The indie flight game focused series continues with a new contributor Hey, howa’ doin. My name is Matthew Nguyen, otherwise known by my online handle: FlyAwayNow. I am the writer and producer of Project Wingman and its ongoing developments, as well as beyond. I think I can fairly say that I understand combat flight action, arcade flight sims, Acelikes, Ace Combat, at least better than most, and I have from a young age. I’ve been working on games that involve easy access combat dogfighting since I was 15, and I’m 28 now, and if it means anything, me and Ace Combat share a birthday, separated by only two years. This wasn’t what I set out to do as a young man; in college I dual majored in both Political Science and American Studies in order to serve the political campaigns that I knew would always come around every few years in the United States, but an offhand conversation I had, along with my pre-history of also working on another combat indie game flight project as a young teenager, lined up for me my part in Project Wingman, and well, the rest is History. In the time since Project Wingman has released, I’ve traveled far and seen many things, and I’ve seen the beginnings of many more combat flight indie games and I’ve come to know quite a few of the devs behind them. The series that I present to you with the help of Skyward Flight Media is a unique insight to perhaps what would be the next generation of combat flight games, inspired by all that came before, and even things that have yet to come to pass. Ace Combat’s eighth entry is yet to arrive as we crest over the 30th anniversary of the series, and indeed for as much as they define what we know in this arcade segment of flight sims, there are still yet other factors yet to consider: other games that might very well leave a mark that as all things must, upon this genre in its broadest definitions and then its narrower focus. This is why in these following articles I offer questions, answers, and then insight for those that could very much change the landscape, or the sky more rightly speaking, of the games to takeoff. I sat down with multiple developers in this genre, some of whom I work with even now to bring their games to you, the player, and started a dialog so you can get to know both game and developers behind what might be your new favorite game in the future!  - To start us off, we have to get a good idea of who we’re working with, and, in the indie space more than anything, the person making them is far more of a consequence than institutional or studio-based productions. Indie projects are very much advised by the people making them just by reality of the lesser amount of hands in their creation, and therefore, the tighter control one would have over what is made. The particular main creator identity of Undertale, as an extreme example, is far more apparent in this way than, say, the creators of Call of Duty’s entries. You can identify game elements specific to a person, and just as much you would learn about them through the game, vice versa is also true. Now not all creators are particularly illuminated by this relationship between the Thing and then Themselves, but it is a place to start. So I approached this mostly new generation of flight devs, and I asked them these, or at least variations of, these questions: Who are you? Why did you decide to start working on your game? What do you want your game to be? Here is how they answered. Some had more to say, some had less to say, and some I was compelled to push a little further, but it just shows you the diversity of thought we have in the future for us! Enjoy! Aggressors: Fantasy Air Combat Website Links: Game | Developer Who are you? My name is Sani , and I'm primarily a 3D artist. I really don't know how to describe myself, but people have told me I'm an eccentric individual who is passionate about many things, but above all else, I simply love to create things. Why are you making this game, and this type of game specifically? The core idea for Aggressors came from my experience switching back and forth between simulator flight games like DCS World and the arcade gameplay of Ace Combat. I found myself thinking about what I loved and disliked in both and began to wonder what would happen if you combined them. This led to the game's central concept: a fascinating contrast between grounded realism and imaginative fantasy. I'm a huge fan of military aviation, and real-world history. but I'm also an otaku who loves sci-fi and fantasy anime settings. Aggressors is my attempt to make a setting that is just everything I love. I'm want a game with mechanics that are a line between true-to-life and not because I want to explore an interesting form of gameplay: in a realistic scenario, how would one actually deal with the fantastical, over-the-top threats you see in games like Ace Combat, and how can that translate into fun, compelling gameplay? I believe that experimentation is what pushes games forward. I am not the first to attempt to make a game like this, in the past during the early 2000s there were many older aircraft games that tried to tackle this- but they often had poor sales due to the nature of video games back in the day. However, in the modern day, If you do things too straight, you just end up making more of the same and it does not stand out. By doing something unexpected with the setting or gameplay, you might just create the next fresh experience, and it might sell well. This philosophy also extends to the game's setting itself, which is based on a science-fantasy universe I've been writing for years with a friend. This game is my first opportunity to share a part of that universe with people. I don't expect my game to do well, but I think this is a blessing as it encourages me to try many new things. What do you want this game to be? Aggressors is simply my dream game, that's all I want it to be. But my ultimate hope is for the end result to inspire at least one person to passionately create something of their own, just as I have. This is my first real attempt at developing a game, and it's a journey I've undertaken mostly by myself, with occasional help from a small number of friends. I believe we have to create our own purpose in life, and I want mine to be building things that inspire others. If Aggressors can leave a lasting mark on even a single person and encourage them to create, then I will consider it a success. Hyperlink to post. From what you've put out there and from what you've shared with me, yeah this gameplay, if it's not more "realistic", I would say it's rather more tactical and conservative in terms of the absolute capability of the player. As in, just for example, in Ace Combat you have at base an aircraft with nearly 100 all aspect missiles that can deal with literally every target in those games. You've avoided something like this. How far do you think you'll push that aspect of Aggressors? Firstly, I want to clarify my philosophy on "realism." For Aggressors, it means modeling the real-world elements I find fun and discarding anything that obstructs that fun. A perfect example is missile defense: you can notch and beam an enemy's missile to evade it instead of using countermeasures, but for the sake of keeping things fun the player, your own missiles can't be notched or affected by ground clutter. Similarly, the game has a simplified flight model that allows for intense, low-speed dogfights and high AOA maneuvers, but I refuse to model things like G-force damaging the aircraft, as that's just an obstacle to the fun. This creates a unique dynamic I'm already feeling happy with as it makes the game incredibly fast paced due to the unrealistic gameplay meshing well with the semi-realistic elements. Though to answer your question directly, Aggressors is absolutely designed to be more tactical. You need to prioritize targets and effectively manage your wingmen. The gameplay becomes a balancing act of asking yourself, "What should I focus on killing?" versus "What can I afford to ignore?" or even "I'll let my wingmen handle that." While missions will still feature large-scale battles, the core loop is about completing your objective while simply trying to survive and doing as much damage as possible along the way. You will almost always have the option to return to base to rearm and repair, but you have to be mindful of ammunition costs also. I know this more deliberate style of gameplay won't be for everyone. That’s why I’ve already implemented optional modifiers, like an "Arcade Weapon Load" for those who just want to shoot things down, as well as toggles for other hardcore mechanics. But you are right—at its core, my approach is a more tactical take on it. What do you think you'll keep from Ace Combat to put across from your take here. The control scheme. It's perfect. For a gamepad, the way those games handle is something I've grown to love, and I see no reason to change it aside from adding extra inputs for the manual airbreak control and counter-measures. I'm also taking some general inspiration from its UI layout. Worth to mention, the game will be able to be played without a gamepad, but I think the experience greatly benefits from anything with an analog input. Beyond that, however, my goal is to diverge significantly from the Ace Combat formula. My approach to storytelling, for instance, will be far less direct instead of it being essentially an audio drama. The game will feature a hub world where the larger narrative comes together, while dialogue during missions will serve more as small-scale banter or clues to the bigger picture. Ultimately, it will be entirely different. The most accurate comparison isn't another acecom-like game. Instead, a closer description would be a 3rd-generation Armored Core title that plays like Ace Combat with a JRPG style of story telling. Which sounds actually not that great when I put it to words, but I think it can work great.  Hyperlink to post. Any closing thoughts or things you want to say? Thank you so much for the interview. I'm incredibly grateful for the chance to be given a chance to talk about my project. It means a lot to be able to be on some people's radar. I'd also like to take this moment to give a huge thanks to the friends who have supported me. While this project has largely been a solo endeavor, it wouldn't be what it is without the help I've received along the way. A special thanks to my best friend "N", with whom I've been building this science-fantasy universe for years and is a huge contributor; this game is the first real opportunity to share a piece of that world, and I'm so excited to finally do so.  