz 286 or a 50-MHz
486. The faster processor is able to display more frames per second, giving
you a smoother sense of movement.
Besides processor speed, the other elements that can affect refresh rate are
the display options you choose. When you choose Maximum Detail,
Terrain On, Clouds On, and Horizon On from the Options menu, you set
up the simulation to be the most visually realistic. But this realism exacts a
price. If your computer isn't fast enough, the frame rate will slow way
down as the computer tries to display all this "texture." You will need to
experiment to find the right combination of display options to give you the
smoothness of flight you want. You may want to trade off complexity of
scenery for smoother flight. If you do most of your kills beyond visual
range, the refresh rate won't make that much difference to you, but if you
love to mix it up in close-in knife fights, you'll want your F-16 to fly as
smooth as possible. It's hard to set up for a close-quarters guns kill when
the refresh rate is too slow. You'll overcompensate for the slow display and
oversteer your aircraft.
You can get a readout of the frame rate by using the secret Pause-Tab
feature. (See Chapter 13, "Hidden Features of Falcon," for more details
about this very interesting hidden feature.)
294 GETTING EVEN
In Falcon 3.0, you have three choices of flight controllers. You can use the
Flight Controllers keyboard to control both the stick and the throttle. You can use a joystick
to control the stick and the keyboard to control the throttle. Or you can use
two joysticks to control stick, and throttle. Each controller dramatically
affects the "feel" of flying in Falcon.
Keyboard
When you fly using the keyboard, you
F-16 sidestick
have immediate access to virtually every
controller
control you will need to fly in Falcon
because your hands are always on the
keyboard. Yet flying an aircraft from a
keyboard is somewhat strange. Using
keys to control a stick will never feel
quite right. When you press a stick con-
trol key, it's as if you' re pushing the stick
in a certain direction as long as you press
F-16 throttle the key, but when you release the key,
the "stick" automatically centers. You
don't get to move the stick to center as
you would with a joystick. And you don't
have nearly the fine control while flying
with the keyboard that you do with a
joystick. You'll notice this lack of control
particularly during landings.
Joystick
A joystick will dramatically enhance your experience of Falcon 3.0. It will
give you a great sense of the feel of flying, with fine control over climbing,
rolling, and turning. You'll find that the joystick is particularly useful for
setting up the right angle of attack during landing.
Throttle
A second joystick-or a dedicated controller like the ThrustMaster Weap-
ons Control Stick (WCS) or the HOT AS controller with an appropriate
joystick-can add significantly to your Falcon experience. Controlling your
airspeed is one of the most important elements of dogfighting and of
landing. A second throttle control is a big improvement over using the
keyboard to control the throttle. In addition, if you use the WCS or HOTAS
devices, you'll have control over a variety of additional Falcon operations

without ever taking your hands off the stick and throttle. This is the closest
you'll probably ever get to the feel of flying the way F-16 pilots do it.
The Flight Model defines the forces that operate on the aircraft in flight. flight Model
Falcon 3.0 gives you a choice of four flight models: Simple, Moderate,
Complex, and High Fidelity (HF). The flight model will definitely affect the
"feel" of flying. The primary differences among the flight models are the
weight and drag influences and the speed and sensitivity to banks and
rolls. We recommend you use the Complex or High Fidelity flight models.
Chapter 2, "Setting the Switches," has more information about all four
flight models.
The book disk provides sev- BASIC MISSIONS

eral missions to help you T,1keotf/L1ndin,~
practice your takeoff and
landing skills. The best way
to learn to fly is to practice,
practice, practice! One of the
nice things about flying a
simulator is that you can
afford to crash a few times
without suffering any real
consequences. Keep practic-
ing until taking off and
landing are second nature.
LANDING1 Straight approach or racetrack approach to Nellis AFB

This mission puts you about 11 miles south of Nellis AFB, heading north. You are
basically lined up with the runway. You can either try a straight approach and land
on runway 36 or attempt the racetrack approach and land on runway 18. (These
numbers refer to the direction you ' re heading when you land. Even though you may
land on the same runway, if you're heading south, the runway is referred to as
runway 18-that is, 180 degrees. If you are heading north, it is referred to as
runway 36-360 degrees.)
LANDING2 Visual landing at Las Vegas

On this mission, you take off from Nellis, heading north. After you leave the base,
make a 180-degree turn to the right, heading back south . Follow your waypoint
marker to your first waypoint, about 15 nm south of the air base. When you reach
296 GETTING EVEN
waypoint 1, turn right 90 degrees and head for waypoint 2. Waypoint 2 is the airport
south of Las Vegas. You'll be landing on runway 90. This runway is not equipped
with an Instrument Landing System (ILS), so you'll have to make this landing visually.
You may either land at this base and end the mission or do a " touch 'n' go" on the
runway and head back to Nellis to practice landing there again.
LANDING3 Landing at a small mountain airstrip

This mission puts you in the air about 10 miles from a small airstrip in the mountains,
west of Nellis. Again, you may either touch down at this airstrip and end the mission
or return to Nellis for more landing practice. The mountain runway is at waypoint 1.
Nellis is at waypoint 2. As you head back to Nellis, you'll see the Las Vegas airport
on your left. Feel free to touch down there on your way back home.
LANDING4 Landing at an enemy airfield

Here's another landing practice on a small airfield deep in enemy territory. After
touchdown at waypoint 1, you can proceed to waypoint 2, which is Nellis.
LANDINGS Landing without an airfield

This landing practice puts you out in the middle of nowhere with only a road to land
on . You might as well practice it because one day you may be out of gas somewhere
with nothing but a road around. In Falcon 3.0, you can land on any surface, but give
yourse lf a chal lenge and try to land on the road. As usual, waypoint 2 gets you back
to Nellis.
Dead-Stick Landings
For a real thrill and for useful flight experience, try making your landings
on any of the above missions as dead-stick landings. A dead-stick
landing is one made without any power other than energy you convert
from altitude. If you're coming in to your air base and your engine gets
shot out, you only have two alternatives: punch out or dead-stick in. The
F-16 will glide fairly well if you have the altitude and airspeed. But it
takes real skill to estimate the angles and distances to put yourself down
on the runway with no power. Better try it in Red Flag, where you won 't
get penalized, rather than wait until you're on a mission in a campaign .
One of the ways to avoid

BASIC MISSIONS
SAMs and radar is to fly as
close to the ground as pos- NOE Flyin,~
sible. By hugging the ter-
rain, you stay in the radar
ground clutter and provide
the hardest firing solution
for SAMs. Because Falcon
3.0 has real terrain and not
just a flat surface, you can
actually practice this kind of
flying, called nap-of-the-earth
(NOE) flying.
NOE flying takes incredible attention and nerves of steel. One small
hiccup, and you get smeared across the landscape. Please notice that while
NOE flying makes it difficult for normal SAMs to get you, you may get
tagged by a shoulder-launched SAM. You're also vulnerable to AAA when
you fly close to the ground.
NOE1 Basic NOE flying in moutainous terrain

This mission takes you over mountainous terrain . Practice flying at 500 knots and 500
feet. You have to concentrate the whole time because the earth comes up really fast
at 500 knots. For fun , try flying this mission entirely from Track view. In Track view,
you ' ll be able to see the shadow of your F-16 as you get within 100 feet of the
ground . You can use that shadow as a last-resort warning that you ' re too close.
NOE2 NOE flying under enemy fire

Thi s mission is the same as NOE7 , except there are enemy infantry troops near
waypoint 1 with shoulder-launched SAMs and AAA. (These will fire only if you've got
the SAMs/AAA option turned on in the Configuration screen.) At waypoint 2, there
are SA-6 SAMs. You ' re loaded up with 2 Shrikes and 4 CB Us. Use the CBUs to take
out the infantry and the Shrikes to take out the SAMs. You can also try flying low and
fast to avoid the missiles. Use your jamming pod and lots of flares and chaff, but
remember, you can jink every which way but down!
298 GETTING EVEN
Here are a couple of special missions that will really test your flying skills.
BASIC MISSIONS
Special Types GRANDCYN Flying the Grand Canyon
You may not have realized it, but the terrain in Red Flag includes the entire
Grand Canyon! This mission starts you at the beginning of the Grand Canyon. Follow
the Colorado River through the
canyon as it winds and weaves.
You'll need to stay below 5,000
feet, or the canyon walls will dis-
appear. You may also see some
unusual sights as you fly through
the canyon.
This mission is "display-intensive."

Therefore, if you're running a
lower-powered computer, you
may want to turn off some of the
display options to make your flight
as smooth as possible.
Once you've flown the entire canyon without crashing into the walls, see if you can
fly the length of it again-only this time fly inverted the whole way!
FRMATION Formation flying, where you're the wingman

In Falcon 3.0, you normally fly lead in a formation, and your wingman does his
best to stay close to your wing. But
in this mission, you're the
wingman . You' ll be flying in the
wingman position with an F-1 5.
Your job is to stay as close and as
tight as possible to your lead. The
fli ght will be making a number of
changes of direction, altitude, and
airspeed, so you might want to
study th e mission from within
Nellis Command before you fly it.
Follow your lead all the way home
and land with him at your air base.
Once you've become comfortable with these basic flying skills, it's time to
move on to the real thrills-air combat. The next chapter has a lot of air-to-
air missions that will let you see what you're really made of!
Using the Missions on the Disk
The missions supplied with the book are prebuilt, but by no means fixed.
You ca n modify them any way you like. You may want to add another
aircraft to your flight or change the kinds of weapons that enemy aircraft
are loaded with. For example, in mission 7MG29H, you're going head-
to-head against a fully loaded MiG-29. This will be an all-out air battle,
pitting your skill and weapons against a crazed and dangerous MiG-29
pilot. After flying this mission a few times, you may want to change the
type of engagement. One of the biggest cha llenges is to go guns against
guns, with no missiles. In this case, simply go to the Enemy Setup screen
and turn off all the MiG's weapons except his guns. Of course, you'll do
the same for yourself, right?
If you change a mission, you might want to rename it when you save it.
Then you'll always have avai lable the original missions that come with
this book, as well as your modified versions.
Note that Red Flag has a built-in limitation in the number of missions it
can display. You will only be able to see the first 64 missions that are in
your Falcon 3 directory. (The Red Flag missions are saved as files with an
.RFM extension.) Thus if you have more than 64 missions, you'll have to
move some of them in and out of your Falcon 3 directory.
A-10 Warthog tank

killers in flight
CHAPTER 15
RED FLAG:
AIR-TO-AIR MISSIONS
Once you've gained some practice flying the flight

training missions in Chapter 14, you're ready to take on the
industrial-strength combat missions. The book disk comes
with a large variety of air-to-air missions that will give you
a chance to go up against almost every air threat you'll find
in Falcon.
Each air threat flies with different characteristics and has a

different "feel." If you want to succeed in Falcon, you'll want
to be intimately familiar with each air threat. This chapter,
along with the book disk, gives you the opportunity to gain
this important knowledge.
If you're interested in air-to-ground missions, they're covered

in Chapter 16.
302 GETTING EVEN
Types of Air-to-Air Missions

Each enemy aircraft in Falcon is modeled according to its realistic flight
characteristics-within reason. (Even Spectrum Holobyte doesn't have
access to complete MiG performance specifications!) As a result, you'll find
that different aircraft fly and fight differently. That's why we've provided a
complete set of missions against each air threat in Falcon. The tactics you
use against an Su-24 may not work against a MiG-19. By using these
missions, you'll gain experience with each type of air threat.
You might want to start with the "sitting duck" missions. These put you
1 V1 Scenarios
up against aircraft that can't shoot back, like the An-12 and the IL-76.
They're good missions to practice beginning combat tactics because you've
got a target that won't try to kill you, but will try to get away. Thus, you've
got to learn to fly and use your weapons well on these missions, but you
aren't burdened with the extra task of defending yourself at the same time.
Once you're comfortable using your weapons, go on to the 1V1-one

versus one-missions. On the disk, you'll find two types of 1Vl missions.
With one type, you'll be placed directly behind the enemy at a distance of
about 3 miles. You're already in firing position and can go get him. Start
with these missions, since you're automatically given an advantage.
Other 1V1 missions put you head-to-head with the enemy. You start out
nose-to-nose with an enemy aircraft that is about 30 miles in front of you.
You've got to find him and lock him up on radar, then plan and execute
your intercept. Once the two of you merge, the fight's on, and you'll have
to use all your dogfighting experience to gain the advantage.
There are also some missions against helicopters. These are more difficult
than you might think, because you will have to rely on your eyes to find
and track these guys. Your radar and your heat-seeking missiles will not
work against helicopters, so you'll have to make a guns kill if you want to
down them. And remember-they do shoot back!
15 RED FLAG: AIR-TO-AIR MISSIONS 303
Once you've answered the challenge of 1V1 combat missions, you can
1V2 Scenarios
tackle the 1V2 missions. Here, it's your lone F-16 against two enemy
aircraft. You have the same two types of scenarios with these missions-
some on the enemy's six and some head-to-head. When you can take on
two enemy aircraft head-to-head, you're ready for anything!
To even things up, the disk also gives you some 2V1 missions. These are 2V1 Scenarios
missions you fly with a wingman against one enemy aircraft. The purpose
of these missions is to practice using your wingman commands and to
learn cooperation working with a wingman against an enemy target. Be
sure to read about using your wingman in Chapter 3, "Falcon Artificial
Intelligence."
Once you've gotten familiar with flying and fighting with a wingman, use
the 2V2 missions to go against two enemy aircraft with your wingman. 2V2 Scenarios
Now you've got a nice little furball going, and you'll have great fun sorting
it all out when you're done. These are great missions to record and analyze
withACMI.
The Dog Fight switch

on the F-16 throttle
304 GETTING EVEN
The Mission List

The following pages list all the air-to-air missions you'll find on the disk.
Because there are so many variations of air-to-air missions, we've used a
code to help you identify types of missions by their mission names. A
typical air-to-air mission name is 1MG29H. Air-to-air missions always start
with a number. The starting number is the number of enemy aircraft you'll
go against in the mission. The next four or five characters indicate type of
enemy aircraft. For example, MG29 stands for MiG-29. The abbreviations
should be fairly obvious.
Following the enemy aircraft designation is either an Hor an R. H stands

for head-to-head; R stands for rear attack. Some air-to-air mission names end
with the letter W. These missions always include a wingman to help you
out.
So, for example, the mission 2MRIIIH puts you head-to-head against two
Mirage IIIs. The mission 1MG29R puts you on the tail of a lone MiG-29.
The mission 2MG27HW has you and a wingman going head-to-head
against two MiG-27s.
Note that various enemy aircraft can be equipped with ECM jammers. The
section on "Enemy Countermeasures" in Chapter 3, "Falcon Artificial
Intelligence," describes which aircraft may have jamming equipment.
These jammers will show up in your Red Flag missions as well as in
Instant Action and in the campaigns. You need to be prepared because
when your radar is jammed, the rules of the game change.
1 Vl MISSIONS
Class A Threats
1 MG29R One F-16 on the six of one MiG-29. Distance: 3 nm MiG-29

