Hey guys,
I posted a range practice video a few days ago and asked Foghorn to critique it. Expecting only a "Nice work" I was pleasantly surprised with a COMPLETE IP style review & assessment. Needless to say I learned a tons on how to improve and fly more realistic and thought this is a great opportunity for others to fine tune their procedures.
Once again thanks to Foghorn for all the time he put in helping me out.
Jody
And this is his assessment
______________________________
Nice work!
Now to ruin your day (aka IP comments):
The Passes
10 LALD #1 -- Safe Escape - Turning Maneuver Level Turn (TMLT... aka "Tuna Melt") parameters are 0-5o through 60o of turn. This pass would have been a valid record hit for AFI 11-206 qualifications, but would have been a Top Gun Gross Error (TGGE) for the Top Gun competition for invalid safe escape. You deviated above 5o nose high during the turn.
10 LALD #2 -- Good 11-206 Pass. Meets TG criteria.
10 LALD #3 -- 11-206 Non-Record Pass. AFI 11-206 only allows 2 attacks of the same type from the same attack axis. Therefore, this is a non-record bomb, and is not recorded for your accuracy qualifications. Also, because it is a non-record pass, it is also discounted from TG criteria. Otherwise, it was a Good Pass. Curiously, you commented that, "it was a bit shallow", which is incorrect. Your release was at 12o dive angle, so it was actually slightly steep. TG criteria is ±5o, so you were well within parameters.
10 LALD all passes -- Why did you TMLT right instead of left? Isn't the box pattern left traffic? Nothing wrong with how you did it, just curious.
30 DB #1 -- Good 11-206 Pass. TGGE for over-G (6.1).
30 DB #2 -- Good 11-206 Pass. TGGE for over-G (6.2).
30 DB #3 -- Non-Record Pass. Non-TG Pass. It would have been a TGGE for over-G (6.8!).
30 DB all passes -- after completing the climbing maneuver, why did you turn right before turning left to crosswind? Again, isn't the box pattern left traffic? This seems unnecessary.
General IP comments and discussion:
1. I have never seen the technique of using the OAs for your Roll In Point and Aim Off Distance before. I like it; it's fantastic. I'm completely stealing that... you know, if I were still flying Vipers regularly.
2. Who showed you the hand/canopy relationships for the different pass angles? I did not expect you would know those. Pleasantly surprised!
3. There is a difference between a Safe Escape Maneuver, and a Safe Separation Maneuver when bombing. Safe Escape (TMLT or CSEM) Maneuver is to get your ass out of the frag bubble of your own bombs before they impact and explode. Safe Separation Maneuver (SSM) is to simply get you far enough away from your bombs at release before they arm and possible (mal-)function early. These are not the same maneuvers, though they are close.
10 LD and 20 LD passes put you within your own frag bubble when you release, so you need to do a Safe Escape. 30 DB (and higher) passes do not... in fact, an 'on-parameters' delivery will keep you from ever entering the frag bubble... so Safe Separation from your own bombs are the requirement.
So (unless the procedures have change since I last flew Vipers, which is possible), a CSEM is a straight pull to a minimum of 5 G's in 2 seconds, held through 20o nose high, and then continued at any G until 30o nose high before beginning any turn. A SSM is a stright pull to a minimum of 5 G's in 2 seconds, held until 20o nose high before beginning a turn. Like I said, very similar, but technically different.
On your 30 DB passes, you were verbally talking yourself through an (incorrect) CSEM, but performing (correctly) a SSM. Again, it is possible that things have changed since I last flew, but I doubt it... cuz they never changed in that manner in my 27 years.
4. What munitions were you dropping? 500#-ers, one at a time? If so, you over-G'd your bombs on your first 30 DB. 5.5G is both the carriage limit and employment limit on pretty much all 500#-class and 2000#-class weapons. If you were dropping the 25# BDU-33 practice bombs, their carriage limit is higher, and thus no over-G... but we always evaluate for TG criteria as if it were a full scale weapon. Ergo, you have a 0.5g window. Welcome to BSA, the sport of kings.
5. "2, Go Tight" WTF is that?
Okay, very anal-retentive stuff, but also 100% true (plus or minus procedure changes I'm unaware of). BSA on the range is a game of precision for Top Gun criteria, while the basic AFI 11-206 doesn't care about precision passes... only "did you hit the target". Yes, you are being measured against two differing sets of standards every time you go out to the range. AFI only cares about successfully hitting the target. TG is a competition of precision.
All together though, fantastic job on the range. I would have easily mistaken you for an experienced Viper Flight Lead in a squadron.
Cheers,
Foghorn
USAF Top Gun 1997
USAF Top Gun 1998
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