Fighting 1 v 1 on instruments - VFA-105 basic flight maneuvres - Column - Statistical Data Included

Approach, August, 2002 by Nicholas Mungas

Lots of questions came up in post-flight discussions, and not just, "Dude, how much seat cushion did you suck up?" or, "Why did I start a nose-high maneuver at such a low altitude and airspeed?"

Hornet squadrons place SOP restrictions on their aircraft when maneuvering below the soft deck (hard deck plus 5,000 feet). Our SOP stated when "... maneuvering between the hard and soft decks, the minimum-allowable sustained speed is 150 knots and 25 alpha." I commenced the over-the-top maneuver with this statement in mind, and, had I flown the jet properly, I never would have violated it. Also, in the 30 days before this flight, I had 25 hours during seven flights in seven days. This included practicing similar maneuvers while preparing for a demo qual. I was as proficient as I could have been within the first few months back from cruise. Had I been less proficient, I doubt I would have maneuvered as aggressively.

Why did I keep my eyes and attention focused on my opponent during a difficult maneuver? FA-18 FRS students are taught the principle of mission-crosscheck time (MCT) during their low-altitude tactics-training part of the strike phase. MCT in the FRS involves the time a pilot can spend without verifying flight-path deconfliction from the ground during low-altitude flight. This subject rarely comes up during the remainder of FRS training. Occasionally it will be discussed in terms of formation flying, particularly on goggles. I seldom have heard MCT discussed since I completed the FRS, and certainly never regarding BFM.

The principles remain the same no matter what phase of flight you are in. There is a finite amount of time you can spend on other flight-related tasks without verifying flight-path deconfliction between your aircraft and the ground or other aircraft. If you exceed that amount of time, you increase the risk to yourself, your aircraft, and others around you.

The lessons learned are many. First, before you fly, know your SOP. Those restrictions exist for our safety, not to take the fun out of flying. Second, don't cut short safety-related briefing items like ORM and training rules. We did not, and I was thankful for it, as I found myself reciting "controls release, feet off rudders, speedbrake check in ...," at less than 8,000 feet. Third, CRM was very applicable on this flight. My wingman did a fabulous job during my departure. He verified what I was seeing in the HUD, but had my baro instruments been lagging, he would have provided reliable information, as I needed it. Post-flight discussion also showed he was about to make an "Eject" call as I declared, "I've got it." That call could have saved my life if I had been disoriented.

I should have been on instruments during the vertical maneuver. I needed to look outside and see what my opponent was doing at some point in my maneuver. Then I should have come back to the HUD. I easily could have continued to fight while peeking at him to make sure he was tracking as his flight path predicted.