Flight Procedures
Air Combat Maneuvering
is greater than yours, he can generate sufficient vertical displacement for subsequent rolls instead of
flattening his scissors, thus forcing you out in front.
Assuming your energy packages are at least equal, flatten the scissors after reaching the top by
continuing to roll through more rapidly. Put your lift vector slightly in front of the bandit to both
shallow your slice turn and miss the deck. If the bandit rolls through without being aware of an
altitude problem, he will hit the deck. However, if he is aware of the altitude and your tactic, he will
be forced to put his lift vector out in front, resulting in reordering the relative geometry.
A roller can be converted to a horizontal scissors anytime, but it must be converted when altitude
becomes a factor. Typically, flattening a roller results in a horizontal scissors if the bandit follows
through on your tactic. If you decide to convert a normal rolling scissors to a horizontal scissors,
remain nose-high at the top of the roller and continue to pull back toward the bandit to generate an
overshoot. Instead of rolling through the vertical, reverse nose-high and pull back toward the
bandit’s six forcing him out in front of your position, resulting in a horizontal scissors.
Should you decide to enter the horizontal scissors during a normal roller, you will be bleeding off a
tremendous amount of energy. If the bandit is smart, he will convert his kinetic energy to potential
energy by going vertical and, more than likely, will get an offensive advantage on you.
LOW ANGLE SET
You will initiate this engagement from a position 45-50 degrees off the tail, 1,000 ft of stepup, and
300 KIAS. At the “fights on,” an immediate missile opportunity will present itself if you can aggres-
sively pull the nose to the bandit. Call the Fox-2 and evaluate the bandit’s defensive break turn.
Unlike the gunsight tracking exercise you practiced in TACF, this bandit will try to survive. Expect an
aggressive break turn.
If the bandit appears to be maximally performing his aircraft, a moment of pure pursuit for a maxi-
mum range rake/snap followed by an immediate lag maneuver to his control zone will probably be
your best move. Holding the nose on will force the bandit to honor the shot, but angles will still
develop rapidly! You must evaluate the lateral turning room between the aircraft and the relative
energy states of the jets to determine the type of lag maneuver. An unload may be required if you
need to generate knots, but remember your proximity to the bandit’s control zone. If you lag for too
long, the bandit may be able to generate more angles than you can make up. A savvy bandit may
use the opportunity to unload himself, aggravating your ability to outrate him in the two-circle fight
that follows.
Holding pure pursuit all the way into 1,000 ft, guns a’blazin can present big problems. Against a
hard-turning bandit, excessive angles will develop very rapidly. If you hold the pipper on to minimum
range and he survives this relatively low Pk shot, you will be faced with a potentially hideous
overshoot. The only move you have here is to attempt an aggressive high yo-yo to either minimize
the overshoot or at least position your aircraft for the one-circle fight which will follow a bandit
reversal. The magnitude of your yo-yo may well prevent you from ever coming nose-on if the bandit
elects to unload for knots or continue his turn without giving up any altitude below.
A compromise solution of pure pursuit to something outside minimum gun range followed by an
appropriate lag maneuver to the control zone is also an option.
(10-98) Original
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