To everyone who has followed the development, offered encouragement, or shown interest in this passion project—thank you. Your support, no matter how small, has been invaluable in keeping the motivation going. There's also a few who have given me financial support; don't worry. You are not forgotten. This game is my dream project, a combination of everything I love. My greatest hope with it is that all this passion and experimentation results in something that might inspire at least one other person to go out and create something they want to make. Thanks again for everything. Modern Jet Fighters Online Website Links: Game Who are you? I'm wh00ps with Freak Games, the developer of Modern Jet Fighters Online . I grew up playing IL-2 Sturmovik, DCS, War Thunder, and Ace Combat. These games shaped my vision of what air combat should feel like in games — where every attack is a decision, and every victory is earned through skill, not luck. Beyond games, I’ve always had a deep fascination with real-world aviation — especially jet fighters. There’s something timeless and powerful about these machines: the speed, the precision, the danger. That passion is the foundation for everything I’m building.  Why are you making this game and this type of game? Because there’s still no truly compelling air combat game on mobile devices. We’re taking the best elements from PC simulators and arcade shooters and making them fast, tight, and most importantly — exciting and intuitive to play on a mobile platform. You don’t need to buy a joystick, sit down at a PC, configure TrackIR, or spend time “preparing for a match.” In Modern Jet Fighters, you launch the game and you’re in the sky within 30 seconds, facing other players. Whether you have five minutes or half an hour — you’ll get a real battle, powerful emotions, and that unmistakable feeling of being a fighter pilot. What do you want this game to be? I want to create the best flight combat game on mobile. A game where, with just a tap, players can drop straight into the heart of a dogfight — no waiting, no loading screens, no unnecessary prep. What matters to me is that every battle feels like a scene from iconic movies (Top Gun, Independence Day, or Stealth.) As a kid, I was filled with excitement and awe watching those films — the aircraft, the tension, the spectacle. Modern Jet Fighters Online is a reflection of those childhood emotions — brought to life and made playable. And if the game can pass on even a fraction of those feelings to players — then I’ll know I’ve done it right. MJF Online very much punches above its weight in terms of the visual and audio design of it; I have to ask if you do have wider experience developing games or productions like this. Yes, I’ve already developed and released several mobile games, for example: Sector Invaders, Pests Buster. However, I’ve always been drawn to session-based online shooters with competitive gameplay. That passion led me to create StarCombat and Zombie Legends later. StarCombat gave me the technical and creative foundation to build a high-quality air combat experience. Modern Jet Fighters is a natural evolution of that journey. I’ve had a fascination with modern aviation since childhood, and this project let me finally bring that interest to life in a polished, competitive mobile format. As for the audio design—music has always been a part of my life. I play guitar, write instrumental tracks, and have a strong background in audio engineering. That definitely helped shape the game’s sound direction and gave me the tools to craft an immersive, reactive audio environment around the action. Hyperlink to post. So what is the typical gameplay loop of MJF Online? Is it similar to War Thunder's PVP experience for comparison? Is there a place for people in your game that don't enjoy PVP gameplay? I didn’t try to reinvent the wheel—I build on proven, familiar gameplay systems, but tailor them specifically for mobile and try to bring our own flavor to the genre. The core gameplay loop, especially in early progression, revolves around short, intense battles where players earn experience and currency to unlock upgrades and new aircraft. As they rank up, the gameplay expands with new maps, advanced gear, and competitive features. At the high end, the game introduces systems like weekly tournaments. Every player is automatically entered, and at the end of the week, the top 10 performers receive premium rewards, exclusive titles, and unique skins. Their names are added to the in-game Hall of Fame—a permanent place in the game's history. Example of gameplay on a mobile phone. As for PVE—while I don’t offer traditional offline missions, try to make space for PVE-focused players within live sessions. For example, destroying all ground targets can lead the team to victory. Players who prefer a more tactical or support role can make a real impact without having to chase air-to-air kills. That said, I am actively listening to players who want offline missions or narrative-driven campaigns. Exploring ways to integrate these into the experience without breaking the competitive spirit—or the economics—of a free-to-play game. But for now, our focus is firmly on delivering the best possible session-based online combat. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the result is not just mine, since I use the services of freelancers, purchase music, ready-made sounds and game assets on the appropriate sites on the Internet. All this is done by very talented people and the way the game looks, sounds and feels is also their merit.  Any closing thoughts or things you want to say? Thanks so much for the opportunity to share the story behind this project and the ideas that inspired it. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to collaborate with all kinds of people — freelancers, early te sters, and passionate community members across our Discord , TikTok , and X . Interacting with the audience has always felt like a breath of fresh air and a reminder that what we’re building truly matters to others.  I’d also like to express my gratitude to my partners at MicroProse. I’ve been fortunate to receive support and guidance behind the scenes, which has played a major role in shaping the project’s vision. Their involvement created the conditions that finally allowed me to bring many long-standing ideas to life — ideas that have directly influenced what the game looks and feels like today.  Now, after five years of development — and thanks to a bit of luck and a lot of support — the game is finally nearing its next big milestone: closed testing, planned for the coming months. Looking back, it’s been a long, sometimes chaotic, but deeply rewarding journey — and I’m incredibly excited for what’s ahead. About the Interviewer Matthew "FlyAwayNow" Nguyen Artwork by alice (@atrousyolks) Producer, writer, incidentally personified online as a rooster. One of the three main developers of Project Wingman and now working across the board on several other combat flight videogames, audioplays, podcasts, and books. Advocate for indie creators, fanfiction, and critical analysis of what you love. [ Bluesky  / Linkedin  / X.com ]

One of the best "mistakes" I have made in this simulator This is a story that I'm somewhat embarrassed by, but proud enough to tell in public. Back in November 2022, some of the Skyward Flight Media staff were eager to get their hands on the Aermacchi MB-339A created by IndiaFoxtEcho for Digital Combat Simulator. As always, when a new official module or unofficial mod is released for this simulator, we coordinate content ahead of time. After a bit of a mix-up, we missed our usual window to acquire the aircraft. It was during a pre-planned night of fun with friends and stiff drinks that we realized this, and I accidentally acquired a copy of the MB-339 for myself and not our primary DCS content creator, Santiago "Cubeboy" Cuberos . After some laughter, Cubeboy got his copy for the review he wrote, but I found myself now owning an aircraft that I previously had little to no interest in. Making the best of it, we decided to test multicrew functions as a part of Skyward's review of the MB-339 . With me flying in the trainee seat, studying the aircraft seriously for the first time, I found myself genuinely having a great time. Despite my roughly two years of experience with DCS, in a way, the "Macchi" is teaching me some new things. With the bulk of my experience being with 4th generation naval aircraft and dabbling in a few mods, the flight characteristics and capabilities of the MB-339 are training me to fly a bit differently. It represents the basics of land based fixed wing aircraft operations. With less thrust, fewer flight systems and limited armament, the finer details of each sortie were now more important than ever. Having no radar warning equipment or radar at all forces me to revert to better flight planning and more reliance on visual scanning while in combat. While this jet trainer/light attacker is technologically limited, it is still combat effective when flown in missions that are within its ability. Using gun pods for a SEAD mission may not be the best tactic, but it excels in quick strike missions that dump bombs or rockets onto a target in one or two passes. I've also had success with loitering in an area, using smoke rockets to mark targets for allied units to obliterate a short time later. Thanks to the simplicity of the MB-339, it's easier to learn while still having relevant flight control and navigation systems in the cockpit. The cockpit flow is easy to understand with clear labelling. Within three or four sorties (and two tail strikes on takeoff), I was airborne, navigating and fighting. With weapon deployment in particular being more hands on than usual as I had to maintain specific speeds, dive angles and altitudes to ensure the reticle depression setting of my gunsight remains accurate until the attack is complete. Maintaining the correct launch parameters from the start to the end of the attack is a very different experience. Even aged attackers like the Su-25 Frogfoot have laser range finding equipment and guided air-to-ground weaponry. In the MB-339, it's all down to the pilot. Pilotage and fine control dictate everything the Macchi does. The way I learn to fly aircraft in flight simulators is slow. Before trying to learn a new aircraft, I prefer to understand at least 80% of all systems and armaments and have enough experience to reliably use them. This is something that's relatively easy to attain with the MB-339. Within a week of seriously focusing on the aircraft, it can become an easy to reach for airframe. It's a lot of fun for relatively little effort in comparison to learning many other modules in Digital Combat Simulator. I can now personally recommend this aircraft for people looking to change things up, and even to newcomers that are in the market to purchase a genuine jet trainer to begin their DCS world experience. About the Writer 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 explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers.

