Application for Drakoz
Call Sign: Drakoz
Age: 49
Type of Internet Connection: 25/6Mbps Comcast Cable
Timezone: West Coast USA (UTC−8)
Availability during the week: My schedule is flexible. I can often fly week days/nights as well as weekends. I'm an independent contractor, so sometimes I have a lot of time and other times I am very busy.
Approx Flight Hours in DCS: Approx. 300 hours in DCS (all modules), 70% in helicopters. I'm also an RC helicopter pilot (3 years), and have a couple hours flying real helicopters. I've been flying sims since Microsoft flight sim in the '80's, but it wasn't until IL2 Stumovik that I really got into it. But most my flying has been in the last few years due to the release of DCS Huey.
Here is a video of me flying from back when the Gazelle first came out. Maybe a little boring, but interesting to me to see how much I've improved and how the updated flight model is much better. This video was intended to show back then that the Gazelle was flyable, but it took a very active stick to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca0RUIXoDkg
Knowledge level with DCS Mission Editor: Limited. I've set up a few basic scenarios, but not complete missions with complex triggers or programming. Learning to use the tools, or even do programming is not a concern. I came here looking for a group to fly with, but custom missions are what keep things dynamic and interesting. It is likely, with the assistance of other mission builders, I will become an excellent mission builder and look forward to it as much as I look forward to flying.
Preferred chopper: All of them, but the Gazelle most lately because it's new. I am looking forward to multi-crew in the Gazelle most (and other helicopters if it becomes common). Most my hours are in the Huey, though. My least time is in the Mi-8. I want to fly missions in all of them, and all types of missions (combat and otherwise). I enjoy flying as much (or more) than I enjoy blowing stuff up. So I tend to focus a lot on the details of how each machine operates but I am often weak on the weapons systems. I'm looking forward to joining a group as combat missions will be more fun with real people working in teams.
My expectations: To have fun, learn, teach, and create stuff (missions and otherwise) related to helicopters in DCS. By fun, I mean generally realistic fun which I think matches your group's charter (not general dumb screwing around fun). But I hope not in an environment that is too militaristic or regimented. Such environments, I find, tend to ruin a community as regimentation outside of the sim (like on the forums or chat rooms), seems to miss the point that we are doing this for fun and social reasons, not because we are in the military. I saw too much of that with some ARMA groups I joined. I would hope to see someone act as a low ranking grunt (pilot) one day, and the mission commander another day - so we all get the chance to fly all positions (when we are ready), but not because of some rank system based on seniority and experience in the club. That's often a club killer.
Some other background info:
I raced motorcycles for 15 years but aviation is what I really enjoy. Motorcycles are cheaper. Ha! Flight sims and RC are even cheaper than motorcycles, but I hope to get a helicopter pilot's license (soon) and own a helicopter some day. I am also a motorcycle riding and race instructor at the track (to street riders and racers alike). I teach because the best way to learn is to teach. Interestingly, the best teacher isn't always an expert. The best teacher is the one that is available and willing to observe and compare notes. People learn different things from each other due to different perspectives. Hence the other reason for joining a group and flying with them regularly. I hope to join a group where part of the fun is helping each other learn.
My perspective about Sims:
I'm also a big proponent of using sims to learn. No, a sim isn't like the real thing, but it does teach you enough that when you do the real thing, the number of new things you have to deal with is significantly reduced, allowing you to focus on fewer skills and hence learn better. It is impossible to learn it all at once. That's why riding a motorcycle, or flying a helicopter is difficult to learn. DCS Huey taught me enough to hover a Robinson R44 for 5 minutes on my own the first time I ever flew in a real helicopter, and RC helicopter sims have saved me thousands of dollars in crash damage flying my RC helicopters. Sadly, there are no motorcycle simulators out there (just motorcycle games). Building an proper motorcycle simulator (just the hardware) would cost as much or more than buying a bike. We won't talk about how many times I've crashed a bike. :-) Thankfully, they were all at the track without guard rails, trees, oncoming cars, cops, and cliffs.
Regards,
Michael
