トレーニング/Training-Introduction

[1] Good morning, nugget! Welcome to the A-10C conversion training course. Over the next few days, we'll teach you to fly and fight in the latest incarnation of the toughest, meanest and ugliest jet in the Air Force inventory - the A-10C Thunderbolt-II, better known as the Warthog or simply the Hog.


In this brief introduction, we'll overview the A-10 and take a quick glance inside the cockpit. Please don't touch any input controls while watching this lesson. You can press the PAUSE key on your keyboard if you need a break.


Your jet is waiting on the ramp, so let's get to it.


[2] The A-10C is the latest upgrade to the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt-II Close Air Support attack aircraft. The A-10 has been around since the 1970s and despite efforts to kill it off earlier, the Hog plays a vital role in U.S. military operations around the world today. Its original mission was to kill Soviet tanks streaming through the Fulda Gap, but today it's perhaps the most effective weapon in Iraq and Afghanistan. Long loiter times, large weapon loads, redundant systems and powerful sensors make the Hog a favorite of pilots and ground troops alike.


Let's take a look at some of the key features of the A-10C.


[3] The A-10 has a pair of straight wings that provide excellent lift and maneuverability at slow speeds. However, these same wings contribute to the A-10 being a bit of slow poke. The wings have large trailing edge flaps, eleven stations for stores loading and large fuel tanks.


The fuselage also holds a pair of fuel tanks, but was largely built around the massive GAU-8A "Avenger" 7-barrel, 30mm cannon. Two engines are mounted externally high on the rear fuselage.


[4] Flight control is provided by large ailerons on the wings, twin elevators on the tail plane and rudders on the vertical stabilizers. All of these control surfaces have backup systems that keep the A-10 flying even after severe battle damage.


The flight control system uses a combination of hydraulic and mechanical linkages run through the Stability Augmentation System (SAS) that makes the A-10 a very controllable and stable aircraft to handle.


[5] Two TF-34-GE-100A turbofan engines are mounted high on the rear fuselage. These engines are fuel efficient, durable and can take a lot of damage. The unusual position masks the engines from enemy heat-seeking sensors, minimizes the risk of foreign object and battle damage to both engines and makes them easier to service.


The A-10 also has an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that can be used to start the engines and run electrical and hydraulic systems on the ground.


[6] Let's take a look inside the A-10C office. This has received quite a facelift since the A-10A. The pit is dominated by two 5x5-inch Multi-Function Color Displays (MFCD). A new control stick borrowed from the F-16 and a right throttle handle from the F-15E are installed to increase HOTAS (Hands On Throttle and Stick) functionality. An Up Front Controller (UFC) below the Heads Up Display (HUD) is used for data entry and the Armament HUD Control Panel (AHCP) has replaced the older Armament Control Panel for combat systems configuration.


The pit can be divided into the four primary areas: the HUD and canopy bow, the front dash, the left console and the right console. We'll be using these references in later missions.


Like the rest of the aircraft, the cockpit was designed to withstand battlefield punishment. The pilot and control links are surrounded by a 408-kg titanium "bathtub" to protect against shrapnel and AAA fire.


[7] This concludes the overview of the A-10C. We'll begin taking a more thorough look at the aircraft starting with the next lesson, but now you've got a mandatory date with the Warthog Flight Manual, so get busy reading.


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