r/WingmanFinder

Who We Are and What We Do

The 163rd vFS is a small organization with a singular focus: Flying the A-10C to the highest standards achievable in DCS. Our administrative and tactical flying is informed and directed by AF/MTTPs and many other real-world pubs and sources. We strive to master, to the greatest extent we can, the current tactics used and missions flown by the A-10 aircrews of the Combat Air Forces.

The A-10 is a uniquely capable aircraft, even among the drastically evolving warfighting environments of the 2020s. As the A-10's capabilities and mission have evolved in recent years, the 163rd vFS has kept up by leveraging proprietary knowledge, experience, etc. alongside making extensive use of mods and proprietary software to push DCS to and beyond its conventional limits.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for 2-3 prospective pilots interested in joining us to fly the A-10C. At this time, our roster is all conducting continuation/ready aircrew training and our instructor cadre would like to see some new blood.

While the 163rd is proud to have a comprehensive training pipeline and a willingness to train pilots of every background and knowledge level, we ask those interested to closely consider their existing knowledge and experience. Those with little to no experience with the A-10C or with US military flying operations will find our sorties and academics challenging and will be fighting an uphill battle. While we are committed to helping you fight that battle, it will require significant effort and willingness to learn complex new material as you "drink from the firehose."

If you are interested in learning more, we ask that you:

• Must be US-based and at least 18 years of age,
• Own the A-10C II and the NTTR terrain,
• Possess a strong desire to reach the zenith of what DCS is capable of, flying the cutting edge of real-world TTPs, and,
• Possess the patience and willingness to read documentation, attend academic briefings, and commit yourself to learning with the goal to develop the required competencies in A-10 and broader TTPs required to participate in 163rd vFS sorties or joint operations with other organizations.

First Steps

If you meet those requirements and the experience we offer sounds like what you are looking for out of DCS, here is what you can expect:

• As a first introduction, we like to have a voice chat with prospective pilots to gauge their knowledge, experience, and how they will fit with squadron culture. 
• Following introductions, we'll schedule an initial sortie on the NTTR map to gauge your proficiency with the A-10 and flying admin, and to give you the opportunity to see how our sorties work.
• This first sortie, its briefing, and subsequent debrief will drive your placement in our training pipeline. We will tailor your training to elevate you to various levels of qualification - BAQ, BMC, CMR, and upgrades beyond. Our training is closely modeled to that of the real world, adapted for DCS. For more information on what to expect from the material our pipeline covers, see AFI 11-2A10 Vol 1 and consider what might or might not be applicable to DCS.

Additional Details

• The 163rd vFS does not maintain a regular flying schedule. While conceptually foreign to some DCS users, it is the experience of the squadron that ad-hoc scheduling reduces aircrew and staff burnout and contributes to higher sortie rates. As a result of this policy, there is no "mandatory attendance" or expectations of your schedule. You will get out of the 163rd what you put in. Broadly speaking, most of the 163rd's members are active during Eastern time zone evening hours on weekends and at various random weekday evenings.
• Our organization is small by intent: In interviewing to fly the A-10 with us, you aren't just joining to fly the Hawg, but to find what we hope will become some of your new close friends. The average membership tenure for our current aircrew roster is 4+ years. Don't let this deter you - though you'll be in the LPA and some jokes might come at your expense for a while, the rest of us have fond memories of being in your shoes and we will be eager to include you in our activities and culture.

If you are interested in learning more, please join our Discord server at the following link, and introduce yourself: https://discord.com/invite/d399pXsX7y

Push Departure - Storm Hell!

"These things we do...So others may live"

The 55th Rescue Squadron is recruiting experienced HH-60G drivers (utilizing the fantastic UH-60L 2.0 mod) for standing up a dedicated Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) unit inside the v366th Composite Wing, a USAF-centric realism unit.

The 55th RQS will focus on the fundamentals of Personnel Recovery, including the use of ISOPREPs, EPAs, and other associated materials based on real-world practices. Additionally, we will focus on supporting USAF operations, flying helicopters the Air Force way!

We have no ranks, no MILSIM silliness, just good old-fashioned flying in a realistic environment with your best friends to rescue downed pilots the right way. Most of the v366 CW has a USAF veteran background and brings a wealth of knowledge from our careers into the cockpit.

Squadron Flight Nights: Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2000 EST.

Required: 18+, UH-60L Mod, NTTR/Syria/PG at a minimum, and an overall good attitude!

We don't have participation spreadsheets or attendance requirements, but we'll take notice if you're never around and can't hack the mish.

Interested in flying beyond random CTLD pickups on random servers? Come check us out:

https://discord.gg/nNmyb9nar

PEDRO is WHEELS UP!

Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) is recruiting DCS pilots who want to have a more authentic CAG experience!

Our CAG is structured as the mid-90s CVW-9, with campaign and training time periods being more modern. We currently operate as:

🔹VF-211 "Checkmates" — F-14B (U) x10 -> 7 Jets Available (Pilot + RIO) 🔹VFA-147 "Argonauts" — F/A-18C x10 -> 5 Jets Available

And we're planning to expand our air wing soon to include:

🔹VF-24 "Fighting Renegades" — F-14B (U) x10 🔹VFA-146 "Blue Diamonds" — F/A-18C x10 🔹VA-165 "Boomers" — A-6E (on release) x10

SCHEDULE

Training & Events: TUES, THURS, SAT 5pm PST Warbird Wednesdays (fun WW2 Scenarios): WED 5pm PST

WHAT WE'RE ABOUT

At CVW-9, we strive to simulate highly realistic naval aviation operations to the maximum extent DCS allows.

We put an emphasis on:

🔹Authentic airfield and carrier comms procedures 🔹Meticulously researched and written In-Flight Guides and SOPs 🔹Full training timelines including SFARP, COMPTUEX, CQ, AIR WING NELLIS and TSTA 🔹Mission planning via DKS, and execution following real-world standards (to the max extent allowed/simulated) 🔹Live weather simulation 🔹Coordinated air wing operations 🔹Realistic scenarios and mission objectives drafted with real-world experience 🔹Continuous improvement and learning

We're starting our SFARP process soon, giving new and existing members an opportunity to build their skills and work toward operating as an integrated air wing.

We work hard, but when we're not practicing and running official missions, we have an active and fun community in our discord to play other games, multiplayer PvP lobbies, and BFM tournaments etc.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We're interested in pilots who:

🔹 Can complete a checkride, including A/A and A/G employment, basic carrier ops, tanking, as well as an introduction to instrument procedures (TACAN approach) 🔹 Want to learn and improve their skills 🔹 Are willing to follow procedures and a wing training syllabus 🔹 Enjoy working as part of a team 🔹 Have an interest in naval aviation 🔹 Can take training seriously while still having fun 🔹 Want to be part of a growing, active community

You don't need to be an expert-level pilot. As long as you can reliably operate your airframe, we would love to have you if you are willing to learn, put in the effort, and contribute to the team.

🦅 JOIN CVW-9

VF-211 • VFA-147 • VF-24 • VFA-146 • VA-165

🎙️ Discord: https://discord.gg/esVVDsnBWU