Hoping a Simple Addition Becomes a Consistent Trend One of the hardest parts about mission editing in Digital Combat Simulator World (DCS) is knowing where to start. Even the free Caucasus and Marianas maps are highly detailed with hundreds of miles of fields, oceans, buildings, railways... all without much of a way to find them easily. At most the map layer in F10 may have a few hints at useful locations if you know what you are looking for. Which map? Where to start? Are there unmarked military facilities in the grid square you randomly chose, or will you commit to the arduous task of building custom villages, revetments and bases from scratch? Are you willing to do some research of the countries and regions of each map to find what you are looking for? There were some maps in DCS that offer fast references important for easier mission building. Not enough to effortlessly create missions like 107th Joint Aviation Squadron's Through The Inferno multiplayer servers or Reflected Simulations single player campaigns, but a solid building block towards greatness. In a simulator focused on combat aviation, nothing is more important than air defenses. F/A-18C deploying multiple ADM-141 decoys into air defenses. TRADITIONAL METHOD Here is an anecdote on this subject from my time mission editing. One of my tried-and-true methods in creating new missions is scrolling through maps grid by grid. Zooming in and out constantly to see individual buildings, fields, vehicles etc. Cycling through the different map layers to see all details. Any notable areas or objects I see are then added to a text file, spreadsheet or some other type of document for later reference. While planning a scenario in the Syria Map by Ugra-Media , I found an important historical part of the country's military history. Deep in the open terrain of the southern half of Syria, near the borders of Jordan, Iraq, Israel and Lebanon I found a pair of circles made up of smaller circles. In no way was this a natural landform. The "mysterious circles" that started it all. Reviewing the F10 map also yielded no information. This mystery structure had all the markings of a traditional Surface to Air Missile (SAM) Site. Specifically in the SA-2 Guideline configuration, but by standard doctrine, it had too many TELs or "missile rails". Mouse dragging my way through grid squares of surrounding desert, similar circles were revealed. Each of them strategically placed across the southern part of the country. Upon finding a second double ringed complex with no references on map, I took to the internet for days to research. Eventually I found declassified documents from the American Central Intelligence Agency Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room. In particular the " SA-5 SAM Complex Construction " and " SA-5 Complexes and Associated Facilities in Syria " were very illuminating. More research and declassified documents later, I had an entire portion of the Syrian Integrated Air Defense System (IADS) reasonably modeled within the simulator. Samples of information from declassified documents. Now of course DCS World itself is not 1 to 1 real world accurate in many aspects, exact GPS coordinates on maps being one of them. However, all of this got me close enough to model things out as needed. Now for this part of the Syria map I have a go-to set of large-scale air defenses to increase or decrease, augment with other air defenses or use as a backdrop for smaller missions that can occur in that area. It is a starting point any mission in a combat flight simulator could use. THE NEW WAY Fortunately, DCS: Sinai Map by OnReTech and DCS: Cold War Germany Map by Ugra Media are providing a new, simple in-game feature that streamlines this process. As much as I could go on about the unbelievable amount of human level detail in the Cold War Germany map, players are definitely more interested in the more combat oriented aspects of the map. Understandably so. The Fulda Gap isn't going to fill itself after all. Though, the baseline of every potential mission on the map could include the larger parts of the Integrated Air Defense networks in both North Atlantic Treaty Organization controlled West Germany and Warsaw Pact controlled East Germany. If even a quarter of it was modeled in a mission, it would be a significant backdrop to all air operations. Important military facilities, such as SAM sites and early warning radar locations, are marked on the maps with easy-to-understand icons. Missile Icons for SAM sites and Radar Icons for radar stations. In the mission editor these icons occupy the Geo Names layer, where the names of cities and towns are displayed. Sample of Cold War Germany Map radar and SAM site icons. Without doing any research, these sites can be populated with mission appropriate air defenses at the discretion of the editor. Feel free to switch out those old MIM-23 HAWK batteries for new IRIS-T launchers if your modern scenario calls for it. Though, with a bit of entry level research (e.g. search terms like "West Germany HAWK Sites", "East Germany cold war early warning radars", etc.) these positions can eventually be populated with era appropriate units. My favorite example of this being the keystones of the Warsaw Pact SAM Belt: the SA-5 Gammon bases. Mission editors will need to manually place units into the correct positions for each location, but this is a welcome change from the traditional method. Once the medium and long-range air defenses are in place - as many or few as the editor chooses to include - missions can be created beneath their air defense umbrella with editors knowing they can focus up on the finer details of their primary objectives. Map icons, and by extension air bases and heliports at notable locations, are something that I hope other third-party companies that create terrain include in future and current maps available in this simulator. SALUTING USER FILES Digital Combat Simulator has been around for over a decade now in one form or another, so it should come as no surprise that devoted users that go above and beyond to enhance their preferred flight sim have tackled this subject before. The User Files section of the official website for DCS world is mainly compromised of liveries and downloadable missions, but unit and location templates can also be found. In fact, in the File Type dropdown menu there is a Static Template sub-category. Further templates outside of that category can also be found with the search bar using terms like "Persian Gulf Template". These templates are jam packed with units - both static and active units. They are placed in known real world locations or contain pre-made areas to fill out parts of maps. While running these templates as is could be problematic as they are quite heavy. Mission editors are encouraged to save a copy of the template as a new mission. Afterwards they should trim out parts of the template they do not want to keep, then add their desired units for the scenario they have in mind for the sake of maintaining in-game performance for players. I send my regards to the dedicated experts that build these templates in the 'traditional way'. As shown in my personal example, it takes hours or days of research. About the Writer 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 explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile ]

Following the biggest-ever FlightSimExpo in June, Flight Simulation Association is excited to welcome the community to Saint Paul, Minnesota in 2026! Deals on flights and hotels are available now at flightsimexpo.com . Attendee registration opens in December. Flight Simulation Association (FSA) published travel details and discounts for FlightSimExpo 2026, taking place June 12-14, 2026 , at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, just 15 minutes from Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) in Minnesota. FlightSimExpo is one of the world’s largest dedicated flight simulation events and has welcomed almost 10,000 attendees to shows in Las Vegas, Orlando, San Diego, Houston, and Providence since 2018. The convention features developers, non-profits, virtual airlines, live ATC, seminars, product announcements, off-site tours, and much more. 2026 Schedule As in past years, attendees can expect a jam-packed weekend of announcements, hands-on exhibits and demos, product updates, developer Q&As, workshops, and more. FlightSimExpo will begin on Friday, June 12 and end on Sunday, June 14, with optional add-on tours happening on Friday, June 12 and Monday, June 15. “At our past shows, attendees have enjoyed behind-the-scenes access to air traffic control towers, airports, aerial dogfights, museum visits, and more,” says FSA Co-Founder Phil Coyle. “We’re working on offering similar experiences for FlightSimExpo 2026’s attendees, with more details on these to come in early 2026.” For the full event experience, attendees should plan to arrive in Saint Paul by Thursday, June 11 and leave on Monday, June 15. The Venue FlightSimExpo 2026 will be held at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, an 8-mile drive from Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) in Minnesota. MSP airport offers more than 130 non-stop destinations across the country and around the world. Saint Paul is also served by Amtrak's Borealis and Empire Builder routes. Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, Saint Paul—Minnesota's Capital City—features stunning venues, full-service hotels, and a sustainable convention center. Over 100 languages are spoken in this diverse city that cares for its heritage, its people, its natural places, and for those who come to visit. Amongst many other attractions, the venue is just 20 minutes from the Mall of America®, a leading retail, entertainment, and attractions destination, welcoming millions of visitors from around the world since 1992. Travel Discounts for Attendees Discounted hotel rates are available for FlightSimExpo attendees, with options ranging from $149 to $159 per night, plus local taxes. For 2026, the primary hotel is the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront, which offers elevated accommodations with sweeping views of the downtown skyline and is a 8-minute walk from the event venue. Alongside the InterCon, FlightSimExpo has secured discounted rates at a variety of nearby properties, including Hilton and Hyatt brands. Attendees can also use links from the FlightSimExpo website to save on flights from Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and codeshare partners like Air Canada and WestJet. Learn more at flightsimexpo.com/discounts . Event Registration Opens in December Attendee registration for FlightSimExpo will open in December, with special rates available to FSA Captains for a limited time. For more information about registration and to be notified when tickets become available, join the FlightSimExpo mailing list . Recordings from FlightSimExpo 2025 Each Friday, FlightSimExpo will be publishing 2025 event seminars on YouTube , free for everyone to enjoy. These community-inspired seminars feature tips and tricks from simmers, developers, content creators, and more. Dropping Friday, watch “Simulating our Real-Life Trip to FSExpo 2025!”, where YouTuber FlightChops shares how he his simulator to match the actual avionics of a real-world RV-14, and how he uses it for training. About FlightSimExpo. FlightSimExpo is one of the world’s largest flight simulation conventions. The event has welcomed almost 10,000 attendees to events in Las Vegas, Orlando, San Diego, Houston, and Providence since 2018. FlightSimExpo is produced by Flight Simulation Association, a community-driven organization of developers, simmers, and real-world pilots working to make it easier to get started in home flight simulation. Join the community today—free—at flightsimassociation.com for resources, learning content, webinars, and discounts on top add-ons and simulation hardware.

After several months of being grounded for one reason or another, I decided to finally dust off my controllers and start retraining myself to fly in DCS, which I knew was going to be quite the process depending on if I had actually retained the information from the last time I flew. I stopped flying consistently around January, and spent months without a proper flight on an actual simulator, leading to me feeling as if I had lost a part of myself. I yearned to get back into the rabbit hole that is learning systems on aircraft I would never get to fly IRL. My boys and I got together and actually, for once, booted up the simulator and started flying. At first, I was a bit shocked at the fact that I somehow managed to convince my friends to fly again in DCS. We hadn't gotten a proper flight in so long that I thought it would have been an impossibility, yet, here we are. I focused all of my training hours to reacquainting myself with Heatblur's masterpiece, the Phantom. If any plane would knock the rust out of me, it would be the archaic flying brick. I didn't even need to learn the start-up again, thankfully I remembered everything and I had my bird in the air in record time. Now, the issues started when I tried doing anything that wasn't just flying. Weapon deployment was easy enough to relearn, especially the superficially-complex but practically-simple AGM-65. With a bit of patience, I was putting warheads on foreheads in no time. I did struggle a lot to start rippling them at several targets in a short span of time, but I got pretty confident at handling one target per pass. The sight certainly doesn't help with its atrocious image quality, but it gets the job done. Bombing-wise, I got some proper practice with DT mode and Direct bombing modes. For the latter, I practiced buddy lasing with Blue and dropping GBU-12s. Coordinating with another aircraft to get ordinance on target was extremely refreshing. It reminded me that DCS is not just training hell, but an experience better enjoyed together. As for DT mode, oh boy. I had to basically relearn everything. From telling Jester my parameters, to locking the ground to acquire the position, and then the smooth pull-up after hitting the pickle button to get the bombs on target. It was such a pain, but it was well worth it. After that, I even hit up the tanker for my first refuel in 5 months, which actually ended up with me successfully refueling most of my tanks after the tanker decided to turn way too sharply. In the end, it ended up being one good, successful restart of my life as a dumb virtual pilot! The next step is just getting back into public multiplayer servers and doing the same missions I used to do. To answer the question I posed on the title: No, it is not. Go do it. About the writer Santiago "Cubeboy" Cuberos Longtime aviation fanatic with particular preference towards military aviation and its history. Said interests date back to the early 2000s, leading into his livelong dive into civil and combat flight simulators. He has been involved in a few communities, but only started being active around the mid 2010s. Joined as a Spanish to English translator in 2017, he has been active as the co-founder and writer ever since. Twitter  | Discord : Cubeboy

Feisty AI and Quality Dogfighting from a Resurging Indie Game Just a short time ago a scrappy dogfighter has entered the scene. Its developer has been hitting the indie game focused social media accounts hard, making all the right moves to gain exposure. You may have seen it by now as well. Videos of propeller driven warbirds evading missiles while flying beneath floating islands. That was enough for me to happily download the free demo and see what was going on. At first glance, Sky Aces by Fireruner seems like a quickly put together arena-esque shooter with not too much else going on. My initial perception of it being this way went straight out the window after one particular dogfight. While losing a rate fight, I found the right chance to attempt to zoom climb out of the fight against the fighter with superior maneuverability. As I climbed with a few evasive maneuvers, the pursuing fighter stalled. Unable to follow me, the enemy fighter began to pitch its nose down, only to be strafed by two of my bot teammates before it could fully recover. Tangible energy management? AI teammates taking advantage of a situation? I'm interested. The demo for Sky Aces was released before the game enters Early Access. The demo is a vertical slice for what the solo indie developer is trying to do with the game. A brief conversation with the dev revealed that they had been working on this game over the past three years as a hobby. After a break with life getting a little busy, they are back to developing Sky Aces and making quite a bit of progress as of roughly a month ago. This is a straight up dogfighter game pitting teams of up to five people or bots per team against each other. In the demo, single player 5 vs 5 player vs environment is currently available. Player VS player and other PVE modes have been discussed. This game is set to allow for online co-op gameplay with human players working together to shoot down bots on the other side. A nice inclusion to go along with its online PVP experience. In games that do not have a lot of detailed story or extensive systems outside of combat, the quality of the enemies that players fight takes center stage. On the Steam page, the developer describes their AI units as: "The AI isn’t just a target dummy. It’s dynamic, aggressive, and responsive. It will adapt to your tactics, pressure you at the worst possible moments, and punish your mistakes all while using real life air to air combat tactics!" And you know what? Confirmed. The skill level of the friendly and enemy bots is high enough for them to be a nice challenge without being the classic hyper accurate, always perfect sort of way only bots could be. If you provide them with a perfect pursuit position and lazily maneuver, the bots will absolutely dump a few dozen cannon rounds into your aircraft. But actively maneuvering in dogfights with rapidly changing airspeeds, altitudes and directions is effective against the bots. These are genuine dogfights against enemies that will both gang up on a single aircraft and spread out the fight for multiple 1-on-1 engagements. They will enter rate fights when advantageous while sometimes doing unorthodox maneuvers that seem less than ideal in certain situations. Each battle is different. The bots can both be effective in combat and make mistakes within just a few seconds. The two aircraft currently in the demo represent different flight styles to a degree. At the most basic level, the Blowgun (right picture, single aircraft) is fast and nimble. Its lightweight makes it easy to perform hit and run tactics with minimal firepower. The