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aft on the canopy. At this time, power should be reduced so that at 1,000 ft of nose to tail distance no more than 25
kts of closure exists. Inside 1,000 ft, the lead will appear to track aft with increasing rate along the canopy as the
wingman approaches the bearing line. Wingman should avoid the tendency to reduce this tracking rate by
prematurely banking toward the lead, thus reducing the distance abeam. Instead, wingman should continue to
track on a parallel course to the targeted position abeam the lead and arrive on the bearing line with no more than 15
kts closure. Once stabilized on the bearing line with closure under control, the wingman will effect the join by
traversing toward the lead to the parade position.
TACAN Rendezvous
ATACAN rendezvous is a visual circular rendezvous employed to rendezvous a flight above the weather after takeoff
or during the mission if the flight is separated. The TACAN rendezvous is normally executed in a left-hand turn
tangent to the briefed TACAN fix (radial/DME) at a specified airspeed, altitude, and direction (inbound or
outbound). As shown in Figure 18, points around the rendezvous circle are numbered from one to four, with
point one located at the TACAN fix and sequential positions located at 90-degree intervals around the circle.
Upon reaching the TACAN fix, the
lead simultaneously calls his "[call
sign], point one" and commences a
30-degreeAOB turn in the briefed
direction. Passing each 90-degree
position, the lead transmits his
position number until the wingman
acquires a visual. The lead must
adjust the rendezvous turn to
compensate for wind, ensuring that
point one is always at the briefed
TACAN fix. The wingman will fly
toward the point one fix at 500 feet
below the briefed rendezvous
altitude and remain 500 feet below
the briefed rendezvous altitude until
established on lead's bearing line with relative fuselage alignment. Relative fuselage alignment is defined as the
lead's aircraft just above the side canopy rail and just aft of the canopy bow, sometimes referred to as the "crutch" of
the canopy. At night, the procedures remain the same. Upon arrival at a known point on the circle, typically point
one, the wingman will initiate a turn in the briefed direction of the rendezvous using AOB as required. The lead
should continue to call his arrival at the points along the circle to help the wingman establish an idea of the lead's
relative position from him. From these cues, the wingman should be able to narrow his search for lead. Once the
wingman sees the lead, the wingman will call "visual" and continue to maneuver his aircraft toward lead's bearing line
and align the fuselages. Once those parameters have been met, the wingman will climb to lead's altitude by placing
the lead aircraft upon the horizon and proceed with a standard CV join-up. Initially, if the lead's aircraft is behind the
wingman's wing line when a visual sighting is achieved or when lead's position call has provided the necessary
situational awareness, the wingman should proceed to the center of the circle. The center of the circle is known as
the "post" and serves as a control zone from which the wingman should be able to expeditiously maneuver his aircraft
to visually acquire the lead and begin the lead/lag procedure for rendezvous. The lead/lag procedure is best
conceptualized as maneuvering to place the lead at the wingman's "10 and 2" position. For example: in a normal left
hand rendezvous, the wingman should use AOB as required to place the lead aircraft at the 2 o'clock position relative
to the wing aircraft's nose. The wingman is now using a lead pursuit maneuver inside lead's radius of turn. The
wingman is closing the distance to lead but must still resolve fuselage alignment. The wingman should immediately
reduce his AOB and allow the lead aircraft to drift left across his windscreen towards the 10 o'clock position. The
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