Why F16 pilots don't use rudder?

Operating an F-16 on the ground or in the air - from the engine start sequence, over replacing a wing, to aerial refueling procedures
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by saberrider » 27 Nov 2016, 20:05

I mean in training.It is because induced drag ,or fear that you may have enter into bad corner of envelope?


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by rheonomic » 28 Nov 2016, 03:33

Can't answer from a piloting stand point, but from a flight control standpoint there is an aileron-rudder interconnect to automatically do coordinated turns. (If I remember correctly it regulates the sideslip angle, but it's been a while since I've looked at the F-16 CLAW block diagram, and I've only ever seen the public release A version CLAWs.) There's a mix between pilot inputs for the rudder and flight control inputs (which also maintain the directional stability of the aircraft) but I don't remember exactly what it is.
"You could do that, but it would be wrong."


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by 35_aoa » 28 Nov 2016, 03:52

There are times when you need to input a little rudder. ARSI/ARI (or whatever your particular MDS calls it), is nice 90% of the time, but it won't fix a jet that is "bent" and needs some rudder trim to fly straight, and it normally won't compensate for a big angle of bank in the landing pattern when you are starting to overshoot due to a crosswind. When fighting the jet slow, I will use a little rudder to enhance roll rate. You have to be a little careful with this in the Viper (see "assaulting the limiters"), but slow high AoA flight means that diff stab roll inputs are starting to get washed out by the LEX vortices. The FLCS logic is more complex than that with most of the flight control surfaces contributing to roll, but a little rudder lead normally enhances the response. It can also cause an inertial coupling departure in the F-16, especially with certain configurations and/or a two seater with the big canopy, so again, one must tread lightly. I'm talking way out of my lane here with respect to the aero engineering aspect of things, but in my little pilot brain, that is what I do with my ham fists at least :)



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