Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon X Operation Manual
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
CONTENTS
CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 6
CREDITS ................................................................................................................................................... 6
F-16 FIGHTING FALCON HISTORY ............................................................................................................. 7
PROGRAM ........................................................................................................................................... 7
TECHNOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 7
MODELS AND PRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 8
FUTURE PLANS .................................................................................................................................... 9
SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 9
FLIGHT SYSTEMS .................................................................................................................................... 11
F-16AM FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM (FLCS) .......................................................................................... 11
RELAXED STATIC STABILITY ................................................................................................................ 12
SPEEDBRAKES .................................................................................................................................... 12
LEADING EDGE FLAPS ........................................................................................................................ 12
FLIGHT MODELS IN FSX ...................................................................................................................... 13
VIEWS AND PANEL NAVIGATION ........................................................................................................... 14
TRACKIR AND MOVING VIEWPOINTS ................................................................................................. 14
FSX VIEWS ......................................................................................................................................... 15
CONSOLES, PANELS AND CONTROLS ...................................................................................................... 16
MULTI FUNCTION DISPLAYS ............................................................................................................... 17
LEFT MFD (RADAR) ........................................................................................................................ 17
RIGHT MFD (NAVIGATION)............................................................................................................. 18
HEADS UP DISPLAY ............................................................................................................................ 19
STANDARD HUD............................................................................................................................. 19
INTERCEPT HUD ............................................................................................................................. 19
LEFT AUX CONSOLE ........................................................................................................................... 20
THREAT WARNING AUXILIARY PANEL ............................................................................................. 20
CHAFF/ FLARE PANEL ..................................................................................................................... 20
HELM MOUNT DISPLAY PANEL ....................................................................................................... 20
ALTERNATE GEAR DOWN CONTROL ............................................................................................... 20
LANDING GEAR PANEL ................................................................................................................... 20
ACES-II EJECTION SEAT CONTROL ................................................................................................... 21
SPEED BRAKE INDICATOR ............................................................................................................... 21
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
RIGHT AUX CONSOLE ......................................................................................................................... 21
EPU FUEL ....................................................................................................................................... 21
PFD ................................................................................................................................................ 21
LIQUID OXYGEN ............................................................................................................................. 21
CLOCK ............................................................................................................................................ 21
COMPASS ...................................................................................................................................... 21
FUEL QUANTITY ............................................................................................................................. 22
CAUTION PANEL ............................................................................................................................ 22
HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ................................................................................................................... 22
LEFT CONSOLE ................................................................................................................................... 23
ANTI G PANEL ................................................................................................................................ 23
AUDIO ........................................................................................................................................... 23
ELECTRONIC COUNTER MEASURE PANEL ....................................................................................... 23
EPU ................................................................................................................................................ 23
RECORDER PANEL .......................................................................................................................... 23
AUX COMS PANEL .......................................................................................................................... 24
CANOPY CONTROLS ....................................................................................................................... 24
ELECTRONIC................................................................................................................................... 24
ENG START PANEL.......................................................................................................................... 24
EXT LIGHTS PANEL ......................................................................................................................... 25
FLT CONTROL PANEL ...................................................................................................................... 25
FUEL PANEL ................................................................................................................................... 25
MANUAL TRIM PANEL .................................................................................................................... 26
TEST PANEL.................................................................................................................................... 26
UHF COMS PANEL ........................................................................................................................ 26
CENTER CONSOLE .............................................................................................................................. 27
AIRSPEED INDICATOR..................................................................................................................... 27
ALTIMETER .................................................................................................................................... 27
