Straight-Path Tracking

DIVISION AIR TO GROUND TACTICS AND PROCEDURESS

CHAPTER EIGHT

G at Release. Proper G at release depends on dive angle. For a 20-degree delivery, about 0.92

G is required to maintain a straight flight path. A 10-degree dive requires almost 1 G. A

60-degree dive (not used in the Training Command) would require only 0.5 G. The mil setting

for each type of delivery is valid only at the proper G. Incorrect G at release will change the

angle of attack of the ADL and will invalidate your mil setting by causing a false sight picture.

Excessive G will cause an early sight picture. Therefore, if excessive G is applied to obtain the

proper sight picture and all other parameters are correct, the hit will be short. Insufficient G will

cause a long hit. In addition, incorrect G will have another undesirable effect--changing your

dive angle. Proper G results in a straight flight path and a constant dive angle. Too much G will

shallow the dive angle, and insufficient G will steepen it.

Bank. Because of the depression of the sight line below the line of flight, any bank will cause a

false sight picture. This error is caused by the pendulum effect. In a roll to the right, the pipper

will appear to move to the left along the ground. Thus, if the weapon is released with the pipper

on target while the aircraft is in a right bank, the hit will be to the right and short.

Yaw. A skid or sideslip can also affect the trajectory of the weapon by causing a false sight

picture. Unless the ball is centered (balanced flight), the aircraft will not be moving in the

direction the pipper is looking. Therefore, if the ball is out to the right (the aircraft yawing to the

left) when you release a bomb with the pipper on the target, the hit will be to the right of the

target. In contrast to bombs, which depend on the aircraft for their velocity, forward-firing

ordnance tends to travel initially in the direction it was fired, even in unbalanced flight.

Wind. Corrections for wind effects are made by varying bank angle as you fly around the

pattern. During the tracking phase, adjustments to the roll-in point and initial aimpoint will be

necessary to counter winds. Wind effect on the bomb after release is corrected by the offset

aimpoint you calculate.

Delivery Procedures. Having discussed the factors that affect the path of a weapon, we can

now introduce the procedures and techniques for a weapons run.

809. STRAIGHT-PATH TRACKING

During straight-path tracking, a constant dive angle is maintained and the pipper is allowed to

track straight to the aimpoint. The G load will become slightly less than one G. With wings

level after roll-in, the pilot will scan both pipper position and dive angle. The OUI will report

the dive angle and airspeed. The pipper should be short of the final aimpoint at completion of

the roll-in. A good attack aircrew will make corrections for pipper position early in the run.

Note any deviations from the expected dive angle so that you can more easily calculate necessary

corrections in release altitude. While tracking, the pilot must control the motion of the pipper,

while the OUI continually cross-checks the aircraft's altitude, airspeed, and dive angle. Initially

in the run, dive angle and pipper placement are most important. Altitude becomes more

important as it decreases. At the appropriate standby altitude, the OUI will call "Standby" on the

ICS. At release altitude, the OUI will call "pickle...pull" as previously described. In the fleet

when actual ordnance is dropped, a new corrected release altitude may be computed to

DIVISION AIR TO GROUND TACTICS AND PROCEDURES 8-17