Familiarization of basic aircraft handling while performing a minimal technique landing at an airfield.

None.

1. Maintain approximate start of simulation heading, speed, and altitude.
• For this drill, a heading of 245° +/- 3°, an altitude of 3,000 feet MSL +/- 200 feet, and an indicated air speed of 300 knots +/- 20 knots.
2. Reduce speed to below 250 knots while maintaining heading.
3. Lower landing gear.
• One press of the G key if using DCS default binds.
4. Deploy flaps to full.
• Two presses of LCtrl + LAlt + F if using DCS default binds.
5. Reduce speed to landing speed while maintaining heading.
• For this drill's environmental conditions and aircraft configuration, between 140 and 150 knots.
6. Position flight path indicator over estimated runway aiming point position.
7. As the runway's aiming point becomes visible, adjust flight path as needed to place the flight path indicator over the aiming point.
8. Maintain flight path until landing gear contacts the runway.
9. Reduce power to idle.
10. Apply brakes as needed to slow the aircraft to taxi speed.
11. Exit the runway right towards taxiway F.

The drill is intended to provide a basic introduction to landing the F/A-18C using a minimal number of skills. It should be used as a first step in learning to land the F/A-18C before continuing to more advanced/standard landing techniques and procedures. It is a non-objective of this drill to explicitly consider glide slope, angle of attack, or sink rate.

The simulation begins with the aircraft flying south-west towards a runway within visual range and concludes with a straight-in landing.

Estimated drill duration: 8 minutes.

The drill occurs in the airspace northeast of Anderson AFB on the island of Guam among the Northern Mariana Islands. The simulation starts with the aircraft flying a heading of approximately 245° at 300 knots and 3,000 feet MSL, approximately 12 nautical miles from runway 24R. Weather conditions are clear with broken clouds at 8,000 feet. Visibility is clear at 10 miles or more. No significant wind, calm conditions overall. Temperature is 20°C. Runway conditions are clear with no adverse weather.

Simulation time is 16:00 local.

Fuel: 4,081 lbs.

• 3: 2x AIM 120C AMRAAM
• 5: Fuel Tank
• 7: 2x AIM 120C AMRAAM

Total Weight: 33,036 lbs.

1. Establish initial control of the aircraft.
In the initial phase of the drill, the goal is to maintain a course heading that flies the aircraft towards the intended landing runway 24R. Runway 24R runs approximately along a path of 245°, so apply left and right stick as needed to bank the aircraft to a heading of 245°.

Concurrently, establish level flight by applying forward and back stick as needed until the flight path indicator is even with horizon line of the pitch ladder. This will ensure the aircraft is flying at a constant altitude.

Also concurrently, apply forward and back throttle as needed to maintain a speed of between 280 and 320 knots.
2. Reduce speed to below 250 knots while maintaining flight path. Configure aircraft for landing.
Reduce throttle until airspeed begins to decrease by 2-4 knots per second while holding a heading of 245°. As The aircraft's indicated air speed begins to decrease, the flight path indicator will begin to move down the pitch ladder. Apply back stick as needed to return the flight path indicator to the horizon line to maintain level flight. Once the indicated air speed is below 250 knots, ¹lower landing gear and drop flaps to full. ²

As the flaps deploy, the aircraft will naturally pitch up. Apply forward stick as needed to maintain level flight.

Set the throttle as needed to maintain a constant air speed between 200 and 250 knots once gear and flaps are deployed. Maintain a heading of 245° and maintain level flight.
3. Slow to landing speed and begin descent to runway.
Once visual contact with the runway is established, reduce throttle to slow the aircraft to landing speed. For the environmental conditions and aircraft configuration of this drill, between 140 and 150 knots. As speed decreases, allow the flight path indicator to drop below the horizon line and move towards the runway. The aircraft with begin to descend.
4. Establish flight path for landing while considering the Region of Reverse Command.
Maneuver using the throttle and left/right stick alone to place the flight path indicator over your estimate of the position of the runway aiming point. The goal is to keep the flight path indicator over the aiming point when the flight stick is returned to the neutral position. Do not use forward or back stick to maintain the flight path indicator over the aiming point. If the flight path indicator begins to rise above the aiming point, reduce throttle slightly until the flight path indicator lowers back to the aiming point. Conversely, if the flight path indicator begins to fall below the aiming point, increase throttle slightly until the flight path indicator raises back to the aiming point. Forward and back stick should not be applied during this process. Continually adjust the throttle with small movements to maintain the flight path indicator's vertical position over your estimation of the runway aiming point's position.

Concurrently, as the runway side stripes come into view, apply left and right stick to bank the aircraft as needed to ensure the flight path of the aircraft is both towards and parallel to the runway.

When the runway's aiming point becomes visible, adjust the flight path as needed using the same process above to place the flight path indicator over the actual runway aiming point. Hold this flight path and landing speed as the aircraft descends towards the runway.
5. Land the aircraft.
As touchdown of the aircraft is imminent, increase throttle slightly to move the flight path indicator just beyond the aiming point. Maneuver such that the aircraft's back wheels make first contact with the runway within the region bounded by the aiming point markers.

Upon contact with the runway, reduce throttle to idle and apply brakes as needed to slow the aircraft to a safe taxi speed of 15 knots.³ Note that in the F/A-18C the minimum displayed indicated air speed is 48 knots even when the aircraft is moving below this speed. Use your best judgement to determine when the aircraft is at a safe taxi speed at or near 15 knots.
6. Taxi to the end of the runway and exit the runway.
Once the aircraft has slowed to a safe taxi speed, increase throttle slightly to maintain taxi speed. If the aircraft begins to drift left or right during taxi, apply opposite left or right rudder to return the aircraft to straight motion. Taxi to the end of the runway and exit right towards taxiway F.

Action	Category	DCS Default
Wheel Brake - ON/OFF	Systems	W
FLAP Switch - DOWN	Left Vertical Panel	LCtrl + LAlt + F
Landing Gear Control Handle - UP/DOWN	Left Vertical Panel	G
Throttle Smoothly (Both) Increase	Flight Control	Num+
Throttle Smoothly (Both) Decrease	Flight Control	Num-
Aircraft Rudder Left	Flight Control	Z
Aircraft Rudder Right	Flight Control	X
Aircraft Pitch Down	Flight Control	Up Arrow Key
Aircraft Pitch Up	Flight Control	Down Arrow Key
Aircraft Bank Left	Flight Control	Left Arrow Key
Aircraft Bank Right	Flight Control	Right Arrow Key

Action	Category	DCS Default
Restart Mission	General	LShift + R
View Down slow	View	Num2
View Up slow	View	Num8

1. 250 knots IAS limit for lowering landing gear and flaps
   • Wagner: DCS: F/A-18C Hornet - Episode 6: VFR Airfield Landing
2. full flaps for landing
   • Wagner: DCS: F/A-18C Hornet - Episode 6: VFR Airfield Landing
3. 15 knot taxi speed
   • Spud Spike: DCS F/A-18C Hornet DEFINITIVE Taxi & Take Off Tutorial