Josh ‘Cabo’ Gunderson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, executes the ‘Power Loop’ maneuver during a performance at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 10, 2020. “Even when I’m flying offensive against another Raptor, that airplane is eye-watering when it starts maneuvering visually.” U.S. “Having come from a fourth-generation background, it’s eye-watering,” how nimble the jet is, said Scott, a former F-15 pilot. The original operator’s manual actually read “you may fly this aircraft with reckless abandon,” he recalled, and while the manual has changed since the aircraft’s first flight more than two decades ago, the spirit of the Raptor is the same as ever. “The flight controls … are phenomenal,” Scott said on the Fighter Pilot Podcast in 2019. Terry “Stretch” Scott found that out during his time flying the F-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s fifth-generation fighter designed to kick down the door of enemy air defenses. Operator’s manuals have a boring reputation, but not if they are written for one of the best fighter jets ever developed. The F-22’s raw power and thrust vectoring technology gives the aircraft super maneuverability in the air-to-air battlespace. Josh ‘Cabo’ Gunderson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, performs during an air show in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. Also your F-15 may have a higher ceiling (max altitude) than some of the older enemy aircraft, allowing you to gain an advantage even if they try to follow you up.Ĭlimb and turn at the same time then locate the target and fire or dive.U.S. Depending upon the quality of the enemy aircraft, he may or may not be able to follow you up. Locate the enemy and take a missile shot (3). Most air-to-air missiles fired at you will be from behind during this maneuver and can be defeated with a properly timed flare (2). Hold this climbing turn until you've gained 5,000-10,000 feet or so in altitude. Roll into the attack and light your afterburners.Pull the nose up to a 30-degree climb (1).The Vertical Spiral lets you take advantage of the excellent design of your aircraft-the F-15 can climb while it's in a hard turn. Your opponent is pulling around behind you. Situation: You're being out-turned by an enemy aircraft. There's a chance the attacker may overshoot If you use this splraling maneuver. If the attacker follows you down, he may overshoot at this point and allow you to take a shot.As your speed builds, cut power to idle and extend your airbrake.In other words, if he's to your left, push the stick to the left (4). Determine the position of the attacker (3).Pull back on the stick to start the dive (2). ![]() You have at least 15,000 feet of altitude, and you want to (a) disrupt the enemy's aiming process, (b) escape, and (c) if possible, reverse the situation. Situation: An enemy aircraft has closed to within firing distance behind you. Use this with caution when flying at low speed.įorce the other aircraft to overshoot by extending your speedbrake. Using a speedbrake reversal with less than 400 knots of airspeed won't leave you much speed for maneuvering. You'll only have a good shot for a split second. You must be quick to react on this one the bogey won't like being out in front of you and will turn hard very quickly. As soon as the attacker appears on your screen (overshoots), retract the speedbrake and be prepared to turn hard to follow, or take a missile shot and disengage.Cut your engines, pull up hard, and extend your speedbrake (2).Situation: An attacker is closing fast from behind. You'll end up with a heading 180 degrees from your original. Roll upside-down and put your fighter into a steep dive. If possible, make your move in one direction when the bogey is headed in the other. Timing has a lot to do with the success of your disengagement attempt. Keep the stick pulled back until you pull out right-side up but heading in the opposite direction (3).Pull back on the stick to start a steep dive (2).Sometimes the best maneuver is to disengage and reposition to attack again under better conditions. Situation: You're in a low-speed, hard-turning fight and can't gain an advantage after several turns. ![]()
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