74th vTraining Squadron

Basic Flight Maneuvers

BASIC FLIGHT MANEUVERS

Prepared by Snoopy (paulrkiii)
NOTE
Members of the 476th vFG should review applicable operation instructions for latest
requirements.

NON CLASSIFIED
FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
PUBLISHED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE 476TH vFG COMMAND STAFF

www.476thvfightergroup.com

476th vTraining Squadron

Basic Flight Maneuvers
INTRODUCTION
CONTENT
This document is for DCS, specifically fixed wing fighters basic flight maneuvers.
Information to create this guide was pulled from various real world USAF and NATO
documentation.
Any reference to broadcasting on a specific radio channel while in a multiplayer (MP)
server is implied TARS is in use.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURPOSE...
TASK....
AILERON ROLL.....
BARREL ROLL...
LAZY EIGHT...
CHANDELLE..
LOOP
CUBAN EIGHT...
IMMELMANN..
SPLIT S.

2
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

ATTACHMENT 1, BASIC MANEUVERS QUICK REFERENCE...

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Basic Flight Maneuvers

A-10 BASIC FLIGHT MANEUVERS

Purpose
To introduce pilots to A-10C basic flight maneuvers.

Tasks
Upon completion of this Volume pilots should be able safely execute basic A-10C
Thunderbolt II.

Aileron Roll - a 360-degree roll about the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The
maneuver is complete when the wings are again parallel to the horizon.

Attain briefed entry parameters. Smoothly raise the nose to 20 to 30 degrees

nose-high pitch attitude. Relax back stick pressure and stop nose track, then roll
the aircraft left or right using coordinated aileron and rudder. The nose of the
aircraft does not roll around a specific point in the roll. As the aircraft approaches
wings level, neutralize the rudder and aileron, and return to level flight.

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Barrel Roll - a coordinated roll in which the nose of the aircraft describes a circle
around a point on or near the horizon. The maneuver is complete when the aircraft is
wings level, abeam the reference point on the original side, at approximately entry
airspeed

Select a reference point, such as a cloud or landmark, on or slightly above the

horizon. Set briefed power and attain briefed entry airspeed with the nose of the
aircraft below the horizon. Begin a coordinated turn in the opposite direction of
the desired roll, as necessary, to place the aircraft up to 45 degrees to the side of
the reference point. Roll out of the initial turn so the wings are level as the aircraft
passes through the horizon. The distance to the side of the reference point
depends on the initial turn and speed of the rollout. The distance from the
reference point defines the size of the barrel roll, and it should remain constant
throughout the maneuver. From level flight, increase pitch and bank. As the bank
reaches 90 degrees, the aircraft should be directly above the reference point.
Passing 90 degrees of bank, relax some back pressure and increase aileron
deflection to continue the roll with reduced airspeed. Back pressure must be
reduced compared to the first quarter of the roll because gravity is now in the
same direction as the lift vector (downward) when inverted. Plan the roll so the
wings become level just as the aircraft reaches the inverted level-flight attitude.
The aircraft should be displaced from the reference point the same distance as at
the beginning of the maneuver.
Continue the roll and apply increased elevator pressure. As the bank again
reaches the 90 degrees at the bottom of the maneuver, the nose track should
continue to arc around the reference point. In this last quarter of roll, increase
back stick pressure because gravity is now working against the lift vector.

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Maintain coordinated control pressure to continue the roll so the nose completes
the circle around the reference point, ending up wings level at the horizon.

Lazy Eight. - a slow, lazy maneuver that describes a horizontal figure eight at the
horizon. The horizon line bisects this figure eight lengthwise. Pitch, bank, and airspeed
constantly change. The maneuver is complete after two 180-degree turns with the
aircraft in level flight.

