Air Combat Maneuvering
Flight Procedures
Should excessive closure develop, you must react immediately to prevent an overshoot. Two excellent
follow-on maneuvers exist—the high yo-yo and the displacement roll.
HIGH YO-YO
Figure 12 shows a high yo-yo, which is a lag pursuit maneuver designed to reduce angle off and
closure rate while increasing or maintaining nose-to-tail. The high yo-yo prevents an in-close/low-to-
medium angle off overshoot. The out-of-plane maneuvering places the velocity vector of the fighter
above the plane of attack and exchanges airspeed for altitude. The combination of the out-of-plane
maneuvering and the slower airspeed allows you to turn with a smaller horizontal radius while aligning
fuselages and reducing your TCA. Your slower airspeed will also reduce the closure rate allowing you
to maintain or increase nose-to-tail. An alternative to the high yo-yo would be to pull power and pop the
speed brakes. Although a viable alternative, this will deplete your energy package and may reduce
your offensive advantage.
1
2
2
3
2
1
3
2
1
3
Defender
3
1
Attacker
Figure 12: HIGH YO-YO
When you recognize excessive closure or a potential overshoot, start the high yo-yo by quarter-rolling-
away from the bandit’s maneuvering plane and pulling into the vertical. Any delay in your pullup may
result in an overshoot. Here, an overshoot in close is a much more serious situation since it may give
the bandit a reversal opportunity. If the bandit thinks he can force you in front of his wingline with an
aggressive nose-high reversal, he’ll try it. In this case, your high yo-yo may become your one-circle
entry (more on this in the flat scissors discussion). As the angle off decreases and you acquire the
appropriate nose-to-tail distance, roll the aircraft back toward the bandit to remain inside his turn. Be
aware that the bandit may counter your move by unloading in an attempt to gain energy and nose-to-tail
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