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Flight Maneuvers
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abort
To cancel a flight mission, either before takeoff or in the air, because of
aircraft or other problems.To terminate a preplanned aircraft maneuver.
ACM
Air Combat Maneuvering. US Navy term for techniques used in air combat. See
also BFM.
aerobatic box
At an aerobatic competition, the region of space to which all maneuvers are
restricted.
aerobatic sequence
A series of planned aerobatic maneuvers. Often recorded in Aresti notation.
Aresti Notation
A graphical notation, not unlike choreographic notation, used for describing
aerobatic sequences. Developed by Spanish pilot Jose L. Aresti.
BFM
Basic Fighter Maneuvers. US Air Force term for techniques used in air combat.
See also ACM.
Cobra Maneuver
A rare maneuver where the nose of the aircraft is brought up past the vertical,
then rapidly thrust back down to a level position, like a striking cobra.
Developed by test pilots of the Russian-built SU-27 fighter aircraft.
coordinated turn
A combination of control inputs that allow a maximally efficient turn.
Cuban Eight
Two loops in opposite directions forming a vertical figure-8 shape in the
sky. Sometimes performed in the horizontal plane.
G
A unit of force equal to the force of gravity times one. See Load Factor.
greyout
Greyout occurs when gravitational stresses impair the flow of blood to your
brain. Loss of vision and, eventually, consciousness, can occur when you pull
heavy G's.
Immelman
An airborne maneuver where the aircraft climbs vertically, then changes to
a new direction of horizontal flight. Named after the WWI German pilot who
perfected it as a combat maneuver.
jinking
Erratic evasive maneuvering of an aircraft to avoid incoming fire.
joinup
An airborne maneuver whereby two aircraft join to fly in formation, or for
air-to-air refueling.
knife-edge flight
Level flight with the airplane on its side, so that the wings are perpendicular
to gravity.
Load Factor
The proportion between lift and weight commonly called "g."
loop
Any of a class of maneuvers in which an aircraft describes a closed figure
(usually a circle), its pitch attitude passing evenly through 360 degrees.
Lumcevak
A violent aerobatics maneuver where the aircraft is forced to fall rapidly
end over end after a vertical stall.
One-eighty
An overhead maneuver consisting of a 180-degree turn from upwind to downwind,
prior to landing.
orbit
A circular holding pattern around a target or other ground reference point.
over-the-top
1. Above the layer of clouds or other obscuring phenomena forming the ceiling.
2. Often used to indicate the top of a loop.
pop up
To climb rapidly.
redout
Redout occurs when negative gravitational stresses force blood to the brain.
The excess blood causes ones vision to go red.
roll
Any maneuver where the aircraft is rotated on its fuselage axis.
rudder turn
Turning with the use of rudders alone.
scissors
A maneuver where the aircraft alternatively banks left and right, criss-crossing
its flight path. Called a "rolling scissors" when combined with a roll at
each change of direction.
snap roll
A roll produced by stalling one wing of an aircraft during level flight.
spin
A deep, spiraling dive, usually uncontrollable; any manuever in which one
wing is stalled and one is not.
Split-S
An S-shaped, downward, rolling dive.
three-sixty
A 360-degree compass turn, which delays arrival over a target and puts an
aircraft back on its original heading.
top rudder
During knife-edge flight, the rudder position angling upwards.
torque roll
An aerobatic maneuver that consists of a vertical roll that continues in the
same direction after the aircraft has risen to a maximum height and started
to fall backwards.