The Basics of Learning to Turn as Relates to Air Combat free essay sample

This will not be a definitive, doctorate level dissertation on the subject. I’ll go over the basics here and hopefully help get you on the right track. This discussion is geared toward the F-16 Fighting Falcon. However the principles discussed are just as valid for any fighter aircraft. First we’ll look at Turn Rate Radius, then corner airspeed and then how to lead turn. Energy Management also plays strongly into turning well. We’ll hit that up at the end of this lesson. Turn Rate: The rate at which an aircraft can turn or rate it’s nose while turning. In other words if you’re pulling a circle, rate is a definition of how fast you get around that circle. Don’t just think of rate in terms of complete circles though. I give that as an example to help you visualize and understand rate. Turn Rate is usually expressed in reference to instantaneous and sustained rates and is measured in degrees a second. We will write a custom essay sample on The Basics of Learning to Turn as Relates to Air Combat or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Instantaneous is exactly what it sounds like†¦. How much rate you can command from an aircraft immediately as you turn. Sustained is the rate you can sustain through a turn. The F-16 has a 26 degree/sec maximum instantaneous turn rate. I havent found reliable figures for the Vipers max sustained turn rate. In the Tac Ref in F4 it states 13 degrees/sec. I promise you I can pull significantly better than that, right around 18 deg/sec. Coincidentally several reputable online sources state 18 deg/sec sustained rate. Of course you’ll need to be at the right airspeed to capture the best rate, both instantaneous and sustained. It’s important to realize that the F-16 is one of the very, very few (in all probability the only operational) aircraft able to pull a sustained 9 G turn. This fact, along with the F-16’s extraordinary sustained turn rate capability, are among the things the Viper is most legendary for. In Falcon 4 we have to deal with the fact that the Viper as modeled cannot perform a sustained 9+ G turn as it can in real life. We’ll work around this as well as the fact that many other aircraft types are actually over modeled. At times throughout this training I’ll point out differences between actual vs. Falcon 4 performance info so that you’ll be knowledgeable on both. Rate is needed to achieve weapons parameters or defeat attacks. The F-16s turn rate increases very rapidly from slow speed up to 330 KCAS, at which point the rate is the highest. Rate allows the attacker to match or exceed the turn rate of his adversary and establish lead for a gunshot. The attacker needs a turn rate advantage that will allow him to pull his nose onto the bandit to employ the AIM-9 or point to lead pursuit for a gun shot. It is important to note an attacker with a higher sustained turn rate can maintain a positional advantage against a defender with a smaller turn radius but reduced rate (Figure 13). For example, in order to employ the AIM-9, you must have a turn rate that will allow you to keep your nose within approximately 30 ° of the bandit for tone acquisition and missile launch. The ability to maintain a high sustained turn rate while the defender sacrifices sustained rate for a tighter turn is another key concept in understanding BFM. In this sense, a turn rate advantage is more tactically significant than a smaller turn radius. Keep in mind an old fighter pilot saying that’s always been very true; â€Å"Rate Kills! † It’s important to note that the F-16 turns better with afterburner (AB). Believe it or not this is not always the â€Å"norm† for most combat aircraft. AB in the Viper gives a better turn capability because it allows the pilot to sustain airspeed and thereby sustain a higher turn rate (assuming near corner velocity). In addition, maneuvering at higher AOA’s results in a greater portion of the aircrafts thrust vector to be pointed toward the center of the turn, which also helps the F-16 maintain a smaller turn radius and greater turn rate. To achieve the highest turn rate possible, slow or accelerate towards corner velocity speed range as quickly as possible and turn hard to generate maximum angles in the shortest time. Be aware that this is not always the optimum thing to do. However when you decide it’s time to command the highest rate, this is what you need to do. Turn Radius: The diameter in which an aircraft can turn a partial or complete circle at a given altitude and speed. The higher the speed the larger the radius, or circle, the aircraft will make in the sky. Conversely the slower the speed the smaller the radius. Turn radius determines the size of the turn circle. This radius is based on the aircrafts TAS and radial G. In a fight, the size of the circle and the relative turn rate capability of