T-34 Cross-Country Techniques

CHAPTER 3

AIR FORCE T-38 TRACK INTERMEDIATE

activity is a factor. Techniques abound on how to keep busy in the cockpit, but one over-riding

thing must be kept in mind: You are the only pilot in the aircraft and you must be able to run

everything by yourself.

303.

T-34 CROSS-COUNTRY TECHNIQUES

Brainstorm en route on how to always keep all your NAVAIDs "gainfully employed," if you

are flying GPS aircraft, then use the VOR/TACAN for cross radial references to keep up with

diverts. If you are coming into the terminal area, then back the NAVAIDs up with each other; is

the Localizer lined up with the PAR? Are there cross radials to help you out with where you are

on the approach?

Radios, how can I use the Radios in order to make life easier on myself? Flying into a terminal

area, you can fly UHF the whole way and put in the Tower and Ground freqs in the VHF so that

when you are told to switch to Tower at the FAF all you have to do is toggle VHF/UHF.

Similarly, departing from a cross-country airfield, put Tower and Ground in the VHF and the

Departure freq in the UHF, so when you are told to switch to Departure you can just flip the

UHF/VHF select switch in a time critical phase of flight.

Talk to your IP, there are plenty of other techniques to streamline your "office" during single

seat IFR, feel free to come up with some on your own as well.

304.

FLYING CROSS-COUNTRY INTO AN AIR FORCE BASE

Flying into an Air Force Base is not going to be much different from flying into any other

military base, but there will be some terms and procedures that are unique to the Air Force.

Instrument Approaches

Flying an instrument approach into an Air Force Base is no different from flying into any other

military base, but some terminology might catch you off guard.

"Active Runway" - not the "Duty Runway"

"Fix to Fix" - not "Point to Point"

"Initial" - coming up the center of the runway for a crosswind break

"Overhead "- a pattern consisting of coming in for the break

"Two-ship" formation - not a "section"

"Approach end arresting gear" - approach end cables that you want to land past (normally at

fighter bases the cables are up)

VFR Pattern

"Maneuver to initial for the overhead to a full stop" is how you will describe it. Usually you

will tell Tower that you want to maneuver to a "two-mile initial," which means that you will set

up the aircraft rolled out wings level, two miles from the approach end of the active runway and

will call out "two-mile initial." From there, Tower will usually clear you to break.

3-2 T-38 INSTRUMENT NAVIGATION