Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
DCS F/A-18C Hornet: The King of Stand-Off Attack
The F/A-18C Hornet is the king of stand-off attack in DCS World. Here's why!
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STAFF PROFILE
Co-founder
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He continues to explore past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers.
WORKS
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- May 13
- 4 min
DCS World: Dying for the "Perfect Shot"
An opinion piece that discusses the concept of getting the "perfect shot" Digital Combat Simulator and the problems with pursuing it.
Skyward Staff
- May 10
- 6 min
DCS World F-15E Strike Eagle: What We Know so Far and Our Thoughts
Let's talk about the upcoming F-15E Strike Eagle for DCS World, its capabilities, limitations and what we will be able to do at launch!
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- May 3
- 4 min
At Skies' Edge: Stealth Dropped Flight Game
Our thoughts on At Skies' Edge, shadow dropped indie flight game from 2017 suddenly reappearing in 2023.
Skyward Staff
- Apr 19
- 4 min
Skyward Flight Media: Third Year in Review
The co-founders of Skyward Flight Media take a pause from content creation to reflect on the third year of operations.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Apr 12
- 3 min
DCS MB-339: Accidental Purchase, Genuine Interest
Accidentally bought the MB-339 for DCS World? I guess it is time to see what it has in store and learn something while I'm at it!
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Apr 8
- 11 min
Interview: Nova Squadron, Lead Developer Clara Gale
Clara Gale is an indie game developer working on Nova Squadron. We speak to her after the game's alpha demo debut at Steam Next Fest 2023.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 18
- 4 min
DCS World: Oops, All Aces
Consider this a reminder to check your old DCS missions for large amounts of Ace pilots that are now overwhelming the gameplay experience.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 15
- 2 min
OASES: 'Kaleidoscopic Elegiac Flyscape'
A well-wish to someone they never knew, OASES is more of a "flight experience" than a "flight game.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 8
- 3 min
Air Conflicts: Flawed Head Tracking
A thoughtful addition to the Air Conflicts series with a rough execution. Very much like the series itself.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 1
- 12 min
Frontiers Reach: Release Day Interview
Frontiers Reach has left early access. Read our release day interview with the project's lead developer to learn more about this title.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Feb 15
- 3 min
The Brew Barons: Expanding the Open World
Development of The Brew Barons towards its full release continues. We discuss how its open world continues to expand.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Feb 11
- 4 min
Creator Highlight: Showtime112
Highlighting a creator using Digital Combat Simulator and War Thunder to present historical air combat from around the world.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Feb 1
- 6 min
First Impression: Nova Squadron (Steam Next Fest Alpha Demo 0.1.0)
Our first impression of alpha demo 0.1.0 for Nova Squadron by Clara Gale. Play this demo early before Steam Next Fest 2023.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jan 28
- 3 min
DCS World: Buddy Bombing!
An uncommon tactic for helping wingmen that have lost situational awareness get their laser guided bombs on target. Form up, pickle now!
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jan 18
- 4 min
PICO-8: Combat Chopper
No longer satisfied with occasionally roaming around on the website, I recently made the plunge and purchased a PICO-8 "fantasy game...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jan 4
- 4 min
Apache Air Assault: Presentation of Ranged Combat
An analysis of Apache: Air Assault's reasonable presentation of ranged combat using radar, sensors and FLIR and more.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Dec 28, 2022
- 5 min
Ace Combat: Player-Controlled Strategic Bombers
A retrospective piece discussing the era of player controlled strategic bombers in the Ace Combat series.