Begin in straight-and-level flight with briefed entry airspeed and power setting.
Select the desired reference point on the horizon or ground, and align the aircraft
so the reference point is directly off a wingtip. Blend aileron, rudder, and elevator
pressures simultaneously to start a gradual climbing turn in the direction of the
reference point. The initial bank should be very shallow to prevent excessive turn
rate. As the nose is raised, the airspeed decreases, causing the rate of turn to
increase. Time the turn and pull-up so the nose reaches the highest pitch attitude
(approximately 45 degrees) when the aircraft has turned 45 degrees or halfway
to the reference point. Use outside references and the attitude indicator to crosscheck these pitch-and-bank attitudes. Bank continues to increase as the nose
falls. The aircraft should be pointed at the reference point as a maximum bank of
80 to 90 degrees is reached and the nose reaches the horizon. The lowest
airspeed occurs just as the nose reaches the horizon (approximately 100 knots
below entry airspeed).
Do not freeze the pitch or bank at the horizon. Passing the horizon, let the nose
fall, and begin rolling out of bank. The second half of the leaf (nose below
horizon) should be symmetric and approximately the same size as the first half

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(nose above the horizon). The bank should change at the same rate as during
the nose-up portion of the leaf. When the aircraft has turned 135 degrees, the
nose should be at its lowest attitude and the bank should be 45 degrees.
Continue blending control stick and rudder pressure to simultaneously raise the
nose and level the wings. Monitor the progress of the turn by checking the
outside reference point (off opposite shoulder from maneuver start). The aircraft
should be wings level at entry airspeed as the nose reaches the horizon, having
completed 180 degrees of turn. Without pausing, begin the second leaf in the
opposite direction of the first.

Chandelle - a precision, constant bank 180-degree steep climbing turn that

achieves a maximum gain of altitude for a given power setting. The maneuver is
complete after 180 degrees of turn.

Begin wings level, 15 degrees NL with briefed power setting but below briefed
entry airspeed. When airspeed reaches briefed entry airspeed, blend rudder,
aileron, and elevator pressure simultaneously to begin a climbing turn, using
approximately 3 Gs. Increase bank to 60 degrees and keep the nose track rising
at a uniform rate. The nose should describe a straight line diagonal to the
horizon. The nose should pass through the horizon at 60 degrees bank with 30 to
45 degrees of turn complete. Check the amount of turn by using outside
references. Once the nose is above the horizon, the vertical component of lift
decreases, and considerably more back pressure is required to keep the nose
rising at a uniform rate. These variables in the pitch angle, airspeed, and the
vertical component of lift require constant changes in control pressures to keep
the nose rising at a constant rate. At the 135-degree point in the turn, start the
rollout but keep the nose rising. Monitor the amount of turn remaining before

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reaching the 180-degree point by checking outside references. Time the rollout
so the wings become level as the nose reaches the highest pitch attitude
(approximately 40 to 45 degrees) at the 180-degree point. When the maneuver is
complete (180 degrees of turn), lower the nose to the horizon or perform a nosehigh recovery.
If the rate of climb is too fast, and the aircraft approaches stall before turning 180
degrees discontinue the maneuver by performing a nose-high recovery. If the
rate of pitch change is too slow, the 180-degree point may be reached before the
maximum pitch attitude is attained. When starting the maneuver, the rate of rollin is faster than the rate of pull-up (60 degrees bank change, 15 degrees pitch
change).

Loop - a 360-degree turn in the vertical plane with constant heading and nose track.
Because it is executed in a single plane, the elevator is the principle control surface.
Ailerons and rudder are used to maintain directional control and coordinated flight. The
maneuver is complete when wings are level at the horizon on the same heading as at
entry.

