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War plane simulation, rather quick. Just some missions missing.
PAL / NTSC
Tape / Disk
1 Player
Joystick in Port 2 and Keyboard,
or Keyboard only
Original Concept by D. K. Marshall
Coding and Graphics by Darrell D.
Original Price £9.95 (tape) / £14.95 (disk)
Re-released on Tape by Byte Back in 198?
Original Price £2.99
Re-released on Tape by Silverbird in 1988?
Original Price £1.99
FIGHTER
PILOT
COMMODORE 64
BY DK, MARSHALL
ADAPTED BY DARRELL D.
FIGHTER PILOT
LOAD "FP",8
FIGHTER PILOT is a real-time flight simulation based upon the F15
Eagle, USAF air-superiority jet fighter. this supreme stimulation
otters many of the features found on modern flight simulators
including 3-D view from the cockpit, fully acrobatic performance,
air-to-air combat, cross winds, turbulence, and blind landing. The
program otters training modes for each option and a pilot skill rating
for varying difficulty levels.
Options
(1) Landing Practice - Your aircraft is positioned at an altitude of
1700 ft. 6 miles from touchdown at runway BASE. The undercarriage is
lowered, ready for landing. Use the throttle, flaps and elevator
controls to adjust your rate of descent and approach speed. Guidance
may be taken from the Instrument Landing System (ILS) or the Flight
Computer Once you have landed, reduce the thrust to zero and apply the
brakes.
(2) Flying Training - Your aircraft is positioned at the threshold of
runway BASE, facing due North. Take off by opening the throttle,
typically to 100% or full reheat, and pulling back on the joystick (or
key 7) when you reach take off speed. Maximum acceleration on take-off
is achieved by applying the brakes until full thrust is reached. Raise
the undercarriage shortly after take-off if you intend to exceed 300
kts Take-off is possible at a lower speed with full flaps. Steer on
the ground by using the rudder controls, easiest if your speed is
below 10 kts.
(3) Air-to-Air Combat Practice You are positioned 2 miles behind the
enemy aircraft at the same altitude. Select Combat Mode and the Flight
Computer to obtain a readout of enemy bearing, range and altitude. The
enemy will be flying at 550 kts and will not return fire during the
dogfight. Maneuver your aircraft when you see the enemy and open fire
as he passes through your sights.
(4) Air-to-Air Combat - In this final option, you are responsible for
defending the four airfields BASE, TANGO DELTA and ZULU Your mission
begins with a scramble from runway BASE. Use your radar and flight
computer to determine the location of the enemy aircraft, and after
assessing his likely target fly your aircraft on an intercept course.
Visual contact will occur at less than 1 mile and less than 5000 feet
altitude difference and the dogfight begins with the enemy maneuvering
to gain advantage. Damage to your own aircraft is indicated by a
colour change of the aircraft symbol on your radar. A fourth strike by
the enemy is fatal ! If you wish to break-off during the dogfight
because of extensive damage or no ammunition left, the enemy will
cease to attack once you are over 1 mile away or more than 5000 ft
altitude difference. At this stage he will lock-on to his original
ground target and pursue his ultimate objective of destroying all
airfields. This will leave you free to return to any remaining runway
for repairs, rearmament and refueling.
(5) Blind Landing - This option simulates landing and take-off in tog.
No visual display is given whenever the aircraft is above 50 ft and
the horizon is not displayed at any time. Navigate by using your
radar, flight computer and map. Press key 5 to switch this option on
or off.
(6) Cross winds and turbulence This option gives crosswind effects and
random aircraft disturbances due to turbulence. Selection of this
option will make flying and navigation more difficult and is
recommended after a little practice. Press key 6 to switch this option
on or off.
(7) Pilot rating - Skill levels increase from trainee to ace. This
feature varies the skill of the enemy pilot during combat e.g. how
soon he will detect your approach. the types of maneuvers he can
execute, how quickly he can get you into his sights, and how close you
have to get to shoot him down. Your pilot rating does not affect the
flight characteristics of your own aircraft. Beware, an ace enemy
pilot is very mean!
CONTROLS
During flight, your aircraft is maneuvered using the elevator, aileron
and rudder controls. The ELEVATORS are operated using keys 7 and 8
(back and forward on a joystick) to pitch the aircraft up and down.
