1. AIRCRAFT HANDLING
Part 7
Aerobatics and
Formation Flying

2. Aerobatics Aerobatics Give pilots confidence in handling aircraft.
They gain experience at operating
in different attitudes.
Pilots become accustomed to the high strains
and stress of combat flying.

3. Aerobatics H A S E L Before any aerobatic flying,
a pilot must carry out his HASELL checks:
Height – sufficient to complete manoeuvre.
Airframe – Flaps and U/C UP, Airbrakes IN.
Security – Equipment stowed, harness locked and tight.
Engine – Temperatures, pressures & fuel sufficient.
Location – Airfields, built-up areas controlled airspace.
Lookout – clear of other aircraft & cloud (↔ & ↕) H A S E L

4. Aerobatics As you should already know,
an aircraft can be manoeuvred in three planes:
Pitching plane
Rolling plane
Yawing plane

5. The simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
Aerobatics
The simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
in the pitching plane
is the loop.
Pitching plane

6. Aerobatics Pilot aligns with linear feature – road, rail
Drop nose to increase speed
Keep wings level
Pull up until horizon disappears,
looking overhead for new horizon

7. The simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
Aerobatics
The simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
in the rolling plane
is the barrel roll.
Rolling plane

8. Aerobatics Drop nose to increase speed
Pick point above horizon (cloud)
Roll 45° away from banking direction
Roll in banking direction,
with nose of aircraft pointing at point on horizon

9. the only basic manoeuvre
Aerobatics
In the yawing plane
the only basic manoeuvre
is the stall turn.
Yawing plane

10. Aerobatics Nose up to 90°, decreasing speed
Apply rudder before wing stalls.
Aircraft falls sideways until nose is pointing down
Speed increases,
round out at the bottom.

11. There are other manoeuvres . . .
Aerobatics
There are other manoeuvres . . .
The Slow Roll
As a barrel roll, but slower
Roll off the Top
½ loop followed by barrel roll
or slow roll at the top
½ Roll and Pull Through
Barrel roll or slow roll
followed by a ½ loop

12. There are other manoeuvres . . .
Aerobatics
There are other manoeuvres . . .
The Upward Roll
Pull up vertically, roll keeping
wings straight.
Often ends with stall turn
Aileron Turn
A roll flown vertically downward
Derry Roll
A roll flown while inverted
Hesitation Roll
Either a 4 or 8 point roll,
stopping briefly every 45° or 90°

13. There are other manoeuvres . . .
Aerobatics
There are other manoeuvres . . .
Vertical Eight
A ½ roll off the top, a full loop
and a ½ roll and pull through.

14. There are other manoeuvres . . .
Aerobatics
There are other manoeuvres . . .
Horizontal Eight
A loop and a ½ roll, followed by
another loop and ½ roll
Cuban Eight
A full roll on the first loop and
½ roll into the second loop.

15. Inverted Flight α Aircraft flying inverted appear to be flying with
the nose well above the horizon.
Aircraft wings are less efficient inverted,
so a higher angle of attack is required
for inverted straight and level flight. α

16. Formation Flying Close Tactical
The RAF’s definition of formation flying is:
‘An ordered arrangement of two or more aircraft
proceeding together as an element.’
There are two types of formation flying:
Close
Tactical
Take-off & Landing
Used for all tactical fighter operations
Cloud penetration
Show and Display flying

17. There are five standard section formations:
Formation Flying
There are five standard section formations:
The VIC formation
Think of the
‘V’
in Vic and invert it. 1 3 2

18. There are five standard section formations:
Formation Flying
There are five standard section formations:
The ECHELON formation 1 2 3

19. There are five standard section formations:
Formation Flying
There are five standard section formations:
LINE ABREAST 3 1 2

20. There are five standard section formations:
Formation Flying
There are five standard section formations:
LINE ASTERN 1 2 3

21. There are five standard section formations:
Formation Flying
There are five standard section formations:
The BOX formation 1 3 2 4

22. There are five standard section formations:
Formation Flying
There are five standard section formations: 1 3 2 4 1 3 2
Line Astern 1 3 2
Box formation
VIC formation 1 3 2
Echelon formation 1 3 2
Line Abreast

23. Formation Technique Relative speed – Air Speed Indicator (ASI)
is the only method of judging speed
Apparent size – using the size of objects
to judge distance – 6 miles to 3 miles isn’t obvious,
but 1 mile to ½ mile is.
Distance – Tendency to underestimate,
comes with practise & experience

24. Formation Technique Changes are always small & smooth
Longitudinal changes use throttle & elevators
Lateral changes use ailerons
Vertical changes use elevators
A clean aircraft:
Accelerates quickly
Decelerates slowly
Acceleration is often poor at low speed
in jet aircraft

25. Check Understanding The pilot uses a mnemonic
to remember to carry out his checks.
What is the mnemonic for aerobatics?
H A S A L L
H E S S E L
H A S S E L
H A S E L L

26. the arrows indicate what plane of movement?
Check Understanding
In the diagram,
the arrows indicate what plane of movement?
Pitching
Yawing
Rolling
Spinning

27. What is the simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
Check Understanding
What is the simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
in the pitching plane?
A stall turn
A loop
A barrel roll
A spin

28. What is the simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
Check Understanding
What is the simplest aerobatic manoeuvre
in the rolling plane?
A slow roll
A barrel roll
A stall turn
A spin

29. What is the only basic aerobatic manoeuvre
Check Understanding
What is the only basic aerobatic manoeuvre
in the yawing plane?
Roll off the top
The stall turn
A spin
The upward roll

30. what is represented by the angle shown?
Check Understanding
In the diagram,
what is represented by the angle shown?
The Angle of Incidence
The Angle of Attack
The High Climb Angle
The Low Climb Angle

31. What formation is shown in this diagram?
Check Understanding
What formation is shown in this diagram?
Box
Vic
Echelon
Diamond

32. What formation is shown in this diagram?
Check Understanding
What formation is shown in this diagram?
Echelon
Box
Diamond
Card

33. What formation is shown in this diagram?
Check Understanding
What formation is shown in this diagram?
Diamond
Line astern
Line abreast
Echelon

34. AIRCRAFT HANDLING
End of Presentation