F-16 armament : MiG-29 armament:
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders All-aspect IR missiles
1 ALQ-131 jamming pod Radar-guided missiles
Vulcan cannon 30-mm cannon
1 MG29H One F-16 against one MiG-29, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 armament: MiG-29 armament:
1MRF1 R One F-16 on the six of one Mirage Fl. Distance: 3 nm Mirage Fl
F-16 armament: Mirage Fl armament:
1 MRFl H One F-16 aga inst one Mirage Fl , head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

1SU27R One F-16 on the six of one Su-27. Distance: 3 nm Su-27

F-16 armament: Su-27 armament:
Vulcan cannon 30-mm can non
1SU27H One F-16 against one Su-27, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-9M heat-seeki ng Sidewinders All-aspect IR missiles
306 GETTING EVEN
1Vl MISSIONS
C/,1ss B Thre,1ts
MiG-19 1MG19R One F-16 on the six of one MiG-19. Distance: 3 nm

F-1 6 armament: MiG-19 armament:
2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders 23-mm cannon
1 ALQ-131 jamming pod
Vulcan ca nnon
1MG19H One F-16 against one MiG-19, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-9M heat-seeki ng Sidewinders 23-mm cannon
Vulcan cannon
MiG-21 1MG21 R One F-16 on the six of one MiG-21. Distance: 3 nm

1MG21 H One F-16 against one MiG-21, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

MiG-23 1MG23R One F-16 on the six of one MiG-23. Distance: 3 nm

2 AIM-9M heat-seekin g Sidewinders All-aspect IR missiles
1MG23H One F-16 against one MiG-23, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

15 RED FLAG: AIR TO-AIR MISSIONS 307
IMG25R One F-16 on the six of one MiG-25. Distance: 3 nm MiG-25

2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders Radar-guided missiles
Vulcan cannon

Vulcan ca nnon
1 MG27R One F-16 on the six of one MiG-27. Distance: 3 nm MiG-27

F- 16 armament: MiG-27 armament:
Vulcan cannon

2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect JR missiles
Vulcan cannon
1 MRlllR One F-16 on the six of one Mirage Ill. Distance: 3 nm Mirage Ill
F-16 armament: Mirage Ill armament:
2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders All-aspect JR missiles
1 ALQ-131 jamming pod 30-m m cannon
Vulcan ca nnon
1 MRlllH One F-16 against one Mirage Ill, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-120 radar-gu ided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
1 ALQ-131 jamming pod 30-mm cannon
Vulcan cannon
308 GETIINC EVEN
Mirage 5 1 MRSR One F-16 on the six of one Mirage 5. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: Mirage 5 armament:
Vulcan cannon
1MRSH One F-16 against one Mirage 5, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan cannon
1Vl MISSIONS
Homher.,/CAS
Su-24 1SU24R One F-16 on the six of one Su-24. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: Su-2 4 armament:
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs 30-mm cannon
2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders
Vulcan cannon
1 SU24H One F-16 against one Su-24, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 armament: Su-2 4 armament:
Vulcan cannon
Su-25 1SU25R One F-16 on the six of one Su-2 5. Distance: 3 nm

Vulcan cannon
1 SU25H One F-16 against one Su-25, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan cannon
1 VX MISSIONS
Sittin,i. ; Due k~
1TU22R One F-16 on the six of one Tu-22. Distance: 3 nm Tu-22

F-16 armament: Tu-22 armament:
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs None
Vulcan cannon
4TU22R One F- 76 on the six of four Tu-22s. Distance 3: nm

F- 16 armament: Tu-22 armament:
Vulcan cannon
1AN12R One F-16 on the six of one An-12. Distance: 3 nm An-12

F-16 armament: An-12 armament:
Vulcan cannon
2AN12R One F-16 on the six of two An-12s. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: An- 12 armament:
Vulcan cannon
11L76R One F-16 on the six of one IL-76. Distance: 3 nm ll-76

F-16 armament: IL-76 armament:
Vulcan cannon
310 GETTING EVEN
1 VX MISSIONS
He/ icoters
SA-342 1 SA342R One F-16 on the six of one SA-342. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: SA-342 armament:
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs 7.62-mm machine gun
Vulcan cannon
2SA342H One F-1 6 aga inst two SA-342s, head-to-head. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: SA-342 armament:
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs 7 .62-mm machine gun
Vulcan cannon
Mi-24 1Ml24R One F-16 on the six of one Mi-24. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: Mi-24 armament:
Vulcan cannon
2Ml24H One F-16 against two Mi-24s, head-to-head. Distance: 3 nm

F-16 armament: Mi-24 armament:
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs 23-mm ca nnon
Vulcan ca nnon
1 V2 MISSIONS
Class A Threats
MiG-29 2MG29R One F-16 on the six of two MiG-29s. Distance: 3 nm
2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missil es
2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders All- aspect IR missiles
1 ALQ-1 31 jamming pod Radar-guided missiles
2MG29H One F-16 against two MiG-29s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders A ll-aspect IR missil es
1 ALQ-131 jamming pod Radar-guided missil es
Vulcan cannon 30-mm ca nnon
2MRF1 R One F-16 on the six of two Mirage Fl s. Distance: 3 nm Mirage Fl

2MRF1 H One F-16 against two Mirage Fl s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 armament: Mirage F-1 armament:
Vulcan cannon 30-mm ca nnon
2SU27R One F-16 on the six of two Su-27s. Distance: 3 nm Su-27

2SU27H One F-16 against two Su-27s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan can non 30-mm cannon
1V2 MISSIONS
Class B ThrecJts
2MG19R One F-16 on the six of two MiG-19s. Distance: 3 nm MiG-19
2 AIM-9M heat-seeki ng Sidewinders 23-mm cannon
Vulcan cannon
2MG19H One F-16 aga inst two MiG-19s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan ca nnon
312 GETTING EVEN
MiG-21 2MG21 R One F-16 on the six of two MiC-21 s. Distance: 3 nm

Vulcan ca nnon 23-mm cannon
2MG21 H One F-16 against two MiC-21 s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

MiG-23 2MG23R One F-16 on the six of two MiC-23s. Distance: 3 nm

1 A LQ-131 jamming pod Radar-guided missiles
2MG23H One F-16 against two MiC-23s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-120 rada r-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
MiG-25 2MG25R One F-16 on the six of two MiC-25s. Distance: 3 nm

Vulcan can non
2MG25H One F-16 against two MiG-25s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-9M heat-seek ing Sidewinders Radar-guided missiles
Vulcan cannon
2MG27R One F-16 on the six of two MiG-2 ls. Distance: 3 nm MiC-27
Vulcan ca nnon
2MC27H One F-16 against two MiG-27s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 arma ment: MiG-2 7 armament:
Vulcan ca nnon
2MRlllR One F-16 on the six of two Mirage Ills. Distance: 3 nm Mirage Ill
F-16 armam ent: Mirage Ill armament:
2 AIM-120 rada r-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
Vulcan cannon
2MRlllH One F-16 against two Mirage Ills, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-1 6 armament: Mirage Ill armament:
Vulcan ca nnon
2MR5R One F-16 on the six of two Mirage 5s. Distance: 3 nm Mirage 5
F-1 6 armament: Mirage 5 armament:
Vulcan ca nnon
2MR5H One F-16 against two Mirage 5s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 arma ment: Mirage 5 armament:
Vulcan cannon
314 GETTING EVEN
2V1 MISSIONS
C/,1ss A Threats
Su-27 1 SU27RW Two F-16s on the six of one Su-27. Distance: 3 nm

1 SU27HW Two F-16s against one Su-27, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan can non 30-mm ca nnon
MiG-29 1 MG29RW Two F-16s on the six of one MiG-29. Distance: 3 nm

1MG29HW Two F-16s against one MiG-29, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

2 AIM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-a spect IR missiles
Mirage Fl 1 MRF1 RW Two F-16s on the six of one Mirage Fl . Distance: 3 nm

1 ALQ-131 jamming pod All-aspect IR missiles
Vulcan cannon 30-mm can non
1 MRF1 HW Two F-16s against one Mirage Fl, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

1 ALQ-131 jamming pod All-aspect IR missiles
2V2 MISSIONS
Class A Thre,1ts
2SU27RW Two F-16s on the six of two Su-27s. Distance: 3 nm Su-27

2 AIM- 120 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
1 ALQ- 131 jamming pod Radar-guided missiles
2SU27HW Two F-16s against two Su-27s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F- 16 armament : Su-27 armament:
2AIM-1 20 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
2MG29RW Two F-16s on the six of two MiG-29s. Distance: 3 nm MiG-29

2MG29HW Two F-16s against two MiG-29s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 arm ament: MiG-29 armament:
2MRF1 RW Two F-16s on the six of two Mirage F1 s. Distance: 3 nm Mirage Fl

F- 16 armament: Mirage Fl armament:
2MRF1 HW Two F-16s against two Mirage Fl s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

F-16 arma ment: Mirage Fl armament:
316 GETTING EVEN
2V2 MISSIONS
( ).1..,.., H I hre,1h
MiG-19 2MG19RW Two F-16s on the six of two MiG-19s. Distance: 3 nm

Vulcan cannon

Vulcan cannon

2 AIM-9M heat-seeking Sidewinders All-aspect JR missiles
2MG21 HW Two F-16s against two MiG-21s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm




Vulcan cannon

Vul ca n cannon

Vulcan cannon

Vulcan cannon
2MRlllRW Two F-16s on the six of two Mirage Ills. Distance: 3 nm Mirage Ill
1 ALQ-131 jamming pod 30-mm ca nnon
Vulcan ca nnon
2MRlllHW Two F-16s against two Mirage Ills, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan cannon
318 GETTING EVEN
Mirage 5 2MR5RW Two F-16s on the six of two Mirage 5s. Distance: 3 nm
2 AJM-120 radar-guided AMRAAMs Rear-aspect IR missiles
Vulcan cannon
2MR5HW Two F-16s against two Mirage 5s, head-to-head. Distance: 30 nm

Vulcan cannon
15 RED FLAG: AIR TO-AIR MISSIONS 319
F-16 performing a
vertical loop
CHAPTER 16
RED FLAG:
AIR-TO-GROU N D MISSIONS
Red Flag is a great place to perfect your air-to-ground skills.

You can try out a whole host of mud-moving ordnance and
learn how each one works. Red Flag has plenty of ground
targets. About the only significant types of ground targets you
won't find are trains and ships.
The disk that comes with this book has a variety of missions
that you can use to hone your air-to-ground capabilities and
also to learn how to deal with-and survive-surface-to-air
missiles. This chapter describes the missions and gives you
tips for flying them.
322 GETTING EVEN
SAMS
A void/Suppress
SAMs will be one of your
deadliest threats in Red Flag.
They're always a problem,
and you need to learn how to
spot them, evade them, and
kill them if you're going to
keep on breathing in the Fal-
con world. Of course, you can
avoid the problem altogether
by simply turning SAMs and
AAA off at the Configuration
screen. In fact, it's a good idea
to do this while you're first
learning your basic Falcon skills. But when you get a bit more experienced
or want more of a challenge, turn those suckers back on. The next few
missions are specific for SAM practice, but you'll find that other missions
on the book disk will also test your skills in surviving SAMs. Be sure to
study and use the tactics in Chapter 7, "Countermeasure Strategies," to
help you beat the SAMs.
SA7SAM Avoid/attack shoulder-launched SAM units

Use this mission to practi ce learning to spoof shoulder- launched heat-seek ing SA-7
SAMs . You can also practice turning the launch crews into ground round when you
get tired of dodging their little presents.
In this mission, two infantry units are travelin g along a main roadway. You start out
aimed more or less toward them. You ' ll be able to spot them at about 3 nm (us ing 1 X
magnification). Each unit has two SA-7 groups, which should give you several SAMs
to try to dodge (or shoot).
SA-7s are heat-seekers, which means that they will almost always be fired from
behind you. They can be fired when you're as low as 100 feet and as high as 12,000
feet. Some parameters will almost guarantee you'll be shot down, while others give
you a better chance of survival. Chapter 7 tells you which are which.
For this mission, you're loaded up with CB Us and LAUs for the moment when you
want to switch from defens ive to offensive. The CBUs will probably take out all the
SAMs in a group at one time, while you ca n use the LAUs to pick them off one by
one. The best way to hit a SAM unit with th e LAU is to place the target exactly at the
death dot in the sma ll aiming reticl e. You may also want to fly slowly enough to use
your rudder to sway back and forth as you fire off rockets, especia lly if the targets are
in a horizontal line in front of you. Once you pass the targets, however, increase your
16 RED FLAG: AIR-TO-GROUND MISSIONS 323
speed and break. Otherwise, the missiles w ill get a nice lock on you and turn you
into iron filings.
Weapons load:
4 CBU-84 cluster bomb units
4 LAU 5003 rocket launchers
SA6SAM Avoid/attack radar-guided SAM units

This mission is like SA7SAM, except you're up against SA-6 Gainful SAMs instead of
SA-7 Grai ls. There are two SAM units near the road. You'll see them show up on your
TWI, and you'll also see the lock and launch indicators appear on your Threat
Warning Panel. The SA-6 SAMs have a much broader launch umbrella than the SA-
7s. They can reach as high as 47,000 feet and fire at you from 30 miles away,
although prior to version E or Operation: Fighting Tiger, they don't fire unless you're
within 5 miles of them.
In this mission, your LAUs have been replaced with Shrike anti-radiation missiles that
w ill home in on the missile's radar unit. You've also got an ALQ-131 jamming pod, in
case you need it. Start out using the jamming pod to spoof the missiles and then try
without it, using only chaff and fancy flying.
Weapons load:
4 AGM-45A Shrike anti-radiation missiles
STORAGE1 Attack a storage facility, flying SAM suppression