Buccaneer (left picture, blue and red aircraft) is an overall heavier fighter with a large concentration of cannons capable of ripping other aircraft to shreds in a second. It is still very maneuverable but with more armor. As far as damage model goes, while there is no visceral damage showing the aircraft torn apart, they can have specific components damaged and disabled. Engine, cockpit, fuselage, specific wings, etc. Even each onboard machine gun can individually be knocked out due to battle damage. All it takes is one unlucky strafe from an enemy fighter to downgrade your firepower from a burst mass machine to a single barrel hole puncher. On the subject of weapons, the inclusion of a guided missile in a game full of prop driven warbirds sounds like it would be a massive problem. With no flares or chaff to ward off an incoming missile, it could be game breaking. The balance the developer has struck is to make it so players have one missile per life. Each time players spawn they have a single missile to use and do not get a reload until they are destroyed and respawn again. The missile's maneuverability is low enough that it could be outmaneuvered if players react fast enough. Also, frankly, the audio for the missile's rocket motor is so loud it is a valid warning cue even without a radar warning receiver. Players that use the missile frequently can learn the best angles and distances to launch it from, being able to one-shot other aircraft when they least expect it. Landing a well-placed missile shot into an ongoing furball is a fine opening blow. As deadly as a hail of bullets are, I was definitely defeated by the ground just as much as I was by the enemy. Why? Over speeding my aircraft to the point of aerodynamic compressibility. Losing significant flight control input while screaming nose down at the ground at high speed. Only bringing the throttle back to idle and deploying a speed brake if available can possibly help recover. Even in high altitude air battles, diving to escape is something that needs to be done carefully. The bots are exposed to this danger as well and they do fall into it. Sometimes crashing into hills or being stuck flying in a relatively straight line while deaccelerating, making them vulnerable to attack. In an arcade leaning title like this, having a flight sim lite style restriction towards not flying everywhere at maximum throttle with no penalty is refreshing. The quick gameplay style, frequent deaths, fast respawns and engaging bite sized dogfights have been a good experience in the current flurry of development for Sky Aces. Its developer, Fireruner, has also been actively engaged in feedback with players in Steam discussions, the recently made Discord server and social media. I look forward to trying out the multiplayer game modes with a few friends in later versions of the demo to get a better feel for what this game could look like in the long-term. This article will most likely be updated in the near future with information about the multiplayer experience. Connect with 'Sky Aces' Discord Steam X.com About the Writer 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 explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile ]

Thoughts on a decent representation of a modern battlefield decoy The EF-24G Mischief  has changed VTOL VR forever. After this aircraft's introduction as purchasable downloadable content on December 21st, 2023, the virtual reality battlefields of VTOL VR  by Boundless Dynamics  now have to contend with a high speed, swing-wing electronic warfare (EW) platform. The AN/ALQ-245 advanced electronic warfare pods are the primary means to deploy defensive and offensive radar jamming capabilities, utilizing three jammer modes with three EM bands. The addition of this aircraft came with an EW game mechanic that is documented in the community made unofficial NATOPS Flight Manual for the Mischief, but for now I would like to discuss the lesser known ADM-160J Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD). ADM-160J in flight. "Trojan" The EF-24G Mischief primarily deploys the ADM-160J as an extension of its electronic warfare capabilities, rather than a mindless gliding body missile sponge. Each jet powered decoy can remain airborne for up to eight minutes, following GPS coordinate flight paths programmed by the Mischief aircrew. Decoys can either follow complex flight paths or orbit around a single waypoint until their fuel runs dry. These flight paths can be updated in real time as the situation on the battlefield changes. At the most basic level, it can use DECOY mode Signature Augmentation Subsystem (SAS) jamming to appear on radar as a different aircraft. From the size of a recon drone to manned fixed-wing fighters to combat support aircraft. Appearing as an aircraft, the MALD then operates in enemy controlled air space to hopefully cause hostile radars to activate, revealing the positions of air defenses to make them vulnerable to attack. Any sensor detected by the MALD is passed to the EF-24G controlling it, which in turn is shared with other allied aircraft via datalink. More advanced use is done in the form of stand-in NOISE jamming. Each decoy has jamming capabilities similar to the advanced EW pods carried by the EF-24G. An ADM-160J can jam across three EM bands: low, medium and high frequency. Different frequencies work better on different types of sensors. They can be set manually by a player that has a solid understanding of the EW. An AUTO mode is also available to let the MALD select the correct frequency for targets it has detected closest to each decoy without aircrew interaction. Nearby friendly aircraft can utilize the NOISE jamming from the decoys as they ingress, egress or operate in an area to enhance their own survivability. This effectively lets the EF-24G aircraft provide EW support closer to the combat area while keeping the aircraft and aircrew as far from danger as possible. EF-24G electronic warfare officer cockpit. Decoys can also be launched In COLD mode. With no pre-planning of waypoints or jamming modes selected, they will leave the aircraft, following its last launched vector of flight. Advanced electronic warfare tactics could utilize the undetected MALD in a few ways. For example, as an unexpected pop up jamming source or false contact after it penetrates enemy airspace. Similar to mimicking an unexpected fifth generation stealth fighter appearing on radar as it nears radars that burn through its stealth abilities. Making the false radar contact of a stealth fighter behind enemy lines more believable. Though each EF-24G Mischief electronic warfare aircraft can carry up to six of these decoys, it would do so by giving up its AN/ALQ-245 EW pods. While the ADM-160J is useful on its own, it should be seen as a supplement and extend the core capabilities of the EF-24G to better support friendly forces in the theater. The Mischief in flight. Representation vs Documentation I feel like I always have a lot to say about how VTOL VR provides a reasonable example of current year aerial combat. The ADM-160J Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD) and its place in the electronic warfare environment in this flight game might be one of the best representations of a modern expendable decoy in a civilian accessible flight game/simulator. I have long had an interest in the emulation of decoys such as the MALD in flight simulators and their use in the real world. Recent uses of modified Azerbaijani An-2 Colts to defeat the Armenian integrated air defense network in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (2020) and older ADM-160 variants in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War keep me ever engaged in reading up on this subject. When I think of other flight games and simulators that have air launched decoys, I quickly run out of examples. For now the most high profile example would be the ADM-141A Tactical Air Launched Decoy in Digital Combat Simulator. Besides the ADM-141 being a less capable munition in comparison to the ADM-160J, DCS as a platform is hindered by the need to adhere to official, declassified documentation for the sake of realism of legal coverage. Also, this is something the simulator prides itself on and sells itself on. As such, something like a still in service and rather classified ADM-160J MALD could never be 1:1 accurately represented in a civilian accessible flight simulator. So far, VTOL VR gives the most reasonable representation of this decoy by showing a decent portrayal of its publicly known abilities, while being fine with not adhering to a 1:1 accurate simulation. Providing a good example while side stepping pure realism at least gives the opportunity to gain a working theory of how munitions like this operate, rather than completely forgoing the experience simply because the right permissions and clearances cannot be acquired. I can appreciate this. EF-24G with heavy MALD layout. Future Flights A member of the Skyward Flight Media staff is to acquire a virtual reality headset soon and of the short-list of flight games we are to experience, VTOL VR is one of them. I had long planned to put in more flight time into this game, specifically into the EF-24G Mischief. More VTOL VR content can be expected in the near future. About the Writer 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 explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [ Read Profile ]

