Jet Fighter School II

More Training for Computer Fighter Pilots
by Richard G. Sheffield

Introduction

This book is divided into three parts that correspond to the approach I take to playing flight simulation games.

First, I look at the quality of the simulation itself: How accurately does it simulate the flight characteristics of the air-craft involved? Does the graphic environment work? Are you presented with enough visual cues to let you fly the aircraft in a normal manner without over dependence on the instruments? A high-quality simulation should let you fly a variety of complex maneuvers independent of the game aspect of the simulation.

Part 1 of this book examines a number of simple and complex aerobatic maneuvers you can learn and link together. This type of flying is independent of the normal operation of the simulation as a game, but will help you master the aircraft and push the capabilities of the simulation to its limits.

Part 2 deals with the second aspect of most of these games: combat. This section deals exclusively with one of the most popular air combat simulations, F-15 Strike Eagle.

A series of training missions is described. These missions are designed to simulate the Air Force training exercise Red Flag. Once you have completed your training, you can move on to four new action-packed mission scenarios that use the existing maps to simulate real and possible future combat situations.

Finally, Part 3 deals with a process we all go through when playing these games: the process of strategic and tactical planning. Most of us take many missions to figure out what works and what doesn't. Part 3 includes strategic tips and playing hints for many of the most popular games currently on the market. These tips are designed to get you through the frustrating initial period of game play, so you can spend less time trying to figure what is going on and more time playing and enjoying the game.

I hope I've included something of interest to every computer pilot.

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