While this is technically a
bombing mission, it's included
here in the SAM section because
you'll be hit with a terrible
barrage of ground defense
weapons. You'll encounter
SA-6s, SA-7s, and AAA-a lot of
them! There are three versions
of this mission . Consider this set
of missions all fairly advanced,
since a lot is going on in them.
In this version , you ' ll be

responsible, along with a flight
of F/A-18s, for taking out the
surface-to-air threats while a flight of B-52s pound the storage facilities. Your two-
man flight is equipped with Mavericks and anti-radiation missiles as well as CBUs.
324 GETTING EVEN
You ' ll arrive at the target before the strike mission, so take out as many SAMs as
possible so that the strike package can do its job. You may need to make several runs
on the target.
You'll be coming in from the northwest. You start out flying at about 1,500 feet over
the top of a high bluff. Watch for a road that runs diagonal to your flight. Just past the
road, the bluff drops away into a valley, and the storage tanks are nestled up against
the side of the mountain . You'll pass directly over them. Out in the flat area are four
different SAM and AM groups. They are there to protect the storage facilities. If
you're lucky, by popping over the mountain, you'll surprise them and be able to take
some good shots before they know you're there. The flight of F/A-18s will be taking
out some of them ; you and your wingie are responsible for the others. You may need
to make a coupl e of passes. You want to be sure that the B-52s can deliver their
package and egress the target safe ly.
Once you drop your ordnance, continue on to your other waypoints and back to
home base.
Weapons load:
STORAGE2 Attack a storage facility, flying the bombing mission

In this version, you' ll be flying the bombing mission along with an F-111. A flight of
F-4s and and a flight of F/A-18s will be flying SAM suppression . You 'd better hope
they do a good job!
Weapons load:
STORAGE3 Attack a storage facility protected by Su-27s

Now things really start to get crazy! In this mission, the storage base is protected not
only by SAMs and AAA but with a cover of Su-27s . You're flying a CAP mission while
your buddies take on the target and the SAMs. Your main concern will be with the
enemy air force, but you may also have lots of SAMs coming your way. Remember-
there will be a lot of aircraft in the air over the target and many of them are on your
side. Don 't get trigger-happy and shoot down one of your buddies.
Weapons load:
4 AIM-120 radar-guided missiles
4 AIM-9M heat-seeking missiles
BRIDGES
Att,1ck ,111c/ Destroy
Here's your basic bridge mission, along with some suggestions for com-
pleting it successfully.
BRIDGES Attack three bridges

In this mission, you ' ll attack and
destroy three enemy bridges
along a main roadway. Two of
the bridges are within a canyon
passageway, so you ' ll need to be
concerned about your flying
skills-you don't want to crash
into the canyon walls!
Keep your speed under 400

knots so you can steer and make
fine corrections with your
rudders. You ' ll start out headed
west about 10 miles from your
first target. Use one GBU to take
out this bridge. You' ll need the second GBU for the third bridge, so don' t miss with
this one. Your GBU video head will spot the bridge before you see it visually. It's on
the road . Follow the road to the right into the canyon. You must be at a detail view of
Medium or greater to see the canyon. You may bypass the second waypoint if you
want to keep your flight path tight. Make sure you're at about 4,000 feet as you enter
the canyon. If you get above about 4,600 feet, the canyon walls will disappear, and
you ' ll lose the feeling of flying through a canyon.
Use the Track view to watch for the second bridge along the road . This is a large
suspension bridge. When you see it, switch back to front view, line up with the road
using the rudders, dive down about 15 degrees, and put the death dot right on the
bridge. Designate the target, and as soon as the bombs pickle, pull up so you don't
get fragged by your own ordnance. Level off at 4,000 feet and switch back to your
remaining GBU .
You may notice a smoking column near the suspension bridge. This means you've
pounded a tank that happened to be near the bridge. Tanks and other ground objects
appear randomly near targets like these. Make sure you don't lock onto one of these
by accident with your GBUs wh en you're really trying for a bridge.
Now hang to the left in the canyon . The third bridge is after the right turn, and the
road is near the right edge of the canyon wall. If you keep to the left through this part
of the canyon , you'll have room to make a wide turn.
Don' t be fooled by the display. It looks like the canyon is open in front, but as you get
closer, you ' ll see that there is a solid wall of rock in front of you . Break right hard and
326 GETTING EVEN
follow th e road . The bridge comes up fairly soon (it's at the beginning of the third big
square), so line up with the road, target the bridge with your GBU, and let 'er ri p!
After you've fired your last GBU , you ca n end the mission and go to debrief. Or
fo llow waypoints 6 and 7 back to your home base . It's quite a ways to home base, so
you may want to lock in Acceleration mode (Sh ift-Tab) until you get within 7 or 8
miles. (Be sure to go to autopi lot if you lock in Acceleration mode.) Then try for a
manual landing or let Otto land for you.
During your debriefi ng, you'll probably see only one primary target listed as de-
stroyed. It's a good idea to run your AVTR so that you can go back and confirm your
kills. Another way to determine whether you hit the target is to use Satellite view to
watch your Mk-84s hit, as described in Chapter 11 , " Vi ew Strategies."
Weapons load:
2 GBUs
2 MK84s
Intern al fuel
BUNKERS
Attack and Destroy Bunkers are extremely difficult to destroy because, at the lowest weapons
effectiveness setting, you must have a direct hit. When a bunker is de-
stroyed, it turns into a gray square. You may think you got a direct hit-
after all, the bunker is covered with black holes. But Falcon won't turn it
into a gray square until it thinks you got a direct hit. It is possible, but it
takes practice. Here are some missions designed for just this purpose.
BUNKERS1 Attack enemy bunkers

This mission puts you over a
field of bunkers. The enemy is
dug in deep and sol id, and your
job is to rout him out. The on ly
weapons th at will destroy his
bunkers are the big 2,000-
pounders. This mission loads
you up with fo ur Mk-84s to do
the rea ll y heavy job.
You ca n only carry fo ur Mk-84s

on your F-16. They' re dropped
in pairs, so you ca n destroy two
bunkers at most. We strongly
suggest that you first fly this mission with the configuration set to Unlimited Weapons.
Then you can make as many passes as you need in order to practice your CCIP
bombing skills.
Try starting out by dropping 24 bombs at a time. Use the quote(') key to increase the
ripple number to 24. This will make it more likely that you'll get a hit. Once you do,
decrease the ripple number with the semicolon (;) key until you can score a direct hit
with only two Mk-84s. When you can do this, you'll be one hot air-to-grounder.
The debrief may not show that you destroyed any targets, even when you see the
bunkers flatten into gray rectangles. You must destroy the specific bunker that is
targeted in the waypoint screen for it to show up on debrief. There are a couple of
things you can try to help you identify the specific bunker. First, use the Zoom to
Target option in the Waypoints screen. See if you can identify your target from its
relationship to the others and the mountains. This isn't easy. Second, while approach-
ing the target, switch to Ground Map mode. The target bunker will have a crosshair
over it. Zoom the Ground Map mode display to BX to see specifically which bunker
to hit. You may very well be able to identify it by this method . Of course, now you've
got to hit it. Good luck!
Even though no SAMs are set up in this scenario, you may get an LNH warning from
your TWI. While this unexpected warning may loosen your bowels, you can ignore it
in this mission. Falcon is just playing games with your mind!
Weapons load:
4 MK-84s
1 ALQ-131
2 AIM-9Ms
Internal fuel
8UNKERS2 Attack enemy bunkers with guided bombs

This is the same mission as the one described above, but you're carrying guided
Mk-84s (GB Us) this time. Your target is much easier to hit with these, so your success
level should be much better. As with the other mission, start out with unlimited
weapons so you can practice until you're comfortable. There are plenty of targets.
When you select GB Us, the REO is used to show the video image of the GBU, so you
won 't be able to use your Ground Map mode radar display. If you want to see the
ground with your radar, switch to air mode by selecting your heat-seeking missiles
and then press F7. Find your target with the ground radar and then switch back to air-
to-ground weapons mode.
Weapons load:
4 GBUs
1 ALQ-131
2 AIM-9Ms
Internal fuel
328 GETTING EVEN
POWER PLANT
Attack and Destroy
Here are two missions where you can practice taking out the cooling
towers of a nuclear power plant.
NUKE1 Attack a defended nuclear power plant

This simpl e mission puts you on
the way toward an enemy nucl ea r
power plant. You're equipped with
a coup le of GB Us and some Shrikes
because the enemy likes to dis-
courage attackers by keeping some
SAMs around. You've also got an
ALQ-131 jamming pod, in case
you need it.
Come in low and hit the enemy

wi th the GBUs. In this part of the
Red Fl ag map, you' ll run into the
" jumping ground" bug. If you have
the power p lant in sight and
are above 5,000 feet, the enti re power plant wi ll jump about a mile away when you
descend below 5,000 feet. Th at's why you want to come in low. Then, when you
lock up your target, it won' t jump away from you.
Try to take out the coo ling towers, but lock onto whatever you can. The GBUs
sometimes have a mind of thei r own. Fly back to base or simp ly end the mission after
your attack .
Weapons load:
2 GBUs
2 Shrikes
1 ALQ-131
2 AIM-9Ms
Internal fuel
NUKE2 Attack a defended nuclear power plant

This is the same mission as the one described above, but now the enemy has a
couple of MiG-29s flying CAP over the power plant. Fortunately, you've got an F-15
flying along with you, riding shotgun . If you' re lucky, he' ll deal with the air threats so
you can nuke the nuke and get out of there. In case he doesn't handle everything,
you've got some heat-seekers and AMRAAMs to help you out.
Weapons load:
2 GBUs
1 ALQ-131
2 AIM-9Ms
2 AIM-120 AMRAAMs
Internal fuel
AIR BASES
Multiple Targets
The enemy is just completing construction of a new air base, snuggled up
against a mountain range. This air base will pose a major threat to your
forces . Your job, in the following missions, is to disable various parts of the
base.
AIRBASE1 Attack a runway at an enemy air base

On this mission , your task is to
take out the runways with
Durandal anti-runway bombs.
Your target is runway 27/09-
the runway that runs east and
west. You should try to hit the
two runways ri ght at their
intersection point, thereby
destroying the use of both
runways with one attack. But
you'll still get credit if you only
crater runway 27/09.
You start out to the west of the

enemy ai r base, hugging the
range of mountains. These mountains protect you from detection by the enemy. Soon
after you find yourself in the cockpit, you'll see the air base as the mountains drop
away.
In this mission , there are no opposing forces to stop you. Cons ider it a training
mission for using the Durandal bomb. Besides the Durandal, you have a number of
Maverick missiles, which you can use to take out secondary targets like hanga rs.
Weapons load:
12 BLU 107/B Durandal anti-runway bombs
1 ALQ-1 31 jamming pod
330 GETTING EVEN
AIRBASE2 Attack an unprotected SAM site at an enemy air base

On this mission, your target is one or both of the SA-2 SAM sites being constructed
at the air base. Your primary target is the easternmost site. The SAM sites aren't
operational yet, so you won't have to worry about SAM launches. Only the radar
and control buildings have been constructed, but there are no SAMs on the pads.
Your job is to destroy these sites before they become operational.
Because the radars are not working yet, you won' t use the normal HARM or Shrike
anti-radiation missiles to take out these targets. Instead, you're loaded up with
Maverick missiles. Destroy the SAM sites and any other targets of opportunity that
you see. You'll only get credit for destroying the SAM site in the debrief, however.
As in the AIR8ASE1 mission, you're unopposed on this mission. Use it to learn to

identify and destroy these targets.
Weapons load:
6 AGM-65B Maverick missiles
AIRBASE3 Attack a protected SAM site at an enemy air base

This mission is similar to AIRBASE2, except that the base is now protected by both
SA-6 radar-guided SAMs and SA-7 infrared SAMs, as well as AAA. A number of tanks
are also roaming around the area. Your primary target is still the permanent but
unfinished SA-2 SAM sites. You ' ll still have to destroy them with Maveri cks. How-
ever, you'll also be armed with Shrike anti-radiation missiles for the SA-6s and CBUs
to take care of the infantry. Use your jamming pod, your flares and chaff, and fast
airspeed to keep away from the SAMs. Remember that you won't be fired upon if
you've turned off SAMs/AAA in the Configuration screen.
In AIRBASE], you're coming in from the north, where it's flat. Fly low and fast. You
may get locked up by the SAMs before you enter the target zone, so you might want
to make two passes. The first pass is to take out the SAMs. The second pass is to hit
your target. You ca n also hang around to pick off tanks and hangars. Don ' t bother
trying to destroy the tower or the command center. These will not fall to Maverick
missiles.
Weapons load:
AIRBASE4 Attack the command building at an enemy air base

This mission is an all-out battle over the new enemy air base. The base is patrolled by
MiG-29s, and a full complement of radar-guided SAMs, infrared SAMs, and AAA are
16 RED FLAG: A IR-TO-GROUND MISSIONS 331
defending th e base. You lead a two-plane unit to take out the enemy command
building. You have a two-element flight flyin g CAP for you and another two-element
flight flying CAS (close air support). This will not be an easy mission!
You ' re app roaching from the north in thi s mission. Intelli gence reports that th ere will
be mobile SAMs due west of the com mand center. As soon as your target comes into
view, li ght off your ECM pod. Hit the command center with your Mk-8 3s and, if you
want to go after the SAMs, break right. You will see a line of enemy troops that will
have mobile SAMs among them . Switch to your CBUs and try to take out this other
threat. Then beat feet out of there . If you don't want to go after the SAMs, break left
and climb over the mountains. Travel east to your ai r base.
Be sure to record this mission on your AVTR, because complex missions like these
are great fun to play back from various points of view.
Weapons load:
4 Mk-83 1,000-pound bombs
4 AIM-9M heat-seekin g missiles
RADAR SITES
Attack and Destroy .
The best way you can keep the enemy from thwarting your missions is to
keep him from knowing what you're doing. One of the enemy's best tools
for finding out what you're up to is his radar net. These missions have you
locate and destroy a small enemy radar installation.
RADAR1 Attack an undefended radar site