The AILERONS are on keys 5 and 6 (left and right on a joystick) used
to roll the aircraft left and right. Finally, the RUDDER control uses
keys Z and X for left and right rudder The rudder gives both a heading
change and a roll change. During acrobatic maneuvers, the
effectiveness of the controls will vary. For example, at near 90
degrees roll, the elevator control will have a primary effect on
heading, not pitch. The aircraft will also tend to pitch nose-down
when in a steep turn. Your pitch rate, roll rate and yaw (heading)
rate will all increase in proportion to how long the control is
applied. This feature gives a good approximation to the feel of a real
aircraft.
The THROTTLE control uses keys Q and A; Q to increase engine THRUST,
and A to decrease thrust. As' well as affecting the aircraft speed,
your pitch angle will vary when changing the thrust setting. The
amount of thrust required to maintain a particular speed depends
primarily on pitch angle and altitude At low speeds, for example on
the approach, the aircraft must adopt a nose-up attitude to maintain
lift on the wings. This generates more drag and will require more
thrust as a result. At higher speeds, this nose-up attitude is no
longer necessary and the same thrust will maintain a higher speed.
Your maximum speed will increase with altitude because of the
decreasing air density
The FLAPS are on keys W (up) and S (down) next to the throttle
controls. The flaps are used to give a slower runway approach speed
and a reduced rate of descent The stall speed varies with flap
setting, and operation of the flaps during flight will affect the
pitch angle. Operation of the flaps at speeds above 472 kts will
cause them to fall.
The UNDERCARRIAGE is raised and lowered using the key U. Lowering the
undercarriage will have a small effect on aircraft speed. BRAKES
remain on whenever the key B is pressed, indicated by the panel BRAKES
light. The he brakes do not function when airborne.
The GUNS are fired by pressing space bar after selecting COMBAT mode
with key C. The ammunition status is shown at the bottom right hand
corner of the instrument panel. The 3 lightning symbols above the ammo
indicate that enemy aircraft are present. The number of enemy aircraft
destroyed is to the right of these.
One final point... flying a fighter aircraft is not easy and will take
a little practice - particularly air-to-air combat.
SUMMARY OF CONTROLS
5 Joystick LEFT
6 Joystick RIGHT
7 Joystick BACK
8 Joystick FORWARD
Z RUDDER LEFT
X RUDDER RIGHT
Q Increase THRUST
A Decrease THRUST
W Flaps UP
S Flaps DOWN
U Undercarriage UP and DOWN
B Brakes ON
N Next Beacon
M Map
F7 ILS /Flight Computer
Space Bar GUNS (active only in Combat mode)
H Hold
J Release
Run Stop/Restore To return to menu
PORT 2 Joystick
INSTRUMENTS
Artificial Horizon-This instrument, in the center of the panel, shows
the roll angle and pitch angle of your aircraft, and is particularly
useful during acrobatic maneuvers or air-to-air combat when you will
frequently lose your mew of the horizon. The small aircraft symbol
rotates to show your roll angle relative to the ground, and the roll
angle, Left or Right is shown underneath. A roll angle over 90 degrees
equates to inverted flight. The pitch angle is shown on a "moving
tape" with blue to indicate nose-up (skywards) and yellow to indicate
nose-down, towards the ground. 90 degrees equates to a vertical climb
or dive.
Speed - To the left of the artificial horizon is your speed, in knots
Altitude Aircraft height, in feet.
Vertical Speed Indicator, VSI - This gives your rate of climb or
descent in feet per second. When your aircraft is gaining height the
arrow will point upwards, and when you are losing height the arrow
will point downwards. Your rate of descent on the approach should be
approximately 20 fl per sec.
Flaps - Flaps may be set at any angle from zero to Full. The stall
speed varies from 130 kts at zero flaps, to 120 kts at full flaps.
Thrust - The engine thrust indicator is a bar scale running along the
bottom of the instrument panel. The green region represents 0% to 100%
engine thrust, and the red region indicates reheat. Reheat gives a
considerable boost to your thrust at the expense of heavy fuel
consumption.
Radar and Compass This is the instrument on the far left of the panel.
