It may not be a “CF-18” but it is so close to what the RCAF operates in modern times that I couldn’t wait to set myself up in the Hornet for a series of aerobatics that you might see at an airshow – albeit without the precision, experience, or finesse that the real guys show. After all, I’m still just learning to start the aircraft up!

Start-up success

It takes me a while to get a handle on DCS full fidelity modules although I’m getting faster than I was before. I’ve already run the Hornet through a fairly quick start-up process a few times now without help which is great.

The whole process takes only a few minutes and I’m thankful for the mercifully quicker INS alignment process on the Hornet. The Mirage 2000C just takes too long!

I’m probably skipping a few steps on the start-up but this video by Jabbers on YouTube is pretty helpful in doing the non-nonsense startup without a whole lot of extra. It gets you up in the air and ready for action.

CF-18 Demo Flight

For the 2018 airshow season, the Royal Canadian Air Force is flying around a mostly blue and white demo jet celebrating 60 years of North American Aerospace Defense (or NORAD). “Nous Montons La Garde” or “We Have The Watch” is painted on flaps and ailerons and the jet has the usual, although slightly more prominent, false canopy painted on the underside of the jet. Beautiful!

It’s wonderful that Eagle Dynamics has added this and the Canada 150 jet right out of the gate in addition to that wonderful Blue Angels scheme. Together these are some of the most colorful Hornet’s that I’ve seen.

Today’s goal was to start-up, take-off, perform a series of aerobatics and then land the jet without causing any damage. I succeeded although my slowdowns for landing are still pretty hairy with the flaps down causing the jet to lose a lot more speed than I’m prepared for requiring a lot more thrust and power on the throttle. Eventually I’m going to get this right.

This is some of the most fun I’ve had with DCS to-date. I’m not sure if its my growing knowledge of the aircraft and systems or DCS World 2.5’s beautiful visuals or the Hornet itself that is contributing to this overall feeling. Either way, Eagle Dynamics now delivers for me a heck of a one-two-three combination punch that should keep me busy for a long time.

I’m looking forward to seeing the CF-18 Demo Flight perform sometime later in the airshow season. It’s always a stunning performance put on the by the team and this year I will have a special understanding and appreciation thanks to DCS.

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