Pop-up Pattern
Weapons
TRACKING
The rest of the run is conducted exactly like your low pattern run-ins, except that during your pop-up
sorties you will be bombing using CCIP mode. In CCIP, the computer will help you correct for any
deviations in dive angle, airspeed, and release altitude; however, the closer you are to planned param-
eters and the smoother you fly, the jet better hits you will get. Do not just "slime it in there" and hope that
the computer will do all the work for you or your hits will suffer. Any significant longitudinal stick inputs
during the final seconds of the tracking run are likely to cause large deviations in your hits.
OFF-TARGET
After rezlease, recover straight ahead to 1,000 AGL, make your off call, and perform a level 2-3 g turn to
the abeam at 1,000 AGL. Adjust for gaps in the pattern by "cutting the corner" during the turn to the
abeam or extending slightly if you are too close to your interval.
COMMS
In the pop-up pattern you will use the same calls you made in the standard weapons pattern but with the
addition of the "downwind," "turning in," and "in the pop" positions (Figure 22). The aircraft coming off-
target initiates the sequence with his "off" call, and the interval follows with his "abeam" call. Due to the
extended spacing in the pop-up pattern, the interval will normally be past abeam or downwind. The
aircraft coming in will call "turning in," "in the pop," or "in hot" as appropriate.
EXAMPLE POP-UP COMM
THREE:
"Tree off safe"
TWO:
"Two downwind, 1.6"
FOUR:
"4 in the pop"
FOUR:
"4 in hot"
TARGET: "Roger 4, three your hit one two two at nine"
DE-CONFLICTION/LOST INTERVAL/LAME DUCK
Due to the low altitude of the pattern and the extended interval between aircraft, de-confliction in the pop-
up pattern is done primarily via comm. If your interval is prior to the abeam when you call off, you should
extend off-target to increase your separation. If you don't have sight of your interval during the turn to the
abeam, climb above 1,500 AGL. Rolling out abeam, if you still don't have your interval in sight, ask for
his posit. Once sight/SA is regained, descend wings level back down to pattern altitude. Do not descend
in a turn. As in the low weapons pattern, the lame duck pattern will be flown 1,000 ft above the briefed
off-target rendezvous altitude.
OFF-TARGET RENDEZVOUS
Procedures for the off-target rendezvous are identical to those for your previous weapons sorties. You
should realize, however, that due to the increase interval in the pop-up pattern, you can expect to have to
work off a lot more angles during the rendezvous because lead will be further around the turn circle than
usual.
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