This mission sends you after a small radar site in the desert. It's not particulary
exciting, because you don't
have any oppos ition. However,
it's good practice for locating
and destroyin g a fairly small
target.
The radar dish is next to a small

control building. Your target is
the radar itself, but while you're
out there, you might as well take
out th e building too. Don ' t be
surprised if you find a tank near
the building. This is a random
object created by Falcon.
332 GETTING EVEN
You're supplied with Mavericks and Mk-82s, so you can practice both guided missile
deliveries and CCIP bombing.
Weapons load:
8 Mk-82 500-pound bombs
RADAR2 Attack a defended radar site

This mission assigns you the same target as RADAR 7, but this time the radar is
defended by AAA and SAMs. You'll need to take out the SAM threat first, then go
after the radar and the building.
Use your HARM missiles for a long-range attack on the SAMs. You can also try a fly-
by and use your cluster bombs to take out the whole ground support group. There are
two different SAM groups around the radar, so you'll have to be careful.
Weapons load:
GROUND FORCE
Attack/()/Jserve
You can also go after moving targets on the ground, or just watch the
ground forces fight it out. Here are two missions with ground troops.
TRUCKS1 Attack a caravan of trucks

Intelligence has spotted a truck
park near a major intersection of
two roads in enemy territory. It's
protected by tanks, but there are
no air defenses. Your F-16 is loaded
with LAU rockets and cluster bomb
units.
Use this mission to practice with

your LAUs . Make a pass over the
trucks to determine their orienta-
tion and then come back lined up
along their columns. Fire your
LA Us as you pass along the line of
trucks. You can come back and make several passes. Your CBUs will be much more
effective but not as much fun.
Weapons load:
4 LAU 5003A rocket launchers
GNDWAR Sit back and watch the war

This mission is primarily
designed for viewing with
ACMI. You ' re just sitting on the
runway at Nellis while a ground
war rages around the air base.
Start the mission and turn on
your A VTR. Then just sit in your
air-conditioned cockpit while
the war goes on around you.
After the smoke settles, stop the
recording, name it, and go and
watch it in ACMI. Use Indepen-
dent mode to move around and
see things from a grunt's-eye
view.
CHAPTER 17
THE CAMPAIGNS
The campaign is the final testing ground in Falcon 3.0. Instant

Action puts you in the middle of enemy aircraft and ground
targets, with unlimited weapons and fuel. Red Flag lets you
build your own missions for practice and fun. But the Cam-
paign module of Falcon 3.0 brings it all together.
In Campaign, you're but a small part of an overall campaign

being waged against an enemy in enemy territory. You'll need
to call on all the elements of your training to forge a victory
here. You'll also need to know how to prepare for missions-
and fly them-in a campaign. This chapter gives you the tips
you need to run a campaign and win it.
336 G ETTING EVEN
How Campaign Works

In a campaign, lots of things are going on. Ground troops are trying to
capture territory. Artillery and tanks are helping them soften up the
enemy. The ground war is being waged all around you, with troops from
both sides fighting and dying. In order to coordinate the ground war,
the enemy and friendly commands rely on good communications with all
staging areas and bases. Supplies are moved constantly to both enemy and
friendly troops. In short, all the elements of a real war are included in the
Campaign module.
One of the key elements of the war is the air battle. As squadron com-
mander, you're tasked with various combat missions that will keep your
troops protected and that will deny the enemy supplies, communications,
troop movements, and air cover. Or you may strike directly at enemy
bases, command structures, or other important assets.
You don't get to choose your missions or decide who to go after. These
decisions are made higher up the command chain. Your job is to carry
them out to the best of your ability, using all the skill and experience you
have. You must know your assets, your men, and your enemy. As squad-
ron commander, you must use what you're given to best complete your
missions. You have to run four missions a day until either you sway the
war to your side or you're defeated. And yours isn't a cushy desk job,
either. You'll be out there leading your men, flying lead in an F-16 flight.
So you'd better learn how to do the job right if you want to be able to sell
your memoirs like Norman Schwarzkopf!
While you may want to jump right into the campaigns as soon as you crack
Before You Start
the shrink-wrap on the Falcon box, you'll probably be better off if you wait
a bit. The campaigns are complex, and you have a lot to learn before you
play through one successfully.
You'll first want to learn how to fly your F-16 in combat situations. This
means you need to be proficient both in air-to-air encounters and in air-to-
ground missions. This means that you need to learn how to use and deliver
all the ordnance and weapons systems available with your aircraft. You
also need to be skilled in using your radar, navigating to and from a target,
and managing your fuel.
17 THE CAMPAIGNS 337
Fortunately, you can practice and learn most of these tasks by flying the
Red Flag missions in Chapters 14 through 16. These missions are designed
to help you hone your skills for each challenge you'll encounter in a
campaign. (The exception is the Kurile Island Campaign in Operation:
Fighting Tiger, where you'll attack enemy ships using anti-ship weapons.
These targets are not available in Red Flag.)
Once you've become proficient with all of this, head for the campaigns!
Campaign Nodes
Each theater of operation in Campaign has about 80 strategic points, or

"nodes," that are important positions for the war. These nodes include air
bases, factories, bridges, missile sites, troop staging areas, and other
strategic spots.
Nodes are visible when you select any of the Strategic views in the Cam-
paign map mode. The red icons represent enemy nodes. The blue icons
338 GETTING EVEN
represent friendly nodes. These nodes are fixed and will not move. Even
the troop icons are permanent, because they represent enemy staging
grounds.
In each campaign, three nodes are considered the campaign "center of

gravity." These are the most important nodes for each side of the conflict.
The positions of these crucial campaign nodes will change each time you
start a new campaign. Such changes ensure that each campaign will be
different from the last.
The front-or forward edge

of the battle area (FEBA)-is
where most of the action takes
place. This is the area where
enemy and friendly troops
meet. It's where the line that
determines friendly versus
enemy territory is drawn.
Depending on the outcome of
the individual battles, this line
is moved in or out of friendly
territory. A node is captured
by either side only on the front
line. You can see this line when you look at the Occupation map. It is the
area where the blue and red meet and turn purple.
Every node is connected to at least one other node. On the front line,
troops are supplied with weapons and materials from other nodes within
their territory along the connection lines. In addition, communications
traverse the connection lines from node to node so that the central com-
mand of each side can be apprised of battle conditions and give orders.
As you wage your battle, your side will try to capture enemy nodes, while
the enemy will try to capture allied nodes. As supply or communication
nodes are captured, the action of the nearby troops changes. The most
important nodes are naturally the "center of gravity" nodes. In order to
win the campaign, all three of these nodes must be captured. If neither side
captures these critical nodes, the campaign ends in a stalemate.
Campaign missions are highly structured. In Falcon 3.0, you have three
Types of Missions
types: offensive, defensive, and front-line missions. The offensive missions
are bombing and escort missions that take you deep into enemy territory.
The defensive missions are missions that protect you against enemy
attacks. These are the CAP, scramble, and screen missions. Front-line
missions are the missions that take place at the crucial points where most
of the ground troops are fighting. These are close-air support, ground
strike, and air superiority missions.
In addition, Operation: Fighting Tiger provides several new types of mis-

sions, such as airborne assault interdiction, airborne assault escort, tactical
air reconnaissance, high asset value combat air patrol (HA VCAP), and
suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD).
After you complete a Campaign mission, you'll be evaluated in the debrief Criteria for
screen. This screen indicates whether the mission was a success or a failure.
Success in a
To succeed, you need to meet the mission criteria.
Campaign
You find out which mission type you're flying on the Mission Description
screen at the beginning of each mission. For example, the mission descrip-
tion screen may read something like this:
You have been assigned two F-16s to escort B-52s to Dakweh NOB . On
approach to the target area, conduct a sweep to clear any enemy inter-
ceptors from the bombers' path.
Each mission description contains typical key words that tell you the type
of mission you're flying. The mission types, the typical key words, and the
criteria for success are described on the following pages. The mission
criteria listed here are those from Operation: Fighting Tiger and version E.
Earlier versions used different (and often buggy) mission criteria.
340 GETTING EVEN
Type of Mission Typical Key Words Criteria for Success
Air superiority Engage and destroy as Destroy more aircraft than

(fighter sweep) many aircraft as possible. you lose.
Destroy at least one enemy
aircraft.
At least one F-16 must
survive.
Bomb Destroy or strike <name of Destroy the target selected

target>. at the Target button on the
Edit Waypoints screen.
CAS (close air Command ALO has Inflict more enemy losses
support) requested TAC AIR. (any kind of ground units)
in the target area than
allied losses.
Destroy at least 20 percent
of the enemy ground forces
at the assigned location.
CAP (combat air Fly CAP over <area>. Destroy any aircraft that
patrol) attack you or allied assets
in your area before they
inflict any damage.
Stay in the area for at least
10 minutes.
Return with at least one
surviving F-16.
Escort bombers or Escort B-52s. Keep air and ground forces

strike aircraft Escort strike aircraft. from attacking the strike or
bomber force.
Get within 10 nm of strike
or bombing waypoint.
surviving F-16.
Escort transports Milk run. Protect both C-130s so they

can complete their
deliveries. If either is shot
down, you have obviously
failed in your mission.
Return with at least
one surviving F-16.
17 THE CAMPAIG NS 341
Airborne assault Impending airborne Shoot down the troop

interdiction assault. Intercept and transports (An-12) before
eliminate <aircraft>. they reach their landing or
drop zones.
Destroy at least 75 percent of
the enemy troops. If too
many survive, the mission
will be a failure.
Tactical air Fly to <location>. Fly within 10 nm of your

reconnaissance assigned target.
surviving F-16.
HAVCAP Escort the AW ACS. AWACS must survive the

(high asset value mission.
combat air patrol) Stay on station for at least 10
minutes.
surviving F-16.
SEAD Destroy anti-aircraft Destroy more than 33 percent

(suppression of weapons. Destroy SAM or of the ground-based anti-
enemy air defenses) AAA. aircraft weapons at your
target site.
Destroy one sea-based anti-
aircraft weapon.
Rendezvous escort Intercept the enemy At least one of the endan-

fighters. gered flights must survive.
surviving F-16.
Front-line screen Lead a defensive screen. Destroy enemy aircraft you

encounter.
Keep enemy aircraft from
destroying allied assets.
Stay on station for at least 10
minutes.
surviving F-16.
Supply CAP Escort U.S. helicopters. At least two helicopters must

(supply combat air survive.
patrol) Maintain CAP for at least 10
minutes.
surviving F-16.
342 GETTING EVEN
Train escort Intercept and escort The train must reach its
the train. destination without damage.
Train interdiction Do not allow the train Hit the train with at least one
to reach its destination. bomb or missile.
Anti-ship Attack <name of ship>. Hit at least one of the ships

mentioned in the briefing.
In some missions, some elements are obviously outside your control. For
example, in a CAS mission, you can't control how enemy ground units do
against allied ground units. So to sway the battle in your favor and to
succeed at your mission, you must really clobber the enemy ground units.
In a CAP mission, the mission will be considered a failure if you don't

knock down any enemy aircraft, even though sometimes you just won't
see any incoming aircraft. But even though the simulation may score the
mission as a failure, you know you were up there protecting your guys.
Also, note that in the airborne assault interdictions, if the transports drop
their troops before you can shoot them down, you can try to shoot the
troops in the air as they parachute down, although you won't get credit for
this. You can also strafe and bomb them once they reach the ground.
When you have a bombing mission, you select the target at the Waypoint
Bombing Targets
screen with the Bomb Waypoint Action option. Each node can have up to
eight targets assigned to it. When a mission is created (for example, "Take
out the command center at ... "),one of these targets is picked according to
the following order of priority: nuclear plant, radar dish, runway, SAM
site, hangar, bridge, trestle, power station, railyard, command center,
refinery, storage tank, factory, bunker, warehouse, building.
Object Damage in a Campaign
When you damage a target in a campaign, it remains destroyed for the

duration of the campaign. Falcon doesn 't repair the target, nor does it
give the enemy back "use" of the destroyed target. For example, if you
destroy a bridge, Falcon "cuts off" this supply line between nodes, and
doesn't reconnect it for the duration of the campa ign.
Mission choices are randomized. In other words, Falcon 3.0 doesn't really Mission Choices
look to see how the war is going and then select the mission that would be
appropriate. Instead, it picks a mission at random each time. However, if
you get a CAS or ground strike mission, you'll target enemy nodes that are
closest to your nodes. Once a mission is selected, the target priorities are
picked using the priority list described above. The purpose of this selection
process is to ensure a mix of missions. Otherwise, you would probably get
the same missions over and over again. Real war can be very boring from a
logistics point of view. Falcon keeps the choices a little more varied.
The enemies are also given "missions," which depend entirely on the
mission assigned to you. For example, if your mission is to fly CAP over
some area, enemies are created near that area and are given the mission of
intercepting your aircraft.
When Falcon decides how the war is going, it looks at your mission and How Falcon
the "abstract battle." The abstract battle is the computational representa-
Computes the
tion of all other aspects of the war that Falcon determines after each of
your missions.
War
Your ability to defeat the enemy and win the war is tied heavily to how
well your squadron does on its missions. If your missions are consistently
successful, you'll win the war. If your missions are not successful, you'll
lose the war. It's that simple.
When you successfully complete a mission, Falcon computes the outcome

of the abstract battles. If you complete your mission, not only do you gain
the nodes you were fighting over, but Falcon may automatically give you
victory over other nodes. These nodes are fought by the numbers. If there
are three friendly nodes, each with X numbers of friendly troops, sur-
rounding one enemy node with Y number of enemy troops, the outcome of
this abstract battle is 3X vs. IY. But this outcome is then heavily influenced
by the outcome of your specific mission. So it can change from victory to
defeat (or vice versa), depending on what you do. Every abstract battle is
computed this way.
344 GETTING EVEN
Preparing for a M ission

Running a campaign mission is hard work! It's not just firing up the jet fuel
starter system and rushing off into the wild blue yonder with your hair on
fire and your fangs out. You've got to do some hard, long planning if you
want to succeed at your missions and come back with your plane--and
pride--intact. As squadron commander, you've got your work cut out for
you.
While each mission is different, they also have many common elements.
Here are the basic steps you'll go through to prepare for any mission
you undertake.
You'll get a basic campaign direction at the beginning of the Satellite

