B3103 FLIGHT WINGMAN 1.1 hours airborne + briefings

Extended Trail Formation

Flexible trail maneuvering with extended spacing

OBJECTIVE

Enable trainees to maintain extended trail formation as wingman in the T-38 Talon, practicing rejoins, spacing adjustments, turns, and deconfliction, to enhance flexibility in trail maneuvers while integrating communications and visual signals per AFMAN 11-2T-38V3 standards.

CONTENT

Pre-Flight Briefing and Preparation

  • • Review of close trail and ground lessons on trail variants; discuss sortie objectives, VMC minima, and T-38 power management for extended spacing.
  • • Formation planning: Brief rejoin criteria, tolerances (500-1,000 ft spacing), and safety for closure rates or sight loss.
  • • Wingman focus: Depth cues, thrust corrections, constant scan for deconfliction.

Airborne Procedures and Maneuvers

  • • Departure and rejoin: VFR takeoff from KSPS, wingman rejoins to extended trail.
  • • Extended trail maintenance: Holds in straight flight, turns (≤45° bank), flexible positioning with power/thrust.
  • • Comms and signals: Responses to lead, visual acknowledgments; practice ops checks.

EXTENDED TRAIL PARAMETERS

Spacing: 500-1,000 ft
Max Bank: ≤45°
Flexibility: High
Use: Maneuvering

Post-Flight Debrief

  • • Performance evaluation: Review spacing stability, adjustments, and comms via data.
  • • Trainee reflection: Address extended trail issues and route prep.

SORTIE TASKS

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

Pre-Sortie

  1. 1Brief with IP: extended trail spacing (500–1,000 ft), power management to prevent overruns or fall-back, and deconfliction
  2. 2File flight plan on VATSIM; obtain ATIS and contact Ground/Tower; depart as a flight with IP as lead

Sortie

  1. 3After departure, rejoin to extended trail position on IP's call; establish 500–1,000 ft spacing
  2. 4Maintain spacing during straight-and-level flight; adjust power continuously to prevent overruns or fall-back
  3. 5Follow IP through turns ≤45° bank; use flexible positioning to hold spacing through the turn
  4. 6Execute any directed trail variant transitions; respond correctly to all visual signals and radio calls
  5. 7Return to home field on IP's call; break and land as directed

Post-Sortie

  1. 8Debrief with IP: review spacing consistency, power management, and turn technique
  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 extended trail formation through successful sortie execution. Trainees must:

  • • Maintain spacing tolerances (500-1,000 ft, stable without overruns)
  • • Demonstrate timely signal responses to lead
  • • Execute no deconfliction errors per AFMAN 11-2T-38V3 standards

Completion: Instructor confirmation of progression to route formation

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