Chapter 2: Learning To Turn

Battlefield Operations: Falcon 4.
0 Allied Force
CHAPTER 2: LEARNING TO
TURN
In this chapter, you'll start by learning how to make basic turns and then advance to more complicated
maneuvers at a variety of airspeeds.
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Battlefield Operations: Falcon 4.0 Allied Force
Mission 3: Max G Turn At Corner

Airspeed
The objective of this training mission is to practice maneuvering the jet in a tight turn. Turning the jet is
a very important combat skill. Fighter aircraft like the F-16 Fighting Falcon are designed and built for
one purpose: to close with the enemy and shoot them down.
To do this, you must be able to turn your jet in the sky and point your missiles and guns at the enemy.
Conversely, you must also be able to turn your jet and keep enemy aircraft from pointing their guns and
missiles at you. Turns have two basic defining characteristics which are important to understand. The
first is turn rate (measured in degrees per second) or how fast the nose of the jet is moving across the
sky.
The next time you exit a circular highway offramp, note how fast the front of the car is moving past the
surrounding terrain. That is your turn rate. The second characteristic of a turn is radius. Turn radius is
simply how tight you are turning. In our example above, as you exit the offramp, the road sets the turn
radius. In an aircraft, however, there are no roads to follow, so the pilot sets the turn radius.
Two factors affect both turn radius and turn rate: aircraft G and airspeed. Aircraft G is how hard you are
turning the aircraft, which is determined by how much you are pulling back on the joystick. The more
you pull back on the joystick, the more G you are commanding. This increased G will lead to a tighter
turn radius and a faster turn rate--most of the time. Fighter aircraft have a limit to how much G you can
pull. If you pull Gs beyond this limit, you will cause the aircraft to fail structurally or you will black out.
The maximum G you can pull without breaking the jet is called max G. In older fighter jets, if the pilot
pulled beyond max G, the jet might break apart. F-4 Phantom engines have been pulled from their
mounting bolts and dropped into the engine bay due to "over G." In the F-16, the aircraft is
automatically limited to 9 Gs (max G) by a G-limiter built into the flight control system.
The other factor affecting turn rate and radius is airspeed. There is a direct relationship between
airspeed and G and, in combination, they affect turn rate and radius. Simply put, the F-16 has an
optimum airspeed range for making the quickest (best turn rate), tightest (smallest turn radius) turn.
This airspeed range is called corner velocity. At 330 knots and above in your F-16, you can pull 9 Gs
(the structural limit of the aircraft). Below 330 knots, you do not have enough air going over the wings
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to get 9 Gs. As airspeed drops off below 330 knots, so does your ability to pull Gs. Above 330 knots,
you can always pull 9 Gs.
This sounds great at first, because it appears that all we have to do to optimally turn the jet is to fly
faster than 330 knots. This is not true. Above 440 knots, you can still pull 9 Gs, but your turn radius
increases dramatically while your turn rate actually goes down. This is because above 440 knots, the
jet's flight control system does not allow you to pull any more than 9 Gs. The extra airspeed then only
hurts your ability to turn the aircraft. The equations for turn rate and turn radius illustrate why this is the
case. Why is not as important as knowing that there is an optimum airspeed for turning the jet. This
airspeed is called corner velocity, and it is 330-440 knots in the F-16.
There is one other maneuvering concept that I will address before we blast off. This concept is called
Specific Energy or PS (pronounced "P sub S"). PS is a concept that describes the energy or potential
maneuverability of a fighter. FalconAF was developed using the PS curves of the F-16.
These curves describe how well the F-16 will maneuver in terms of turn rate, turn radius and G.
Figure 3-1
The PS chart shows a series of fluid lines that represent specific energy states of the F-16 at an altitude
of 15,000 feet and a drag index of zero. The drag index is determined by what is loaded externally on
the jet. The zero PS line is the area of the chart where the jet can maintain airspeed and altitude for a
specific G load. The PS lines that have negative values represent a flight regime in which the jet will
lose either airspeed or altitude. The PS lines with positive numbers represent where the aircraft has the
potential to gain altitude or airspeed.
These charts are often called "doghouse" charts or graphs, supposedly because they look a little like a
dogs kennel. Who says aeronautical engineers have no sense of humor!
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The next three training missions are designed to teach you how to turn the jet at, above and below
corner velocity. They will also show you what will happen to your turn rate and radius if you do not turn
at the proper airspeed.
Training Mission Overview

