It’s Friday and that means its a DCS World Weekend News update. We’ve got news about a new DCS: AH-64D campaign which I’m sure will be welcomed by those looking for more single player content. Meanwhile, we have a status update on the CH-47 project which moves the launch date of that and the DCS: Afghanistan map slightly. Let’s dig in!
CH-47, Afghan map move a few weeks
Eagle Dynamics are preparing to launch the DCS: CH-47F and DCS: Afghanistan map (part of it anyways) into early access. The news today is that the CH-47F is going to be delayed and with it the Afghan map until the 3rd of July. It’s not a significant delay with an extra week needed for testing. This due to some show stopping bugs that have been identified with the module.
Meanwhile they also report that the helicopter is still coming together with the team working on cargo carrying function, damage model, flight control systems, avionics and countermeasures.
We also now have an extensive list of launch features that include load and unload cargo from the internal bay, single point sling loading, MFD displays and flight plan system, AI door gunners, RWR and countermeasure system, radio, and US Army paint schemes.
Post launch, the helicopter will also pick up MWS (missile warning system), additional MFD pages, multi-point sling loading, autopilot hold, DAFCS trim and force trim, multicrew, more paint schemes, missions and training scenarios.
In short, this is a typical early access launch with a minimum of features that will get you flying and operating the CH-47F but a lot of the extra frills will come later.
New AH-64D campaign coming
The DCS: AH-64D doesn’t have a lengthy list of single player content just yet but that is changing with the introduction of a new campaign called “The Four Horsemen.” 12 missions set during Operation Shader (the UK’s operational codename for anti-ISIS missions) using the DCS: Syria map.
The campaign includes voice overs and over 2,500 lines of dialogue. It will also package in in-game and PDF based kneeboard information.
The campaign doesn’t appear to be out yet but is likely due in the next update.
Stormbirds 
Chinook is releasing with no HUD and no trim? What?! Am I missing something here?
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I’m hoping for clarification that the trim is just one style not yet available. No trim at all sounds unflyable.
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Well, “basic trim and AI helper” is listed as a launch feature. I don’t know all the details about it, but from what I’ve seen the FCS for the Chinook is very complicated. I’m interested to see the tutorial videos
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I’m sure I missed that this morning.
Interesting about the complex FCS. This is an interesting project.
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No trim?
Does it come with rotor blades?
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I’m hoping to get clarification on what they mean. No trim would be unmanageable but a simplified trim might be ok.
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All this negative-hype of “missing features” over what will – inevitably – be a plain Jane, meat and potatos, (and dare I say it) BORING addon in a combat flight simulator.
“Boring” because it’s primary mission is “boring” – in the combat game milieu.
We seem to have forgotten that this is Early Access, and that means certain things won’t be included at launch. Big deal – show me which addons launched “Feature Complete”. It’s an extremely short list.
But nobody seems to have even noticed that we’re getting – for the very FIRST TIME – some type of cargo load / unload right in the game.
And that the avionics suite on this bird will exceed the modernity of ALL other addons in the sim. This is our first modern, all glass cockpit (depending on your perspective on the JF-17).
Sheesh, guys – ED have demonstrably learned their lesson from the F-16 launch debacle..
There’s a LOT to like here, and I’ll happily be flying this thing around from Day 1.
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