DCS: Su-25a | Training flight with Enigma

My first real training mission in the Su-25 'Frogfoot'.  Aside from the Ka-50, I have almost no experience flying Russian aircraft.  It’s not for a lack of interest and more for a lack of time and priorities.  With so many aircraft to fly, I've only now started to get some time to focus on the Russian attack aircraft.

Thankfully, I had someone with experience flying as my flight lead.  Enigma has flown the Su-25 for years.  I was eager to pick his brain for some basics.  Although I could fly the Su-25a, I really didn't know anything about navigation, most of the cockpit instruments, and things like what mode you are in.

The Su-25a doesn't have a HUD (heads up display).  As someone who has flown the US aircraft for a long time, a HUD is so necessary to my being able to get around and keep my head out of the cockpit.  This was going to be a huge change.  Having to look down at the instruments and keeping an eye on your lead was going to prove to be very challenging.

 A very simple mission.  The enemy ground units cannot fire back.  All we needed to do was get airborne, get to the bombing range, drop what we can and head back.

 During the transit Enigma was going to be teaching me a few things about this old bird so I didn't get lost and if I did I could find my way back.

 It doesn't look like much, but the HSI is so valuable to being able to get around in the Su-25.  This took up a considerable amount of our training and instruction.  Without the HSI, I could accidentally fly into Georgia and get shot down.

We spent about ten minutes on the packing ramp, doing start-up procedures and learning some basic stuff like where the flap indicators are, gear lights, etc.  It's so much more immersive and easier learning from a real person.

After a short taxi, we made it to the runway.  Couldn't help but notice how rugged the Su-25 looks.  The cockpit, like the A-10s, is a titanium bathtub.  It can take hits from a 20mm gun round.  That does make me a feel a bit better.

On the runway, a few more quick lessons before we took off and a last reminder of our flight plan.

A quick look over at Enigma and he looks ready to roll.

And we are off.  I was a bit nervous doing a formation take off in my first MP session with the Su-25A.  However, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it may be.

Now it was time to learn how to keep my head up while being able to read the new cockpit instruments.  With no HUD it was going to be interesting.

With no enemies around, I felt safe spending most of my time watching flight lead and staying in formation.  With no digital readout of the aircraft speed, it was more difficult than I thought.

After reaching our IP waypoint, and after a few more quick lessons, we decided it was time to get to the bombing range before our fuel started beeping.

Unfortunately, those practice targets were proving to be difficult to find.  Flight lead was searching for the targets while I was watching his six and trying to stay in formation.

Enigma runs in and dives on the first sight of a target.  I wasn't sure but they looked like BTR-80s or BMPs of some sort.  Perfect target for some iron bombs!

Bombs gone!

Shack!  Good hit lead!  Although they didn't fall on top of the BTR, they managed to get close enough to kill it anyways.

Great, now the target area was marked by that huge explosion, I was easily able to search and locate another target near by.  Now it was my turn.

I lined up the first target I acquired with my mark-1 eyeball, turned and started my attack run.

Bombs gone!

Shortly after I dropped my bombs, I pulled up too hard and I was going to fast, the tips of my wings broke off completely!  However, I was too busy trying to fly to notice the damage yet.  I had some control, but it was very sluggish.  I had no idea what kind of damage I had done to the aircraft until way later.  But as you can see from the above picture, it was significant.

I was relieved to know as I looked back and also got confirmation from flight lead, that I had hit the target.  Now my focus was back to taking this damaged bird home.  How bad to do this on your first training flight.

However, that relief didn't last long.  My fuel gauge was showing almost empty, and we had at least 50km to go to homeplate.  Even though I was able to fly with all that damage, it didn't matter because I had run out of fuel.  Damn, that's two huge fails in one training mission.  Ouch.

One of Enigma's several flybys to check my damage.

Well, I was glad I was able to survive to fight another day.  Ejecting in friendly territory is much easier than ejecting over enemy territory.

It was a fun mission regardless of the mistakes.  I really needed to get some real stick time on this bird and this was the perfect scenario to do it.

We will both be ready for training #2.

Thanks for reading and good hunting!