ANGLE OF ATTACK INDICATOR ....................................................................................................... 27
ATTITUDE DIRECTION INDICATOR .................................................................................................. 27
AOA INDEXER LIGHTS ..................................................................................................................... 27
AUTO PILOT ................................................................................................................................... 28
BACKUP ATTITUDE DIRECTION INDICATOR ..................................................................................... 28
FUEL FLOW INDICATOR .................................................................................................................. 28
FUEL QUANTITY PANEL .................................................................................................................. 28
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
HORIZONTAL SITUATION INDICATOR ............................................................................................. 28
INSTRUMENT MODE PANEL ........................................................................................................... 28
MARKER BEACONS ......................................................................................................................... 29
Master Caution .............................................................................................................................. 29
MISC ARMAMENT PANEL ............................................................................................................... 29
NOSEWHEEL INDEXER LIGHTS ........................................................................................................ 29
PEDAL ADJUST ............................................................................................................................... 29
VERTICAL SPEED INDICATOR .......................................................................................................... 30
RIGHT CONSOLE ................................................................................................................................ 30
OXYGEN REGULATOR ..................................................................................................................... 30
DATA TRANSFER UNIT .................................................................................................................... 30
ANTI ICE / ANTENNA SELECTOR panel ............................................................................................ 30
NUCLEAR CONSENT ....................................................................................................................... 30
ZEROISE ......................................................................................................................................... 30
SECURE VOICE ............................................................................................................................... 30
AIR CONDITIONING ........................................................................................................................ 31
AVIONICS POWER panel ................................................................................................................. 31
HUD REMOTE CONTROL PANEL ..................................................................................................... 31
LIGHTING panel ............................................................................................................................. 32
SENSOR POWER MANAGEMENT PANEL ......................................................................................... 32
INTEGRATED CONTROL PANEL & DATA ENTRY DISPLAY ..................................................................... 33
ENTERING DATA ............................................................................................................................ 33
CAGE FLIGHT PATH MARKER .......................................................................................................... 33
OVERRIDE BUTTONS ...................................................................................................................... 34
LIST PAGE ...................................................................................................................................... 34
HOW TO SHOW ILS BARS ON THE HUD .......................................................................................... 34
SIDE STICK CONTROLLER, THROTTLE QUADRANT SYSTEM AND ANIMATIONS ........................................ 35
SIDE STICK CONTROLLER .................................................................................................................... 35
THROTTLE QUADRANT SYSTEM ......................................................................................................... 35
JET STARTER DOORS .......................................................................................................................... 35
RUDDER PEDAL SYSTEM .................................................................................................................... 36
ARM RESTS ........................................................................................................................................ 36
OCTOPUS........................................................................................................................................... 36
EJECTION CONTROL SAFETY LEVER .................................................................................................... 37
CANOPY ............................................................................................................................................. 37
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
PILOT VISOR ...................................................................................................................................... 37
LASER PODS ....................................................................................................................................... 37
TWEAKING ............................................................................................................................................ 38
MODEL CONFIGURATION FILES .......................................................................................................... 38
REDUX SHOCKWAVE LIGHTS .............................................................................................................. 40
DIFFERENT MODELS........................................................................................................................... 40
PAINTKIT ........................................................................................................................................... 40
FAQ ....................................................................................................................................................... 41
F-16 PROCEDURES / CHECKLIST ............................................................................................................. 42
Dedicated to Caitlin. Life is short, don’t waste it all on computer games, people are far more important.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
INTRODUCTION
It took a long time to finish this project and during development we met some serious problems. But the
F-16 had to be done. It’s the best known fighter after all. But soon after the project started it grew into a
multi headed monster that was being pulled by many people into many directions, everybody wanted
their ideal F-16 and the project nearly spun out of control because of that. But about halfway through,
we made an important decision to focus PURELY on the flying and on nothing else. So we spend all effort
on the aircraft itself and nothing on the things that are seen for some other aircraft. Things like ground
objects when the aircraft has the parking brakes set. Also we decided not to do any offensive or
defensive stuff, FSX is not a military simulator and it will at best be some nice effects. Not good enough
in our mind. So no bombs that fall or missiles that track helpless B747s
So what you get here is an aircraft, nothing more and nothing less. It is most likely as complex as any
aircraft for FSX has ever been, most certainly it is about 6 times more complex than FS2004 could show.
It’s so good that several parts of this project are now used to train actual F-16 pilots.
