Flight Tips

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These tips will not make you an AMa over night, but they will point you in the right direction. This is far from a complete guide and if there is anything else you find useful then please e-mail me with it so that I can add it to this page.

Rookies

• Go in the rookie arena at first. In the free-for-all you will be shot before you have had a chance to learn anything.
• Use your flaps (F and D). With full flaps you turn much quicker. The disadvantage is that they slow you down. Use them when in a dogfight but turn them off when you fly in a straight line.
• Use your rudder (Z and X). It only helps you turn a little but is very useful for lining up shots. It is also the only way to turn on a runway.
• Never pull up into a loop when someone is behind you. You will be an easy target.
• Practice. I know it seems impossibly hard sometimes but you will become good. It just takes hours and hours of practice. And it gets more fun the better you get.

General and free-for-all tips

• When you appear climb immediately. If someone else appears nearby you will have a big advantage attacking from above.
• When you approach a battle, look to see who everyone else is shooting. Position yourself behind someone who is not being shot at. Then there will be nobody behind you, at least for a couple of seconds. Also there will be nobody competing for the kill. Don't just go for someone who is smoking; it may look like an easy kill but there's a good chance someone else will already be going for it and you'll probably end up with someone on your tail.
• When diving on someone, use your flaps and throttle to slow down otherwise you will overshoot and end up in his sights.
• Get to know the planes. Don't go head-to-head with a me109. There are a many sites describing the strengths and weaknesses of each plane but you have to fly them to really know them. If you're in a squadron then practice at least one plane in each country because you will have to fly for all the countries sooner or later. This is an interesting forum thread with guides to many of the less popular planes.
• Don't kill people on runways it really annoys people and doing it repeatedly will result in everyone hating you. Some people hold a vendetta against runwayers and deliberately seek out and target them.
• Never ram people on runways. It is very annoying for them and it is against the Air Attack Club code of conduct.
• Stay away from battles over airfields. If you try to shoot someone the chances are that the anti-aircraft guns will get you. You are all much less likely to improve your scores fighting over the airfield. If you find yourself over a runway don't fire; use your rear view (/) to make sure its safe then only leave the area if you're clear. If you're being tailed just circle and perform evasive manouvers when he starts shooting and hopefully the AA fire will get him.
• If you are above an enemy there are three ways to attack. When you dive he will pull up to meet you head to head. You can go head to head with him, you should win the fight but will most likely take damage - especially if he has big guns. If you're more manouverable then you could do the Head to Head roll (see below) then take him out in the dogfight. It usually works but you could still get damaged and you'll be vulnerable to any third pilot getting involved. The best thing to do is to fake a dive. Pretend you're going head to head then at 4500ft pull up with full flaps and do a loop. At the end of the loop you'll be diving on him again, only this time he's just used up all his speed and can't pull up to meet you again so he is a sitting duck.
• When dogfighting always turn the most direct way towards the enemy, which is usually horizontal. Many pilots try to turn faster by diving to gain speed. If you do that you have to turn farther to face the enemy because they are now above you while you are facing down and they will gain the uppper hand.

Using Padlocked View

• Padlocked view (F4) can only look towards the enemy if he is not behind or below you. If you see your own wing then turn it off immediatly because it is no use. You can use the rear view (/) see behind you.
• If it is locked onto the wrong plane then press E and it will lock onto the nearest enemy.
• You can use it to see whats below you by rolling over and flying upside down.
• Use it for brief peroids of a second or less, then turn back to forward view (F3) so you can see where you are going. You need it much less when close to the ground.
• Turn it off before when your target is in front of you because it is harder to aim in padlocked view.
• If you use the rudder keys (Z,X) then it may be worth reconfiguring your controls. I have 'A' set up as forward view and 'S' set-up as Padlocked-view. That makes it much easier to flick backwards and forwards without looking down to find the rudder keys again afterwards. I also have 'W' set to lock on a friend which is useful for formation flying.

Head to head

• The range of guns in Air Attack is ranges from about 2200ft to 1800ft, depending on the plane. Start shooting just before then because by the time the bullets arrive your target will be nearer and it is better to start too soon than too late.
• Aim just above your opponent at first as the bullets will fall due to gravity. Then lower you nose so you point directly at them as they get nearer.
• If you think you have caused the most damage then make sure you avoid ramming. If you think your opponent has done the most then let him worry about it.
• Avoid head to head with planes with better guns than you. Instead do the Head to Head roll. Start the manouver at 3000ft distance. This is further then gun range but lag means that you appear to him to start it later. Deploy your flaps, roll and pull up on the stick. Try to get your sights moving in a loop around him. This will make you very hard to hit. When you are about to pass try to get a snap shot in. It is hard to hit but by doing it after you pass each other you will already be pulling in the right direction to turn round and take him out. The planes with weaker guns usually turn better so you should win the following dogfight. Don't try to get a quick shot in before the roll - lag will mean that he always has longer to shoot you and will do more damage.

Team games

• Climb as much as possible. When to equal size groups meet the highest one usually wins.
• When choosing a target, go for someone attacking one of your wingmen. They will be too busy to perform evasive manoeuvers and if you kill him quick you might save your wingman. DO NOT ATTACK SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY BEING ATTACKED. Competing for kills will result in both of you getting shot and only one getting the kill. If you see someone else attacking your target then break off and chose another. If there is no other obvious target and your wingman is certain of getting the kill then climb - you are safer and can cover your wingman better from above.
• Look around using F7 or ; and ' before taking off. It is very easy to have a collision on your own runway.
• Never go near the enemy base. If you try to shoot someone they will be able to get to safety quickly. You will have to either commit suicide in the anti-aircraft fire or turn away. If you have to turn away from the base it gives the enemy an easy opportunity to get on your tail.
• BE PATIENT. This is the most important thing to learn. One of the mistakes many people make it to take off and head straight for the nearest enemy. Keep away from the enemy and get together with your wingman. Keep climbing until the enemy come away from their base. Then only attack if you are not outnumbered. If you see a lone friend being attacked by a swarm of enemies don't go charging in alone trying to save him - you'll just get your self killed too. It might be a bit frustrating waiting for the best opportunity but believe me its a lot less frustrating than losing.
• FOLLOW ORDERS. They're given for a reason and if a squadron doesn't fly as a coheasive unit then they will lose badly. Don't worry about your own score - if the squadron does well then so will all the pilots.