This mission allows you to practice a max G turn starting at corner airspeed and note the effects of
airspeed and G on turn rate and radius. This mission will be easier to do with blackout disabled. Turn it
off by selecting "No Blackout" in the Simulation setup screen.
Initial Conditions
z Airspeed: 400 knots
z Altitude: 20,000 MSL (Mean Sea Level)
z Throttle Setting: Mid-range
z Configuration: Clean (landing gear up, flaps up and no brakes)
Mission Description
In this training mission, your jet starts at 400 knots (within the corner airspeed range of 330-440 knots).
Follow these steps to perform this maneuver:
1. Load training mission "03 Max Turn at Corner" from the Training Section.
2. Press 1 on the top of the keyboard to bring up the HUD Only view.
3. Press F to record your flight using the ACMI feature. You should see "Recording" in red at
the top of the screen to confirm that the recorder is on. You will use the recording later to review
your flight.
4. Fly straight ahead for about 10 seconds. Note your heading before turning.
5. After about 10 seconds, go to full AB (Afterburner) by pushing the throttle all the way forward or
by pressing SHIFT-+ . Note that the goal is to stay at the corner velocity of 330-440 knots. This
may require you to reduce the Gs by easing off the joystick.
6. Roll the jet either right or left and set the wings between 75°-85° of bank. Figure 3-2 shows the
proper movement of the joystick and the corresponding response of the aircraft wings. The side-
to-side movement of the joystick controls aircraft roll.
7. Pull all the way back on the stick to command the maximum G possible. Forward and backward
movement of the joystick controls aircraft pitch as shown in Figure 3-3. Pitch essentially equates
to aircraft Gs.
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Figure 3-2
Notice that you cannot pull max Gs at 20,000 feet and maintain corner velocity. If you pull more
than 7 Gs in this turn, you will lose airspeed.
Figure 3-3
8. Keep pulling around the turn, trying to maintain 330-440 knots, until you are back to your original
heading (thereby making a full 360° turn). Since this is a canned maneuver, you have the luxury
of using the HUD to help you make this level turn. Figure 3-4 shows the HUD flight path marker,
the HUD level line and your airspeed and altitude scales.
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Figure 3-4
9. During this turn, drag the flight path marker across the level pitch line in the HUD. The flight path
marker is presented in the HUD to show the pilot where the aircraft is going. At speeds above
300 knots, it is very close to the nose of the aircraft. You control the HUD flight path marker with
the joystick.
10. Once you roll the jet 75°-85°, you can move the flight path marker by pulling back on the
joystick. If the flight path marker is on the level pitch line in the HUD, the aircraft will stay level. If
it gets above or below this line, then the aircraft will climb or dive respectively.
Figure 3-5 shows what do with the joystick in order to correct a climb or dive during this turn.
11. Press F to stop the ACMI recording.

12. Press ESC and then select "End Mission" to end the training mission.
One last point: in this training mission, we used the HUD to make a level turn. In most combat
situations, however, your attention will be focused on the bad guys and you will not have time to use
the HUD to make a perfectly level turn.
ACMI Debrief
Select ACMI from the main menu on the left. Review the mission you just flew by clicking on the last
tape in the list and then clicking on the Load button. After your ACMI tape loads, try the following ACMI
option settings:
z Camera: Satellite
z Labels: Name, Airspeed, Turn Rate and Turn Radius Selected
z Wing Trails: Maximum
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Figure 3-5
Vehicle Magnification: x8
Start the tape by pressing the Play button on the VCR controls. Use the view controls to view the turn
from directly overhead. Use the small green F-16 icon to rotate your view. Use the arrow keys below to
zoom in and out. Review the turn rate and radius of your turn. It should take approximately 25 seconds
to complete a 360° turn in your F-16. The turn radius for this turn is approximately 3,500-4,500 feet.
The objective of this mission is to turn the jet at corner airspeed. Practice this mission until you can
consistently execute the turn without gaining or losing more than 2,000 feet in altitude.
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Mission 4: Max G Turn Well

Above Corner Airspeed
The objective of this mission is to observe the effects of trying to turn the jet at too high an airspeed.
Training Mission 3 set you up to perform a max G turn at corner airspeed. Training Mission 4, however,
will start at 650 knots which is well above the F-16's corner airspeed of 330-440 knots. Remember from
Training Mission 3 that corner airspeed is the speed at which the jet can make the quickest, tightest
turn.

