Getting Started

Getting Started

Open it

Go to fox3-academy.pages.dev in a desktop or tablet browser. Nothing to install, no account. Progress stays in your browser.

Run it locally

You need git and a current Node.js LTS release (CI uses Node 24).

git clone https://github.com/HDElectronics/Fox3-Academy.git
cd Fox3-Academy
npm install
npm run dev          # open http://localhost:5173

To get a single offline file:

npm run build        # dist/index.html, open it in any modern browser

The build inlines everything, fonts included, so it works offline: keep it on a second monitor or a tablet next to your DCS rig.

First flight

1. Pick your jet in the Jet menu, top right. The app repaints itself in that jet's cockpit colour: turquoise for Flankers, Fulcrums and the Su-25T, grey for Western jets.
2. Set units with the button next to it (km and m, or nm and ft). Russian jets start metric.
3. Open Learn and follow the lesson path for your jet. The bar under the menu lists only the pages your jet can open, grouped as BVR, Close combat, Flying and the jet's own pages under its name. Fighters: Radar, TWS, Missiles, Defense, RWR, then Merge & guns and Pattern & landing (plus HARM & SEAD on the F/A-18C). Attack jets: their own tab (Shkval & Vikhr for the Su-25T, Targeting pod & Mavericks for the A-10C II), then CAS & JTAC, with a Continue button on the Learn page. Progress shows what you have done on every jet; it is saved in your browser only.
4. Open Practice for the free TWS lab and the Radar, Missile and Defense experiments.
5. Open Fly for a full sortie, or Reference for your kneeboard.

Screens

Fox3 Academy is made for a desktop or a tablet. On a narrow window the 3D world stays the main surface, with World, Displays and Controls tabs; switching tabs keeps the simulation running. On a tablet the flying pages show touch controls. Phones get a short panel asking for a bigger screen.

Keys

Wherever you operate the radar or weapons, the app uses your jet's DCS keys where DCS has a default and shows them as key caps on the buttons. Everything is also clickable. When a full-fidelity module has no keyboard default, the app offers a clearly marked stand-in key or a button. On a Mac the key caps use Mac names (Option, Control).

Next: Module Tour.