Procedure - P-3670023

AIR FORCE T-38 TRACK INTERMEDIATES

CHAPTER 2

of pressure in your chest and maintain that pressure during the higher Gs; this increases the

partial pressure of oxygen in your blood and therefore makes your blood oxygen-rich to a level

that you can maintain consciousness. It is not just flexing the muscles that works here, you can

trap the blood in your upper half of the body by flexing the leg and stomach muscles, but you

also have to have the blood oxygen-rich to be of value to you. The way you breathe is vital in

the sustained G environment. Trap the air for 2 - 3 seconds, no more, no less, then make a quick

exchange of air so you do not lose pressure in the lungs--you must maintain pressure in the

lungs! Breathe as if you were sucking through a straw, exchanging only 10-20% of your total air

with each breath. Do not get lulled into complacency: "Well, I'm not really going to need this

because I will have my G-suit to protect me." That is a flawed gameplan because the G-suit is

not designed to protect you from the initial high onset; it does not fill up fast enough. It is

designed to help you maintain the G, but only adds about one G of capability over your AGSM,

so at 9 Gs, you will have to cover that other 8 Gs! The IP will demonstrate this first and then

give the student a chance to practice. While practicing you need to realize your limitations, if

you start getting behind the Gs, let up on the stick, get back on your strain and then reapply the G

to 4.0.

a. Procedure

(1)

Climb up to 9500 MSL with 1015 ft-lbs.

(2) Gently allow the nose to fall (no more than 5-7 degrees) and begin a shallow

descent and allow the airspeed to climb to about 190 to 200 knots. Check above and below you,

and clear with the NACWS. Clear in direction of turn.

(3) With airspeed, roll with rudder and aileron and set the lift vector on or slightly

below the horizon, get on your AGSM and pull smoothly to 4 Gs and maintain. You want to

sustain 4.0 Gs and 190-200 knots for approximately three turns.

(4)

Rollout with rudder and aileron.

(5)

Climb back up to 9500' MSL and repeat the maneuver with the student flying.

b. Common Errors

(1) Over-banking. You need to bank just over 90 degrees to maintain energy

throughout the turn, maintain G and airspeed, no more, no less

(2) Pulsing the stick with every exchange of air during AGSM. Your AGSM and

stick inputs should be independent of each other; keep a nice uniform nose rate throughout the

turn.

(3) Getting behind the G and not letting up. Pulling until you start to "gray out"

and letting up on the AGSM is very dangerous! Remember, the mentality is single seat, you

have to be able to recognize yourself getting behind the G, if you are, LET UP, GET BACK ON

THE STRAIN, and reapply the G!

(4) Over-G the aircraft or yourself. Do not try to manhandle the airplane into 4 Gs,

the T-34 has a lot of elevator authority and will over-G in a second. Roll, set the lift vector and

pull smoothly to 4 Gs and maintain. Do not pull faster than you can handle either, the idea is

not to over-G yourself and have the IP save you; remember, this is a single seat world.

T-38 PRECISION AEROBATICS 2-3