In this mission, you will practice max G level turns starting well above corner airspeed. This lesson
demonstrates the effects of trying to turn the jet at too high an airspeed. If you fly well above corner
airspeed, the turn rate of the jet goes down and the turn radius increases dramatically. This poor turn
rate affects your ability to point the nose, while the increased turn radius allows enemy fighters to easily
fly inside your turn and stay on your tail.
Initial Conditions
z Altitude: 20,000 MSL
z Configuration: Clean
Mission Description
In this training mission, the F-16 begins at 700 knots, well above the maximum corner airspeed range
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of 330-440 knots. Even though the turn you make is at 9 Gs, note the increased turn radius and the
reduced turn rate caused by this increased airspeed. This mission will graphically show why you will
get spanked if you fly the jet too fast (above corner airspeed) in a turning fight. You will execute the
turn exactly the same as you did in Training Mission 3. Follow these steps to perform this maneuver:
1. Load training mission "04 Max Turn Above Corner" from the Training section.
2. Press F to record your flight using the ACMI feature.
4. Roll the jet and set the wings between 75°-85° of bank. Figure 3-2 shows the proper movement
of the joystick and the corresponding response of the aircraft wings. The side-to-side movement
of the joystick controls aircraft roll.
5. Pull all the way back on the stick to command maximum G possible. Front and back movement
of the joystick controls aircraft pitch as shown in Figure 3-3. Pitch essentially equates to aircraft
Gs. Figure 4-1 shows the HUD flight path marker, the HUD level line, and your airspeed and
altitude scales.
6.
Figure 4-1
During this turn, drag the flight path marker across the level pitch line in the HUD. Remember
from the last training mission that the flight path marker shows the pilot where the aircraft is
going. You control the HUD flight path marker with the joystick.
7. Once you roll the jet 75°-85°, you can move the flight path marker by pulling back on the
joystick. If the flight path marker is on the level pitch line in the HUD, the aircraft will stay level. If
it gets above or below this line, then the aircraft will climb or dive respectively. Refer to Figure 3-
5 to use the joystick to correct a climb or dive during this turn.
ACMI Debrief
option settings:
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z Camera: Satellite
z Vehicle Magnification: x8
Use the view controls to view the turn from directly overhead. Note the turn rate and radius of your turn.
It should take approximately 35 seconds to complete a 360° turn in your F-16. The turn radius for this
turn is approximately 6,500-7,000 feet. The objective of this mission is to see how flying too fast will
adversely affect your turn performance.
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Mission 5: Max G Turn Well

Below Corner Airspeed
In this mission, you will see the effects of trying to turn an aircraft at slow airspeed. At low airspeeds,
your turn radius is small but you suffer a very big turn rate reduction. This turn rate reduction hurts your
ability to point the nose and shoot at enemy fighters.
Initial Conditions:
Mission Description
This turn shows the effect of the F-16 being flown well under the minimum corner airspeed range of
330-440 knots. At 200 knots, the jet can only pull 2.5-4 Gs, which reduces the turn rate. The turn radius
is small due to the slow airspeed, but it takes the aircraft much longer to get around the circle. Execute
the turn exactly the same as you did in Training Missions 3 and 4. Follow these steps to perform this
maneuver:
1. Load training mission "05 Max Turn Below Corner" from the Training section.
2. Press 1 to switch to the HUD Only view.
5. Go to full AB by pushing the throttle full forward or by pressing SHIFT-+ . At 200 knots and max
AB, you should not accelerate in level flight because you are behind the "power curve." At this
airspeed and G, you need all of the jet's thrust to maintain level flight.
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6. Roll the jet and set the wings between 75°-85° of bank. Figure 3-2 shows the proper movement
of the joystick and the corresponding response of the aircraft wings. The side-to-side movement
of the joystick controls aircraft roll.
7. Pull all the way back on the stick to command maximum G possible. Front and back movement
of the joystick controls aircraft pitch as shown in Figure 3-3. Pitch essentially equates to aircraft
Gs. Since this is a canned maneuver, you have the luxury of using the HUD to help you make
this level turn. Figure 5-1 shows the HUD flight path marker, the HUD level line, and your
airspeed and altitude scales.
8.
Figure 5-1
During this turn, drag the flight path marker across the level pitch line in the HUD. Once you roll
the jet 75°-85°, you can move the flight path marker by pulling back on the joystick. Refer to
Figure 3-5 to use the joystick to correct a climb or dive during this turn.
ACMI Debrief
option settings:
z Camera: Satellite
Use the view controls to view the turn from directly overhead. After completing this turn, note the radius
of the turn circle and the time it takes to complete a 360° turn. The turn radius for this turn is
approximately 2,500 feet, but at 200 knots you can't move the nose at the same rate you can at corner
airspeed. In fact, at 200 knots, it will take approximately 40 seconds to complete a 360° turn. This poor
turn rate can get you killed. The objective of this mission is to see how flying too slow will adversely
affect your turn performance.
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Mission 6: Minimum Altitude