Okay, dead honest—my first impressions when I saw the first screenshots of this game were “what kinda blatant Ace Combat ripoff am I looking at?” Between the “totally-not-Kei Nagase” on the cover title and the brackets around the transmissions, it was kind of hard to go into this seriously. But… you know, maybe keeping my expectations low helped me warm up to the ideas I see here in Aurora Flight by Studio Wakaru (すたじおわかる). “Is that an EF2000 with elevators? SUPER EUROFIGHTER?!” From moment one, I can tell you that I struggled to navigate the game menus. I’m still not completely sure what the “equip” feature does. Pulling the trigger on this review relied on the fact that it very recently came out with an English sub patch, but it’s not complete. Thankfully the main menu is all the English you need to get rolling, and thankfully the game is fully Steam compatible with all the controller support that comes with, so no extra configuration was required. “Click this box. Or don’t. I’m not your mother.” What to make of the lackluster story I’m presented with? Would it even be considered spoilers to put a screenshot of the briefing of the third mission of the game right here? Well too bad, here it is! Bam! “Unfortunately I am also unable to read English. In fact, I’m completely illiterate.” The fact is that there’s nothing engaging here at the moment. The story starts with following a conflict on a far away planet where resources are being claimed by rival corporate factions. You fight for Terracom, an Earth-aligned corporation that has deployed your squadron on the frontier planet Zenoa. As you advance through you can feel this being an excuse plot for the time being. Perhaps someone will be able to make something of it right now, but it could use some further work. The first mission is so cliché that I groaned. Down the bombers. Kay. Fine. Got it. Tutorial time. We’ll live. It’s disingenuous to put this down. Every single flight shooter does this to get their new players acquainted with the gameplay style. And frankly, it’s darn good it did. Given all the Ace Combat signs I’ve been presented so far, I didn’t expect a true sim-lite flight model and the throttle mapped to the side stick and weapons mapped to the triggers. I needed a bit to get my bearings, and the time was appreciated. “Finally, a game to take advantage of my absurd monitor refresh rate.” The flight model is competent, if very jerky. I was stuck in a third person mode for the entire flight and I kinda wished I could switch to first-person in flight, but I wasn’t able to find a way. This feature may be available in the options menu but I refer back to my inability to read the script of the Land of the Rising Sun. It took me a bit to find out that yaw was mapped to the X axis of the side stick, which is not a default I support due to the layout often inadvertently pushing throttle inputs, but I will give credit that the default deadzone for the stick seemed to prevent it for the most part. I couldn’t get over how sensitive the control inputs were, though. I was recoiling my not-a-Rafale through the air constantly, and though I got better with time, I think a sensitivity adjustment is in order. Weapons are simple, and honestly I think the decision to simply forgo on magazine limits and give all offensive and defensive options recharge rates was a wise one. I’ve been coming around on this as an option in an evolving flight shooter landscape where ammo number inflation has been a steady creep making the numbers effectively meaningless. I was thrilled when I got my first gun kill. The tutorial talks about how the gun is for advanced users only, and frankly, they’re right, as getting a gun kill is a challenge. The throttle suffers from some of this inflation, as you do properly bleed speed in a turn, but it’s more of a trickle, and accelerating in level flight will get you that energy back in a heartbeat. “I am Mobius Gun.” There’s not much to say about the sound effects and music at this time; I chalk some of that up to the beta-status the game is in, and some of it to expectation for the target audience. Though I do get a little bit of Ace Combat 3 vibes from the low-tempo atmospheric choir-like track of the third mission. Missiles fire off with a “whoosh”, and the gun sounds like I’m shuffling a pack of playing cards. Voice acting is present, but you’ll hear a cacophony of identical voice lines as you engage enemy aircraft and you or your wingman get a missile impact. Graphics are similarly underwhelming. The cityscapes rendered in each mission I played in were nothing more than featureless blocks across an endless landscape. Because of the control jank, I was unable to get a fix on the models of the aircraft I was flying against. The second mission claims that you’re fighting old Earth-model prop planes, but beyond the sound effects, I wouldn’t have been able to confirm that. Colors are muted, unless you make a close range hit on an aircraft during the night, then you’ll be blinded by the light. “Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night…” So… The game needs work. I’m convinced that the radar doesn’t actually function, despite being able to manipulate it with the face button controls. I would be facing down incoming enemy aircraft but nothing would appear on screen. I suspected tuning for range at first, but I couldn’t get it to show anything of value in any mission I played. Given that this is 2025 we of course have to have clouds in the game, but they behave somewhat oddly here, almost acting more like ocean waves rather than a Stratus system. But despite it, I can’t help but be somewhat enamored by what I’ve seen. We have a good base system here, and honestly I got some of the same comfortable gameplay flow that I’d get from a good flight shooter. Of course it’s a beta—I can’t call this ready for primetime or recommend it to someone looking for a complete experience. I’ve been bitten in the past by early access games too much to tell someone to rush out and buy this. But keep an eye on it; put it in your wishlist. I have cautious optimism towards this humble sortie. Connect with 'Aurora Flight' DL Site Steam X.com Writer T.J. "Millie" Archer T.J. "Millie" Archer is Life-long realist and aviation enthusiast. Once the co-founding Administrator of the Electrosphere.info English Ace Combat Database. In the present day he is freelance, roving the internet in search of the latest aviation news and entertainment. [ Read Profile ]

Forward Air Controller-Airborne (FAC-A) is one of the most complex roles a modern-day military pilot could engage in. Forward air control with two feet planted firmly on the ground is challenging but doing it while managing a high-performance aircraft in hostile airspace is on an entirely different level. While single-seat aircraft with targeting pods are perfectly capable of fulfilling this role in Digital Combat Simulator, having a second aircrew member that could take over a few tasks would ease the burden. Thanks to the Jester LANTIRN update, solo pilots of the Heatblur Simulations F-14B can efficiently conduct FAC(A) operations. Weeks of fulfilling this role in PVE and PVPVE multiplayer missions with friends and random people have solidified my opinion that the F-14B is becoming one of the finest FAC(A) platforms in DCS. A summary of FAC(A) For those that do not know, in short, ground-based Forward Air Controllers identify hostile forces and guide fire support from friendly forces outside of the immediate area to strike those targets. Their tasks include managing the direction that support comes from, deconflicting assets, requesting specific weapons for the task, accounting for weather conditions and visibility, and safely guiding in fire away from friendly forces. Pilots that fly FAC(A) fulfill the same task as their ground-based counterparts but do so from an aircraft. This makes them a fast platform capable of finding hidden targets from high above while bringing their own weapons to bear if needed. They must do all of this while being competent enough to fly and fight in any condition effectively. An entire article on FAC(A) in Digital Combat Simulator could be written, but for now, let's leave it at this. FAC(A) F-14B in transit to area of operations. F-14B Design Benefits Despite FAC(A) being an unusual role for this aircraft, the F-14B's capabilities and design are beneficial. Its pair of F110-GE-400 turbofan engines give it enough power to sprint at well over Mach 1 to the area of operations if needed and use that same speed to break away from unexpected threats. Its variable swing wings sweep to more easily fly at lower speeds when needed. Though it does not have a fly-by-wire flight control system, placing the Tomcat into an easy right-hand orbit with a mixture of stick, throttle, and trim. When an orbit is established, the pilot only needs very light inputs to change the height and shape of the orbit. The large fuel capacity can translate to extended FAC(A) loitering time, assuming the pilot flies the aircraft efficiently, without frequently selecting afterburner. Unlike aircraft that use wing-mounted fuel tanks, the fuel tanks on the Tomcat are unable to obscure the targeting pod because of their position beneath the engines. Most importantly, the second crew member can independently search for targets and manage radios while