the two aircraft, will determine how well the pilot can solve the angular problems the defender presents. The objective is to work to where available G will allow the attacker to point his nose at the defender to achieve a missile or gun shot with an acceptable specific power (Ps) bleed-off. How well an aircraft can turn is a function of the turn rate and radius it generates. As already stated, Radius defines the size of an aircrafts turn or its turning circle. In the F-16, turn radius at max AOA/G is relatively constant over an airspeed range of 170 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) up to 330 KCAS. Above 330 KCAS, turn radius increases slightly as max G is obtained (440 KCAS). Above 440 KCAS, turn radius increases dramatically. The chart at left graphically depicts the effect of airspeed on radius. Note also how rate is affected. Understanding the concept of Turn Circles is another important principle for you to grasp in order to be a really effective BFM practitioner. Again, we’ll be going into this and many other things discussed in this lesson in greater detail later on in the course. For now concentrate on understanding how both radius and rate affect the fight. Knowing your adversaries capabilities in both these areas across his flight envelope and knowing your own in the Viper, or whatever other aircraft you are flying, will help you decide how best to approach employing BFM at different times in the fight. One thing to note here is that offensively, sustained operations are not possible in the same plane against a defender with a smaller turn circle (radius) assuming similar turn rates without inviting an overshoot/reversal situation. Alright. In plain English what this means is that if you run into a bandit that can turn in a tighter radius while maintaining a similar rate as you†¦. Things are gonna get really uncomfortable real quick if you continue a turn in the same plane with him. You need to use the vertical/get out of plane. That’s either vertical up or down and not necessarily 90 degrees for either. Depending on the situation a little either way may do. Corner Airspeed: Each aircraft has a specific speed at which it can turn at both the best rate and tightest radius. This is not to say the absolute best rate or the absolute tightest radius the aircraft is capable of, but rather the best combination of both. Because of the F-16 flight control system, the F-16 does not have a true corner velocity. It has a corner plateau which is an airspeed range of 330 440 KCAS that produces a good turn rate based on available G. In this chart you can see the â€Å"corner plateau† of the Viper. Note how both radius and rate stay fairly constant between 330 and 440 knots. Note also how rapidly radius increases and rate decreases above 440 as well as the decrease in rate below 330. As mentioned previously Radius stays fairly constant all the way from 170 to 330 knots or so. We’ve discussed turn rate radius as well as corner airspeed. Understanding how these factors play into the fight is key to your ability to not only survive but dominate your adversary. It’s more than just knowing your own aircrafts performance in these areas, it’s knowing the enemies as well. On top of that your ability to exploit this knowledge is what will make the difference in the end. As an example. F-4F’s from Holloman AFB’s 20th FTS routinely flew and won against F-15’s during the 114th FTS’s bi-annual Sentry Eagle Air to Air meet. The most interesting matches were the F-15 instructors vs. the F-4F instructors. Even though the F-15’s had the advantage in power, radius, instantaneous and sustained rate, the F-4’s were able to still come out on top. Why? Partly because the F-4 pilots had more experience and seat time. Many of the F-4 instructors had more than 3,000 hours in the F-4. Bottom line though is that they flew better BFM. They knew their jet and they knew their adversaries jet and it’s capabilities to a better level than their adversaries did. They used this knowledge to overcome the advantages of the enemy by taking advantage of their own aircrafts systems and flight characteristics. The moral of this story? Study and train hard. Know your jet inside and out and explore and become a expert at handling her. Know your enemy as well. Study of other aircraft and knowing what their performance actually translates to in the fight, will make the difference between killing or dying. Here’s another example. The F-18 has better nose pointing ability at lower speeds (below 240 knots down to 190) than the F-16. Nose pointing ability is rate G/AOA. Commonly referred to as Alpha in fighter pilot speak. Does this mean that the F-18 will always win in this speed range? Think about that question. What are the reasons you think so or not? We’ll use group discussion to answer it in depth. There’s way more to it than most people think.