Split S
Use the Split S maneuver to
simultaneously change your
heading by 180° and descend to
a lower altitude. In the three
preceding training missions, we
turned the jet in a horizontal
plane; in other words, we stayed
level with the horizon while
turning. The Split S maneuver is
the first of a series of three
training missions in which you will
practice maneuvering the jet in
the vertical plane. The vertical
plane extends above and below
the aircraft's current altitude.
Since air combat is a three-

dimensional affair, it is important
to master turning the jet in both
the horizontal and vertical planes.
A big difference between the two
different maneuvering planes is Figure 6-1
the effect of gravity on the jet. If
you are turning the jet straight across the horizon in the horizontal plane, then gravity has relatively little
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Figure 6-2
affect on your turn performance. When you pull the nose up or down in the vertical, however, gravity
becomes a player.
Figure 6-3 illustrates "GR," which
stands for radial G (the G that the
aircraft is actually adding to the turn
rate and radius equation). In Figure 6-3,
the cockpit G at the start of the pull is 5
Gs. Cockpit G is the G being felt and
read out on the G meter in the cockpit.
At the point the jet is pulling straight up,
however, so the effective G or radial G
is only 4 Gs. As the jet gets to 90°
straight up or down, the radial Gs go to
5 Gs to match cockpit G. Figure 6-3
shows that cockpit G is not equal to
radial or turning G when maneuvering
in the vertical. Remember that 2° per
second is a significant turning
advantage. The extra G you can get by
placing your nose below the horizon
when you turn can give you at least 2°
per second turn advantage. Most of the
time 1 GR equates to 3°-4° per second.
You can see the concept of radial G

even more clearly in Figure 6-4, in
which both fighters are pulling the TR
with LV same cockpit G. Notice that the
fighter below horizon with his lift vector
Figure 6-3
below the horizon is turning more
tightly. (Lift vector is an imaginary arrow that is projected from TR with LV the top of the jet
perpendicular to the above horizon aircraft's wings.) What is not so obvious is that the fighter turning
toward the ground is also moving, or rating, the nose faster.
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Figure 6-4

In this mission, you will practice flying a Split S maneuver from 7,000 feet.
Initial Conditions
z Altitude: 7,000 AGL (Above Ground Level)
Mission Description
Use this maneuver to descend quickly to low altitude. To execute the maneuver, perform the following
steps:
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Figure 6-5
1. Load training mission 06 Min Altitude Split S from the Training section.
3. At 7,000 feet, adjust the throttle to maintain 400 knots. Do not accelerate.
4. Roll the jet inverted. Figure 6-5 shows this inverted position.
5. Pull full back on the stick to command the maximum G possible. As the Gs increase during your
dive, pull the throttle back slightly to maintain 400 knots. If you are still going too fast, extend the
speed brakes by pressing B . Don't forget to retract them when you get to the proper airspeed.
The maneuver is complete when the jet is in level flight heading in the opposite direction, as
shown in Figure 6-6.
7. Press ESC and then select End Mission to end the training mission.
This maneuver is easy to do if you control your airspeed. The common mistake made during a Split S
is to ease up on the Gs and accelerate. If the airspeed builds, so will the turn radius--causing you to
impact the ground.
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Figure 6-6
7,000 feet is the lowest altitude from which you can comfortably perform a Split S at 400 knots. It can
be done from as low as 5,000 feet, but you must be perfect or you will plant yourself into the terrain.
After successfully completing the Split S maneuver from 7,000 and 400 knots, enter the training
mission again and fly down to 5,000 feet and try it from this lower altitude. In addition to experimenting
at lower altitudes, you can also vary the airspeed from which you enter the Split S. For example, you
should be able to Split S from 4,000 AGL at 300 knots, because you have a tighter turn radius at this
airspeed than you do at 400 knots.
ACMI Debrief
option settings:
z Camera: Isometric
z Labels: Name, Airspeed and Altitude
z Altitude Poles On
Use the view controls to view the turn from an isometric angle or a side view of the jet.
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Mission 7: High-Speed Over-The-