the pilot concentrates on flying and the surrounding airspace. The second crew member can make all the difference. This is where Jester LANTIRN comes in. Restrictions Whereas aircraft like the A-10C, JF-17, F-16C, and F/A-18C can employ their targeting pods easily, the F-14B Tomcat has been hindered. Since its release on March 13th, 2019, the Heatblur Simulations F-14B could only use its LANTIRN pod (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) if the aircraft had a human Radar Intercept Officer in the backseat. And, let's be honest, how many DCS World Tomcat drivers have a consistent human backseater for every sortie they fly? It's a low percentage. This means that since its release, the most advanced air-to-ground capabilities for the aircraft have been locked away from a majority of its users. Players flying the F-14B alone could access their targeting pod by switching from the front seat and back seat manually or through the use of the Pilot LANTIRN Pod Control mod. With the Jester LANTIRN October 2021 update, all capabilities of the F-14B are universally accessible, which in turn made FAC-A a possibility for all that own it. FAC(A) with Jester Before attempting anything as a Forward Air Controller (Airborne), be competent enough to use Jester LANTIRN. As capable as Jester is as an automated RIO, he obviously isn't capable of passing information to other human players or searching for hostiles without player input. It's best to think of Jester as a semi-self-guided targeting system capable of sorting targets by certain categories while maintaining laser guidance and providing basic threat detection. The human pilot of the Tomcat will still be in charge of getting Jester looking into areas where targets may be, forwarding that information to allied forces, and coordinating attacks against the hostiles. There are multiple sections to this topic: Visual example only, not to recommended scale. F10 Map Marker Placement Placing map markers in the F10 map is essential for navigation and target acquisition in the F-14B Tomcat. These markers can be placed on the map both pre-mission (during the briefing) and mid-mission. The markers can be given custom labels typed out by the players. Short names are ideal, but the markers can have longer labels if needed. Make as many markers as needed for navigation, target areas, locations of nearby friendly forces, and other relevant marks. While the Tomcat does have a limited number of waypoints that can be stored within its systems, the map markers can still be used by Jester through LANTIRN Q Modes. Add as many target-related markers as needed. As a side note, the marks on the map are also visible to other players looking at the F10 map, improving their situational awareness as well. RIO Navigation Menu The F-14B can store three navigation waypoints, one surface target waypoint (location of enemy units), hostile area waypoint, initial point (beginning of bombing run), and defended point (location of friendly units). Map marker coordinates can be input into these waypoints by using Jester's Navigation Menu to select Steer Point From Map and assign map markers to the waypoints desired. Jester LANTIRN Q Modes Use Jester LANTIRN Q modes to quickly begin the search for targets. Select either waypoint (QWP), which were set in the RIO Navigation Menu, or cue map markers (QMAP MARKER). Jester will immediately slew the LANTIRN onto the selected point. Unanticipated targets can be acquired quickly by using the menu's Head Control subsystem and using either QEYEBALLS to look out the canopy and tell Jester to look at a specific area or using Direct Head Control to make small adjustments to what the LANTIRN is currently looking at. Getting Jester's attention back onto areas of interest is as simple as reselecting a waypoint or map marker, letting Jester handle the process of returning the targeting pod onto those locations. Example of pilot view of LANTRIN. Note target location information on bottom right of display. Target Spotting and Guidance After Jester finishes slewing the LANTIRN onto the desired location, immediately select SEARCH FOR TARGETS and begin searching either for units of a specific type (SAMs, Armored Vehicles, Aircraft, etc.). After the first target is located and automatically designated, new targets of that type can be found by using the Jester menu to search for Next Target or Previous Target. Once the desired target is selected, Jester will continue tracking the designated target but will begin giving steering cues to bring the F-14B onto an attack run. It is at this point Jester's steering cues should be ignored, and the pilot can settle into an orbit and begin guidance for other aircraft. These options include: Begin generating Nine Lines or establish parameters for buddy lasing of a target. Talking an allied aircraft onto the target using terrain landmarks and visual cues. Using laser designation to guide other aircraft capable of laser spot search/laser spot tracking to get their targeting pods looking at the same target area. Relaying coordinates of the designated target (bottom right of LANTIRN display while a target is designated) by radio or text for other pilots to input into their navigation systems. When other aircraft are ready, having the FAC(A) Tomcat launch the initial attack, visually marking the area with a column of smoke from the first destroyed target. FAC(A) can then return to orbit. Creation of further F10 map markers as needed. LANTIRN Lasing Details Normally Jester only lases a target while the F-14B is attacking a designated target. For FAC(A) and buddy lasing purposes, using the second page of the Jester LANTIRN menu is vital for these operations. Jester can be ordered to turn the laser from Automatic (for the F-14B's own attack runs) to Always On (laser on at all times). As friendly aircraft get the information they need or use the FAC(A) laser to get their weapons on target, once the task is complete, switching the laser back to Automatic shuts it off, preventing a potential overheat of the LANTIRN. The laser code of the LANTIRN can be changed while in flight, but any laser-guided bombs on the F-14B can only have their laser codes changed while on the ground. This is the same for many other aircraft in Digital Combat Simulator. While coordinating laser codes and weapons pre-mission is ideal, in the event this is not possible, keeping the LANTIRN pod's default 1688 code is fine. Just keep in mind that multiple lasers using the same code in the same area could cause problems. Threat Detection While Jester's steering cues should be ignored, muting him is an unwise decision. He still gives callouts for non-laser designation-related events. These include the location of friendly aircraft close by, new radar warning receiver hits from air contacts and surface contacts, and warnings about incoming missiles. The missile warnings, in particular, are useful in the case of short-range surface-to-air missiles like MANPADs being fired at the aircraft. "Armor captured." Jester spotting a target through a building. Quirks and Bugs As of the time this article is being published, there are a few known quirks and bugs of using Jester in this capacity. A voice glitch can occur where he constantly lets the pilot know a target has been lased or designated. Using the LANTIRN reset utility stops this but requires the target to be re-acquired through Q Modes. Jester's ability to spot targets can underperform if the area of interest is too far from the aircraft (over 20nm, estimated) or overperform to the point where enemy units are spotted through solid objects like buildings. This could be a problem because though Jester sees the target through obstructions, the laser from the LANTIRN will designate the obstruction and not the target in question. As stated in a comment from a Heatblur developer, Jester's target sorting is limited by the way DCS groups units. While the mission editor has sub-categories for unit types, these categories are not present while a mission is running. For example, anti-aircraft guns appear under "SAM" search, while armored personnel carriers, main battle tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles are classified as "Armor." Some units have an odd crossover, like some parts of the HY-1 Silkworm anti-ship cruise missile launch site appearing under the "SAM" designation. Normally this is where visual confirmation of the target is needed. While Jester is able to change the LANTIRN's field of view to zoom the camera in and out, he seems to only do so momentarily. Jester has no issue seeing targets in this regard, but there is not a function that allows the pilot to adjust the field of view. While Jester may not need this, giving the pilot the option to have Jester adjust FOV would be beneficial to the pilot in certain situations. Tomcat switching to FAC(A) role with Viper escort. In the real world, the F-14B "Bombcat" has served as FAC(A) in actual combat despite it not being its primary role. The F-14B of Digital Combat Simulator certainly has more hurdles to leap and bugs to squash in relation to this role, but with further development, it's possible that Forward Air Controller (Airborne) in swing-wing fighters won't be a rarity in multiplayer servers. About the Writer 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 explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile .

Our VRChat Colibri Dogfight Tournament ended this past Saturday, we had around 60 pilots enroll to the event and three tournament winners which fought tooth and nail for the win. As we put this event behind us to focus on the future, we would like to have one last review of the event from the perspectives of everyone in Skyward that had a part in it from an organizational standpoint. Cubeboy's POV As the aircraft and world creator, this tournament was something special and terrifying at the same time. It had been more than a year since I had last made an event world like this for VRChat, so I had to readjust myself to the workflow and the way that this system works. The match system that KitKat made a couple of years ago was never truly documented properly, which means that we rely on magical mystical knowledge from her and the other tournament world creators to set up the system properly. This means that I ran into a lot of issues that, in reality, had been nothing but an improper set-up of an object or a parameter. Tournament World Unity Project Screenshot Setting up a tournament world properly truly feels like discovering some ancient puzzle made by an advanced civilization, and solving it by throwing stones at it until it solves itself. Jokes aside, KitKat and VTail were extremely helpful and saved me several times. Sournetic was also very much an important part of the project, and helped me until the very last second and made sure that everything was running well. A moment I think was very much worth it, at least to me, was seeing people become as competitive as possible during the tournament. Everyone was not only trying their best, but making it a point to want to win no matter what. We had some absolutely insane matches that went on for maybe far too long, but they kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. We had a lot of technical difficulties, including VRChat's servers completely crashing and going offline the night we were supposed to have our finals, but with a quick reschedule and proper testing; we pulled it together, and we allowed our pilots to go ham. The tournament ended with a bang as our friend Sournetic made a very fancy animation to present the trophy to the tournament winner, who ended up being CriticalForce. The animation combined the design elements of the trophy with the classic animation style that Sour has had for the past couple of years Personally, I quite liked the tournament. It was a fun event to run and make, and even more fun to watch. Stayed tuned for more tournaments and events in VRChat, this is just the first of many events we want to do as collaborations or as the sole developers and organizers! Hueman's POV One of the unique challenges of this tournament was the need to establish our own visual identity - while Skyward has taken part in many tournaments before, they had always been organized primarily by other groups. This was the first time we’d be the primary organizers of the event. This meant we had complete free rein over how the aircraft’s liveries looked. Well, almost complete - as a tournament livery, it had to be color-coded, so the crowd could distinguish between the contestants at a glance. It also had to reflect Skyward’s visual identity, and due to time constraints, preferably be simple and easy to implement in a 3D model. The livery ended up as a two-tone, Ferris-inspired paint scheme, with two highly contrasting shades of grey as the base - following the same design language of Skyward’s liveries for DCS aircraft, and with the added bonus of also being similar to the color palette used by Dogfight Central, our partners for this event. For the livery’s color trim - which identifies in which “side” the aircraft is on - I wanted to do something slightly different from the usual for VRC aviation tournaments. Instead of highly saturated, bright blue and red colors, I opted for more muted, desaturated tones instead, which we found better fit the livery base. For the finals, however, I wanted something special - something which told the finalists and the audience watching them that this was a completely different stage. And thus, the bright colors were back in - but not red and blue, no, that would have been far too pedestrian. Instead, I wanted a different set of opposing colors, one warm and one cold. Hi-vis orange was the substitute for red - a color with a long history of use in aircraft and which perfectly fit the livery. And as a substitute for blue, after trying out many cold colors, I found the one which best fit the livery was a slightly muted teal - in between blue and green. This unusual color turned out to be a fan favorite during the competition! Having settled on these colors, I wanted to integrate them into the trophy design somehow. After discussing some ideas with Benjamin_Yes, Dogfight Central’s artist who was going to model the trophy; and Reason2Die4, the Black Aces’ veteran trophy designer, a lightbulb eventually lit up in my brain and resulted in this very rough sketch: It combined elements from Skyward FM (the arrow logo), Dogfight Central (their challenge coin in the center), and the Colibri jet trainer itself, the star of the show - as well as the final’s livery colors. Benjamin set out to model it with his own twist in Blender, and the result is this gorgeous trophy - which, in keeping with VRC aviation tournament traditions, received its very own reveal animation by Sournetic, who contributed with his 3D animation and particle work skills. RibbonBlue's POV Colibri Tournament May-June 2025 was an important event for both Skyward Flight Media and VRC Dogfight Central (DFC), whom we recently partnered with. For all details on this tournament, see our blog post about it. Preparation for this event outside world creation and aircraft development also spurred on an effort to expand our own VRChat content on the website, standardize promotional imagery and all the usual tasks that come with hosting a tournament. This process was further streamlined with the use of the VRChat Flight Tournament & Airshow Checklist created by Stagnation of The Black Aces VRChat aviation community. It should be noted that this community provided 50.00 USD towards the combined 350.00 USD pool which competitors drew their cash prizes from. During the build up to the event it was great to see competitors fervently practice in the recently made Colibri Dogfight Center featuring the SW-210 Colibri in jungle and snow camouflage for both organizations. While that world was built, the flight values of the armed Colibri were refined by staff from Dogfight Central and Skyward Flight Media, making this our first collaborative effort even before the tournament began. DFC staff analyzed the aircraft in air combat, producing a Rate Graph competitors were given access to shortly before the prelims began on May 31st, 2025: SW-210 Colibri Rate Graph created by Dogfight Central. Now that the tournament is over, the Skyward x Dogfight Central Tournament World is now available for use. Tournament worlds like this are often not freely accessible, so it is great to see it become a resource for people interested in competing with their friends or for other organizations to host their own event. Media of the practice sessions circulated around the DFC Discord and X.com. Some competitors even posted videos of their matches throughout the tournament. For broadcasting and promotion, the DFC YouTube channel is hosting VODs of two of the preliminary blocks ( Block A , Block B ). The semi-finals and finals were hosted as a livestream, with the VOD available below:  DFC x SFM Colibri Tournament Finals While providing my own commentary with the basic fighter maneuver experts of Dogfight Central, I found myself genuinely enjoying the air battles that took place. Largely because of the flight characteristics of the weapon equipped version of the SW-210 Colibri, a majority of the battles were notably different from the type of air combat we normally expect between fourth generation fighters in these events. With the aircraft's engine able to be disabled by combat damage but with it possible to glide them back to the center stage runway for rearming, refuel and repair of the aircraft, all manner of exciting and unusual battles took place. It was hard to predict at times, which was very appreciated. While the unfortunate mass failure of the VRChat platform on June 7th, 2025 forced a one week-delay to the event, the tournament still concluded with few hang-ups. This event gave both parties more experience with preparing material for large-scale events and hosting future events together. Engine disabled SW-210 attempting to glide to safety. Picture by VTail64. Event Pictures Well known VRChat cameraman VTail64 took pictures during the prelims and finals of the tournament. Promotional media images used for social media and livestreaming by benjamin_yes have also been gathered. All pictures have been put into a Google Drive Folder : Event Winners First Place CriticalForce Second Place Savory Three Place fuwamon Event Credits Commentary benjamin_yes, CRDM and Jono from Dogfight Central. Cubeboy, Hueman, KOSMOS and Ribbon-Blue from Skyward Flight Media. Last but not least, Reason2Die4 from The Black Aces, and KitKat as a Special Guest Broadcasting, Promotional Material benjamin_yes, CDRM, Jono, RIbbon-Blue Event Photography VTail Colibri Aircraft Design Cubeboy and Hueman. Colibri 3D Modelling and Adaptation to VRChat Cubeboy Colibri Porting to SaccFlight Version 1.7 VTail Colibri Flight Model Refinement benjamin_yes, CDRM, Cubeboy, Hueman, Jono Match System KitKat Tournament World, Match System Implementation Cubeboy Trophy Design Hueman and benjamin_yes Trophy 3D Modelling benjamin_yes Trophy Reveal Animation Sournetic Special Thanks The Black Aces for prize pool contribution. KitKat, Sournetic and VTail for assistance with various technical aspects making this tournament possible.