Chapter 6 T-38 Formation Area Work

CHAPTER 6

T-38 FORMATION AREA WORK

600.

INTRODUCTION

Area work in the MOA is the "meat" of the day's mission. The flow of your flights will

always be the same, takeoff, fly a DP to the MOA, execute the mission, and RTB either to an

instrument approach, or to initial. The preceding chapter was dedicated primarily to "Admin,"

basic formation "going and coming." The work in the area is the crux of the mission; everything

else is just "going and coming." Later, in your operational unit, "Admin" will be understood--

only rookies make mistakes in Admin! Area work in T-38 FORM is intended to expand your

formation flying to higher levels of performance. You will use the basics that you learned in

APA as the basis for T-38 FORM area flow. T-38 FORM in the MOA is going to tie in all that

you have learned up to this point both in Primary PA, Primary Form, and your APA ride, ....and

then some. The Flow for our T-38 FORM sorties is usually the same:

a. Fly DP to the MOA, enter the MOA at the top of the block, 9500 feet MSL (weather

permitting).

b. Entering MOA, Lead commands "Knights Fence-in, Ops check."

c. Ops check complete, Lead will nose over for the first of two G-awareness turns, just

like in APA. The G-turns will be 180 degrees with Lead rolling out and immediately

commanding a Turning Rejoin, while climbing at 150 knots, 850 ft-lbs.

d. After the two G-turns, Lead will execute the briefed profile. Lead has the prerogative

to execute the mission requirements as he sees fit to maintain the area or avoid weather. Here is

a recommended profile:

(1)

Lost Wingman to a Straight Ahead Rejoin.

(2)

Echelon Turn.

(3)

Wingwork with a breakout at the end, Turning Rejoin.

(4)

Extended Trail; four maneuvers with at least one being one leaf of the

Cloverleaf.

(5) Terminate Extended Trail. Conduct a Turning Rejoin in opposite direction of

the first. Lead change.

e. In the Air Force, the student who leads to the MOA will normally wing back so there

is only one planned lead change in the sortie. The student who takes the lead will execute the

same mission requirements. After the lead change, the new leader will command an Ops check.

(Ops checks are performed checking into the area, at lead changes, and checking out of the area,

plus periodically so the Lead has SA on the formation's fuel state.)

T-38 FORMATION AREA WORK 6-1