Top Maneuver
In this mission, you will practice maneuvering over the top or up in the vertical. This training mission
and the one that follows will help you gain more confidence and control when climbing in the jet.
Variations of this maneuver are used often in air combat, and it is important to note your entry and exit
airspeed and the altitude that you gain during the maneuver.
Figure 7-1
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Practice high-speed over-the-top maneuvers.
Initial Conditions
Mission Description
In this mission, you will fly the jet over the top and end up at a higher altitude heading the opposite
direction. A key to this maneuver is to get the jet pointed up away from the earth and to note your
airspeed and the altitude you've gained. Once the jet is going straight up, the pilot has several options
if the maneuver was started at high speed. When you get going straight up, you can pirouette the jet.
The pirouette is used to maneuver the jet in relation to an adversary. After practicing a straight pull up
and over, try doing the mission again and pirouetting the jet and rolling off in another direction.
Figure 7-2
To execute the basic maneuver:
1. Load training mission 07 High-Speed Over Top from the Training section.
3. From the starting entry conditions, start a wings-level 6 G pull up.
4. Place the throttle in full AB.
5. Continue the pull all the way over the top, through the vertical and back toward the horizon, as
shown in Figure 7-3.
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Figure 7-3
6. As the aircraft approaches level flight inverted at the top of the maneuver, ease up on the G and
come out of AB. The view should look like Figure 7-4.
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Figure 7-4
7. Now roll back upright and note your airspeed and altitude. You should be at approximately
26,000 feet and 200-250 knots.
To perform a pirouette during this over-the-top maneuver, follow these steps:
1. From the starting entry conditions, start a wings-level 6 G pull.

3. Continue the pull all the way over the top, but stop when you are going straight up. Figure 7-5
shows this position with the jet going straight up, 90° from the horizon.
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Figure 7-5
4. Once the aircraft is established at 90° nose high, relax back stick pressure and then roll the jet
90°. Be sure not to roll and pull at the same time. Use the heading tape to determine your
orientation. Your heading should change by 90°. Figure 7-6 shows Jet going straight this
pirouette. up after rolling 90°
Figure 7-6
5. Pull on the stick to approach the jet on level flight. Roll back upright.
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6. The maneuver should end with the jet heading 90° from the original heading at this new higher
altitude.
8. Press ESC and then select End Mission to end the training mission.
ACMI Debrief
option settings:
z Camera: Isometric
z Labels: Name, Airspeed, Heading and Altitude Selected
z Altitude Poles
Use the view controls to view the turn from an isometric angle to a side view of the jet. The object of
this mission is to get a feel for maneuvering the jet in the vertical at high speed.
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Mission 8: Low-Speed Over-The-

Top Maneuver And Departures
In this mission, you will practice maneuvering the jet in the vertical at low airspeed. To maneuver a jet,
you need airspeed. Low speed maneuvering against an enemy aircraft in the vertical is a critical
combat skill that is difficult to master.
Maneuvering in the vertical at low speed is very different than at high speed, because your F-16 might
deep stall. A deep stall is a condition in which the F-16's nose gets hung up and you're essentially out
of control. Figure 8-1 displays a conventional aircraft with its center of gravity and the center of lift.
Without getting into the math on this stuff, this aircraft is stable because the center of lift is aft of the
center of gravity.
Such a design is stable because

if the aircraft is maneuvered or
encounters a condition that
takes it out of a steady state
flight condition, the aircraft has a
tendency to recover back to that
steady state condition. The F-16
has what is called "relaxed static
stability." In other words, it is
designed to be very close to
being unstable. Instability is
desirable in fighters because the
less stable an aircraft is, the
more maneuverable it is.
Relaxed static stability means
Figure 8-1
simply that if the jet is
maneuvered or encounters conditions that take it out of steady state flight, then it may not recover back
to the steady state condition very easily. The F-16's FLCS (Flight Control System, pronounced
"flickus") keeps the jet from going out of control by placing "limits" on what the flight controls will let the
pilot do. Sometimes (especially at slow speeds), the FLCS will not allow certain control inputs that are
commanded by the pilot. The FLCS works well as long as the pilot only "assaults" one limiter at a time,
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that is commands a control input that requires the limiter in a given axis to do its job and prevent further
movement of a specific flight control.
The F-16 moves through the air along three axes of movement: pitch, roll and yaw. Pitch is movement
around the horizontal axis of the aircraft. You experience it as the nose moving up and down. Roll is
movement along the long axis of the aircraft. You experience a roll by seeing the horizon in front of
you. Yaw is movement around the vertical axis of the aircraft. You experience it as the nose moving left
and right from your point of reference as the pilot.
The bottom line on the F-16 is that the

