Air Combat Maneuvering
Safety/Emergency Situations
SAFETY/EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
As in any tactical flying, safety is paramount because of the ever-present potential for an incident. But just
as you learned in TacForm, flying only with safety on your mind prevents you from achieving the level of
proficiency necessary to be a competent tactical aviator. Safety is the natural and number one by-product
of operational proficiency. Complete knowledge coupled with thorough preparation and continuous
practice provides the cornerstones to achieving operational proficiency safely.
The following specific areas will go a long way in making you a safe and effective tactical jet pilot:
RELATIVE MOTION/EXCESSIVE CLOSURE
All midair collisions are a result of pilots failing to recognize constant bearing and decreasing range until it
is too late to take evasive action. Until now, all your flying in close proximity to other aircraft has been
static, and rates of change have always been tightly controlled. This will not be the case in the rest of your
tactical flying, especially during the snap guns exercise as you are maneuvering very close to the 500-ft
bubble and during the horizontal scissors as you cross the bogey’s flight path.
SITUATIONAL/SPATIAL AWARENESS
Spatial awareness is the ability to project the flight paths of your aircraft and other aircraft in relation to
each other. Your ability to develop spatial awareness combined with a complete understanding of your
aircraft’s capabilities will prevent a midair collision. Situational awareness goes beyond spatial awareness
and allows you to anticipate situations that may lend themselves to midair collisions. You need to exercise
both situational and spatial awareness anytime you maneuver for a head-on pass whether it be during 1 v
1 neutral starts or during an engagement. If you fail to call the pass, the instructor may have to call it for
you.
During 2 v 1 maneuvering, you need to be especially aware of the possibility for a midair during rear-
quarter attacks when you are a solo free fighter and you end up turning back too early directly into the
fight. Another situation similar to 1 v 1 is after the bogey has switched from the engaged fighter to you as
a free fighter and you fail to call the head-on pass. In the case of a visual forward-quarter attack, if you
are a free fighter and you are aligning for a rear-quarter shot but you delayed your counterflow turn, the
potential exists for a midair with your wingman.
GOOD START
Just as you learned in CQ, if you aren’t in good position at the abeam, the chances are by the time you get
to the ramp you are not in a good position to land. This holds true in any tactical flying. Near misses are
often caused by the wingman being out of position at the start of the maneuver. Strive to be in position at
all times.
LOST SIGHT/LOOKOUT
In order to minimize the potential for a midair collision (especially in the air-to-air phase), you must keep
your head on a swivel. Learn to take quick glances into the cockpit to get the information you want then
look back outside immediately. Any aircraft that loses sight for more than an instant in a close fight must
transmit, “Lost sight.” The other aircraft will provide descriptive/directive commentary to help the lost-sight
aircraft reacquire sight. If this is unsuccessful, the instructor will call, “Knock it off.”
OUT-OF-CONTROL DEPARTURES
Because you are constantly pushing the envelope in maneuvering during ACM, you will reach critical
points where a departure might occur. Be especially aware of two situations. First, when you are in a
defensive situation and the bogey executes a BRA, you may become disoriented and lose control as you
Page 57
T-45C Revision 1
Previous Page