Skyward Staff
- Dec 14, 2022
- 2 min
Flight Sim Expo 2023 Registration Begins December 17th, Skyward Discount Code
Registration for Flight Sim Expo 2023 begins on December 17th. 10% discount code available. Read for more information.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Nov 16, 2022
- 13 min
VRChat Airshow Management with the Black Aces Stunt Team
An interview with Riko and Uni Power, leaders of the Black Aces Stunt Team, about performing airshows for live VRChat audiences.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Nov 8, 2022
- 4 min
Creator Highlight: Dslyecxi
Dslyecxi and his group, Shack Tactical, provide examples of air operations I've always dreamed of flying in Arma 3.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Nov 2, 2022
- 3 min
Clouds 2.8: An Opinion on DCS 2.8's New Dynamic Weather
I have hopes that the fair weather flyer status quo will begin to change with DCS 2.8's dynamic weather.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Oct 18, 2022
- 5 min
TALD: Enhancing DCS World Coordinated Strikes
The Tactical Air Launched Decoys, or TALDs, are one of DCS' most underrated tools! Let's talk about their usefulness on the battlefield.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Sep 17, 2022
- 5 min
DCS World: Understanding the Interest in the "Foothold" Mission
The easiest way to describe what it provides is "task-focused gamification" without compromising simulation.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Sep 10, 2022
- 4 min
VRChat Aviation: The potential of the Open World Movement Logic System
The Open World Movement Logic system brings long distance flights to VRChat aviation and new potential to flight on this platform.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Sep 3, 2022
- 4 min
Macross: Flying 4th Generation Fighters Against Futuristic Mecha
Two games from the Macross series let stubborn fighter jocks fly fixed-wing fighters against futuristic transforming robots.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Aug 24, 2022
- 3 min
Ace Combat 7: Playing with the Fog of War
In my view, the closing missions of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown continue to be some of the most memorable missions in the series as far...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Aug 17, 2022
- 3 min
Flying Carrot CAP in Hare Fare
My latest adventure into indie flight games led me to a cutesy planetoid in need of irrigation, bug swatting, and a long-eared pilot hero.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Aug 12, 2022
- 7 min
DCS World: Keybinds for Improved Jester AI Coordination
Multi-crew capable aircraft are some of the most interesting modules in the Digital Combat Simulator World. Operating a full-fidelity...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jul 27, 2022
- 5 min
Aggressor: 'New Horizons' Looks to the Future
The first major update to Aggressor since its early access launch now positions the game for a better future.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jul 19, 2022
- 3 min
Project Wingman MG-29: Cost Effective Multirole Master
An opinion piece about the MG-29 and why it is the cost effective multirole master of Project Wingman.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jul 8, 2022
- 6 min
Interview: Aerovery Lab, Developer of Flight of Nova (Early Access 2022)
An exclusive interview with Aerovery Lab about Flight of Nova, a new space flight simulator game!
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jun 29, 2022
- 5 min
GroundFall: June 2022 Bush Flight Survival Testing
Testing the latest survival elements in GroundFall; a still in development open world bush flight simulator.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jun 1, 2022
- 3 min
Hands on Console and Stick: Atari 2600 F-14 Fighter Simulator
As someone that collects and plays retro video games as a hobby, the Atari 2600 has a special place in my collection. Something akin to...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- May 18, 2022
- 7 min
Star Wars: CAS Strikes Back!
The counterattack on Takodana in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens solidified Poe Dameron's position as "one hell of a pilot"....
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- May 10, 2022
- 7 min
Flight in Ghost Recon: Wildlands
A helicopter drops a sniper onto the side of a cliff in the dead of night. Minutes later, a pair of operatives leap from the aircraft,...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Apr 13, 2022
- 4 min
Opinion: Tiny Combat Arena Is Better Than Ever
Tiny Combat Arena is better now that it ever has been. A staunch supporter presents their opinion.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 29, 2022
- 5 min
Yukikaze: DIY CIWS
That's not a fluke, that's a feature. Since the beginning of the genre, combat flight simulators of all difficulties and complexity have...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 9, 2022
- 6 min
Wing Breakers: First Impression
Have you ever aileron roll a pair of flying cows off your wing while flying through a barn? Well, I have, and let me tell you, the guy in...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Mar 1, 2022
- 8 min
The Brew Barons (Demo): First Impression
Launching from the dawn-soaked sea as night turns to day, with a fresh batch of brews in the cargo hold and distant islands holding...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Feb 16, 2022
- 4 min
Ace Combat Stealth Missiles: Historical Inspiration, Real World Technology
Even the most unconventional and outright sci-fi elements of the Ace Combat series often have connections to real-world aircraft,...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Feb 8, 2022
- 3 min
Eole: Letting the Mind Soar
The beauty of indie games is their willingness to do the unexpected. To intentionally step outside of the well-worn pathways games have...
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Feb 5, 2022
- 14 min
Creator Highlight Month 2022: Solutus Eversol
The fifth entry of Creator Highlight Month 2022 is with Solutus Eversol. A guide to the worldbuilding of Ace Combat.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jan 29, 2022
- 15 min
Creator Highlight Month 2022: Sacchan
The fourth entry of Creator Highlight Month 2022 is with Sacchan, founder and lead developer behind VRChat aviation.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jan 26, 2022
- 4 min
DCS World: Winning the Entire Mission in a Single Sortie?
Recently formed opinion on why people do too much at once in DCS World PvE.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Jan 7, 2022
- 16 min
Creator Highlight Month 2022: Shadé
A flight machinima creator that has brought aviation to Besiege through her detailed aircraft designs and dynamic videos.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Dec 18, 2021
- 8 min
Jester A.I: Unexpected FAC(A) in DCS World
Forward Air Controller (Airborne) (FAC-A) is one of the most complex roles a modern-day military pilot could engage in.
Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Dec 3, 2021
- 11 min
The Brew Barons: Kickstarter Pre-Launch Interview with Lifetap Studios
There are times when you experience an unanticipated piece of media that leaves a lasting impression. Weeks ago, while scrolling through...
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