Target Pattern Procedures
Weapons
MANDATORY CALLS
Each member of the flight must make certain calls using his number in the flight, e.g., "Two abeam." In
order to avoid stepping on essential radio transmissions, the off target call will be made first, followed by
abeam and roll-in, in that order (Figure 14). Make your mandatory calls at the right time, and then keep
quiet to allow for other necessary calls.
Position Call
When the pilot following you calls off, call your position and fuel state. Use these position calls: "Cross-
wind" (climbing to abeam; similar to crosswind in a landing pattern), "Prior" (prior to abeam), "Abeam,"
"Past" (past abeam), and "Approaching" (approaching roll-in). Give the fuel state in thousands of pounds
with hundreds as a decimal. A sample position call might be, "Tree prior, one point four."
Roll-in
Call "In hot" or "In cold" as appropriate. "Hot" means you have intention to release; "cold" means you do
not intend to release; "In Winchester" is a one-time call which means you have expended all your ord-
nance. Do not call "in hot" until your master armament switch is set to ARM.
Recovery
Once the nose of your aircraft is above the horizon and you have turned the master armament switch to
SAFE, report "[number] off, safe."
Extending
If you find that your interval is too close, you must extend off target. Extend prior to starting the turn to
abeam and warn the aircraft behind you by calling "[number] off safe, extending." If you call off target
and your interval calls "Crosswind" as his position, reply with "[number] extending." Experience will
dictate how long to extend, depending on how short the interval is.
Sample Comm:
FOUR:
"Four off safe."
THREE:
"Tree abeam, one point eight."
LEAD:
"One in hot."
TARGET: "Roger, one."
TARGET: "Four, your hit: one five zero at three thirty."
OTHER VOICE CALLS
If you have difficulty acquiring your interval, do not hesitate to ask for a "posit." Answer requests for
position with the standard positions given above. If you decide to abort a run, call "[number] going
around high;" if you do not release any ordnance, call: "[number] off safe, no drop." Finally, you should
report any unsafe condition you see on the ground or in the air. If you miss a hit call, call the target by
telephone after landing. Don't ask for your hit while in the pattern.
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