Forum: F-16 versus XYZ

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 - 09:19 AM Posts: 1092

I'm sure the F-22 has a G limiter, but I don't know about an AoA limiter. It doesn't look like it has an AoA limit. And yes, the AoA/G limiter does have the effect of making the F-16 bleed off speed much less rapidly than other aircraft. This can actually pose some problems when trying to generate an overshoot (i.e. hit the brakes and he'll fly right by). It's not that easy to do in an F-16. Smile

F-16.net Sponsor

LOL, no it is not. Usually involves idle thrust, max aft stick pressure and open speed brakes and an F/A-18 will STILL out deccelerate you, and then it will out turn you in the LOW speed too and you just killed yourself. But if a hornet is on your tail you go up and down like a yo-yo and he cant follow.

FDiron wrote:

The F-16s corner velocity (speed at which it turns best) is 450knts.

Dropping the nose and lighting the afterburner is not a good idea. Duke Cunningham and his RIO were about to get a free vacation in the Hanoi Hilton until the infamous "Col Tomb" made this mistake. Makes for an easy shot with a sidewinder.

IIRC Col. Tomb bingoed and had no choice but to break off. Given the superior speed of the Phantom over the MiG-17, that was a pretty bad mistake. Duke had quite a few close calls in that engagement too, had to pull the famous Duke Manuver -- throttle to idle, air brakes out, to force Col. Tomb to overshoot.

So, IMO, if you are up against a more agile but slower fighter like the F-5, running isn't such a bad idea when he's out of AAMs or if you can put enough distance between yourself and him by the time he gets an IR lock on you.

The corner plataeu of the f16 is 330-440 knots (0,6-0,9 mach depending on altitude).If you started out offensive , you are at200 knots and havent shot the other guy down you have probably failed...The best acceleration ''rate'' occurs at 300-400 knots where the F16 goes insane with the Ab kicking, so it is good to remain in the speed area of 330 knots and more to make a shot.If yu are not there get there with AB and probably dive!!!The raeson the F16 has a plateau and not a particular airspeed is due to FLCS logic where you get 9Gs below 15 AOA and a blended AOA system over 15AOA

Active Member Joined: Mar 14, 2007 - 11:44 PM Posts: 155

Yeah i remember some videos over some distant sea in which some pilots start at 30000 feet at high speed and in less than a minute are staling at 300 feet.

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 - 09:19 AM Posts: 1092

velos35 wrote:

The corner plataeu of the f16 is 330-440 knots (0,6-0,9 mach depending on altitude).If you started out offensive , you are at200 knots and havent shot the other guy down you have probably failed...The best acceleration ''rate'' occurs at 300-400 knots where the F16 goes insane with the Ab kicking, so it is good to remain in the speed area of 330 knots and more to make a shot.If yu are not there get there with AB and probably dive!!!The raeson the F16 has a plateau and not a particular airspeed is due to FLCS logic where you get 9Gs below 15 AOA and a blended AOA system over 15AOA

That corner plateau range is quite a big generalization, although I know you got it from an official source. The corner plateau is highly dependent on altitude and somewhat dependent on gross weight. But I suppose at sea level it's a fairly accurate statement. Also, you can't quote the corner plateau range in Mach number because then you'll get wildly variable Mach ranges as altitude changes. KCAS (or KIAS if you prefer) accounts for changes in air density to a certain extent.

Forum: F-16 versus XYZ

Energy Depletion/Turns in the F-16