AIRCRAFT HANDLING

1. AIRCRAFT HANDLING Part 7 Aerobatics and Formation Flying

2. Aerobatics • Aerobatics • Give pilots confidence in handling aircraft. • They gain experience at operating • in different attitudes. • Pilots become accustomed to the high strains • and stress of combat flying.

3. Aerobatics • Before any aerobatic flying, • a pilot must carry out his HASELL checks: H A S E L L Height – sufficient to complete manoeuvre. Airframe – Flaps and U/C UP, Airbrakes IN. Security – Equipment stowed, harness locked and tight. Engine – Temperatures, pressures & fuel sufficient. Location – Airfields, built-up areas controlled airspace. Lookout – clear of other aircraft & cloud (↔ & ↕)

4. Aerobatics • As you should already know, • an aircraft can be manoeuvred in three planes: Pitching plane Rolling plane Yawing plane

5. Aerobatics • The simplest aerobatic manoeuvre • in the pitching plane • is the loop. Pitching plane

6. Aerobatics • Pilot aligns with linear feature – road, rail • Drop nose to increase speed • Keep wings level • Pull up until horizon disappears, • looking overhead for new horizon

7. Aerobatics • The simplest aerobatic manoeuvre • in the rolling plane • is the barrel roll. Rolling plane

8. Aerobatics • Drop nose to increase speed • Pick point above horizon (cloud) • Roll 45° away from banking direction • Roll in banking direction, • with nose of aircraft pointing at point on horizon

9. Aerobatics • In the yawing plane • the only basic manoeuvre • is the stall turn. Yawing plane

10. Aerobatics • Nose up to 90°, decreasing speed • Apply rudder before wing stalls. • Aircraft falls sideways until nose is pointing down • Speed increases, • round out at the bottom.

11. Aerobatics • There are other manoeuvres . . . The Slow Roll • As a barrel roll, but slower Roll off the Top • ½ loop followed by barrel roll • or slow roll at the top ½Roll and Pull Through • Barrel roll or slow roll • followed by a ½ loop

12. Aerobatics • There are other manoeuvres . . . The Upward Roll • Pull up vertically, roll keeping • wings straight. • Often ends with stall turn Aileron Turn • A roll flown vertically downward Derry Roll • A roll flown while inverted Hesitation Roll • Either a 4 or 8 point roll, • stopping briefly every 45° or 90°

13. Aerobatics • There are other manoeuvres . . . Vertical Eight • A ½ roll off the top, a full loop • and a ½ roll and pull through.

14. Aerobatics • There are other manoeuvres . . . Horizontal Eight • A loop and a ½ roll, followed by • another loop and ½ roll Cuban Eight • A full roll on the first loop and • ½ roll into the second loop.

15. Inverted Flight • Aircraft flying inverted • appear to be flying with • the nose well above the horizon. • Aircraft wings are less efficient inverted, • so a higher angle of attack is required • for inverted straight and level flight. α

16. Formation Flying • The RAF’s definition of formation flying is: • ‘An ordered arrangement of two or more aircraft • proceeding together as an element.’ • There are two types of formation flying: Close Tactical Take-off & Landing Used for all tactical fighter operations Cloud penetration Show and Display flying

17. Formation Flying • There are five standard section formations: The VIC formation ‘V’ Think of the in Vic and invert it. 1 3 2

18. Formation Flying • There are five standard section formations: The ECHELON formation 1 2 3

19. Formation Flying • There are five standard section formations: LINE ABREAST 1 3 2

20. Formation Flying • There are five standard section formations: LINE ASTERN 1 2 3

21. Formation Flying • There are five standard section formations: The BOX formation 1 3 2 4

22. Formation Flying • There are five standard section formations: Line Astern 1 Box formation 1 VIC formation 3 2 1 1 4 Echelon formation 2 2 3 2 3 1 3 2 Line Abreast 3

23. Formation Technique • Relative speed – Air Speed Indicator (ASI) • is the only method of judging speed • Apparent size – using the size of objects • to judge distance – 6 miles to 3 miles isn’t obvious, • but 1 mile to ½ mile is. • Distance – Tendency to underestimate, • comes with practise & experience

24. Formation Technique • Changes are always small & smooth • Longitudinal changes use throttle & elevators • Lateral changes use ailerons • Vertical changes use elevators • A clean aircraft: • Accelerates quickly • Decelerates slowly • Acceleration is often poor at low speed • in jet aircraft

25. Check Understanding The pilot uses a mnemonic to remember to carry out his checks. What is the mnemonic for aerobatics? H A S A L L H E S S E L H A S S E L H A S E L L

26. Check Understanding In the diagram, the arrows indicate what plane of movement? Pitching Yawing Rolling Spinning

27. Check Understanding What is the simplest aerobatic manoeuvre in the pitching plane? A stall turn A loop A barrel roll A spin

28. Check Understanding What is the simplest aerobatic manoeuvre in the rolling plane? A slow roll A barrel roll • A stall turn • A spin

29. Check Understanding What is the only basic aerobatic manoeuvre in the yawing plane? Roll off the top The stall turn A spin The upward roll

30. Check Understanding In the diagram, what is represented by the angle shown? The Angle of Incidence The Angle of Attack The High Climb Angle • The Low Climb Angle

31. Check Understanding What formation is shown in this diagram? Box Vic Echelon Diamond

32. Check Understanding What formation is shown in this diagram? Echelon Box Diamond Card

33. Check Understanding What formation is shown in this diagram? Diamond Line astern Line abreast Echelon

34. AIRCRAFT HANDLING End of Presentation