Shadow Ace SquadronSAS // THE DECK
Deck crew around an F-35C and a Hornet on the carrier deck in haze

Welcome aboard

Fillthe hand

You don't need a thousand hours. You need the module, a mic, and the willingness to fly in formation and listen on the radio. The wing teaches the rest.

PHOTO // Lite · DCS World

What you need

Requirements

  • DCS World
  • A module the wing flies
  • Working mic
  • Discord
  • Willing to learn
  • No experts required

How to get in

Four steps

  1. STEP 01

    Join Discord

    Use the invite below. You land in #intake-flight-deck.

  2. STEP 02

    Say hello

    Tell the ready room who you are and where you fly from.

  3. STEP 03

    Tell us what you fly

    Your modules and hours. New pilots start with the Jokers.

  4. STEP 04

    Get on the board

    Sign up for a flight, show up at step time, and fly.

Join the DiscordTonight's board

Jokers syllabus

What you'll fly first

New pilots fly with the Jokers training flight. These are the cards they learn from.

Kneeboard cards · LIGHTING switches day / night

SAS-KB-06Jokers syllabus · route card
Jokers training syllabus as a route cardA route with five waypoints for new pilots: formation, comms and fence-in checks, tanking, Case I carrier qualification and weapons employment, ending at picking a squadron. 1WP1FORMATION2WP2COMMS & FENCE IN3WP3TANKING4WP4CASE I QUALS5WP5WEAPONSPICK YOUR SUIT♠ ♣ ♥ ♦NEW PILOTS FLY THE ROUTE WITH A JOKER FLIGHT LEAD. GRADUATES PICK A SQUADRON.TRAINING ROUTE · START BOTTOM LEFTORDER IS A GUIDE, NOT A GATE
  • Formation first: if you can hold a wing, you can learn everything else on it.
  • Comms and brevity next, so the radio stops being noise.
  • Tanking and Case I quals turn a sortie into an operation.
  • Weapons employment, then pick your suit.

SIM TECHNIQUE · DCS WORLD · NOT FOR REAL-WORLD USE

SAS-KB-05Tanker track · boom
Air-to-air refuelling trackPlan view of a racetrack tanker orbit from the anchor point, with receivers joining in observation on the tanker's left wing, moving to pre-contact and contact behind the boom, then reforming on the right wing. ANCHORTANKER1 OBSERVATION2 PRE-CONTACT3 CONTACT4 REFORM RIGHTRECEIVERS JOIN ON THE LEFT, LEAVE TO THE RIGHTONE ON THE BOOM AT A TIMEPLAN VIEW · RACETRACK ORBITTANKER FLIES THE TRACK; YOU FLY THE TANKER
  • Join on the tanker's left wing in observation and wait your turn.
  • Cleared to pre-contact: stabilise behind and below the boom.
  • Contact: hold position off the director lights; small corrections only.
  • Disconnect and reform on the right wing until the flight is full.

SIM TECHNIQUE · DCS WORLD · NOT FOR REAL-WORLD USE

SAS-KB-02Case I recovery · carrier
Case I carrier recovery patternPlan view of a Case I carrier recovery: initial 3 nautical miles astern at 800 feet and 350 knots, a left break, downwind at 600 feet with the hook down abeam 1.1 to 1.3 nautical miles, the 180 and the 90 at 450 feet, then a 15 to 18 second groove to the wires, target the 3 wire. ABEAM 1.1–1.3 NM INITIAL · 3 NM ASTERN · 800 FT · 350 KIAS BREAKLEFT, 800 FT DOWNWIND · 600 FT · HOOK DOWN THE 90450 FT THE 180 GROOVE · 15–18 S · ON-SPEED (8.1° AOA, HORNET) WIRES 1–4 · TARGET 3 PLAN VIEW · SHIP HEADING EAST, INTO WINDPORT SIDE UP · ANGLED DECK 9° LEFT
  • Initial 3 NM astern on the starboard side, 800 ft and 350 knots.
  • Break left over or ahead of the ship; roll out on downwind at 600 ft with the hook down.
  • Abeam the LSO platform at 1.1 to 1.3 NM, start the 180; cross the 90 at about 450 ft.
  • Roll into the groove lined up with the angled deck, fly the ball on-speed and go to full power at touchdown.

SIM TECHNIQUE · DCS WORLD · NOT FOR REAL-WORLD USE

An F/A-18C Hornet taxiing on the ramp

Plate 06 · Intake

Everybody startsa Joker.

Formation, comms, tanking and the boat, with a flight lead on your wing the whole way.

PHOTO // [SAS] Julien · Hellcat-5 · DCS World

Questions

Before you ask

Do I need to be experienced to join?

No. New DCS pilots fly with the Jokers training flight and get a flight lead. Experienced pilots go straight to a squadron.

What do I need?

DCS World, at least one module the wing flies (the F-16C is the most common), a working microphone and Discord.

Which aircraft can I fly?

F-16C with Spades or the Jokers, F/A-18C with Clubs, F-14B with Hearts, and A-10C II or AH-64D with Diamonds.

When do you fly?

Most nights. Check the flight board for tonight's step times; operations are announced on Discord.