CREDITS
Concept Mathijs Kok (Aerosoft)
Modeling/Texturing Tim Taylor (Aerosoft) , Stefan Hoffmann (TinyUniverses)
Liveries Dag Roger Stangeland, Vincent Van Yperen, Raymond Rotmans
Flight Models John Cagle
System/Animations Hubertus Fuest (Aerosoft), Raphael Jakob (Aerosoft), Finn Jacobsen
Flaps DLL Hans Hartmann
MFD’S & HUD Scott Printz
Project Management Mathijs Kok (Aerosoft)
Manuals Mathijs Kok (Aerosoft)
Manual Corrections Christoph Beck
Installer Andreas Muegge (Aerosoft)
Above anything else we should credit Finn, Vin, Dag and Raymond, they were of incredible help to this
project and we can honestly say they were the ones who saved it on at least two occasions.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
F-16 FIGHTING FALCON HISTORY
Started as a project to construct a small high maneuverable light fighter, and at lower costs than ever
before the Tactical Fighter Requirements Division of Air Force Headquarters funded a study in the early
seventies for the preliminary design and analysis of several configurations for a lightweight fighter.
Amongst other aims they wanted low wing loading and high thrust loading; knowing that this was very
difficult because of the contradistinction: low wing loading means larger wings thus more weight and
more drag and high thrust loading (thus more powerful engines) means higher fuel consumption and
thus short range. The Air Force needed a lower-cost alternative to the F-15 in modernizing and
expanding its air force and due to the political and economic situation at this time (oil crisis!!) the United
States needed a low cost fighter for export to replace a large number of aging aircraft of NATO member
countries.
PROGRAM
General Dynamics and Northrop were the finalists out of the ten competitors for the competition in
April 1972. They received about $40 each million to create two prototypes. General Dynamics had the
first one (Model 401) completed in December 1973 in Fort Worth and it was transported to Edwards
AFB, California, on January 8th 1974. Phil Oestricher, the test pilot Of General Dynamics flew the YF-16
on January, 20 1974 for its maiden flight, continued by its first official flight on February 2nd. Northop
rolled out the P-600 in April 1974 at Hawthorne, California and named it YF-17. It made its first flight at
Edwards Air Force Base on Mat 9th. December 1974 the competition ended and in 1975, on January the
13th the Secretary of the Air Force John McLucas assigned the YF-16 from General Dynamics as the
winner: “The airplane with the best performance at the lowest cost.” (Secretary of Defense James
Schlesinger).
TECHNOLOGY
Compared with the YF-17 the YF-16 had a mission radius advantage of 200 nautical miles; a sustained
turn rate advantage of 0.5 degree/second at Mach 1.2 at 30.000 feet, a fifteen second accelerating
advantage from Mach 0.9 to Mach 1.2 at 30.000 feet and a ferry range advantage of 350 nautical miles.
The most important piece of the YF-16 is the Electronic Flight Control System. For the first time ever an
aircraft was not flown by cables linking the stick to the flight control surfaces, but the complete system
was electronic and used servos to control the rudder, ailerons etc. These fly-by-wire flight controls allow
much more precise control of the aircraft than the heavy and more complex hydro mechanical flight
control system. Not only the flying qualities improved, but safety as well, because it imposes g limits to
keep the pilot from overstressing the airframe and angle of attack limits to prevent stall and departing.
The aircraft will (try to) protect the pilot from dangerous commands. In this day and age of digital
aircrafts (most obviously the Airbus aircraft were designed with this in mind) it is hard to imagine what a
revolution fly-by wire was.
Conventional aircraft require constant downward loads on the horizontal tail to maintain their flight
level. The F-16 FCS however is designed with “relaxed static stability”: high speed computers (however,
compared to the machine you run your simulator on they seem incredibly slow) stabilize the aircraft at
any desired cruise speed or maneuver condition by making quick, small adjustments to the control
surfaces so controlled flight is maintained. Without the computer the aircraft cannot be flown. Even the
best pilot would not be fast enough to react.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
MODELS AND PRODUCTION
In 1975 when the U.S. Air Force started its production, Belgium, The Netherlands Denmark and Norway
followed with their orders a few months later, bringing the initial program to 998 aircraft. Ten years
later, 17 air forces in 16 nations had ordered more than 3,000 F-16s. In 1983 the 1000th aircraft was
delivered, the 2,000th in 1988, the 3000th in 1991 and the 4000th in 2000. During its production time the
F-16 had of course extensive changes, i.e. choice of engines, night attack capabilities etc. The MLU (MidLife Update) started in 1991, modernizing the avionics with the latest technologies, cockpit and the
latest weapons and added ‘over the horizon’ capability. Nowadays more than 4,200 F-16’s have been
delivered to 19 countries. F-16s are notoriously difficult to divide into models and variants. ‘Blocks’ and
‘models’ are intertwined into a bewildering list. But here are the most important variations.