Get Your CHQ Downlink screen. This will give you an overview of the situation and a
Briefing general assessment from Central Command. It sets the tone for the mis-
SATELLITE DOWNLINK sions that follow. You'll get this briefing only when you first begin a
SCREEN
new campaign.
Once you start a campaign, you'll get your tasking orders at the Briefing
Determine the screen. Read the briefing to determine the type of mission you've been
Type of Mission assigned by Central Command. Use the key words as described above to
BRIEFING SCREEN
"decode" the mission type, so that you clearly understand what's required
to complete the mission.
If you need to, switch to the Tactical view of the Mission Map to eliminate
all the map icons except for the target area you're assigned to. From the
Briefing screen, you can select the Report screen, which will give you a
summary of the campaign to date. You can also use this screen to choose
the Supply Report, where you can see your inventory of weapons and fuel.
However, you start with a fairly large inventory, so you usually won't
need to review this screen until much later in the campaign.
As your next step, choose Edit Flights and then immediately go to the
Determine the Waypoint screen to set your waypoints for the mission and to deter-
Mission Threats mine the anti-aircraft threats. You'll come back to the Edit Flights screen
WAYPOINTS SCREEN later if you need to change the default flight configuration-and you
probably will!
Falcon 3.0 gives you a basic flight plan for your target, which you can
review at the Waypoints screen. You can accept the flight plan as is, or you
can modify it from this screen. You'll almost always want to modify the
default flight plan that Falcon gives you because if often has you flying
right into threat areas.
The Waypoints screen shows you the ground threats as red threat circles
on the map. These indicate SAM and AAA threats. The circles show the
relative size of the threat area (that is, the range of the threat). If you enter
these circles, you'll most likely be fired at.
In addition to these threat-specific circles, in Operation: Fighting Tiger,

you'll encounter long-range search radars that can detect you out to their
full range of over 100 nm. (You'll see intermittent blips on your TWI when
they paint you.) The search radars will pass along positional information to
various SAM sites, and then a SAM site will use its own radar to lock you
up. You need to be especially wary since they'll know that you're coming.
You have two choices to make concerning these threats:
Avoid them.You can reroute your mission to avoid these threats, thereby
increasing the chance of completing your mission. However, you may
have to substantially increase your flight time to go around them. Thus,
you'll need to carry more fuel. More fuel makes your aircraft more
difficult to fly, and you may not be able to take all the ordnance you
want because external fuel tanks use up hard points.
Destroy them. If you have the aircraft available, you may want to assign
a wild weasel strike team to go in ahead of you and take out the SAM
and AAA sites (or at least keep them busy). This is a dangerous mission,
and you may lose good men and equipment. It's a tradeoff that depends
on how dangerous the ground threats are, how many aircraft you have
available, and how badly you want to complete your primary mission.
Keep your strategies in mind so that you'll be able to load up the proper
aircraft with the proper supplies and weapons when you get to the
Armament screen.
346 GETTING EVEN
Fortunately, Western intelligence is very advanced. With a combination of

Recon Your
spy satellites and recon flights, you can get a very good picture of the
Target
target area. Your combat computer is hooked via datalink to CentCom's
WAYPOINTS SCREEN
recon system. Use the magnification arrows on your map to zoom in to the
target area. A quick way to do this is to position the cursor cross over the
target and click the Recon button under the map.
The Recon Map will show you a closeup of the area and indicate the
placement of various troops, tanks, SAMs, AAA, and nearby targets. When
you select an item from the Recon CRT, the corresponding icon on the map
is highlighted, showing you the position of the item. Use the Zoom buttons
to zoom in closer to get a good overall idea of what the target area looks
like.
It's a good idea to zoom in to at least 120X magnification, so that you can
see buildings, roads, and other identifying structures. Sketch a map on
paper from the computer map. You'll carry this map on your flight with
you on your knee-board to orient yourself as you get near your target.
Don't rely on your memory alone.
Based on your recon information and the type of mission you've been
assigned, you'll need to determine the type of attack you'll make and the
weapons you'll need. For a ground target, you'll have to choose the
appropriate ordnance to do the job. The Target Weapons List in
Chapter 5 tells you what ordnance you need in order to destroy various
types of targets. For air-to-air threats, you'll also need to choose the right
weapons and stores. In addition, you'll need to consider fuel requirements
and surface-to-air threats. You'll select these items at the Armament screen,
but you should determine them now.
Once you've gotten a good look at the target area, you need to decide your
Plot Ingress approach (ingress) and return (egress) strategy. The strategy will depend
and Egress on many things, including the type of mission, the number of aircraft
WAYPOINTS SCREEN available to you, and your method of dealing with SAMs and AAA.
For example, if your mission is a ground strike, you may want to create
several flights to hit multiple targets at the target site. In addition, you may
want to have these flights come in from different directions in order to
confuse the ground defense.
For a CAP flight, you may want to create a loiter ring around the target
area. You may also want to create both a low- and a high-altitude CAP.
If your mission is an attack against a ship, you may want to use a standoff
attack, since ships are protected by very-long-range SAMs.
The basic flight route depends heavily on the mission you're planning.
However, one thing you should plan for every mission is an alternative air
base to recover to in case your aircraft is damaged and you can't make it
back to your home base.
Use the Strategic view to locate all the allied strategic sites on the map.
Find the air bases that are near your planned flight and add one or more
waypoints to take you to one or more of these air bases. If you're flying an
escort or strike mission deep into enemy territory, there may not be any
nearby air bases. Find the ones that will be close after you leave enemy
territory. You never know whether you'll get thrown off course or have to
change your plan to avoid air defenses, and you want to know what will
be available to you.
If you don't need to stop at an alternative air base when you actually fly
the route, just bypass the waypoint and proceed to the next one.
NOTE: To quickly switch between the Tactical and Strategic map views, cycle
between Tactl and Strat3.
Once you design your ingress and egress by creating waypoints, you need
to assign actions to each waypoint. These actions will tell your wingmen Assign Waypoint
what you expect of them during the flight. This is also where you pick Actions
targets at the bombing site. Remember, every aircraft in a given flight will WAYPOINTS SCREEN
attack the same target. So if you want to hit several targets at a site, you
need to assign different flights and have each flight pick a different target.
Consider your waypoints, their positions, and the waypoint actions

carefully. If you're going to bomb a target, you need to set up a waypoint
at least 10 miles before the bombing waypoint because the simulator needs
time to set up the bombing activity. This waypoint's action can be any-
thing. Once this waypoint is passed, the simulation will start to set up the
activities for the next waypoint, which is your bombing waypoint.
348 GETTING EVEN
You also want to consider timing and distance for changing speeds and
altitudes with your waypoints. If you use a pop-up attack, you'll assign at
least three waypoints to the actual attack. One is a waypoint where you're
flying low and fast. The second waypoint will be where you pop up,
acquire the target, and fire. Finally, you need a waypoint where you drop
back down below radar level to make your egress.
You want to keep the distances between these waypoints short because the
flight computer will use these distances to perform your actions. For
instance, if the distance between the low-level flight and the pop-up
waypoint is 5 miles, your aircraft will make a gradual climb to the pop-up
altitude. This will give SAM batteries lots of time to blow you out of the
sky. If the distance between these waypoints is short, your aircraft (or the
aircraft of another flight you're planning) will climb quickly to the re-
quired altitude, minimizing your vulnerability.
Once you finish your flight plan (you may have to do some additional
planning as described next), draw your flight plan and all the waypoints
on a piece of paper that you'll take with you into the cockpit. This sketch is
very useful if you get disorganized or confused during your flight. You can
get rough positional information about your waypoints from your moving
map, but if that map is damaged during battle, you'll want a backup.
Once you determine your flight plan strategy, you may need to go back to
Add Additional the Edit Flights screen to add additional aircraft to existing flights or to add
Flights or Aircraft new flights. If you add additional flights, you need to return to the
EDIT FLIGHTS SCREEN Waypoints screen to create the waypoints for these flights and to assign
waypoint actions to the flights. One of the things you'll do when you
return to the Waypoints screen is to synchronize your flights. Falcon 3.0
does not let you assign times to destinations for flights, so you'll have to
estimate how to synchronize your flights by considering their direct paths
to the target and their airspeed.
For example, suppose you're leading a bombing mission and have as-
signed an escort mission to fly with you, perform a fighter sweep of the
target area, and then escort you back to base. You'll need to adjust the
escort mission waypoints so that the fighters don't get too far in front of
you or behind you. Set their airspeeds to be similar to yours, based on their
flight paths. When they do the sweep, you'll be coming in for your bomb
run, and when you finish, they'll need to be about ready to escort you back
to base. You'll have to experiment with flight paths, waypoint speeds, and
altitudes to find the correct parameters that will keep your flights together.
Obviously, when you're coordinating three or more flights, this can get
quite complicated.
Now that you've planned your mission, it's your job as squadron com-
mander to choose the pilots who'll fly the mission. You will usually fly a Assign Your Pilots
ASSIGN PILOTS SCREEN
mission yourself, but you can fly for another pilot. Your actions will be
PILOT INFORMATION
credited to the pilot you fly for, and your increase (or decrease) in flying
SCREEN
and fighting skills will go to him.
When you pick your pilots, try to pick pilots who have the skills you need
for the mission. For example, pick pilots with high dogfighting abilities for
CAP missions and pilots with high bombing skills for bombing or CAS
missions. Go to the Pilot Information screen to review your pilots' abilities.
Figure out how many pilots you need to assign to your mission and what
the requirements are (that is, how many good air-to-air men you need,
how many ground-pounders, and so forth). Look through the pilot list and
write down the names (and call signs) of the pilots you want to take with
you. You'll need these names when you actually assign the pilots at the
Assign Pilots screen.
Remember that you'll have to rotate your pilots on missions. Otherwise,

they'll become fatigued, and their skills will suffer. As a result, you may be
forced to choose pilots who aren't quite qualified for the job.
This is why you'll want to spend a lot of time in Red Flag before you start a
campaign. If you're going to really go through the whole routine, you'll
create a squadron, go into Red Flag, and fly for each of the pilots, increas-
ing their skills in flying, dogfighting, and bombing. Then, when you have a
top-notch group of Aces, you'll take them into a campaign and choose the
best-trained pilots for each task.
Of course, you can simply use the Falconer utility program to give all of
your pilots Ace skills and avoid all the training time!
350 GETTING EVEN
You can see that the job of squadron commander-which requires you to
decide who should fly, what weapons and equipment to take, what flight
path to consider, and how to best attack the enemy-isn't such a piece of
cake. And in Falcon 3.0, you're the squadron commander! But, hey, that's
why you get the big money!
Finding a "Missing" Pilot
If a pilot you had listed in the Pilot Information screen doesn't seem to
be available from the list in the Assign Pilots screen, it may be that he is
already assigned to a different flight. To find your "missing" pilot, use the
Flight# button to look at any other flights .
You're almost ready to take off. But first, you have to load up your F-16s
Load Your with the tools you'll need to complete your mission. You can use the
Armament default load that the computer assigns according to your mission, but a
LOAD ARMAMENT smart commander will think about what he needs and load his birds
SCREEN
accordingly. You'll need to load every plane for every flight. Each time you
press the F-16 button, you'll see the next member of your flight. Press the
Flight# button to select the other flights you've assigned.
Remember which flight numbers correspond to which types of activities.

For example, you may have three flights assigned to a mission. Flight 1 is
the primary flight to attack an enemy air base. Flight 2 is a wild weasel
flight. Flight 3 is a CAP flight. You need to remember which is which so
you can assign bombs to flight 1, HARMs and Shrikes to flight 2, and air-
to-air missiles to flight 3. It will be very embarrassing if you mix these
flights up and assign the wrong weapons to them!
When you want each member of the flight to carry the same load (which
will be a common occurrence), use the Copy Leader button. The Report
button turns into the Copy Leader button when you press the F-16 button
to select a different pilot. (You won't find this feature in the Armament
screen in Red Flag-it's only available in the campaigns.)
As you load up your planes, be aware of your ground weight and drag
factors. If you load these puppies up too much, they'll fly like drunk pigs.
While this screen also shows you the maximum Gs you can theoretically
pull, G limiting is not implemented in the simulation under any of the

flight models. So don't worry about these limits.
One last time, you'll want to review the names and call signs of the pilots
on your flights. During the flight itself, your pilots will send you messages
using their tactical call signs, not their names. You need to know who's
who.
Once you're loaded up and ready to go, take a deep breath and press the
Takeoff button.
Maintenance crew on
an F-14 Tomcat
352 GETTING EVEN
Flying Your Mission