Power vs Corruption essays

Power vs Corruption essays Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely I will proceed to argue for this statement in essay form referring to three sources. These three sources will support my view on this topic. Power does not just corrupt those ones who hold power but can also turn someone who wants power so badly to turn corrupt. In Lord of the Flies Ralph get voted for chief, this makes the other contender, Jack, very angry and anxious for power. His want for power eventually turns himself corrupt by convincing the other boys not to listen and cooperate with the leader Ralph but instead to come and have fun and big feasts in his tribe. He does this by bribing them and telling them lies. He gives them a feast from pigs that he has caught. Also he tells them that only he and his hunters can protect them from the beast. There fore this proves that not only having power but also wanting power can also corrupt someone. Mark Waugh is an international cricketer who has a great reputation and batting record. In his position he has a lot of knowledge about the game of cricket. It is said against him that he used his knowledge and powerful position dishonestly by providing information to Indian bookmakers to help them predict the result of the cricket matches and make money illegally by using this information. It is also said that Mark Waugh had taken $36,000 from Gupta an Indian bookmaker. This matter is still being investigated and if found true would be a good example of how being in a powerful position and using that position has made him use it corruptly to make personal gain. Richard Nixon was another great leader who fell to corruption. He had relations with communist powers. Supported Chinas admission to United Nations. The first U.S President to visit China and Russia while in office and pioneered SALT treaties on arms limitations with USSR. Public opinion led him to end direct U.S participation i ...

Making a Living as a Life Story Writer

Making a Living as a Life Story Writer A business card left at a coffee shop that garners a $50,000+ writing gig. Same card, different coffee shop, that results in a feature story in a local publication. No, its not the card thats magic, but the profession it advertises: life story writer. Those were only two of the many strokes of good luck Ive had since I started my career as a life story and family history writer nearly ten years ago. The genre, also known as personal history, serves a population of mostly older adults eager to preserve their stories without having to do the writing themselves. The books are intended for family and friends, not the wider public, so theres no need for queries, book proposals, agents, or publishers- just a client willing to invest the time and money to record their cherished memories. Heres how it works: I sit down with a client for a series of interviews in which we talk about their growing-up years, their parents and siblings and relatives, their first loves, their war experiences, their careers, their challenges and joys, their reflections on what it all means- in other words, anything they feel moved to talk about. In between interviews, Im at my desk, shaping our transcripts into a compelling narrative that will, if Im doing my job right, give future generations a glimpse of family members they may or may not have ever met. This kind of writing does more than reveal the character of the narrator; it also brings to life long-ago eras. Think about it: The fifty years or so that separates the generation of grandparents from their grandchildren means that they will each spend the bulk of their life in two vastly different worlds- even if they live in the same town. Its the difference between a horse-drawn plow and an air-conditioned combine, between a one-room schoolhouse and a middle school with a thousand kids, between an outhouse and a heated toilet seat. The world is changing fast; people who hire me want their descendants to know what the world used to look like. Why has it been so easy to find clients and publicity? Two reasons. The first is a swell in interest in life stories. With genealogy the second most searched topic on the internet (Ill leave you to imagine the first), with DNA kits topping the list of holiday gifts and shows like Who Do You Think You Are? topping the charts, its clear that people are curious about their roots. And because were storytelling creatures, its only natural that the focus should swing from data- birthdates, death dates, cemetery plot numbers- to what we really love: the stories that bring it all to life. And the second reason Ive been able to make a living as a life story writer? Supply and demand. There may be loads of clients wanting to hire someone to write their story, but there arent loads of writers to do so. Im guessing thats because most writers have never heard of this niche. What a shame. Not only is it a way to earn your keep

