Tactical Formation
Flight Procedures
wingman notices an immediate widening of the formation, obviously Lead turned less than 30 degrees past
the standard heading. This observance should be followed by a moderate acute correction. If Lead is
paralleling the wingman’s heading after the 30-degree turn way, Lead has turned the full 30 degrees past
the standard heading. This would require an aggressive acute correction to Lead’s abeam position while
also maneuvering to the proper abeam distance.
SHACKLE TURNS
Lead will enter the Shackle just like previous flights so the wingman should notice whether Lead continues
to pull into him (standard Shackle or Shackle towards wingman’s direction) or stops his turn after
approximately 15-20 degrees (Shackle toward Lead’s direction). This will look exactly like previous flights
with the exception of the new heading not being called.
Additionally, Lead will Shackle the flight on the current heading to facilitate getting the wingman back into a
proper combat spread from a sucked or acute position. Lead will set up a turn so that the wingman ends
up very sucked or acute. After stabilizing on the new heading, Lead will then Shackle the flight to get the
wingman back into combat spread. This works exactly like “off-heading Shackles”.
If the wingman is sucked when Lead calls for a Shackle, Lead will turn into the wingman greater than 45
degrees and will continue his turn (to a maximum of 90 degrees) until he feels that a reversal is required.
The wingman will turn toward Lead less that 45 degrees (or not at all) until arriving almost abeam Lead and
then resume to the heading established before the Shackle.
If the wingman is acute, the procedure is reversed. The amount of turn for both Lead and the wingman is
determined by how far out of position the wingman starts the Shackle.
After approximately 10 minutes of competent, random TacForm maneuvering on TACF-06X, the IP will
introduce forced cockpit loading. Forced cockpit loading may consist of such tasks as changing the HSI
scale, changing the LAW, changing the selected waypoint or any other one to five second digital task the
IP may choose to impose. The IP may impose one task per turn.
SNA’s must realize that bearing, range, and altitude are the primary concern. Only with good basic airwork
and proper TacForm procedures under control should the student attempt the non-critical mission tasks.
The new motto is: “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, System Manage.” SNA’s must also keep in mind that it
may take several “looks” inside the cockpit to complete the cockpit exercise. It is NOT mandatory that
students complete a cockpit loading assignment in one single attempt. If aviating, navigating, or
comunicating demands a delay in the digital tasking then so be it, merely reattempt the task when higher
priorities are no longer an immediate issue. Student solos will not self-impose cockpit loading.
COMM-OUT TURNS
The only turns Lead will perform comm-out will be Tac Turns and In-Place Turns away. These turns will
be standard turns for 90 to 180 degrees of turn. Lead will signal a turn away in the same manner as in
uncalled cruise turns on previous flights. There are no cruise turns in TACF-06X and 07 so a wing flash
means a Tac-Turn or an In-Place Turn now. The difference is, if Lead signals with a wing flash away and
immediately starts turning away as soon as the wingman maneuvers, Lead has initiated a “comm-out” In-
Place Turn away. There will not be “comm-out” turns into the wingman.
OFFENSIVE COMBAT SPREAD
Prior to Gunsight Tracking the IP will introduce Offensive Combat Spread (OCS). For the T-45C, OCS will
be abeam, 1.2-1.5 DME, 3K’ altitude split. The wingman should try to maintain 3K’ above Lead when at all
possible. Lead will perform only standard called turns while in OCS. Wingman may expect 2 Check
Turns, 4 Tac Turns and 2 In-Place turns while in OCS. Tac Turns into the wingman require slightly
different timing than in the normal Defensive combat Spread position. Instead of waiting to see the intakes
to turn, wingman should wait slightly longer until Lead reaches the 5-5:30 or 7-6:30 position before starting
the 14 unit turn.
(4-03) Original
Page 30
Previous Page