Now that you're in the air, it's time to put to use all that you've learned in
Red Flag and in Part II of this book. You're on the line now. It's not a
training exercise. This time it's for real. Because each campaign and each
mission will be unique, we can't give specific advice or recommendations.
But there are a few general tips to follow that will help you out as you fly
your campaign missions.
Fly with radar in NAM (AIR) mode to get an overview of what's out there.
Using Your
Use the 40- or 80-nm range. Remember, you're the primary threat-spotter.
Radar In Falcon 3.0, the AWACS won't give you real air threat information, and
your wingmen only use their radars on CAP, intercept, and search and
destroy missions. Even then, they mostly use them at close range. So if you
want to see who's out there and who's coming your way, use your own
radar.
If you're flying an escort mission, find your "clients" with radar, use IFF to
confirm, and then verify with the Q key. Once you know where everybody
is, you might want to put your radar on standby for a while. This will
make you less visible to enemy SAMs and other aircraft equipped with
threat warning indicators. But don't stay blind for too long. Be sure to turn
your radar back on periodically and take a look around.
You'll use your waypoint caret primarily to steer toward your next
Navigation
waypoint. Before taking off, you should have drawn a simple map of your
Strategies
waypoints. From this map, you'll have an idea of your flight path and the
direction you should be traveling. Your waypoint caret will steer you in
the exact direction of your next waypoint, but you should also be aware of
the general direction you'll be traveling. You may also want to check your
moving map for a very general sense of direction.
Remember to fly at the planned airspeed. This is particularly important if

you're escorting a strike or bombing group, because you need to stay with
these other flights . You also want to fly at a particular speed if you're
coordinating with other flights, such as wild weasel or CAP flights that are
part of your strike package.
Your wingmen will call out every threat they spot, either visually or with
Working With
their radar. Unfortunately, your wingmen are somewhat moronic in that
Your Wingmen
they won't first check their IFF to see whether the contact is friendly or not.
After a while, you'll probably get tired of hearing them jabber and you'll
turn the sound off by pressing Shift-R. Your wingman messages will still
appear at the top of the screen, however, so keep an eye on this message
line, just in case one of them calls out an incoming missile. You'll probably
want to know about it.
Your wingies are all hot-shots who can't wait to get into the fight and will
pester you with "Request permission to engage" messages. You need to
keep them reined in until you're ready to begin your attack. Remember
that they can see and lock up targets at a substantially greater range than
you can, so you'll want to consider this in any attack strategy that you use.
After your mission is over, the Debrief screen will describe the outcome Interpreting the
and results of your mission. It totals your air-to-air and air-to-ground kills
Debrief and the
and informs you if you or your wingmen were injured or killed. It also tells
Awards
you whether the mission was a success or a failure and why.
Take the Debrief screen with a grain of salt, however. While the debrief has
improved vastly in the later versions of Falcon, it still has many anomalies
and problems. It's best that you do your own evaluations of the mission,
based on your memory and on what you review in ACMI. Even though
your analysis and the computer's may disagree, you were there, and you
know what took place. The debrief may not be so different from the way
reality gets rewritten in war for logistical or political reasons!
You'll be issued one or more awards if you or your squadron perform

above and beyond the call of duty. Awards are calculated by specific
actions that you take during a mission. You accumulate both temporary
and permanent points based on your actions. You also accumulate squad-
ron points. Specifically, you get points for the actions described on the
following page.
354 GETTING EVEN
Action Temp Perm Squad

Shooting down a fighter aircraft 5 3 1
Shooting down a bomber, attack, transport, or helicopter 2 2 1
Destroying a ground unit 2 1 1
Precision bombing of your target 3 2 5
Being attacked in the line of duty 1 1 0
For personal awards, you need to accumulate a minimum of the following

base scores to become eligible for an award:
Medal Temp Perm Random

Air Force Medal of Honor 150 50 300
Air Force Cross 100 33 10
Silver Star 60 20 50
Distinguished Flying Cross 40 13 60
Bronze Star 20 7 30
Air Medal 10 3 20
Once you become eligible, a random number (from 0 to the random

amount above) is added to the base score for the appropriate medal. If
your pilot's score is greater than that number, you'll be awarded a medal.
For example, if you've accumulated 80 temporary points, you become

eligible for a Silver Star. A random number between 0 and 50 is then
picked and added to the base temporary requirements for the Silver Star. If
the random number is 10, you'll get the medal because your score (80) is
greater than the base (60) plus the random value (10). If the random value
was 30, you'd be passed over. (Again-sigh!)
The values for squadron medals are:

Base Random
Presidential Medal of Honor 300 200
Outstanding Performance 200 200
Squadron medals are computed just like personal medals. Also note that if
you're court-martialed, you won't get any medals. If you're injured in
action, you'll get a Purple Heart.
Well, at this point you've got everything you need to succeed in Falcon!
Of course, you may still need to practice, but you've got the tools and
the training. Now get out there and kick some butt! And don't forget to
check six!
APPENDIX A
ABOUT THE BOOK DISK
This book comes with a 1.44 MB floppy disk that contains a number of files
and utilities that will make working with Falcon much more enjoyable.
The disk contains the following items:
This patch is the latest patch available at the time of the printing of this
book. It will update any older versions of Falcon to the most current Latest Falcon
version. It is highly recommended that you update to this version if you Patch
don't already have it. You can find it, along with its ReadMe files, in the
directory PATCH.
Falconer is a superb utility by Rob "Orinoco" Heittman that will let you
Falconer
control all the supplies and weapons used in a campaign; edit all pilot
information, including rank, scores, awards, and status; plug in a picture of
your own face in the pilot info screen; print out pilot and squadron infor-
mation; and more. This is a great utility for enhancing your Falcon play.
You will find Falconer, along with its documentation, in the Falconer
directory: UTILS \FALCONER.
F3MAPS, by Greg "Tweety" Prete, is another amazing utility that lets you
use any theater of operations for your Red Flag or Instant Action activities. F3MAPS
This means that you can fly Red Flag missions in Israel or play Instant
Action in Pakistan. F3MAPS also lets you permanently change the default
magnification to any value, remove some of the clutter from the HUD,
change the ILS view shift, and more.
356 GETTING EVEN
You'll find more information about this incredible Falcon utility in the
directory UTILS\F3MAPS. There are two versions of F3MAPS included
with the disk. F3MAPS 3.1 is designed to work with Falcon version D,
while F3MAPS 4.0 will work with Operation: Fighting Tiger.
F3ILS2, also written by Greg Prete, lets you switch between Falcon's
F31LS2 Beacon and Directional modes while using the ILS. While Operation:
Fighting Tiger has an explicit command that lets you toggle between these
modes, F3ILS2 will let you permanently set the mode for version D of
Falcon. You can reverse the mode by running F3ILS2 again. You'll find
F3ILS2 and its documentation in the directory UTILS\F3ILS2.
SHOWF3, written by Steve Kramp, is a cool little utility that lets you view
SHOWF3
the screens that you can save from within Falcon. Besides being able to
record "tape" with ACMI, Falcon has a facility you can use to do screen
shots. More information about how to use this special feature of Falcon is
included in Chapter 13, "Hidden Features of Falcon." Once you save your
screens, you use SHOWF3 to view them. SHOWF3 and its documentation
can be found in the directory UTILS\SHOWF3.
The book disk also contains the prebuilt Red Flag missions described in
Red Flag Missions Chapters 14 through 16. They are organized in three categories: basic
training missions, air-to-air missions, and air-to-ground missions. You'll
find them on the disk in a directory called REDFLAG. Within this directory
are three other directories, called BASIC, AA, and AG. The directories hold
the respective Red Flag missions. When you copy them to your Falcon
directory, they will appear in the Red Flag mission window.
APPENDIX B
THE HOTAS CONTROLLER
You will gain a substantial "qualitative" improvement in the feel of Falcon

if you use a good joystick controller. One of the best controllers available is
the ThrustMaster set, which consists of the Flight Control System (FCS)
and the Weapons Control System (WCS). The FCS acts as the "stick" and
the WCS acts as the "throttle." Each has a number of switches and buttons
that you can assign to different Falcon functions, such as selecting weap-
ons, changing radar modes, or alternating views.
The ThrustMaster system comes with its own software to let you custom-
ize its functions. However, if you want the ultimate in controllers for
Falcon, you should check out the HOTAS system, which works with the
ThrustMaster, and was developed by Steve "Auger" Edwards, Terry
"Pinecone" Carraway, and Ralph Robinson. These guys are illustrious
members of the CompuServe Flight Simulation Forum "Skunk Works" and
are Falcon experts. Their description of the HOTAS system follows.
HOT AS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) is a switcholog concept developed

What is HOT AS?
to maximize a pilot's performance by placing at his fingertips all controls
necessary to perform the functions of flight control and weapons delivery.
In plain English: they put lots of buttons and switches on the stick and
throttle controls so the pilot doesn't have to take his hands off to push a
button (which, in the middle of a furball, could cost him dearly).
The HOTAS system is based on a controller card that goes in your PC and
replaces your joystick controller card. The HOTAS controller is fully user-
programmable and provides:
358 GETTING EVEN
Support for up to 8 analog channels (i.e., 4 joysticks) and 40 buttons.

Customizable progressive rates for primary (first two) joysticks.
Joystick and button mapping-any analog channel can be mapped to
any joystick axis; any button can be mapped to any joystick button or
keyboard key.
Extensive button programming-any button state transition (i.e., press or
release) can be mapped to any function consisting of keypresses, delays,
and/ or flag changes.
The HOTAS controller plugs into a slot in your PC and acts just like a
How Does It
standard joystick card, but it also plugs into your PC's keyboard port. Your
Work? keyboard, joystick, throttle, rudder pedals, etc., plug into a "breakout box"
that is connected to the HOTAS controller via a ribbon cable.
As far as your computer is concerned, nothing has changed-there's still a

keyboard and a joystick out there, and they're still in the same place. All of
your sims will recognize the HOTAS controller as a joystick controller and
treat it as such, and your keyboard will work normally.
The change comes when you download a special file (before running your
sim) to the HOT AS controller that remaps your joysticks and buttons. Once
initialized, the HOT AS controller will interpret your joystick, throttle, and
buttons as defined by the definition file, giving you true HOTAS control.
Creation and modification of the joystick and button definition file is

HOT AS accomplished either through the use of an interactive program, which
Programming helps you set options and define functions for individual buttons, or by
writing a "program" in a pseudo-source language that is then compiled for
use by the HOT AS controller.
A normal joystick and controller return a value between OxOO and OxFF
Progressive Rate when polled by your software, depending upon the position of the joy-
Controls stick. From minimum to maximum throw, the graph of the number
returned is linear:
Maximum throw
I
I
I
I
I
I
I Minimum throw
The HOT AS controller allows you to alter the value returned to your
software when the joystick is held in a given position, converting a linear
function to a non-linear one:
Maximum throw
I
I
,- (It's a lousy curve, but you

get the idea)
I
Minimum throw
Changing to progressive rate controls decreases the sensitivity of the

joystick around the center and increases it towards the ends. This gives
you a greater degree of control without sacrificing full control authority.
The rate of progression and maximum and minimum values can be
customized.
Any analog channel (joystick axis) can be mapped to any other; this allows
you complete control over how joysticks, throttles, and rudder pedals
Joystick Mapping
control different aspects of your sim. For example, if you had a CH
FlightStick (with throttle wheel), a ThrustMaster throttle (modified to work
with the HOTAS controller), and Maxx rudder pedals, you could set up
your joystick mapping as follows:
FlightStick X and Y axes analog channels 0 and 1 (joystick 1)

FlightStick throttle ignore
ThrustMaster throttle analog channel 2 (joystick 2 Y axis)
Maxx rudder pedals analog channel 3 (joystick 2 X axis)
360 GETTING EVEN
Analog channels can also be mapped to keyboard keys. This allows you to
use a joystick to control the throttle and rudder on those sims that do not
support a second joystick.
The HOTAS controller keeps track of button positions and reacts when
Button Mapping there is a change (i.e., a button is either pressed or released). Any transition
of any button on any joystick (or other controller) can be mapped to any of
the four joystick buttons or to a sequence of keypresses.
When a button changes state, the HOTAS controller looks for a series of
functions to perform. Functions include "press a key," "release a key,"
"delay," and "set a flag." With the use of "condition flags" it is possible to
perform separate functions for:
Button press (press and release a button)

Double press (press and release twice in quick succession)
Button hold (press and hold)
Double hold (press and release, then press and hold)
The boundaries of what a button can do are limited only by your imagina-
tion. Following is a short list of possibilities:
Button #0 Press Press [BJ
Button #0 Release Release [BJ
Button #1 Press Press and Release [OJ

Delay 1 sec
Press and Release [9J
Button #1 Release Nothing
Button #2 Press If PanFlag is set

Press [<-J
Otherwise
Press and Release [F3J
Button #2 Release If PanFlag is set

Release [<-J
Press and Release [Fl J
Button #3 Press If MapFlag is set

Clear MapFlag
Press and Release [F1]
Otherwise
SetMapFlag
Button #3 Release Nothing
Button #4 Press If ViewLock is set

Clear ViewLock
If HitFlag is set
Set ViewLock
Clear HitFlag
Otherwise
Set HitFlag
Press and Release [FS]
Button #4 Release If View Lock is set

Nothing
Otherwise
If the above looks a lot like programming, you're right-but don't worry.
Definition files for most of the popular sims are included with the HOTAS
controller, and you can modify them or create new ones with an interactive
program.
Unfortunately, all this functionality comes at the cost of a minor incom-

patibility with current joysticks: In order for a joystick to be compatible Notes
with the HOTAS system, the joystick pot must be grounded. High-quality
joysticks such as the CH FlightStick (which has a ground lead on the
pot) can be modified in under 15 minutes with a piece of wire and a
soldering iron.
362 GETTING EVEN
Sample button assignments for Falcon 3.0
Throttle:
1 Countermeasures (chaff and flares)
2 Radar azimuth
3 Radar elevation
4 Airbrakes (momentary, hold to deploy)
5 Radar distance
6 Weapon select
7a ACM mode (ACM radar, A-A ordnance)
7b SAM mode (SAM radar, A-A ordnance)
7c GM mode (GM radar, A-G ordnance)
Stick:
1 Fire weapon
2 Select next target
3 Target lock/unlock (press to lock, double-press to unlock)
4 Padlock view (toggle)
Coolie Hat:
Single press & hold Double press & hold
Up Look straight up Scroll view, look straight up
Down Look back (check 6) Look back (check 6), scroll view
Left Look left Look left, scroll view
Right Look right Look right, scroll view
For more information, contact:

R & R Electronics
4009 Parkwood Street
Brentwood, MD 20722
Specifications to change without notice.