Block 1,Block 5 and Block 10 for USAF and the first European countries.
Block 15 two hardpoints added to the chin of the inlet, larger horizontal tails, wide-angle Head-
Up-Display, system for ‘over the horizon’ weapons.
Block 20 increased maximum weight for 9 g maneuvers, MLU cockpit, avionics and other
provisions
Block 25 First F-16C/D models, increased multi role capacity.
Block 30/32 two new engines: F110-GE-100 and F100-PW-220. computer memory expansion
and seal-bonded fuselage fuel tanks
Block 40/42 Various modifications/product improvements in.clude the chaff/flare dispenser
and the advanced radar warning receiver.
Block 50/52 Capable of using the Lockheed Martin low-altitude navigation and targeting for
night (LANTIRN) system.
Block 60 larger fuel tanks for greater range, new cockpit displays, an internal sensor suite, a new
mission computer and other advanced features including a new agile beam radar.
Block 60/62 Projected development, subject to customer demand. No firm configuration,
specifically designed for the United Arab Emirates.
F-16A Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan, rated at 12,240 lb.s.t. dry, 14,670 lb.s.t. full
military, and 23,830 lb.s.t. with afterburning.
Maximum speed: Mach 2.05 at 40,000 feet. Service ceiling 55,000 feet. Maximum range 2400
miles. Initial climb rate 62,000 feet per minute.
Dimensions: wingspan 32 feet 9 1/2 inches, length 49 feet 3 1/2 inches, height 16 feet 8 1/2
inches, wing area 300 square feet.
F-16B Standard tandem two-seat version of F-16A; fully operational both cockpits; fuselage
length unaltered; reduced fuel.
F-16C Current production version, capable of all-weather operations and compatible with
Beyond Visible Range (BVR) missiles.
F-16D Standard tandem two-seat version of F-16C.
F-16 Mid-Life Update (MLU) provides the A and B models with new radar, cockpit and
computer, which makes it possible to fly night and day missions and in all weather conditions.
In its complete development the external model hardly changed at all. Because of the excellent
aerodynamic and structural design of the original F-16, the external lines never needed serious change.
The F-16’s growth potential, however, has been fully utilized. The aircraft has undergone six major block
changes incorporating four generations of core avionics, five engine versions, five radar versions, five
electronic warfare suites and two generations of most other subsystems.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
FUTURE PLANS
As there are already unmanned aircraft, the so-called Uninhabited Combat Air Vehicles (UCAV),
Lockheed Martin is researching a demonstration type of an unmanned F-16 to prove autonomous
vehicle control, up-link command technologies, and to develop operational requirements. But also there
are also studies to modify the F-16 into a remotely piloted drone: the aircraft could be piloted from the
ground.
Another idea, the F16 UCAV has a sixty-foot wingspan and 22,100 pounds of internal fuel capacity. The
configuration could maintain an un-refueled, eight-hour presence on a nominal combat air patrol
mission. A prototype could be built and flying in less than two years.
The Joint Strike Fighter of Lockheed-Martin and the EuroFighter, built by a consortium from Germany,
Italy, Spain and the UK, is chosen by most NATO countries to take over from the F-16 in the next decade.
Many feel these aircraft will be last manned fighter aircraft. In that whole history the F-16 holds a very
special place, since it’s the only aircraft that has NEVER been beaten when opposing similar numbers. It
never lost a head to head combat situation.
