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Rendezvous techniques from the pros

Huggy Bear

Registered User
pilot
45degrees Antenna Train Angle, 135 degree target aspect (don't waste your time looking outside the cockpit) close until you start to hear your IP key the mike or it feels like someone else is on the stick then speed brake out, wing down and pull while putting in a full boot of rudder. If done regularly this is gaurunteed to leave an impression on your IPs and make you the talk of the ready room.
 

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
45degrees Antenna Train Angle, 135 degree target aspect (don't waste your time looking outside the cockpit) close until you start to hear your IP key the mike or it feels like someone else is on the stick then speed brake out, wing down and pull while putting in a full boot of rudder. If done regularly this is gaurunteed to leave an impression on your IPs and make you the talk of the ready room.

You can tell the FNAEB that Huggy made you do it. Make sure you print the post and have it in hand. :)
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
The biggest challenge in a day VFR RDVS w/ several birds joining up is to keep YOUR closure going on the formation lead and watch the guys ahead of you at the same time ... as THEY will ultimately control your RDVS destiny on that flight ... :). That's assuming, of course, that you aren't #2 for the sake of discussion.

I mean: if you're all doin' a hard/fast circling OR running RDVS and #2 blows it and gets acute and #3 gets sucked and YOU are #4 .... then stand by..... especially if you see #2's boards come out .... :D


YOU have to keep EVERYONE in sight and at the same time join up as soon as #3 gets his shit together and gets back on bearing ... and then as YOU slide right into position immediately after #3 ... then YOU will be able to key the MIC and say .... "Real nice .. " ... :D
 

Semper Jump Jet

Ninja smoke...POOF.
pilot
A slightly different technique: 550 Kts until about a .3 - .4 then idle, nozzles to full braking stop, reapply full power. It helps to put the nozzles back aft when you're done. Leave the speedbrake in because it's useless.

The canopy roll over the top is pretty cool too... but it's best saved when not on a stadium fly-by!
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
......The canopy roll over the top is pretty cool too... but it's best saved when not on a stadium fly-by!
SOP when rejoining after beating up on VF-201/202 or VMFA-112 over the So. Texas veld ... they were usually aboard early on the RTB as they'd been working at least a section (we hardly ever went out 1V1) ... so, assuming I was still 'full of vinegar' and 'stoked' after the fight(s) ... I'd do a high-closure Run-RDVS -- roll over the whole formation -- and pop up into position on whomever was my "lead" for the field entry ...

However, when we applied a similar join-up "technique" while working against the Canuks out of Cold Lake, they nearly shit themselves. :D

Great stuff.
 

squeeze

Retired Harrier Dude
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
I think as long as Hornets consistently run into each other, I'll hold off taking their rendezvous advice. :)
 

jarhead

UAL CA; retired hinge
pilot
Isn't that the technique, minus putting the nozzles back aft, that Greg Kelly of FoxNews used when he had to punch out of his Harrier on a f'd up tanker rdvs? Or did I hear bad gouge.

S/F

A slightly different technique: 550 Kts until about a .3 - .4 then idle, nozzles to full braking stop, reapply full power. It helps to put the nozzles back aft when you're done. Leave the speedbrake in because it's useless.

The canopy roll over the top is pretty cool too... but it's best saved when not on a stadium fly-by!
 

zipmartin

Never been better
pilot
Contributor
SOP when rejoining after beating up on VF-201/202 or VMFA-112 over the So. Texas veld ... they were usually aboard early on the RTB as they'd been working at least a section (we hardly ever went out 1V1) ... so, assuming I was still 'full of vinegar' and 'stoked' after the fight(s) ... I'd do a high-closure Run-RDVS -- roll over the whole formation -- and pop up into position on whomever was my "lead" for the field entry ...
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