I went on a sortie this morning on GAW; starting out from Sochi with the objective of destroying the enemy AWACS which was just turning back toward us from Nalchik. I brought 3 bags while my wingman brought 2 bags and an ECM, both of us loaded 6-0-0+. The plan was for me to burn ahead and clear out any enemy CAP, while he came behind for the kill. Unfortunately he had some radar issues and found himself turn-fighting a, by then, slick Frogfoot while trying to keep his bags on. After what felt like an eternity he splashed the Frogfoot, but was 80 miles behind me, on the deck, with empty bags. I continued on and had just punched my wing tanks when I got a lock on the red AWACS. I launched 2x fox-3's then sent my last one at its 4 flanker escorts in hopes of turning them cold. Fortunately I splashed the AWACS, but unfortunately all 3 fox-3's smacked it. I had to creep home at 40k like a hot air balloon while my wingman heroically kept a lane clear for me; all the while looking over my shoulder for those flankers. By the time we got back to Sochi we were both below 1000lbs fuel. I think he was at 400lbs when he touched down, and I was at 800lbs when I touched down a minute later. I came here looking for info on how to do better and think I found it. @1:32 🤦‍♂️

Really very well explained, I am very pleased with your videos. Please more and keep up the good work.

I just happened to see this video while watching some others on the DCS F-16. Very good explanation of the fuel system and how to manage it. Something I never gave much thought until seeing this, lol. Thanks! .......Subscribed

thanks for the great explanation man. First video that really teached me how to use the fuel management switches.

Just enjoyed learning something I didn’t think I needed to know, great video/info

Thanks I've had this module since it first released and am trying to learn it now. Your video is a great help.

Super important stuff, fuel management is a very overlooked part of DCS

Funny nuance - the compass swings while accelerating and decelerating! Just like in real life!

cheff kiss 👌 thanks for ur videos men!

Your intro screens are iconic, and I maintain I learn slower when your voice is /not/ radio-transmit adjusted. /like /sub

Nice video. I should point out that RSVR does not represent "Reserve". It stands for "Reservoir". The way DCS represents the fuel transfer in the sim is not accurate and I've brought it up in the forums as a bug. Right now I can get a max fuel rate of 80000 pph at altitude which is waaaaay off. The external transfer rates are way off as well. The CL should only have a Xfer rate of only 18000 PPH and the external WT's have a combined rate of about 30000 pph (15000 pph per tank). On a 3 bag setup it's not as crucial but with only a CL or just WT's you can run into some issues real quick with the internal reservoirs depleting faster than the externals can replenish it. Unfortunately this is not modeled yet but I hope they do soon.

That was a nice paint scheme.

FWD and AFT fuel transfer is for ground maintenance when the jet needs to be defueled. The AFT fuel must be defueled first. It keeps the nose from getting light weight which would cause the jet tip back on to the engine exhaust nozzle.

Sick skin

I like the video a lot good job

A lot of the stuff you said was correct, but a few things were wrong. The needles FR is your F-1 tank which is the bladder behind the pilot and depending on a C or D model jet determines how much fuel is in it. But you also have your F-2 fuel tank and we don’t call them bladders, the only bladder is the F-1. The fwd res, internal right wing and right external wing tanks are all on the FR needle. The AL consist of your aft res, A-1, left int wing and left ext wing tanks. So when you say you were feeding from the bladder, it was actually taking from from the whole FR system. Not gonna go into how that works, just each tank feeds into the other. I’ve worked on F-16 fuel systems for over 15 years.

Great!

nice basics video

Everybody just want's to jump in the jet and fight, After all, they are machines of WAR. But it's the basics that we need to understand and master if we want to fly it proficiently and at it's best. I wish those that are proficient would maybe say out loud the things off the check sheet they are constantly monitoring. Your vids are invaluable Bogey to noobs like I. Keep them coming and thank you for taking the time to enunciate the fuel management system so clearly.

Thanks for making this video with this level of detail. How does dumping fuel work? Also, can one command fuel transfer from one tank to another-e.g. transfer fore to aft while using external wing tanks to feed the engine?

That's just fkn insane. like a 10,000lb per minute burn rate with burner

Im a fuel systems guy on the 16. its interesting that you didnt get a trapped fuel indication on your hud when you were in that high of burner for so long. The only true bladder is the F1 fuel cell behind the cockpit. The others are integral tanks. Out of curiosity, when you said something like when youre really heavy and want to climb fast with burner, would you donthat with two bags and some armament like a standard run of the mill sortie? How long would you need to be in burner like that? This is to help me troubleshoot in future reference.

I was just checking out your MFD's in game, they look completely different to mine? Is that a previous version because I think they look more realistic!

One thing that I have noticed when you're pretty low on fuel, and already burning from the Reservoir, is that the plane has a tendency to get right wing heavy (or sometimes even left wing heavy), I mean, it starts to roll to either side on its own, forcing me to trim it out, and I'm not entirely sure why. Considering a symmetric payload, maybe it's the weight difference between the Hardpoints where you carry the TGP and the HTS. Those equipments don't seem to weight the same, and probably that's the reason? I have to test this with a full clean payload and see how the jet behaves on Fuel Low state.

Is it possible to make an video, how to work with Bullseye with the F-16C in DCS? I have always problems to work with the GCI, if he correctly works with Bullseye.

Awesome video man, thank you. Why isn't it the default to use wing tanks first? How often IRL are tanks dumped? I reckoned taxpayers would appreciate getting those back.

In the beginning of the video you say "how to transfer fuel... i dont think you will ever need to" I was playing less than a week with F16, and Ive got some AAA hits on AFT Fuel Tank, from around 5000 total it went to 2000 pretty fast, transfering was worth nothing cause it was still dumping the fuel. I remembered something about balance while landing so about 10km from the airport Ive dumped most of the fuel (using AFT tank) leaving about 200 for landing - if you have no fuel, you cant be unbalanced by it :D Few days later I learned about dumping fuel... And when you say that you would rather trimm aircraft than transfer fuel for balance I wouldnt. Trimming always increase drag that airframe produce so your fuel consumption(also speed and acceleration will be lower at the same condition) will be higher in a longer matter of time, balancing tanks will be quick and more efficient for flight. I belive its simply called "Trim Drag". And Im saying that as a DCS pilot, not real F16 pilot, I just know something about this magic planes from the science side ;)

Do you agree that the F16 is under powered in DCS?

How'd you get that paint scheme?

I need this livery, where can I get it

You must be high 25-30k, at 5k feet it will burn close to 70,000pbs an hour

AirForceProud, is that you?

You’ve got the basic concept. Fuel tanks: left wing, right wing, A-1(aft part of plane) F1(forward1), F2 (forward 2) aft reservoir, forward reservoir. That makes 7 internal fuel tanks. The engine feeds from the fwd and aft reservoir, so all tanks transfer that direction.

Anyone else get a little annoyed when someone over explains something? "Watch as I select fuel from the external wing tanks how the fuel in the center line tanks doesn't drop" Amazing.. No hate on the video I would just say try to be a little more concise. Definitely some very good information in this video, where the fuel is, where it pulls fuel from first in different configurations and explanations of all the different symbology and what it does. However you don't have show us how the fuel gauge goes up and down when you add or remove fuel.