INDEX 363
Index
A aiming reticle 86, 93 An- 12 162, 210 beaming 105
air bases Red Flag missions against 309 in dogfighting 195
A-4 210 identify ing w ith Ground Map angle of attack Berezina-class replenishment
AA-7 Apex 165 mode 155 as a function of ai rspeed 88 oilers 15
range of 195 Red Flag missions agai nst 329 du ring land ing 126, 129 bingo bases, landing at 183
A-10 210 air com bat maneuverin g mode ang le of climb 90 Bitchin' Betty 240
AA-9 AMOS 15 (ACM) 31, 150 Animat ion options 37 blackout 32
AA-10 A lamo 15, 210 air-to-a ir aggressive act ion codes anti-aircraft arti llery (AAA) bombs 45
AA-11 Archer 15 44 countermeasures against 172 iron 113
AAA. See anti-aircraft arti llery air-to-air HUD modes 93 difficulty levels for 24 safe release altitude fo r 116
Abort command 38 ai r-to-ai r missiles. See missiles improvements in watching in Satellite view 236
aborted missions, fixed in version ai r-to-ai r missions 30 1 version A 10 Bracket Left command 53
c 12 air-to-air tactics prob lems in Red Flag 29 1 Bracket Right command 53
Above Ground Level readout 89 eva luating 261 anti-rad iation missile 111 Break High command 51
abstract battle 343 air-to-grou nd HUD modes 108 AP. See autop il ot Break Left command 51
ACES II ejection seat 201 air-to-grou nd mi ss iles, locking on APG-66 radar, configuration Break Low command 52
ACM. See air combat maneuver- w ith 109 setti ngs for 29 break maneuver 192
ing mode air-to-grou nd missions 321 armament Break Right command 51
ACM radar mode 143 ai r-to-ground tactics in Instant Action 74 bridges, Red Flag missions against
ACMI 6, 243, 265 eva luating 265 loading for Campaign missions 325
altitude lines in 258 Airborne Instrumentation System 350 Briefing screen 275 , 344
changes in vers ion C 11 (AIS) 244 See also weapons bugs 8
components of 245 Airborne Video Tape Recorder Armament screen 28 bunkers, Red Flag missions
hiding VCR controls in 254 (AVTR) 245 . See also arrowhead warning 92 against 326
history of 244 AVTR tapes artificia l intelligence 41 BVR weapons 104
memory requirements for ai rcraft icons (on scoring screen) improvements in Bypass Waypoint command
7, 245 66 version A 10 43, 56
plane information in 258
radar lock lines in 259
airspeed
backup ind icator 88
aspect ang le 93
numerical display of 94
c
recording flights with 245 changes in version C 12 aspect angle caret 93 C-130 210
Replay mode in 256 during ingress and egress 87 usi ng w ith radar-guided Campaign module 5, 335
Trai ls option in 257 during landing 88, 129 missiles 104 CHQ briefing in 344
using autopi lot wi th 265 during takeoff 87, 124 Assign Pi lots screen 349 how it works 336
using to find targets in Instant effect on fuel consumption of autoleveling 271 escaping from information
Action 71 181 autopilot 42 screens in 275
VCR controls in 247 in HF versus Complex models firing weapons in 46 options for 33
See also A VTR tapes 23 fixed in version C 11 Campa ign missions
ACMI button 248 ALE-40 flare and chaff dispenser flight model used in 46 addi ng flights or aircraft in
acquisition corra l 144 165 taking off and landing with 43 348
Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers turning radar off and on in 46 assigning pilots in 349
15 15 using Acceleration mode in assigning waypoint actions in
afterburner, in dogfighting 194 allied planes, created randomly 47 347
AGM-45A Shrike 72, 108 60 using chaff and flares in 47 assignment of 343
range of 112 allied routes, add ing in Red Flag using ECM in 47 awa rd s fo r 353
strategies for 111 289 using with ACM I 265 computing outcome of 343
AGM-65B 72, 109 ALQ- 131 jamming pod 173 AVTR. See Airborne Video Tape criteri a for success of 339
AGM-65D 72, 109 changes in version D 1 73 Recorder (A VTR) debriefing 353
AGM-84A Harpoon 15 in outs ide views 241 AVTR panel 222 determining threats in 344
AGM-88A HARM 72, 108 loadi ng from Armament screen A VTR tapes 246 determining type of 344
range of 112 29 compatibi lity across versions loading armament for 350
strategies for 111 selecting from Arm ament 266 navigation strategies for 352
AH-64 210 screen 193 searching by index number nodes in 337
AIM-120AMRAAM 74, 104 used in Instant Action 74 248 plotting ingress and egress in
range of 106 wi ngmen's use of 174 using Tape % button with 253 346
speed of 105 altitude 273 using tape sca le wi th 253 preparing for 344
strategies for using 104 converting to airspeed 194 viewing during a game 246 recognaissance of targets in
AIM -120E AMRAAM 15, 106 determining w ith altitude lines awards 353 346
AIM-9M 74, 99 258 az imuth scan 142 selecting targets for 34 2
range of 99 for air-to-ground combat 89 types of 339
AIM-9P 74 , 98 for dogfighting 193
B using radar in 352
range of 98 altitude ind icator 89 B-52 210 wingmen in 353
AIM -9R 15, 101 altitude lines 258 Background Sound options 36 cannon. See M61A1 Vulcan
aiming funnel 107 backup airspeed indicator 222 CAP (Combat Air Patrol) 44
364 INDEX
CAS (Close Air Support) 45 Counter Reset button 247 threat warning indica tors in FSX 15, 210
CBU -84 118 countermeasures 62 fu el
CBUs. See cluster bomb units aga inst AAA 172 use of countermeasures by 61 afterburn er use of 179
CCIP. See continuously aga inst air-lo-air missiles 165 watching in Q view 62 Limited Fuel option 28
computed impact point aga inst SAMs 166 weapons load of 60 low fu el warning 92
(CCI P) weapons changes in version D 13 enemy aircraft logic 59 management strategies for
CCRP. See continuously in Insta nt Action 74 Enemy Logic Level setting 18 179
computed release point strategies for using 159 enemy routes, adding in Red Flag planning table for 180
(CC RP) weapons used by enemy aircraft 61 289 reserve readout 92
chaff and flares used by wingmen 49 Enemy view 237 warning moved in version C
how much to use 171 using in autopi lot mode 45 for identifyi ng aircraft 212, 12
improvement in version D 238 fuel indica tor 222
165 D in ACMI 25 1
Limited Chaff/Fl ares option 29 in dogfi ghting 187
G
dead-sti ck landing 296
strategies for using 163 Debrief screen 353 energy stale G force indi ca tor 90
used by enemy aircraft 61 debri efing a mission 353 in dogfighting 193 GBU-15. See guided bombs
using in autopilot mode 45 debug mode 272 of enemy aircraft 135 GBUs. See guided bombs
Change Scale option 39 desert writing 280 Engage command 57 glide slope deviation (GSD) bar,
cities Detail Level settings 34 Escort 45 122
in Instant Action 69 di amond X 97 Escort Bomber missions, changes Godzilla 282
Close Up Formation command Difficulty Leve ls screen 18 in version C 11 Grand Ca nyon donkeys 280
55 Disengage command 58 evaluating air-to-ground tactics Grand Ca nyon kayaks 279
clouds, displaying 39 distance-to-target indicator 94 265 ground effect 126
Clouds command 39 dogfighting eva lutating air-to-a ir tactics 26 1 grou nd fo rces
cluster bomb units 73, 11 3, 118 airspeed during 88 Expanded M emory System (EMS) finding while flying 29 1
strategies for 11 8 best altitude for 19 3 37 positioning in Red Flag 291
cockpi t bitmap images 37 keep ing track of enemy during extern al fue l tanks, fi xed in Ground Map rada r mode
cockp it views 186 version A 10 133, 138
front view 218 strategies for 185 disp laying roads and ri vers in
hidden down view 225, 271 Drag Left command 54
F 154
left view 222 drag maneuver 54 F-4 210 strategies for 154
Padlock view . See Padlock Drag Right command 54 F-5E Tiger II 15, 210 zoom views in 154
view Durandal 11 3, 116 F-14 210 ground targets
rear view 224 strategies for 11 7 F-1 5 210 attacki ng in autopi lot mode
ri ght view 223 F-18A 210 45
up view 224 E F-111 210 changing sca le of 71
Co lli sions option 31 E3 210 F-11 7A Nighthawk 210 finding in Track View 72
comma nd-gu ided missiles 196 ECM jamming pod . See ALQ-131 F31LS2 utility program 356 scoring in Instant Action 68
Communications Campaign mode j amming pod F3MAPS utility 27, 39, 80, 3S5 weapons for scorin g in Instant
change in version C 12 Edit Flights screen 348 remov ing ILS viewshift with Action 72
compass 222 egress 125 where to find in Instant Action
Complex flight model 21, 295 airspeed during 87 Falconer utility 9, 355 69
Configu ration settings 1 7 in a Ca mpaign mission 346 Fast Forward button 255 G round view 236
con nection lines (in Ca mpaigns) ejecting 201 FEBA. See front line Gs
338 elevation sca n 142 Fil e menu 38 effect on missil e firin g 100
conti nuous wave (CW) radar Elvis sign 278 fire-a nd-forget weapon s 108 enemy ability to withstand 20
used by enemy weapons 112 EMS setting 37 flaps, manual control of 128 guided bombs 108, 111
conti nuously computed impact End com mand 38 Flight Control options 36 fixed in version C 11
point (CCI P) weapons End Mission command 57 flight controllers, 294 in autopi lot mode 45
change in version C 12 enemy aircraft changing 38 strategies for 111
HUD mode for 95 changes in logic in version C fli ght models. See Simplifi ed gunnery ranges 281
strategies for 11 3 13 flight model; Moderate guns kill 106
con tinuously computed release changing sca le of 211 fli ght model; Complex in Instant Action 77
point (CCRP) weapons 113 crashing w ithout reason 61 flight model , High Fidelity gu ns practice, in Instant Action
contrai ls creation of 59, 77 (HR) flight model 80
in dogfighting 193 determinin g damage to 197 fli ght pl an, creating in Campaign
viewing in ACM I 257
H
downing vs. destroying 200 347
Control menu 38 engaging with autopilot 44 fli ght training 293 HARM missile. See AGM-88A
coordinates of objects 273 fu el allocation for 60 Fly Straight and Level command HARM
coprocessing chip. See math getting rid of in Red Flag 290 52 Harpoon anti-ship missile. See
coprocessing chip identifying 205, 215 Frame button 254 AGM-84A Harpoon
cornerspeed 19 5 scorin g formu la in Instant frame rate 35, 273, 293 heading sca le 89
counter in ACM I 247 Action 67 front line 338 during a bomb run 89
INDEX 365
heat-seeking missiles K men u configuration 38

all-aspect 99, 101 menus, using 39
Identify Friend/ Foe (IFF) Kashmir 15, 80 Mi-24, Red Flag missions against
how they work 103 136, 215 Keep Rad io Silence command 58
rear-aspect 98 310
fixed in version A 10 keyboa rd, as fli ght contro ller 294
tones for 101 MiG-19 210
identifying aircraft 205 KFIR-C7 210
using without radar 102 corners peed of 19 5
IFF. See Identify Friend/Foe (IFF) Kirov-class battle crui sers 15 Red Flag missions against
helicopters Korea 15, 80
IL-76 210 306, 311, 316
using radar with 151 Red Flag missions aga inst 309 Kuri le Islands 15, 80
HFR mode. See High Fidelity use of radar 162
ILS. See Instrument Landing Kuwait 80 MiG-21 210
Radar (HFR)
System (ILS)
hidden features 269 lmmelman maneuver 192
L cornerspeed of 195
hidden objects in Falcon world Red Flag missions against
Independent view in ACMI 252 landing 125 306, 312, 316
278 Index Number readout 248 airspeed during 88 use of radar 162
High Fidelity (HF) flight model dead-stick 296
ingress MiG-23 210
21, 295 airspeed 87 ground effect in 126
transition at 300 knots 22 Red Flag missions against
in a Campaign mi ssion 346 practicing in Insta nt action 80 306, 312 , 316
with loads over 32,000 Instant Action 4, 65 Red Flag missions for 295
pounds 23 MiG-25 210
air-to-air scoring formula in requirements for 129 Red Flag missions against
High Fidelity Radar (HFR) 31 w ith a joystick 126
67 307, 312, 317
azimuth scans in 142
armament in 74 with autopilot 44 MiG-27 210
determining distance of target creation of enemy aircra ft in w ith the keyboard 125
in 141 Red Flag missions against
77 w ithout an airstrip 183 307, 313, 317
range of 141 getting out of a furball in 78 landing gea r lights 222
setting up scans in 141 , 142 MiG-29 210
ground targets in 80 LAU-5003A rocket launcher 119 Red Flag missions against
strategies for 140
guns kill in 77 LCK light 163 305 , 310, 314, 315
high-G yoyo maneuver 192, 194
guns practice in 80 lead pursuit 100 MiG-31 Foxhound 15, 210
home base, loca ting on moving Lebed-class air-cushioned landing
landing practice in 80 Mil-24 210
map 178 levels of experience in 73 craft, 15
horizon, displaying 39 Mirage2000 15, 210
most dangerous threats in 75 LHN light 163 Mirage 5 210
Horizon command 39 scorin g in 66 Limited Armament option 28
HOTAS controll er 36, 294, 357 Red Flag missions against
strategies for 73 Limited Chaff/Flares option 29 308, 313, 318
HUD 85 waypoints in 79 Limited Fuel option 28
aiming funnel 107 Mirage Fl 210
Instrument Landing System (ILS) Load Armament screen 350 Red Flag missions against
aim ing reticle 93 122 Load button 247
air-to-air modes 93 305 , 311 , 314, 315
beacon mode in 123 loca lizer deviation (LO) bar 122 Mirage Ill 210
ai r-to-ground modes 108 directional mode in 123 Loch Ness monster 283 Red Flag missions against
airspeed indicator 87
glide slope deviation bar 122 locking up a target 93 307, 313, 317
altitude indica tor 89
loca lizer deviation bar 122 Love Boat 282 Missile view in ACM I 25 1
arrowheads 92 Intelligence settings 32 low-G yoyo maneuver 192, 194
aspect angle caret 93 Missile/Enemy view. See Enemy
Intercept 44
basic strategies for using 86
iron bomb 11 3
M view
con fi guration setting 26 missiles
island M61A1 Vulcan 98, 106, 107 anti-radiation. See anti -
diamond X 97
in Instant Action 70 cha nge to pipper in version C radiation missile
distance-to-target indicator 94
Israel 80 12 command-guided 196
G force indicator 90
Ivan Rogov-class amphibious strategies for 11 9 enemy air-to-air 165
heading sca le 89
warfare ships 15 Mach indica tor 92 firing ranges of 94
mach indicator 92
magnification. See sca le heat-seeking. See heat-seeking
max G force indicator 90
map object 67 missiles
model A 26, 86
J-7A irguard 15, 210 math coprocessi ng chip 21 in autopi lot mode 45
model C 26, 86
Jaguar 15, 210 Matra Super 500 radar-guided. See radar-
pitch ladder 90
jamming pod. See ALQ-131 range of 195 guided missiles
reserve fuel readout 92
jamm ing pod Maira Super 503 165 tracking in version D. See also
target designator (TD) box 96
jettisoning stores. See stores Mavericks 108, 109 surface-to-air missiles
target locator 97
joystick 11 , 294 infrared version 109 (SAMs)
target pipper 11 3
ca librating 38 range of 110 Mission Computer 6
warnings 92
keyboard equivalents for 10 strategies for 110 for identifying aircraft 206
waypoint distance indicator
JP-5 fuel 179 video version 109 getting to 207
91
max G force indi cator 90 leaving 208
HUD mode indicator 95
MAXX pedals 11 rotating images in 209, 275
366 INDEX
mission debriefing, changes in