FLCS only works well in limiting the
flight controls and preventing trouble
one axis at a time. If two limiters are
assaulted at the same time, the result
can be like a carnival ride. When you
put a fighter out of control, it is called
a departure. To keep from departing
the aircraft, you must be smooth at
slow speed and watch what you do
with the stick. Recall that in the very
first training mission, we flew a HART
maneuver and that the F-16's low
speed warning horn comes on as a
function of pitch and airspeed (nose
high pitch and slow airspeed). Once
you hear the horn, you are in danger
of departing the F-16 if you are not
careful with the controls. If you do jerk
the jet around, you may depart. Once Figure 8-2
the aircraft is departed, one of three
things will happen: the jet will self-recover, it will end up in an upright deep stall or it will end up in an
inverted deep stall. In the F-16, you will find yourself in a deep stall most of the time. A deep stall is a
condition of flight in which the pilot is no longer able to move the jet's control surfaces. In a departure,
the FLCS acts like HAL the computer from the movie 2001: it takes control of the aircraft and shuts you
out of the control loop.
Unfortunately, the FLCS does not do anything very useful for you. In a deep stall, the jet will fall toward
the ground like a leaf with the nose bobbing up and down with the AOA pegged at 30°. If you are lucky
enough to be in a upright deep stall, the FLCS will at least zero out your yaw rate and you will not be
spinning. In the inverted deep stall, however, the FLCS won't do diddly. In an inverted deep stall, the
AOA will be pegged at -5° and the jet will be spinning.
This training mission will teach the correct techniques for slow speed flying in the vertical. I will also
give you the correct steps to recover from both upright and inverted deep stalls.

Practice slow speed over-the-top maneuvers.
Initial Conditions
Mission Description
This maneuver shows the capability of the aircraft to maneuver in the vertical, even when starting at
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slow speeds. Getting the jet in the vertical at slow speeds requires finesse. Just pulling the jet straight
up and down toward the horizon is not difficult, but be careful when doing a pirouette at a slow speed.
To execute the basic maneuver:
1. Load training mission

"08 Low-Speed
Over Top" from the
Training Section.
2. Press F to record your
flight using the ACMI
feature.
3. From the starting entry
conditions, start a wings-
level 4 G pull.
4. Place the throttle in full
AB.
5. Continue the pull all the
way over the top, through
the vertical and back to
10° above the horizon as
shown in Figure 8-3. Max
G at the top is just over 1
G.
6. Ease up on the G. The
view should look like
Figure 8-4.
Figure 8-3
7. Now roll back upright to level flight and note your airspeed and altitude. You should be at
approximately 27,000-28,000 feet and 100-200 knots. The aircraft will be very difficult to control
in both roll and pitch. This lack of control authority can be attributed directly to your slow
airspeed. Contrast this with the previous training mission, in which you reached the same spot
but with 100 knots more airspeed.
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Figure 8-4
Next you will practice doing a pirouette. This
maneuver is difficult to perform at slow speed
but can be accomplished with some practice.
To perform a pirouette during this over-the-top
maneuver, follow these steps:
1. From the starting entry conditions, start a

wings- level 4 G pull. Aircraft going
straight up
3. Continue the pull all the way over the
top, but stop when you are going straight
up. Figure 8-5 shows this position with
the jet going straight up, 90° from the
horizon.
4. Once the aircraft is established at 90°,
relax back stick pressure and then roll Figure 8-5
the jet 90°. Be sure not to roll and pull at
the same time.
5. When you have established your wings in the desired plane, start a pull toward the horizon.
Figure 8-6 shows this pirouette. (Pirouette roll of 90°)
6. The maneuver should end with the jet heading 90° from the original heading at this new higher
altitude.
Practice this maneuver until you can comfortably pirouette the jet in the vertical after starting at a
slow speed.
Deep Stalls
What happens if you ham fist yourself into a departure and a deep stall? This section will tell you how
to recover from a deep stall--but first a little background on the procedures. It is standard practice for
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an F-16 pilot to fill out a CAP (Critical Action

