More visual learning material for M2 and M3

[Dragon1-1]

Would that be possible to add some more screenshots as illustrations for M2 and M3? In particular, there are materials for sight picture you get when in proper formation with a Tomcat, but not for the S-3D in various phases of AAR. Adding pictures of the tanker with important cues highlighted, just like the Tomcat ones, would make tanking with that particular aircraft somewhat smoother, since without it, you kind of have to figure this out yourself as you go, which is not ideal. 

Also, do real pilots really fly parade at night just like they do during the day? I find it hard to believe that the ejection seat triangle is, on a low vis scheme, possible to see at night without NODs in most conditions. I guess they have just learned to look at the whole sight picture by the point they're trying this at night, but still, that's a tall order when you can barely see the jet's outline. Isn't there really anything more to say about formation lights and so on? Parade is easier because it's cues are a formation light and an antenna which is easy to see in a silhouette.

[Reflected]

Well, you'd need to ask Paco. my guess is that they didn't fly parade at night much, but a Tomcat pilot still had to learn how to do it, and  it was part of the training. By that time you have completed the day form mission so you had a good idea of the sight picture. Then you just had to recreate that with the help of the formation lights. Not easy for sure. As for the tanker it doesn't really matter, you never flew parade on them. Just in a spot so you could see their hand signals that's all.

[Dragon1-1]

You don't fly parade specifically, but you do fly other formations, most notably the one where you're trailing behind the wing with your probe in the basket. The workflow for this case is exactly the same (and with the S-3, the level of precision needed is not far behind). Knowing how the tanker is supposed to look from the cockpit, particularly if there are any good reference spots, would help immensely with learning AAR. I'm good with a KC-130 (it's big enough that putting the gun cross under the pod suffices for horizontal+vertical alignment), but the S-3 is much more finicky. 

Similarly, at one point you take up a formation on the tanker's wing, and cues for that would not be amiss, either. It's fairly easy to figure out, but when someone is learning that, some pointers would help a lot.

[=DROOPY=]

I can't remember what Tailhook Issue it was that I read, but back during the advanced training syllabus with the TA-4J, night form (maybe parade?) was definitely a thing. The author gave his account of launching during twilight, and spending the next 1.5-2.0hrs (if Im remembering correctly) of grueling night formation training. The author stated that although it was very difficult to locate the instructor in the abyss of the Gulf of Mexico, (and I can't for the life of me recall anything about the instructor's anti-collision lights being on/off), but the most difficult part was joining up and having/maintaining the correct sight picture during the join, then going through several turns. 

After a bit, the instructor would break off, and the whole process started over again. 

The article really put things in perspective in this 15yr olds imagination.

Also... Grandpa Pettibone... 

"Don't ever.. EVER...FLATHAT! Never!!" 

Since that statement was written in regards to a fatal Navy helo mishap, it took me a bit to figure out that 'flathatting' also meant 'hotdogging'...

Most of what I learned about NAVAIR, was by reading old copies of Tailhook magazine.

But I digress..

Edited July 23, 2024 by =DROOPY=