Begin straight-and-level to 20 degrees NL, with briefed entry airspeed and power
setting. Smoothly pull the nose up using 3 to 4 Gs. When the forward view of the
horizon disappears in the pull-up, maintain wings level (straight pull) by keeping
the wingtips equidistant from the horizon. Back stick pressure and G loading
decrease to maintain a constant nose track as airspeed decreases; however, aft
control stick displacement increases. Right rudder pressure is required to keep
the aircraft coordinated as airspeed decreases. Insufficient rudder, as airspeed

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decreases, may allow the nose to deviate up to 30 degrees off desired track.
Airspeed should be approximately 100 to 120 KIAS wings level inverted (over the
top). Pull straight through the vertical and increase G loading to maintain a
constant nose track until a level flight attitude is reached. Maintain coordinated
rudder as the airspeed increases in the dive.

Cuban Eight - Each half of this maneuver is a combination of a slightly modified

loop and Immelmann. The first portion of each leaf is approximately the first five-eighths
of a loop followed by a half roll. The pull and roll is then repeated in the opposite
direction. The maneuver looks like an 8 on its side. The maneuver is complete at
level flight, with entry airspeed and on original heading.

Begin in straight-and-level flight, with briefed entry airspeed and power setting.
Perform the first part of a loop until over the top, inverted. After passing through
inverted-level flight, continue the loop until approaching 45 degrees NL, inverted.
Execute a coordinated half roll in either direction. Relax the elevator pressure to
keep the nose track in the same vertical plane. After completing the half roll,
maintain 45 degrees NL until beginning the pull-up for the second half of the
maneuver. Plan to initiate the pull-up to attain briefed entry airspeed at the
horizon (passing through level flight). To accomplish this, begin the pull-up
approximately 35 to 40 KIAS below briefed entry airspeed (the airspeed lead
point is approximately equal to number of degrees of NL pitch). Continue the pullup into another loop entry. The second half of the Cuban Eight is identical to the
first except the roll is in the opposite direction.

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Immelmann - half loop followed by a half roll, all flown in the same vertical plane.
The maneuver is complete after a momentary pause in level flight with wings level on an
opposite heading from entry.

Begin in straight-and-level flight, with briefed entry airspeed and power setting.
Smoothly pull the nose up using 3 to 4 Gs. When the forward view of the horizon
disappears in the pull-up, maintain wings level (straight pull) by keeping the
wingtips equidistant from the horizon. Back stick pressure and G loading
decrease to maintain a constant nose track as airspeed decreases; however, aft
control stick displacement increases. Moderate right rudder pressure is required
to keep the aircraft coordinated as airspeed decreases. Insufficient rudder, as
airspeed decreases, may allow the nose to deviate up to 30 degrees off desired
track. As the aircraft reaches a point approximately 10 degrees above the
horizon inverted, relax back stick pressure and apply aileron with coordinated
rudder in either direction to initiate a roll to level flight. The maneuver is complete
after a momentary pause in level flight following the rollout.

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Split S - combines the first half of an aileron roll with the last half of a loop. It
demonstrates how much altitude is lost if recovery from inverted flight is attempted by
pulling through the horizon. The aircraft climbs during entry and descends during
recovery. The maneuver is complete when the aircraft returns to level flight.

Begin in straight-and-level flight approximately 40 KIAS above briefed entry

airspeed. Briefed power setting may be established any time before or during the
half roll. Raise the nose to approximately a 20-degree pitch attitude (FCP clock
on the horizon). When the airspeed is approximately 20 KIAS above briefed entry
airspeed, roll the aircraft to the wings-level, inverted attitude. Apply back
pressure to bring the nose through the horizon. To avoid excessive G and
airspeed at the bottom, attempt to max perform once the nose passes the
horizon. Airspeed and G loading (approximately 3 to 4 Gs) increase during the
pullout. Perform a proper anti-G strain.

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ATTACHMENT 1
BASIC MANUEVER QUICK REFERENCE

Aileron Roll

------------------------------------------------------------------Barrel Roll

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Lazy Eight

------------------------------------------------------------------Chandelle

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Loop

------------------------------------------------------------------Cuban Eight

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Immelmann

------------------------------------------------------------------Split-S

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