Controls

Controls Overview

Available control binds for the Phantom are exhaustive. For any switch, knob or button, you can choose between direct position-binds, increment or decrement binds, a toggle or next option, special binds for 2-way or 3-way switches and assignable axis.

In total, both cockpits feature around 1000 assignable binds and 200 axis each.

As example, the Speed Brake switch provides 8 binds:

Speed Brake - In
Speed Brake - Stop
Speed Brake - Out (Hold)
Speed Brake - [Aft]
Speed Brake - [Forward]
Speed Brake - [Next]
Speed Brake - In/Stop (3-way up)

The Out-position is marked (Hold) to signal that the position is spring-loaded and will return to center once released.

Binds [Aft] and [Forward] are directional binds that move the switch from the current position into the given direction.

[Next] is similar, but will not stop at the last position and wrap over to the first position again. Likewise, 2-way switches provide a [Toggle] bind that flips the switch between either position.

The (3-way up)-bind is intended to be used with actual 3-way hardware switches, such as present on many external devices. They send a signal on either position (up and down), but no signal on the center position. Hence, the bind will return the switch back to the center when no signal is send.

💡 The (3-way down)-bind is skipped for the Speed Brake, since it would be identical with the spring-loaded Out (Hold)-bind.

All binds are generally assigned at least two searchable categories, the system the bind belongs to and its location in the cockpit. The Master Arm switch for example has categories:

Weapons
Main Panel
Weapon Selection Panel

Sim-Pit

Additionally to regular binds, special [SimPit]-binds are provided that allow controlling any switch or knob via an axis input.

For example, a switch with 2 positions ON and OFF can be controlled with an axis, while the switch changes its position as soon as the axis is pushed beyond its center position.

This is especially useful for builders of cockpit replicas, working mainly with hardware switches whose electronic components send normalized inputs through the entire movement range.

Jester & Crew Chief Commands

Direct binds to control Jester and Crew Chief commands are provided especially for mission designers or users of voice recognition software, such as VoiceAttack.

Jester Commands

This allows use of the corresponding actions directly via a bind instead of using the UI to select them.

Binding Guide

When just getting started, a common question is which fundamental controls one should generally bind and have accessible without using the mouse, besides the obvious binds of throttle and stick axis.

Within DCS these binds are categorized as Essentials to make finding them easier.

Essential Category

💡 Items marked bold are highly recommended to be bound. Italic sections are suggestions of which positions to bind.

Pilot

The pilot should focus at binding the major flight controls, as well as combat relevant switches.

Flight Controls

Stick
Throttle
Trim Controls (4 + 2)
Landing Gear
Flaps/Slats (Norm, Out, Out & Down)
Speed Brake (Out, Stop, In)
Eject
Nose Gear Steering / Auto Acquisition Button
Drag Chute (Deploy, Cut)
Seat Controls (Up, Down)

Startup

To execute the cold-start sequence, binds of interest are:

Crew Chief Command: External Power > Connect
Crew Chief Command: Air Source > Connect to Right/Left Engine
Crew Chief Command: Air Source > Start/Stop Airflow
Crew Chief Command: Air Source > Load Starter Cartridges
Start Engine Switch Right/Left (fires up Starter Cartridges)
Generator Right/Left (On, Off, Ext)
Right/Left Engine Master Switch
Right/Left Engine Ignition
Right/Left Engine Idle Detent

Combat

Trigger (2nd stage)
Bomb Button
Weapon Slew (4)
Pinky Switch (Gun, Heat, Radar, Reject)
CAGE Button
Nose Gear Steering / Auto Acquisition Button
DSCG Mode (Radar, Off, TV)
Bombing Tool
Dispense Countermeasures
HUD Mode (CW, CCW)
Delivery Mode (CW, CCW)
Weapon Selector (CW, CCW)

Navigation Input (Next)
Navigation Mode (Next)
AFCS Switch
ALT Hold Switch
AAR Release Switch

Communication

Microphone Switch (UHF, ICS)
COMM Channel (Inc, Dec)

Jester

Jester UI Action
Jester Context Action

WSO

For the WSO it is optional to bind flight controls such as the flight stick. Controls should be focused at operating the Radar and the Pave Spike targeting pod.