HOTAS Controls

Overview

This page will cover the HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) controls and their use.

Theory

The A10 HOTAS system uses a couple of methods of selecting and manipulating multiple sources with only a single set of controls.

SOI

Sensor Of Interest (SOI), can be thought of as your selected sensor. Now what is a sensor? Anything that can be manipulated in the A10 including:

• HUD
• TDC
• TAD
• TGP
• Maverick
• Steerpoint
  • Markpoint
  • Flight plan waypoint
  • Non flight plan waypoint

HUD

The HUD can be selected at any time with Coolie Hat Up Short. The HUD can be recognized as SOI with the small asterisk in the lower left corner under the airspeed.

TDC

The Target Designation Cursor is a small square box on the HUD that can be controlled when the HUD is SOI with the slew controls.

SPI

Sensor Point of Interest (SPI) is a certain point in space defined with your current SOI. For example, setting a SPI (TMS Up Long) with the TGP as SOI will select wherever the TGP is looking as the current SPI. Note that with the TGP this will move as the TGP moves, so make sure it is tracking what you want it too. You can always deselect the current SPI with TMS Down Long, it will then revert to the default SPI which is the selected Steerpoint.

Controls

A10 Flight Stick

HOTAS controls use multiple Hats and Switches, these are used in different directions and held for two different periods of time to infer what command you wish to execute.

Master Mode Control Button

Direction	Action
Short	Toggle HUD Mode
Long	Air-To-Air Mode

DMS

The Data Management Switch (DMS), generally manipulates data but does not change it. The following chart shows what commands the DMS hat can perform.

Direction	Duration	TAD	TGP	HUD	AIM-9	MAV
Forward		TAD Scale Increase	Zoom Increase	Steerpoint Increment		Reticle Up
Aft		TAD Scale Decrease	Zoom Decrease	Steerpoint Decrement		Reticle Down
Left	Short		FLIR Auto Focus	Gunsight Cycle / Weapon Profile Cycle ²	A-A Target Toggle	Reticle Left
Left	Long	Broadcast SPI thorugh JTRS Datalink ¹
Right	Short	Center/ Depressed Mode	Laser Toggle	Gunsight Cycle / Weapon Profile Cycle ²	A-A Target Toggle	Reticle Right
Right	Long		LSS Toggle

1 - TAD does not need to be selected to perform this command. Anything can be SOI to perform this.

2 - When the Master Mode is set to NAV or GUNS, command cycles Gunsights. In CCIP or CCRP mode, command cycles stored weapon profiles.

TMS

Target Management Switch (TMS) manages targets, their selection, and other modes.

Direction	Duration	TAD	TGP	HUD	AIM-9	MAV
Forward	Short	Hook	Track Toggle	Stabilize	Scan	Track
Forward	Long	Make SPI	Make SPI	Make SPI	Make SPI	Make SPI
Aft	Short	Un-hook	INR Track	Set SPI Submode	Break Lock	Ground Stabilize
Aft	Long	Reset SPI to Steerpoint	Reset SPI to Steerpoint	Reset SPI to Steerpoint	Reset SPI to Steerpoint	Reset SPI to Steerpoint
Left	Short	Reset Warning, Caution, or Note	Reset Warning, Caution, or Note	Reset Warning, Caution, or Note	Reset Warning, Caution, or Note	Reset Warning, Caution, or Note
Left	Long					Space Stabilize
Right	Short	Create Markpoint	Create Markpoint	Create Markpoint	Create Markpoint	Create Markpoint

Countermeasures Switch (CMS)

Direction	Action
Forward	Start Program
Aft	End Program
Left	Previous Program
Right	Next Program
Down (Z Axis)	Activate ECM

Nosewheel Steering (NWS) Button

	Action
On Ground	Nose Wheel Steering Toggle
In Air	Lase / Aerial Refuel disconnect/reset

A10 Throttle

Coolie Hat

Direction	Duration	Action
Up		HUD as SOI
Down	Short	Swap MFCD Content
Down	Long	DSMS Quick Look
Left	Short	Cycle Left MFCD Page
Left	Long	Set Left MFCD page as SOI
Right	Short	Cycle Right MFCD Page
Right	Long	Set Right MFCD page as SOI

Mic Switch

Direction	Action
Forward	VHF AM Radio
Aft	VHF FM Radio
Up
Down	UHF Radio

Boat Switch

Direction	TAD	TGP	HUD	AIM-9	MAV
Forward		FLIR BHOT			Black Symbols
Center		CCD			Force Correlate / AUTO
Left		FLIR WHOT			White Symbols

China Hat

Direction	Duration	TAD	TGP	HUD	AIM-9	MAV
Forward	Short	FOV EXP 1/2 Toggle (Zoom, North Up)	FOV Wide / Narrow Toggle	Set MAV as SOI	Uncage	FOV Toggle
Forward	Long	Slave all to SPI	Slave all to SPI	Slave all to SPI	Slave AIM-9 to TGP LOS	Slave all to SPI
Aft	Short	Reset Cursor	Boresight TGP ¹	Cage TDC to TVV ²	Missile Step ³	Missile Step ³
Aft	Long	CCD				Force Correlate / AUTO

1 - Boresight is resetting the view to point forward in relation to the aircraft's nose and remaining there. 2 - Returns the TDC to the TVV. 3 - Selects the next missile on the selected rack.

Throttle Pinky Switch

Direction	Action
Forward	Default External Lights
Center	Exterior lights off
Aft	Lights according to Panel

Left Throttle Button

Toggle Autopilot