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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0664.PDF
664 FLIGHT FORMATION AEROBATICS From the Pilot's Angle: Some Basic Rules and Finer Points By Sgt. Pit. THOMAS E. LAMPITT MANY of the more imaginative spectators at air displays, watchingformation aerobatics, must ask themselves "how is it done?" so often do the pilots seem to be achieving the near-impossible. In thisarticle a member of the famous Hunter aerobatic team of No. 43 Squadron, which is currently appearing at displays both at home andon the Continent, describes some of the rules that must be observed if success—and safety—are to be achieved. The author, who has beenflying in official aerobatic teams for three years, hopes that "this humble attempt to present the pilot's viewpoint may inspire an interest information aerobatics as an art in its own right." IN an age when no major air show is complete without adisplay of formation aerobatics by jet fighters, it is regret-table that so few spectators appreciate the finer points of the "routine," or the problems confronting the pilots. To many, the lower and more noisy the spectacle, the betterthe performance. This is a pity. Each year aircraft become more powerful and proportionately noisier, while minimum-heightrestrictions are rightly imposed for the public safety. Unquestionably, the man with the biggest problems in anyaerobatic team is the leader. Travelling at fully double the aero- Fig. 7. "Finger starboard" take-off, as usually adopted by No, 43 Squadron's Hunter team on an average (150ft- wide) runway. batic speed of World War 2 fighters, he must smoothly fly themost complicated manoeuvres, keeping the formation within sight of the crowd the whole time. Only in this way can hepreserve the element of continuity so vital to a good routine. Most air displays take place on an airfield with one or moremetalled runways. The crowd is invariably concentrated on one rather than both, sides of the runway in use, and is located Fig. 2. The basic box formation, demonstrated by No. 43. in a relatively small area. Thus the runway itself is a convenientand easily visible reference point on which the leader can align his team. He is forbidden to fly over the crowd, or towardsthem, other than momentarily (in the course of a turn, for ex- ample). Usually there is a fixed minimum height for the aero-batic manoeuvres and a second, lower, limitation for level runs past the crowd. These limitations are commonly 1,500ft and500ft respectively. The leader knows his routine to perfection. It is fixed andto all intents and purposes inviolable—until the next week's display at least! He must therefore position the the team sothat the central point of the routine is in front of the crowd, complying with the safety regulations at all times. The teamwill then travel much the same distance either side of this point, as they turn or wing-over between manoeuvres. If this centralpoint is too far away from the crowd, the aircraft will appear small and interest will be lost. If it is too near, the team willbe almost vertically above their heads as it goes over the top of loops, and the spectators will have to indulge in much neck-stretching to follow them. When the team is operating from the display airfield, afresh problem arises: the best way to make the take-off and landing interesting (but not expensive). A team of four can takeoff in two pairs, as in standard operational practice, or with all four aircraft together. The latter course requires a minimumrunway-width of four wing spans, because if any member of the team has to abandon take-off, owing to a burst tyre or enginefailure, it is essential that the others have clearance to pass him Fig. 3. "Echelon formation h more difficult to hold than is a box
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