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems Fort
Worth, Texas
Wingspan: 31 feet 0 inches without tip-mounted AAMs
32 feet 9.75 inches with tip-mounted AAMs
Wing Aspect Ratio: 3.20 : 1
Fuselage Length: 49 feet 4 inches
Overall Height: 16 feet 8.5 inches
Tail plane Span: 18 feet 3.75 inches
Wheel Track: 7 feet 9 inches
Wheel Base: 13 feet 1.5 inches
Wing Gross Area: 300.0 sq feet
Flapperons (total): 31.32 sq feet
Leading Edge Flaps : 36.72 sq feet
Fin: 43.10 sq feet
Rudder: 11.65 sq feet
Tail Surfaces: 63.70 sq feet (GE Variant)
No. Engines: One
Eng Manufacturer: General Electric
Engine Designation: F110-GE-100 turbofan
Engine Power: 27,600-lbs with afterburning (P&W Variant)
OR
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
Engine Designation: F100-P-220 turbofan
Engine Power: 23,450-lbs with afterburning
Empty Weight: 18,238-lbs with F100-PW-200 turbofan
19,020-lbs with F110-GE-100 turbofan
Max External Load: 12,000-lbs
Max Comb Takeoff Weight: 23,765-lbs with the F110-GE-100 turbofan
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 27,185-lbs ( F-16C with a F110-GE-100 ) for an
air-to-air mission without drop tanks
37,500-lbs ( F-16C Block 30/32 ) with maximum external load
42,300-lbs ( F-16C Block 40/42 ) with maximum external load
Wing Loading: 95.0-lb/sq ft at 28,500-lbs AUW
141.0-lb/sq ft at 42,300-lbs AUW
Thrust/Weight Ratio (cln): 1.1 to 1
Combat Takeoff Weight: 23,765-lbs with the F110-GE-100 turbofan
Maximum Internal Fuel: 6,846-lbs
Maximum External Fuel: 6,760-lbs
Maximum Ordnance: 20,450-lbs for a 5-g maneuver
11,950-lbs for a 9-g maneuver
Maximum Level Speed: Above Mach 2.0 at 40,000 feet
Service Ceiling: More than 50,000 feet
Radius of Action: 852-miles on a hi-lo-lo-hi mission with two 2,000-lb
bombs, two Sidewinders, 1,040 US gallons external
fuel, tanks dropped when empty
392-miles on a hi-lo-lo-hi mission with four 2,000-lb bombs, two
Sidewinders, 300 US gallons of external fuel, tanks retained
230-miles on 2 hour 10 min CAP mission with two Sparrows and two
Sidewinders, 1,040 US gallons of external fuel
818-miles on a point intercept mission with two Sparrows and two
Sidewinders, 1,040 US gallons of external fuel
Ferry Range: 2,417 miles with drop tanks
Symmetrical g-Limits: +9 with full internal fuel
Maximum Climb Rate: 50,000 feet per minute at sea level
Typical Take-Off Run: 2 ,500 feet at MTOW
Typical Landing Run: 2,500 feet at normal landing weight
Cannon: One internal 20-mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon with 511 rounds
AAMs: Wingtip launch rails for AIM-9L/M/P Sidewinder missiles
Alternatives to Sidewinder are MATRA Magic 2 or Rafael Python 3
Pylons: Centerline pylon stressed for 2,200-lbs at 5.5-g load; 1,200-lbs at 9-g
Inboard wing pylons stressed to 4,500-lbs at 5.5-g load; 2,500-lbs at 9-g
Center wing pylons stressed to 3,500-lbs at 5.5-g load; 2,000-lbs at 9-g l
Outboard wing pylons, usually used for additional AIM-9 carriage,
stressed to 700-lbs at 5.5-g load; 450-lbs at 9-g load
Unguided Bombs: Most unguided weaponry is authorized for carriage, including Mk 82
bombs and cluster munitions on triple-ejector racks, or Mk 84 bombs
carried singly on wing pylons.
Guided Bombs: AGM-65 Maverick anti-armor missile and Penguin anti-ship missile
(Norway). Pakistani aircraft equipped with ATLIS laser-designator and
Paveway LGBs One internal 20-mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon with 511
rounds
Smart Weapons: The F-16C/D is basically similar to the F-16A/B, but with greater accent
on "smart" weapons. Block 50/52 aircraft have full AGM-88 HJARM
capability, while LANTIRN-equipped aircraft can autonomously launch
GBU-10 and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
FLIGHT SYSTEMS
To fully understand the flying capabilities of the F-16 it is important to understand some of the main
systems and principles that make it the maneuverable fighter it is. Translated from RNoAF F-16AM
technical training documents to a very basic technical English by Dag R. Stangeland.
