Does anyone have an opinion on the pitfalls of learning/relearning/playing the F-16 in DCS and Falcon 4 BMS? I wish to fly the F-16 after a long time away from it, in DCS for the quality, and BMS for the environment.

I've always been a more-than-casual but not a full-rivet-count simmer, as such I'm not really interested in cold starts/shutdowns etc, but I fly 100% realism in most other regards.

I'm not too bothered about missing/extra features of one against the other at this stage, just the glaring differences between the two where they are common that I should be most aware of.

Cross-posting from the DCS forum to capture more peeps.

First DCS is limited to F-16 blk 52 CCIP, so no blk 40 with WAR HUD and TFR functionality.
I haven't tried DCS so it's second hand knowledge, but comparing DCS blk 52 to BMS blk 52 in terms of operating the jet both sims should be similar. DCS may miss few DED pages, some failures that are mostly related to cold start. Also I'm not sure, but probably DCS didn't delve that much into limits of wheel braking system, it also lack some of the munition (JDAM/JSOW, Spice) and avionics bits related to them. There are some differences in handling/performance at the edge of F-16 envelope and both parties are convinced they've got it right. Performance/behaviour differences of radar modes/ecm/misiles is another can of worms just as FMs are, I'm not going into that any deeper, just mention it's there/
Most glaring issue is lack of DTC and the whole mission planning stage in DCS where in BMS it's quite important part of the sim.
On the flip side is DCS offers L16 datalink for VIper where BMS is limited to older data modem. datalink. Although the way L16 works in DCS is a bit questionable (too much automagic) and AFAIK BMS 4.37u4 may bring L16 datalink for Viper too. So hopefully that won't be a thing in nearest future.

Thanks Xeno, at first glance it looks like I'll be fine with it I was wondering if there were any direct contradictions between the two like opposite switch positions or something

Hey DM, how's things?

I can't help, as I've never played DCS. So I can't make any comparisons, or note that the HMCS switch is reversed or any of that sort of thing.

Xeno's comment is good, as BMS gives you a number of marks, including the ultra-sexy thoroughbred, the Block 30 (and 32). Plus 40 and 42, plus 50 and 52. MLU. More? Probably I'm forgetting one or two. The Israeli version, F-16I? D-model trainers.

But of course the thing that sets BMS apart is the environment as you have noted. No airframe fidelity concerns (if there are any) can overcome what having a real-time war to fly in means to me. But then, of course, BMS is the best jet in F4's history.

Good hunting whichever way you fly.

Thanks DB I spent some of the weekend flying about getting refamiliarised with the two versions (DCS & BMS). I find myself enjoying both, and they're similar enough for me to transfer what I learn in one to the other. Was just doing basic navigations & steerpoint management, but my ILS handling needs work biggest bugbear for me is correcting the runway alignment for magnetic deviation.

I will have to learn the whole MFD thing as I just used to map simplified ordnance selections to my old HOTAS in Falcon 4 back in the day (before trackIR and clickable cockpits - how did we ever survive? ), now I have to figure out an engineer's idea of a UI as applied to an engineer's idea of weapon setups

If you need any help fire away

Here's a thread with some tips if you might find some helpful

Help Required Learning Falcon BMS

I lean more in to the campaign side of the game, but I know enough about the jet, systems and procedures to be dangerous

Good hunting