Procedures) sheet once a month.
There are several emergencies that require F-16 pilots

to quickly perform memorized steps. To keep these
steps fresh, they have to be written down from memory
every month. The deep stall is one of these critical
emergencies. What follows is based on the actual F-16
CAP.
You can get out of a deep stall, but first lets consider
how you get yourself into one. You'll deep stall when
you get your jet slow, nose high, and you assault the
flight control limiters. First, get the nose of the jet up to
70°-90° and pull the power back to idle. Next, wait for
the low speed warning horn. When it comes on, pull
back hard on the stick while rolling the jet as fast as
possible. You must perform this maneuver quickly to get
Figure 8-6
the jet to depart controlled flight and enter a deep stall.
You are in a deep stall when you feel like the jet is fluttering like a leaf but falling like a brick. If you
cannot control the jet and keep asking yourself "What's going on?" you are in a deep stall.
If you have confirmed that you are in a deep stall (loss of pitch and roll control, and AOA pegged at 30°
in an upright or -5° negative when inverted), execute the following procedures:
1. Controls: Release. In this step, all you do is release the controls. In other words, take your
hands off the joystick. By doing this, you give your jet the best chance to self-recover. This does
not mean that you should release the controls when you hear the horn, but it does mean that
when you see the AOA pegged and that the nose of the jet is no longer tracking, release the
controls.
2. Throttle: Idle. This step is pretty easy. Use your throttle or press SHIFT - to bring the throttle
back to idle. If the jet is inverted:
3. Rudder: Opposite yaw direction. If you are in an upright deep stall, you can skip this step since
the FLCS will automatically dampen your yaw rate. If you are inverted, though, you have to
arrest your yaw rate by stepping on the rudder that is opposite your yaw or spin direction. If you
are yawing left, step on the right rudder or press > .
4. MPO Switch: Override. The MPO (Manual Pitch Override) switch must be engaged in order to
override the FLCS and gain control of the aircraft flight controls. To engage the MPO, press O .
Use the MPO switch to get into override mode.
5. Stick: Cycle in phase. This is the critical part of the procedure, because you have to put your
hands back on the joystick and fly the aircraft out of trouble. You must get in phase with the
pitch bobbing (oscillation of the nose) and rock the jet out of the deep stall.
Pull back on the stick (or push if you are inverted) until the nose comes up. The nose will come
up momentarily and then start back down again. As soon as the nose starts to fall towards the
horizon, get in phase with the aircraft and push (or pull if you are inverted) to bring the nose
down toward the ground. The nose will no doubt rise again, and you will have to repeat the
process at least one more time.
Do not just push and pull on the stick. This will not get you out of a deep stall. You must get in
phase with the jet. If you push or pull the nose down toward the horizon and the nose stays low,
do not pull the nose back up. You know you have recovered from a deep stall when the nose
stays down. When this occurs, hold it down until you get to 200 knots. At 200 knots, start a
gentle pull out. If you are recovering from an inverted deep stall, do not roll upright and pull until
you get to 200 knots.
Be aware that you can lose a lot of altitude during this recovery. So practice with sufficient clearance!
ACMI Debrief
Page 53 of 716
option settings:
z Camera: Isometric
z Labels: Name, Airspeed and Altitude Selected
z Altitude Poles
Use the view controls to view the plane from a side view.
Page 54 of 716

Chapter 2: Learning To Turn

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Chapter 2: Learning To Turn

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Battlefield Operations: Falcon 4.

Mission 3: Max G Turn At Corner

Training Mission Overview

11. Press F to stop the ACMI recording.

Mission 4: Max G Turn Well

Training Mission Overview

Mission 5: Max G Turn Well

Mission 6: Minimum Altitude

Since air combat is a three-

You can see the concept of radial G

Training Mission Overview

Mission 7: High-Speed Over-The-

Training Mission Overview

Practice high-speed over-the-top maneuvers.

To perform a pirouette during this over-the-top maneuver, follow these steps:

1. From the starting entry conditions, start a wings-level 6 G pull.

Mission 8: Low-Speed Over-The-

Such a design is stable because

The bottom line on the F-16 is that the

Training Mission Overview

1. Load training mission

1. From the starting entry conditions, start a

an F-16 pilot to fill out a CAP (Critical Action

There are several emergencies that require F-16 pilots

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