Dealing with an attacker from above

• Keep your speed high and dive if necessary to gain speed fast.
• Try not to let him behind you - keep him ahead or above on your radar.
• Keep an eye on him with padlocked view (F4) and wait for him - don't climb to meet him.
• When he dives wait until he's about 4500ft away then pull up to meet him head to head. Don't pull up to early or you'll lose too much speed.
• If you've got better or equal guns then go head to head and cause as much damage as possible. If not then do the Head to Head roll.
• If he pulls out of the dive and starts climbing then don't pursue - get your nose down, dive fast and get away. He's probably about to dive again hoping to catch you at low speed, so you need to regain your speed fast so you can pull up again comfortably.

Pursuing

• The key is to keep an eye on your speed. Watch the distance indicator on the enemy and adjust your speed accordingly. If you see him slowing then make sure you are using flaps and cut your engine speed so you don't shoot past. If you do shoot ahead of him then go back to full throttle asap and turn away so you don't get into his sights. Hopefully he will be slow and damaged so you can circle round and come in for another pass.
• Use flaps if he is turning hard but if he is ahead and pulling away then turn them off.
• Use rudders to help you turn and help line up your shots.
• If he's not visible on forward view then flick back and forth between F4 and F3 so you know where he is and where you're going.
• Turn the most direct way - so that on F4 mode you are looking up and not to the side and pull up on the stick. If the enemy is diving or climbing in his turn then do the same but not as steeply - turning flatter is will usually result in the imaginary line traced from your nose will take a short cut relative to him and catching him up. If he is turning level then don't dive even if it seems to turn faster when you do - you are actually having to turn farther than you would if you turned on the level. (If you can't visualize the geometry of this then just trust me).

Evading

The situation: you are in a dogfight and the enemy has somehow managed to out manover you. He is getting shots at you in part of the turn and you can't shoot him. You can see that continuing to try to turn faster than him will fail.

• Keep an eye where the enemy is using F4. As soon as you can see he has the advantage do something - don't wait for him to damage you. Decide what to do quickly because it will be easier while both your speeds are still high; your speed drops fast in a full flaps turning battle.
• First thing to check is if there is a team mate attacking the enemy. If there is then by using your radar turn in such a way that makes it easiest for your m8 to get on the enemies tail. Then shake rattle and roll while your mate clears your six.
• If your near home then get over the AA fire and dance around till the AA gets him.
• If you can do neither of those then you have two options - outrun him or outbrake him. You can't out turn him because if you could you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Don't just change the direction of your turn while he isn't shooting you - you'll probably give him an opportunity for a shot that he wouldn't have had.

Outbraking

If you are in this position where he is on your tail then outbraking is the best bet. Set full flaps, cut all throttle, Alternate between rudders and move the joystick around - this makes you harder to hit and scrubs off more speed. It can help to drop landing gear but not always - it will often warn the enemy what you are doing before they would otherwise have realised. Don't do it immediately or roll so that your gear is hidden. Gear takes a while to come in during which time it is affecting your handling so raise it just before the enemy sails past rather than just after. If he doesn't shoot past your dead. If he does then you need to know when. Use the radar on F3 view, padlocked F4 view and rear view (/) to see when he does. As soon as he does go full throttle (you need speed to turn) and turn hard towards him. If he tries to outbrake you in turn then cut throttle again.

Separating (running away)

Often after a head to head you both turn and briefly meet again for another head to head where one or both of you get a snap shot in before passing each other. If he is out turning you he will get a longer time to shoot before you pass again and will eventually win. If this happens then, just as you pass, turn flaps off, level out and run. Dive slighly if there is room but not to hard or you'll have to pull up too much later. If you can see which way he is turning then very very gently ease on the stick to turn away from him so he has farther to turn before a shot. This must be gentle or you will lose speed. Use rear view (/) to watch him (don't forget to change back to F3 before doing anything. If he starts shooting and is in range then resist the temptation to manouver. A plane flying straight is a small target and you can't afford to lose the speed you would by touching the stick. You should be out of range very soon. If you don't pull away then do the outbraking manouver. Run till you have 5000 feet distance (use / to see his distance tag) then turn hard with full flaps and you'll be back in an equal position head to head. Don't even think about trying this is you have engine damage unless you can see that his engine is worse from the smoke.

Tips not about flying

• Be polite. Say "gk" (good kill) when it is deserved and don't swear because it annoys some people.
• If you are trying to get into a private arena that you know exists but keep getting an 'arena not found' message, then create a new arena exactly the same. When you enter it you will find everyone you expected is there.
• If everyone starts flying in straight lines before disappearing, then you have lost the connection to the game. Exit Air Attack completely then rejoin the arena from Wireview. You may find that your pilot name is unavailable for about 15 minutes. If this happens then you'll have to use another one. It's useful to have two very similar names above the rank of FLt. I have two versions of '[Jedi] Boba Vont'. You can just take out a space or add something on the end so people will know who you are. If you're lagging and are dropped more than once then it may be worth trying reconnecting to your ISP.
• Have fun.