This quick article talks about how to get the most out of setting up your joystick controller to get the best Advanced Flight Model (AFM) experience with the F-16 in BMS. The FLCS for the F-16 is coded exactly as the real aircraft’s; therefore the controller has to be “setup” like the real one. If not, the aircraft will be more difficult to control and could react badly in some situations. Be aware that many studies have been done during F-16 development about the axis curves and I really doubt a desktop simulator pilot could end up with better overall control than the real aircraft.
Because the FLCS and aircraft response is so sensitive to controller set up, I have decided to directly code the correct controller’s response within the FLCS module so that the user has to just set up his controller with a linear response to get his controller response perfectly set in the sim.
The graphs below are for information only. You do not really need to know what the curves applying in the FLCS are, as they are already built in.
For Standard joystick users, make sure your controller has a linear response curve.
For Force joystick users (such as the FCC and Real Sim FSSB), make sure your controller has a linear response curve. And if you want to get the same physical force requirements as the real aircraft, make sure that your min/max output values are corresponding to the min/max forces on the graphs below. (This is more for the serious cockpit builder and does not apply to most users)
NOTE: If you have a force sensor stick and are unable to set a force sensitivity with dip switches (i.e., you have the FCC sensor), you can change the Upper and Lower dead zones for the X and Y axes (in the Axis Shaping tab in the Cougar Control Panel) so that the “Windows position” is maxed out, but the “Physical position” is not maxed out. This will give you full control response within Windows and the simulator without having to max out the physical force required on the actual stick. This allows you to achieve full authority while still using a linear response curve. No matter what force requirements you desire, you need to have a linear response to get the most accurate behavior.
(For FCC users) And unless you have your joystick firmly secured to your desk (and you like an arm workout), you should consider using the rubber grommets included with the sensor instead of the metal ones, thus requiring less force to achieve maximum authority.