F-16AM FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM (FLCS)
The Flight Control System in the F-16 is a computer controlled system. The main 3 components of this
system are as follows:
Primary FLCS: Controls the aircraft in the PITCH, ROLL and YAW axis via the primary control
surfaces.
o Horizontal stabilizers (Pitch)
o Flaperon (Roll)
o Rudder (Yaw)
Secondary FLCS: The purpose of this system is to increase/optimize lift, aerodynamic braking
and enhance maneuverability. To do this the secondary control surfaces are used.
o Leading Edge Flap (LEF)
o Trailing Edge Flap (TEF)
o Speedbrakes
The Air Data System (ADS):
o The ADS transmits signals to the FLCS via a pneumatic origin, such as AOA, Airspeed,
Altitude, Mach-number, Temperature and Sideslip.
The pilot induces steering commands to the FLCS via the Side Stick Controller (SSC) and rudder pedals.
Then the signals are generated electrically and sent to the FLCS, where they are processed together with
inputs from the air data system and feedback from gyros and accelometer. Based on these inputs, the
final rudder deflection/input is generated and will determine what position the rudder should be in. The
signal from the FLCS out to the Integrated Servo Actuator (ISA) is electrically driven but the main ISA that
moves the rudder/control surface is hydraulically powered from hyd. system A and B. In addition to SSC
and rudder pedals the pilot can give inputs to the FLCS via Manual Trim Panel (MTP). The MTP can trim
the aircraft in all 3 axes. The FLCS is also equipped with an Autopilot (AP) function that can maintain
attitude, altitude and heading based on the pilot’s choice. The Horizontal Stabilizers moves the aircraft
in the pitch axis and assists during roll. They operate symmetrically in pitch maneuvering and
asymmetric during roll maneuvering. They can move 25° up and 25° down from streamline.
The Flaperons move the aircraft around the roll axis. They can deflect 23° up to 20° down from
streamline position. When the Landing Gear Handle is set to the down position, both flaperons will
automatically go down to 20° and work as Trailing Edge Flaps. If flaperon is in the TEF mode and you
maintain airspeed in excess of 240 kts the down deflection will decrease gradually from 20° and be fully
streamline when reaching 370 kts. TEF mode will then be unavailable. Rudder pedals send inputs to the
aircraft in the yaw axis. The rudder can deflect 30° to each side from the center position.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
RELAXED STATIC STABILITY
As opposed to many other aircraft the F-16 is built for an unstable mode, so called Relaxed Static
Stability (RSS). RSS means that aerodynamically the F-16’s point of lift is forward of the aircraft’s Center
of Gravity (CG). This means that with increased AOA the lift will increase and thereby the AOA will
increase and increase lift further. In the end the aircraft will break or stall. The aircraft will, as a result,
not find its stable position in flight. To control this, the FLCS is dependent continuous feedback from the
gyros and accelometers. With increased airspeed the point of lift will move aft and at a speed of Mach
1.0 the lift will be at the same point as the CG. Above Mach 1.0 the lift will be behind the CG. This means
that the F-16 is aerodynamically stable above Mach 1.0. Advantages with an unstable aircraft:
Reduced Drag
Increased maneuverability
Rapid response from pilot inputs
Smaller control surfaces which means less weight.
SPEEDBRAKES
The speed brake is controlled by the SPD BRK switch on the throttle grip. The switch has 3 positions:
Aft position is spring-loaded to mid position. With the switch in aft pos. the speed brake is
opened gradually.
Mid position. Speed brake will remain in last position used.
Fwd position. Speed brake closes to fully closed position.
The speed brake can deflect to 60° in the fully open position. With Landing Gear Handle Down and Main
Landing Gear Down and Locked the operation of speed brakes will be limited to 43° deflection to
prevent it from scraping the ground during landing. This limit can be overridden by holding the SPB BRK
switch in the aft position. If the switch is released the speed brake will go back to 43° open. When the
aircraft has Nose Landing Gear Weight On Wheel, the speed brake can be fully opened to 60° and again
function as a brake. The purpose of speed brakes is as follows:
Aerodynamic braking of the aircraft
Increase of maneuverability
Easier to control landing speed.
