Aerobatics
Familiarization
Techniques
You will need to increase back stick pressure as you approach wings level upright so that you don’t lose
altitude. The nose will feel heavy because you are trimmed for 380 KIAS.
NOTE: Rudder is important for coordinated rolls.
SPLIT-S
The split-S is the reverse of the Immelmann turn. Enter the maneuver from level flight; raise the nose 10-
15 degrees above the horizon, roll inverted, and pull the aircraft through a 180-degree vertical turn. You
will lose as much as 6,000 ft of altitude while performing the split-S (Figure 15).
Figure 15: SPLIT-S
Procedures
Complete the prestall and aerobatic checklist prior to performing the split-S. Begin the maneuver at 180
KIAS, on altitude, and lined up on a prominent terrain feature or section line. Pull the nose up to 10 to 15
degrees above the horizon, reduce the power to IDLE, and roll inverted, using ailerons and rudder. Gently
but expeditiously pull to optimum AOA. Maintain optimum AOA as your airspeed increases and maintain
wings level and your lineup on the referenced terrain feature throughout this maneuver. Maintain optimum
AOA (17 units) until intercepting 4 g and hold 4 g for the remainder of the maneuver. The maneuver is
complete when you are in level flight going in the opposite direction.
Techniques
To minimize loss of altitude, it is very important that you immediately pull and maintain optimum AOA after
rolling inverted until reaching 4 g and then hold 4 g until wings level. Beginning the pull before getting
inverted will result in not staying on the section line. Delaying the pull to optimum AOA will greatly increase
your altitude loss.
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