Jet Fighter School

Air Combat Simulator Tactics and Maneuvers
by Richard G. Sheffield

PART 2. FLIGHT SCHOOL

CHAPTER 7
Basic Flight Maneuvers

Now the real fun begins. Before you can perform complicated combat maneuvers, you must learn and perfect the basic flying skills. Once you've done this, you can move on to offensive and defensive combat maneuvers. Each has its own chapter in this part of Jet Fighter School. Bombing techniques are also illustrated, while another chapter covers the tactics and maneuvers you'll use when you're outnumbered.

Each maneuver described in the Flight School section includes step-by-step instructions on how to perform the technique, as well as any altitude or airspeed limitations.

Basic Flight Maneuvers

Learn and perfect basic jet fighter flying maneuvers—like the Barrel Roll, Split-S, and Break Turn—before you go head-to-head with an enemy aircraft.

Air combat maneuvering is the combination of a number of simple maneuvers. These maneuvers must be learned and mastered before you try more complicated offensive and defensive tricks.

These maneuvers can be practiced during slack times while you're on a mission, or you can set up the game just to give you practice time. To get as much practice time as possible, set up F-15 Strike Eagle as follows:

• Select the skill level Rookie
• Select the mission number 1 (Libya)
• Start the game
• Arm and fire a short-range missile at the MiG which pops up in front of you. If this doesn't destroy it, follow and fire a second missile.
• Fly the plane back out to sea. Either place the NAV cursor over the base or use the Horizontal Situation Display (map) to guide you.
• On your way out to sea, drop all bombs. This will improve the performance and handling of the aircraft.
• You're ready to practice your maneuvers. Should an enemy aircraft appear on radar or a target-designator box appear on the screen, fire a medium-range missile immediately. If this missile misses, grit your teeth and go after the target. Keep in mind, the best way to learn to fight is by fighting.

In the procedures which follow, the numbers in parentheses refer to the steps of the maneuver shown in the accompanying figure.

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