version C 11
dogfighting in 227
firing weapons in 229
using in Campaign missions
352
s
Mission Description screen 339 identifying aircraft with what the enemy sees 62 SA-2 25
Mission Map 344 211, 228 radar lock lines 259 sites in Operation: Fighting
missions. See Campaign identifying an enemy with radar sites, Red Flag missions Tiger 172
missions; Red Flag missions 187 against 331 SA-6
Mitsubishi F-1 15, 210 locking up a target in 228 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) Red Flag missions against 323
Mk-82 113, 116 padlocking SAMS and AAA 160 SA-6 Gainful 161
strategies for 115 with 232 radar-gu ided missiles 104 SA-6 Gainful CW 25
Mk-82 HD Snakeye 116 problems with 230 radar-guided SAMs, countermea- SA-7 25, 75, 78
Mk-83 113, 116 Panama 5 7, 80 sures for 169 countermeasures for 166
strategies for 11 5 Patriot missil e 15 radio messages, memory Red Flag missions against 322
Mk-84 111 , 113, 116 Pause-Tab mode 271, 293 requirements for 36 SA-8 Gecko 25, 112, 161
strategies for 11 5 pilot fatigue Radio M essages option 36 SA-342 210, Red Flag missions
modem commands, available in change in vers ion C 12 radi o silence 50 against 310
version C 11 Pilot In formation screen 349 Realism Va lues, fixed in version A SA-N-4 Gecko 15, 25, 161 , 169
Moderate flight model 21, 295 pilots 10 SA-N-6 Grumble
moving map display 178 assigning in Campaign Recon Map 346 15, 25, 162, 169
moving to a coordinate 274 missions 349 recording flights 245 SA-N-8 Gremlin 15, 25, 169
Mu ltinational Staged Improve- finding a missing 350 Red Flag 4, 80, 287 SA-N-9 15, 25, 161 , 169
ment Program (MSIP) pipper. See target pipper allied and enemy routes in SAD mode. See Situational
8, 26 pitch ladder 90 289 Awareness Display (SAD)
Play button 254 hierarchy of screens in 289 SAM rad ar mode. See Situational
N power plant Red Flag missions Awareness Mode (SAM)
NAM. See normal air mode Red Flag missions against 328 1 VT air-to-air 301 SAMs. See surface-to-air missiles
(NAM) power switch in ACMI 247 1 V2 air-to-air 303 (SAMs)
navigation Prev Index button 255 2Vl air-to-air 303 Satellite Downlink screen 344
with head ing scale 89 Previous Waypoint command 2V2 air-to-air 303 Satellite view 235
with moving map display 1 78 43, 56 against air bases 329 finding a ground target with
neon cowboy 278 pulling Gs. See Gs: enemy abi lity against bunkers 326 235
Next Index button 255 to withstand against power plant 328 in ACMI 250
nighttime flight 81 pulling lead 100 against radar sites 331 watching bombs with 236
nodes. See Campaign missions: pulse-doppler radar 105 against trucks 332 saving AVTR tapes 246
nodes in used by enemy weapons 11 2 code for air-to-air 304 sca le
NOE flyin g 297 pure pursuit 100 creating your own 288 changing to identify aircraft
normal air mode (NAM) 31, 143 disk directories for 356 211
acquisition corral in 144 Q for formation flying 298 setting 39
determining distance and Q view. See Enemy view for landing 295 scissors maneuver 192
position in 144 Q-5 Fantan 15, 210 for NOE flying 297 scoring
determining target altitude in in Grand Canyon 298 air-to-air formula for Instant
145
R for SAM suppression/ Action 67
determining target speed and radar 131 avo idance 322 air-to-ground formula for
heading in 145 avoiding with terrain masking saving 292 Instant Action 68
sea rch target altitude bar in 148 sitting duck 302 Search and Destroy 44
144 continuous wave 161 to destroy bridges 325 search mode 143
target history display in 143 differences among versions using from disk 299 search target altitude bar 144
Nose Wheel Landing system 124 152 for watching the ground war seeker head 103
from enemy sources 160 333 caged 103
0 Ground Map mode. See redout 32 uncaged 103
Occupation map 338 Ground Map radar mode Redout/Blackout option 32 SHOWF3 utility 356
Operation: Fighting Tiger HFR mode. See High Fidelity refresh rate. See fram e rate Shrike missile. See AGM-45A
map objects bug in 15 Radar (HFR) Replay button 248 Shrike
new features in 9, 14 identifying aircraft by 76 Replay command 38 Sidewinder. See heat-seeking
Options menu 38 in autopilot mode 44 Replay mode in ACM I 256 missiles
out-of-plane (OOP) maneuver in outside views 241 Report screen 344 Simplified flight model 21, 295
pulse-doppler 105, 161 restarting quick ly 81 single target track (STI) mode 31,
192
outside views 233 SAD mode. See Situational Return to Base command 5 7 149
problems with 240 Awareness Display (SAD) Return to Cockpit command 38 autoranging in 150
SAM mode. See Situational Rotate button in ACMI 248 Situational Awareness Display
p (SAD) 30, 132
Awareness Mode (SAM) RPM gauge 221
types of enemy 161 runways determining position in 133
Padlock view 225
identifying with Ground Map determining relative altitude in
changes in version D 232 used by wingmen 48
mode 155 134
checking your six with 229
INDEX 367
determining target 's direction difficulty levels for 24 timer in ACM ! 248 strategies for using 217
in 134 enemy 166 Tornado 210 Track view. See Track view
Funtion keys in 133 improvements in version D Total readout 248 Wingman view. See Wingman
problems with 136 166 Track view view
strategies for 133 problems in Red Flag 292 finding ground targets with 72 visua l approach slope indicator
targets in 133 System Setup screen 34 for evad ing SAMs 167 (VAS I) 124
Situationa l Awareness Mode in a turning fight 188 visua l identification of aircraft
(SAM) 30 T in ACM I 251 206
determining distance and takeoff locking onto missiles in 235 voice messages from wingmen
position of target in 137 airspeed during 87 locking onto planes in 233 49
determining most dangerous
threats in 139
tips for 124
with autopi lot 44
monitoring dogfights wit h 234
rotating view in 233
w
Function keys in 138 tank icons (on scorin g screen) 67 Transporter room 274 War Room 5
locking onto targets in 139 Tape% display 253 trucks warnings, in outside views 240
situational awareness mode in Tape Name window 253 Red Flag missions against 332 waypoint ca ret 9 1
HFR 146, 149 tape sca le 253 True Airspeed (TAS) 87 waypoint distance indicator 91
information ava il able in 146 target airspeed 148 Tu-22 162, 210 Waypoint screen
target airspeed in 148 target altitude 145 in Insta nt Action 77 42, 344, 346, 347
target aspect angle in 148 target aspect angle 148 Red Flag missions against 309 waypoints 42
target closure rate in 148 Target bearing 149 turning VCR off 247 adding in Red Flag 291
target distance in 149 target closure rate 148 TWI. See Threat Warning as home base 9 1
target heading in 147 target designator (TD) box 96 Indi ca tor (TWI) assigning actions to 347
finding on map 178
Ski ll Level settings 18
sound
problems with 96
when drawn with dashes 105
u flying with autopilot to 42
turning off 36 target distance 144, 149 Uda lay-class destroyers 15 getting there with NAV
sound ca rd 36 target heading 145, 147 UH-60 210 damage 43
Sound command 36 target history display 143 unmanned fighter. See Soviet in Insta nt Action 79
SoundBlaster 11 , 36 target locator 97 unmanned fighter steering to current 91
Soviet unmanned fighter 15 target pipper 113 upgrading to newer versions Waypoints screen 348
speed brakes 241 target position 144 15, 355 weapons
BVR 104
modeling in HF and Complex
models 22
target speed 145
targets
v determining remaining
sp lit-S maneuver 192 damage to 342 VASI 14. See visua l approach number of 95
Spread Formation command 55 identifying in Ground Map slope indicator (VASI) firing in autop ilot mode 44
Squadron Ready Room 6 mode 155 VCR con trols in ACMI 247 li st of targets for 120
squadrons, change in version C li st of weapons for 120 toggling in and out of view weapons effectiveness 24
12 locating 97 275 changes in version D 13
stal ling 88 selecting in Campa ign 342 versions settings for 23
status box 273 tracking with TD box 96 incompatibilities across 9 wi ld-weasels 112
stea lth fighter, using rada r with viewing in ACM! 259 upgrading to new 15 Wingman view 239
151 viewi ng in Red Flag 290 version 3 .0 10 in ACMI 25 1
Stop button 254 terrain vers ion 3.01 (Operation: wingmen 48
storage faci lities, Red Flag turning 30 option on or off 38 Fighting Tiger) 14 ca lling out a target for 49
missions against 323 viewing in ACM! 259 version A 10 change in version C 13
stores Terrain command 38 version B 11 commands for control ling 50
changes in version C 12 terrain masking 148 version C 11 con trol logic for 48
jettisoning 12 theaters of operation, changing version D 9, 13 distances in formation 56
jettisoning in a dogfight 192 with F3MAPS 80 version E 14 in Campaign missions 353
jettisoning in version D 14 Threat Warning Indica tor (TWI) vertical loop maneuver 192 instru ctions about waypoints
Stores Control Panel 28, 86, 95 160, 220 video palette problems 12 56
STI. See single target track (STI) change in version C 12 views instructions for landing 57
mode identifying aircraft wi th 214 Chase view. See Chase view instructions to fight 57
Su-24 210, Red Flag missions Threat Warning Panel (TWP) from inside cockpit. See silencing 50
against 308 163, 220 cockp it views use of countermeasures by 49
Su-25 162, 210 threats from outside cockpit. See use of radar by 48, 50
in Instan t Action 77 determining position of 160 ou tside views voice messages from 49
Red Flag missions aga inst 308 radar source of 160 Ground view. See Ground World Detail settings 38
Su-27 210
Red Flag missions aga inst
signal strength of 163
throttle, in dogfighting 194
view
Missile/ Enemy view. See
z
305, 311, 314, 315 ThrustMaster 11 , 294, 357 Enemy view Zoom button in ACM I 248
surface-to-a ir missiles (SAMs) Thunderboard 11 Padlock view. See Padlock ZSU-23-4 Shi lka 25, 161
avoiding launches of 171 time of day view ZSU-57-2 25
countermeasures for 166 chang ing 270 Satel l ite view. See Satellite
in Instant Action 81 view

Falcon 3 The Official Combat Strategy Book

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Falcon 3 The Official Combat Strategy Book

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE OFFICIAL COMBAT STRATEGY HOOH

HOWARD "WHIPLASH" BORNSTEIN

Secrets of the Games Series Creative Editor: Rusel DeMaria

Printed in the United States of America

Bornstein, Howard, 1950-

VIDEO GAME BOOKS

The enclosed disk is warranted by Prima Publishing to be free of

The enclosed software is copyrighted by the copyright holders of

Introduction .. ..... ....... . . .. ........ ........ . . ....... xi

1 Navigating Falcon .............................. 3

2 Setting the Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3 Falcon Artificial Intelligence ........... ... ........... 41

4 Instant Action .......... .. ... ... .................... 65

5 HUD and Weapons Strategies ............... ......... 85

6 Radar Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

7 Countermeasure Strategies ............... ... . . . .... 159

8 Navigation and Fuel Management Strategies .. ... .. . . 177

9 Dogfighting Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

10 Tallyho! .......... . ...................... . ........ 205

11 View Strategies ........................ .. ....... . . 217

12 ACM/ ....... .. ................................... 243

13 Hidden Features of Falcon 3.0 ...... .. .. . ....... . . . 269

14 Red Flag: Basic Flight Training ............. .. .. ... . 287

15 Red Flag: Air-to-Air Missions .................... .. 301

16 Red Flag: Air-to-Ground Missions .................. 321

17 Campaign . ........... .. ............... .. ......... 335

Appendix A: About the Book Disk ................. 355

Index ................................... .......... 363

I received a lot of help from various people at Spectrum Holobyte. Marisa

The real hero at Spectrum Holobyte for me was Steve "Scorpion"

I'd particularly like to thank Rob "Orinoco" Heittman, Greg "Tweety"

In addition, let me thank Terry "Pinecone" Carraway, Steve "Auger"

Graphics The visual graphics in Falcon 3.0 are absolutely stunning.

simulations. You will have the challenge of keeping sight of an aircraft

Campaigns Falcon 3.0 has a sophisticated campaign structure where

The disk also includes several powerful utilities-in particular, F3MAPS

In the Appendixes, you'll find a brief description of the different utilities

Falcon 3.0 is a complex environment to navigate, and we're

The Parts of Falcon

The Instant Action module

While you have unlimited

The second module in Falcon

Because Red Flag is so useful as a training area, we've included lots of

The Campaign module is

The Squadron Ready Room

In many ways, ACMI is the core

The Versions of Falcon 3.0

Because other elements of this simulation are so excellent, the bugs in

One side effect of having new versions is that certain incompatibilities

Here's a list of the major changes in Falcon's various versions.

The changes in version A were as follows:

ECM pod, chaff, and flares were made more effective.

The reliability of the Threat Warning Indicator was improved.

The artificial intelligence was improved to allow for autopilot bombing

The effectiveness of anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) was greatly increased.

The problem with keyboards that didn't respond on certain systems

Version C included the following changes:

The mission criteria for Escort Bomber missions were changed-the

Calibration was changed to allow for setups that include a joystick,

Digitized radio messages on the Thunderboard and Sound Blaster were

ACMI replays were made more accurate.

GBU-15s in autopilot mode were fixed to behave correctly instead of

The autopilot's bombing accuracy was improved.