Shell Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shell Canada - Essay Example The company specializes in the production and sale of a number of products including natural gas, crude oil, solvents, diesel fuels, gas, ethane, butane, asphalts, propane, lubricating oils, greases, sulphur, gasoline and natural gas liquids, just to name but a few. Shell also provides a number of services which include refining, marketing, and transporting petroleum products (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). Value chain Shell’s value chain refers to all the activities that take place in the company with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction while managing cost of production effectively. In this regard, Shell has three key value chain components, including fuel supply, customer support, and maintenance. As such, once the petroleum products have been produced, Shell ensures that they are transported to the customers efficiently and timely. In addition, the company has an efficient customer support team whose mandate is to ensure that customer’s demands are met. The maintenance component of Shell’s value chain is concerned with ensuring that the plant and transport facilities are in good condition to enhance the production and supply of products to the customers (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). Competitors Shell Canada operates in a very competitive business environment. In fact, most of its strategies are aimed at ensuring that it competes favorably with other players in the industry. Currently, Shell Canada has three major competitors, which include Imperial Oil Limited, Suncor Energy Inc., and Canadian Natural Resources Limited. This company poses the greatest threat to Shell Canada in the oil industry (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). ... ive strategy The management of Shell Canada understands that, for the company to gain competitive advantage of its main rivals, it must improve the quality of product and service delivery to its customers. In this regard, the company focuses on the production of quality petroleum products that suit the needs of its customers. The company has also focused on the delivery of best customer service by establishing a customer support department that handles all customer queries and problems. In addition, the company intends to have a wide outreach by exploring and producing petroleum products in other countries. This will help increase its customer base, thereby according it a competitive advantage over its rivals. Further, the company is in the process of designing the most modern technology that will enable it conduct deep-sea exploration as a means of moving ahead of its competitors. At the same time, Shell intends to adopt a technology that will enable the company produces petroleum i n an environmental friendly manner. The company believes that reducing environmental pollution will enable it explore several markets without resistance from the governments and the locals (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). Q#2. The world has experienced rapid technological advancements over the past few decades. The new technological have had a huge impact in most business operations. In fact, no single company can compete favorably in the present business environment without the integration of technology. The same applies to Shell Canada, whose competitiveness depends on how well it introduces and uses technology. Currently, Shell can benefit significantly by introducing a number of technologies in its business operations. ERP Firstly, the implementation of ERP technology can be of huge

How has technology helped with air pollution problem Research Paper

How has technology helped with air pollution problem - Research Paper Example Interestingly, despite the fact that transportation sector is vital for economic and social development; the sector has been heavily criticized for contributing a large portion of environmental pollution, particularly with regard to air pollution. This is because the sector consumes a significant amount of fossil fuels that provide energy used to run engines used in transport. Combustion of fossil fuels leads to production of green house gasses that are detrimental to the environment. In this regard, technological solutions have been implemented in the transport sector to help reduce environmental pollution. Therefore, this essay will evaluate the extent to which technology and public transportation in trains, buses and planes has helped to reduce air pollution. To begin with, there are several air pollutants whose sources are closely associated with the transport sector in one way or another. In reality, the atmospheric components are not exclusively ‘pure’ in relation to the quantities of pollutants in the air. However, there are specific threshold concentrations of the pollutants beyond which the atmosphere is classified as being polluted and therefore posing serious health concerns to living creatures on the ground. According to National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI), atmospheric pollution is classified according to the type of effects associated to the pollutants hence resulting into atmospheric Acidification, eutrophication and formation of ground level ozone (2013). Atmospheric acidification, which results from pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), results into destruction of vegetations and buildings because of the chemical reactions that take place between acidic water and contact agents. Similarly, eutrop hication, which results from nitrogen containing compounds such as nitrogen oxides, leads to nutrient imbalances in the environment hence negatively affecting vegetations that are sensitive to

The Controversy Over Home Schooling Essay -- Essays Papers

The Controversy Over Home Schooling In today’s society, the controversy over home schooling is a pertinent issue. Home schooling is known as the instruction of a pupil in an educational program outside of an established school, usually under the tutoring of the parent or guardian. Several debates exist over this current topic. Some have reasonable arguments in favor of home schooling, while many disagree with its process and the motives behind it. Both arguments have valid points that must be explored. Millions of people across the country believe that teaching children at home deprives them of the average childhood experience. They argue that these children are ostracized because they are left out of many activities that can only be experienced in a traditional school. For example, field trips are common among elementary school students. Home schooled children are not given the opportunity to attend these important educational trips because they are kept at home and taught by their parents. Another instance is extracurricular activities. Many s...

Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth

This short essay contains an outline of the pertinent points and concepts discussed by R. Businessmen Fuller In his essay Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, which puts forward one argument for evolution. ‘Earth is only eight thousand miles in diameter, which is almost a negligible dimension in the great vastness of space. Our nearest star – the sun – is ninety-two million miles away. The nearest star after that ‘is one hundred thousand times further. It takes approximately four and one-third years for light to get to us' (Fuller: 1969: Pl) It puts us Into perspective.We are Just one of nine planets In one of one Right now, we are traveling at sixty-thousand miles an hour around the sun, as well as spinning axially, which adds approximately one thousand miles per hour to our motion. Each minute we both spin at one hundred miles and zip in orbit at one thousand miles. ‘ However our earth is so ‘extraordinarily well invented' that we don't feel t his. To our knowledge, humans have been on earth for two million years' and not even been aware of this. ‘Its so superbly designed' that It Is able to keep life regenerating despite' the fact that it should be impossible.Fuller: 1969: Pl ) To our knowledge, the sun has to be at Just the right distance away from us to be able to emit the energy we and our plants need to survive but not too close as to fry us. We also have to have the perfect amount of gravitational pull to hold us to the earth. Too much and we wouldn't be able to move but not enough and we would float off Into space. If either one of these were to be slightly out of place we wouldn't exist. This, from our knowledge to date 18. 10. 13, is proven by the fact that in our Milky-way we are the only planet with life form.That's not to disprove that in the future we loud find other life forms existing on other planets in other galaxies. It is statistically probable that there are other planets homing other species bec ause of the fact that there are approximately one hundred billion other galaxies. There are approximately 8. 7 million different animal species on earth (Moral, C et all 2011) plus another 400,000 different species of plant Offers: 2008) All of these survive on the earths surface. However there's not just one of each species.For example, there are approximately 7,186,560,610 humans on this planet (accurate at 10:ma'am 18/10/13). Current World Population: 2013) If we assume that every species has that number of participants then you are looking at 6. 5397702 x ION 6 (calculated by humans x animal species + humans x plant species) That's a lot for one planet to keep alive. Its amazing that we even exist and yet we do. Not only do we exist but we have evolved. ‘Quite clearly, all of life as designed and born is utterly helpless at the moment of birth' and humans ‘stay helpless for a lot longer' than any other species. ‘intellect. We had to experience and learn how to contend with difficulties and wrought ‘comprehensive reviews of the compound facts of experiences using intellect' we found ‘awareness. ‘ We can differentiate between the red berries that will kill us and the red berries that will nourish us. ‘ (Fuller: 1969: UP) We have also learnt to cultivate more of these botanical edibles by genetically inbreeding (Fuller: 1969: Pl) ‘Only as [man] learned to generalize fundamental principles of physical universe did man learn to us his intellect effectively. ‘ (Fuller: 1969: UP) We have been able to discover and understand science. That we are endowed with such intuitive and intellectual capabilities' which we have gained from experiences and the earth have meant that we are able to discover fundamental principles governing the fundamental design of life. ‘ (Fuller: 1969: UP) For example, R. N. A (Ribonucleic Acid) and D. N. A (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and in discovering these we have been able to ‘ increase our survival potentials millions fold. ‘ (Fuller: 1969: UP) In conclusion, we are only one small species on one tiny planet in the ‘great vastness of space' and so really we are inconsequential.Yet what we have achieved, the percussions and effects we create Just go to show that whilst we may be small we are powerful. In the past 2,000 years we have evolved from thinking the earth is flat to realizing that not only is the earth round but that it is part of a universe. From this we have created rockets that can take us out of our earths atmosphere and into space. Give us another 500+ years and we will have achieved Warp Speed technology. The fact that our planet can have, sustain and regenerate millions of life forms only emphasizes our potential and proves how much more we can learn.