F4790 Scenario Information

LOW-LEVEL AND TACTICAL FORMATION

APPENDIX D

D105. F 4790 SCENARIO INFORMATION

You will plan and fly your own "Checkride Route" on F4790. Ask schedulers 2-3 days prior to

your checkride who your flying partner is. Decide who will go first. Student A will need to

develop a 50-60 minute route starting after the PORTLAND departure and ending at the

CANYON DZ (see below). A short escape and recovery to any suitable airfield (uncontrolled,

less than 5000 ft, unpaved, etc. are all suitable) should be planned to allow time for a lead

change. Student B will also need a 50-60 minute route from entry, to drop, and recovery. If

your wingman consists of 2 IPs, plan the first route as a BIG MAC to the BIG MAC DZ,

followed by a VFR recovery (to a suitable airfield) leading into your checkride route. You may

draw your F 4790 routes on the Falcon View flight planning program located in Bldg 1824. You

are responsible for having copies of all routes being flown as well as preparing the AF Form 280,

stick diagrams, and formation brief. Show your planned route (not necessarily completed charts)

to a mission commander for approval one day prior to your checkride. On the day of your

checkride, remember to bring in all the charts you have drawn so that they can be added to the

VT-31 chart library. F 4790 flights are usually long and hot and are the last flights in the

program, so it's recommended that you bring in refreshments (beverages of your choice) for the

debrief!

Consideration must be given to careful route planning for F4790, and points must be approved by

an IP on F4202. For day VMC enroute, plan a minimum of 500 feet AGL modified contour

altitude above the terrain using visual references and the radar altimeter. Modified contour is

defined as flight in reference to base altitude (500 feet AGL) above the terrain with momentary

deviations above and below the base altitude for terrain depressions and obstructions to permit a

smooth flight profile.

Natural terrain features are preferable to man-made features.

Do not plan to fly over built-up, populated areas.

When unable to avoid hostile areas, select specific tactics, such as terrain masking

(utilizing ridgeline and valleys to mask aircraft from both airborne and ground threats).

Avoid being skylighted--go around hills rather than over them. If a ridge must be crossed,

do so at a low-level point and, ideally, at a 45 angle.

Plan to fly to shadows whenever possible and place the aircraft's shadow in the terrain

shadows. Hide your shadow in the ridgeline, ridge shadow, cloud shadows, or dark vegetation if

possible.

Turns should not be made into significantly higher terrain or other hazards without

thorough analysis of aircraft engine-out climb performance.

FLIGHT PREPARATION D-13