LEADING EDGE FLAPS
While most people are familiar with trailing edge flaps (the control surfaces at the rear of the wing that
deploy to increase lift at the expense of additional drag, the F-16 also has Leading Edge Flaps. They
increase lift during take-off and landing and automatically change the curvature of the wing in various
flying conditions. This gives better take off/landing performance, lift-to-drag ratio resulting in better
maneuverability and a more efficient vertical tail during high AoA. The LEF is mechanically driven by a
Power Drive Unit dependent on steering input from Electronic Component Assembly (ECA). The input
signals to the ECA are calculated from Mach-number, AoA and Altitude, during flight. The LEF can deflect
from 2° to 25° dependent on what the ECA tells it to do. On landing the LEF will automatically go to 2°
UP position when the aircraft has Weight On Wheels and the speed on wheels is 60 kts. The LEF is
controlled by the LE Flaps switch. This has two positions; AUTO or LOCK. It remains in AUTO during
normal flight. If put in LOCK it will remain in the position it is set, independent on what the ECA says.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
FLIGHT MODELS IN FSX
The described systems all have been faithfully reproduced in the FSX version of the F-16 and result in an
aircraft that is easy to fly. Very easy to fly in fact as it tends to go where the nose is pointed. As long as
you follow the checklists and the data note in there you should find no great difficulties in handling the
F-16.
There are two aspects though, that have proven difficult to our testers. The first is that landing. Most
people who fly the aircraft for the first time tend to have problems reducing speed enough and crash on
landing. Both these problems can be solved with Aerodynamic Braking. During your approach you keep
a high AoA (so your nose is not pointed where you are going but much higher) and after touchdown you
keep the nose up and let the drag slow you down until you get to 80 knots and you can start to use your
wheel brakes.
The second issue the testers found hard to understand how the configuration of the aircraft affects the
handling. The F-16 can carry seriously large loads and most of it is external. So apart from the extra
weight you also have to handle the extra drag. While a fully loaded Cessna still flies very similar to an
empty one, the difference between an F-16 configured for a demo flight and one that is ready for a long
range bombing mission is immense.
All the models in this product have separate flight models that are linked to the type of engine, F-16
model and above all the external stores. The more pods, missiles, tanks or bombs below your aircraft
the heavier it is and the more drag it has. More important, the
aircraft performance will be affected and limited. Depending on
the external stores the maximum G-load the aircraft can handle
will differ.
On the Store screens you can see the stores on your aircraft. It
also shows if you are in CAT III or CAT I condition. CAT III has
limitations such as limited turn performance below Mach 0.7 and
pitch damping to counter excessive AoA (18 degrees at CAT III
and 25 degrees at CAT I). On the same screen you will find the
max G the aircraft can handle. Do not be surprised to break
things when you exceed this value. Contrary to general belief the
flight systems do not fully prevent the pilot from exceeding these
values! Knowing the aircraft you fly is vital.
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Aerosoft F-16 Fighting Falcon 1.00 Manual
VIEWS AND PANEL NAVIGATION
The cockpit of the F-16 is rather special as there are very few aircraft that give that much external
visibility. The whole cockpit is very low and when you sit in it you really feel like you are sitting on top of
the aircraft. For flight simmers this brings a new problem as many of the controls are not visible in the
default views.
TRACKIR AND MOVING VIEWPOINTS
By far the best solution is to use a view system like TrackIR that adds huge realism to this product by
panning your view as you move your head and even moving your viewpoint. If you move your head
sideways and forwards, it allows you to look UNDER some of our panels. There is nothing that comes
close to this and we can’t advise this enough. See below to see a view that is only possible with one of
these devices.
Now we assume your joystick has at least a pan option that allows you to slew your view, but this might
still hide some panels behind the throttle or the side stick. To solve this we advise you to assign some of
the buttons on your joystick to moving the viewpoint itself. When you are able to move the view
direction (standard on most joysticks) and the view position (as advised here) you have unlimited
freedom.
Page 14 of 46
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