The readout above the aircraft symbol is your compass heading. At the
bottom of the Instrument Is shown the bearing and range of the beacon
on which you are currently logged. As you select the Next Beacon by
pressing N. the beacon identifier will change and new range and
bearing information will be displayed. The flashing cross shows the
bearing of the beacon relative to your own aircraft.. To fly to the
beacon, bank your aircraft until your heading matches the beacon
bearing. You should now see the flashing cross at the nose of the
aircraft symbol on the radar.
Combat Mode - Switch to Combat Mode using key C. This switches on your
sights, activates the guns, and locks your radar and flight computer
onto the enemy. Combat mode Is shown on your radar by the lightning
symbol. The range and bearing is now that of the enemy, and his
bearing IS shown as the flashing cross. Select the Flight Computer to
find his altitude.
ILS /Flight Computer - To the right of your altitude and VSI is a
dual-purpose instrument used for landing guidance and air-to- air
combat. Switch between the two modes by pressing F7.
(a) Instrument Landing System - This mode gives the pint direction
guidance when approaching a runway and may be demonstrated by
selecting the "landing practice' option. By keeping the flashing
square in the center of the instrument, you will be flying on the
correct glideslope to the runway at the correct rate of descent (3
degrees) for a good landing. As the Hashing square drifts from the
center of the instrument, turn towards it and you will return to the
correct approach. For example, if the square drifts led and up. bank
your aircraft to the left and pull back on the joystick (or key 7) and
the flashing square will slowly return to the center.
(b) Flight Computer- Select the Flight Computer by pressing F7 This
displays your precise ground position. in units of feet Noah, South.
East or West of any runway with a beacon within a radius of 6 miles.
The distances are relative to the beacon currently indicated on your
radar. However, if the runway has been destroyed or it is out of
range, the computer will be inactive, shown by black and yellow
stripes.
The Flight Computer will also display the altitude of enemy aircraft
when the radar is in combat mode. During a dogfight try and keep your
altitude roughly equal to that of the enemy, pointed to by the arrow
on the flight computer.
Fuel:
This is a simple fuel gauge showing the amount of fuel left.
Undercarriage:
The indicator for the undercarriage is below the fuel gauge.
3 reds and an UP arrow = undercarriage UP
3 greens and a DOWN arrow = undercarriage DOWN
MAP - Switch between the map and normal visual display using key M.
Your instruments are displayed at all times enabling sate flight to
continue.
PILOT'S NOTES
Take-off speed:
zero flaps = 140 kts
full flaps = 130 kts
Stall speed:
zero flaps = 130 kts
full flaps = 120 kts
Flaps:
Vmax full flap = 352 kts
Vmax any flap = 472 kts
Undercarriage:
Vmax = 300 kts
Vmax on ground = 250 kts
Performance:
Vmax = B02 kts, at sea level, full reheat
Vmax = 1439 kts at 60,000 H., level flight
Ceiling:
approx. 65,000 ft.
Approach:
Thrust Flaps U/C Pitch VSI
Speed, kts
74% 74% Full Down +3 \/9 125
62% Zero Down +6 \/12 135
Landing:
Normal \/ 15 max
Undercarriage failed \/ 8 max
Technical Data - McDonnell Douglas F15 Eagle
Role: Air superiority fighter
Performance: Max. speed 800 kts at sea level, (Mach 1.2)
1440 kts at 60,000 ft (Mach 2.54)
Landing speed: 130 kts
Take off run: 900 ft., 8 secs with reheat
Ceiling: 65,000 ft
Initial climb rate greater than 50,000
ft/min.
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100 turbofans
Each giving 17600 lbf thrust, dry
25000 lbf thrust, reheat
Dimensions:
Wing span: 42 ft 9 in
Length: 63 ft 9in.
Wing area: 608 sq ft.
Weight:
Intercept mode
full internal fuel: 41,500 lbf
NOTE: To improve the clarity of the display panel we recommend that
the brightness level be reduced on your television set.
All of the above information is approximate and widely published.
Although considerable effort has been given to achieving a realistic
simulation, approximations have been made due to the limitations of
the CBM 64 and certain technical data not being available to the
pubic.
COPYRIGHT 1984 DIGITAL INTEGRATION
For details of other DI games, send an S.A.E. to DIGITAL INTEGRATION,
Watchmoor Trade Center, Watchmoor Road Camberley, Surrey GU15 3AJ.
Telephone Camberley (0276) 684959.