WRITING 4 FRANCESC DE BORJA RUIZ PINA

 Maneuvers performed in modern aircrafts

 

Modern aircrafts fly at very extreme velocities, close to the sound speed and sometimes faster than it. This means that some of the traditional maneuvers seen since the First World War can not be done. In a fight, the plane with more energy: speed or altitude, has the advantage, although this doesn’t mean that it will win. The ability to perform well in an aerial combat, depends directly on the pilot agility, intelligence, reaction capacity and G-force tolerance training.

 

Some of most basic maneuvers that can still be applied to modern combat aircrafts are for example the Immelman, in which the plane reverses its direction as it gains altitude and loses speed. It is not a proper combat maneuver, but a faster way to change the flying direction. The Split S is the same maneuver but changing altitude for speed. The high yo-yo technique does is a fighting maneuver,  in which the attacker plane with an energy advantage, realizes a momentary exchange of speed for altitude to gain a better attacking angle to a plane making a tight turn.

 

These are some of the most basic maneuvers. A pilot must master them in order to defend herself and be effective in an aerial combat.