Forum: Technology

flying upsidedown -- any type of airframe, how is this sustained? man I'm green, thanks for bearing w/ me Very Happy

random question on the AIM-54s-- what planes are compatible?

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Quote:

random question on the AIM-54s-- what planes are compatible?

Only the F-14 can fire the AIM-54. The F-111B had the capability before the aircraft was cancelled.

f100pw229 wrote:

on flying upsidedown -- any type of airframe, how is this sustained? man I'm green, thanks for bearing w/ me Very Happy

If you mean sustained inverted flight, you just have to stabilize inverted and push on the stick to maintain attitude, as the nose will have a tendency to pitch towards the ground (in the Viper anyways). Just remember that when inverted everything is kinda backwards. For example what would be a right roll in upright flight requires left stick input when inverted while also pushing on the stick to maintain nose position relative to the horizon. Excessive pushing can be trimmed out with nose down trim, just remember to center it when you're back upright! Wink

thanks! although I don't get what you said about roll -- when inverted [lol I'm reminded of Top Gun Laughing

] If I want to roll to starboard, I'll move the stick to my right. Being inverted doesn't affect banking ... right?? Confused

f100pw229 wrote:

thanks! although I don't get what you said about roll -- when inverted [lol I'm reminded of Top Gun Laughing

] If I want to roll to starboard, I'll move the stick to my right. Being inverted doesn't affect banking ... right?? Confused

Generally no. You don't see a lot of jet drivers flying the overhead pattern inverted. But there are instances where you see inverted jets banking. The Blues and T-birds do inverted passes (the Double Farvel and Calypso Pass respectively) and at the end of the move the inverted jet(s) do what's called a "negative G pushout" to clear the showline. Once clear the inverted jet(s) roll back upright. It's not a maneuver done on a daily basis but it displays want can be done in the jet.

Being inverted or upright will dictate which stick inputs to use for a given heading change. If you have an airplane model this explanation works a lot easier. Hold the model inverted and view it from the rear. When inverted and stabilized (nose and wings level with the horizon), the wings have essentially switched places. The left wing is now on your right as you view the model and vice versa. If you know that the nose will turn in the direction of a dipped wing, you'll see that you'll need to dip what would be the opposite wing if you were upright. For example: to move the nose to your right, the left wing, on your right side, is dipped relative to the horizon. To do that you need to deflect the left aileron into the airstream in a way that will push the wing down. In normal upright flight this would be a stick input to deflect the aileron up, relative to the top of the wing. But because the wing is inverted, the aileron needs to be deflected down relative to the top of the wing, hence the opposite stick input. Therefore, when inverted, to move the heading to the right, you need to roll left and vice versa. And because there's negative G on the pilot and he/she has to push the stick to keep the nose level, it's called a "negative G pushout"

QED Very Happy

Tried sustained inverted in the C-130 sim once Shocked

all four stopped turning within about 20 seconds... Mr. Green

habu2 wrote:

Tried sustained inverted in the C-130 sim once Shocked

all four stopped turning within about 20 seconds... Mr. Green

I thought that's what "fuel freeze" was for! Hope you weren't up on motion! Excellent try!! Smile

Actually we were... Wink

This was on the Saudi C-130 sim at Reflectone, testing radar antenna stabilization and gimbal limits. Why you would be looking at the radar while inverted I'll never know...

thanks a bunch Link, I was just seeing left and right different than you, I always picture right and left turns as I would in the pilot's seat, I understand that if I'm inverted and heading 000 and want to head 270 then I will bank/roll/yaw/turn to my right, as viewed in the cockpit. Bank starboard. We're thinking the same things I'm sure.

being on this forum stirs up a lot of questions (I'm 18 and plan to do ROTC) do pilots usually say 360 or zero? Also, how often are "port" and "starboard" used? I use them frequently. Thanks so much for the expertise, gentlemen! [and ladies Very Happy

]

f100pw229 wrote:

I understand that if I'm inverted and heading 000 and want to head 270 then I will bank/roll/yaw/turn to my right, as viewed in the cockpit.

Yeah...it'll be a right roll input but you get the picture. Probably won't have to worry too much 'bout yaw lessin' ya got some crosswinds. Just remember to push to keep the nose up. Inverted flight can confuse even the best of drivers. Confused

f100pw229 wrote:

Also, how often are "port" and "starboard" used?

Depends on who ya talk to. I helped train USAF & Air Guard guys for 10+ years and didn't hear it much at all. You'll obviously hear it more often from Navy guys than from Air Force but you'll get the occasional oddball every once in a while...present company excluded, of course. Wink

Quote:

do pilots usually say 360 or zero?

I'd say 360, as in three-six-zero, but you could also say "north". If it's a cardinal point (north, south, east, or west) you can call it out but for clarity's sake, especially when talkin' to ATC, they'll usually call out each digit, i.e. two-six-five, one-one-zero, etc. In my console operator days whenever I'd play the GCI guy I'd use lingo like, "snap north for 10", "bracket east", or "bandit's extending west", stuff like that just to get him/her in the ballpark.

on port and starboard- gotcha. So you say "right wing" or "to the right" ... duely noted. thx. or #2 engine, etc.
Once I asked an AFA cadet where the head was, and he didn't appreciate it too much, lol. I'm learning.

Thanks for the info on bearings, fascinating. Only four things give me goosebumps when I hear them:
1. Star Spangled Banner
2. Mark Knopfler's guitar
3. F100 or F110
4. ATC/general aircraft radio
lol!

Forum: Technology

Inverted Flight