B3101 FLIGHT WINGMAN 1.4 hours airborne + briefings

Fingertip Formation Basics

First formation flight - join-ups and close formation flying

OBJECTIVE

Enable trainees to establish and maintain fingertip formation position as wingman in the T-38 Talon, practicing join-ups, straight-and-level flight, gentle turns, and visual signals, to build foundational formation skills with emphasis on deconfliction and sight maintenance per AFMAN 11-2T-38V3 standards.

CONTENT

Pre-Flight Briefing and Preparation

  • • Review of ground lessons on comms, procedures, and fingertip specifics; discuss sortie objectives, VMC weather minima, and T-38 performance (350 KIAS join-up speed).
  • • Formation planning: Brief join-up geometry, safety rules (500 ft min separation), and emergency protocols (e.g., breakout turns).
  • • Wingman focus: Sight pictures for stack/bearing, small correction techniques, visual signal responses.

JOIN-UP PARAMETERS

Max Speed: 350 KIAS
Cut-off Angle: 30°
Min Separation: 500 ft
Weather: VMC Required

Airborne Procedures and Maneuvers

  • • Departure and join-up: VFR takeoff from KSPS, wingman executes join-up using 30° cut-off to fingertip position.
  • • Fingertip maintenance: Straight-and-level flight, gentle turns (≤30° bank), position holds with power/thrust adjustments.
  • • Comms and signals: Radio acknowledgments, visual signals for minor corrections; ops checks if directed.

FINGERTIP SIGHT PICTURE

Wingtip Spacing: 3-10 ft
Stack: Level with lead
Bearing Line: 45° aft of wingtip
Reference: Lead's canopy/helmet

Post-Flight Debrief

  • • Performance evaluation: Analyze spacing tolerances (3-10 ft wingtip), stability, and comms using flight data.
  • • Trainee reflection: Identify position challenges and improvements for trail formations.

SORTIE TASKS

IP required. Fly as wingman. VMC only. Fly on VATSIM IAW VATSIM regulations.

Pre-Sortie

  1. 1Brief with IP: join-up parameters (350 KIAS max, 30° cut-off, 500 ft min separation), fingertip sight pictures, and VMC requirements
  2. 2File flight plan on VATSIM; obtain ATIS and contact Ground/Tower; depart as a flight with IP as lead

Sortie

  1. 3After departure, join up to fingertip position on IP's call; maintain 3–10 ft wingtip clearance
  2. 4Maintain fingertip through straight-and-level flight; hold ±50 ft vertical tolerance
  3. 5Maintain fingertip through gentle turns ≤30° bank; use visual cues to manage position corrections
  4. 6Respond correctly to all visual signals and radio calls from IP throughout the sortie
  5. 7Complete ops checks as directed; return to home field; break and land as directed by IP

Post-Sortie

  1. 8Debrief with IP: review spacing, stability, and visual signal responses
  2. 9Log the sortie in the vTAC flight log system

Approved Callsigns

BULL · ZOOM · LIGHT · VOID — dual formation sortie
BLACK · CHOSEN · STAFF — if command is present

COMPLETION STANDARDS

Trainees will demonstrate proficiency in fingertip basics through successful sortie execution. Trainees must:

  • • Maintain position tolerances (±50 ft vertical, stable sight picture)
  • • Demonstrate timely visual/radio responses to lead
  • • Execute no deconfliction errors per AFMAN 11-2T-38V3 standards

Completion: Instructor confirmation of progression to trail formations

Previous: B3003 Next: B3102