トレーニング/Training-Takeoff and Handling

[1] Welcome to the Takeoff and Basic Handling training flight. Today, you're taking the A-10C up for a spin. In this lesson, we'll perform a standard takeoff followed by some basic maneuvers at medium altitude.


Press the Space bar key when you are ready to begin.


[2] Things will happen rather quickly once you begin to roll, so let's review the takeoff sequence.


After a final check of the instruments, you'll begin to roll at MAX engine power. Your main focus will be on using nosewheel steering to maintain the aircraft on runway center during the roll. Once the rudders become effective above 50 knots, you will disengage nosewheel steering. At 120 knots, begin to raise the nose by gently pulling back on the stick and setting a pitch angle of 10 degrees on the ADI. This will be a safety-critical element of takeoff. Pulling up too fast can lead to striking the aircraft's tail on the runway or lifting off with too much angle of attack, leading to a stall and possible crash. Once the aircraft is safely airborne and climbing, raise the landing gear and flaps. Accelerate to 180 knots and maintain this speed in the climb to altitude.


[3] Prior to starting the take-off roll, a number of final checks are performed to ensure the aircraft's safe operation.


Ensure the anti-skid switch is set to ON. If not already done, turn on Pitot Tube Heating on the Environmental Control Panel.


[4] Now hold down the wheel brakes by pressing and holding the W key and increase throttle to 85% core RPM. Monitor your flight and engine instruments for any abnormalities. Look around the cockpit and check the caution lights panel to ensure no malfunctions are reported.


Press the Space bar key to proceed once everything checks out.


[5] You are now ready for takeoff. Take a note of your current heading as you will maintain this after takeoff.


To begin the roll, release the wheel brakes and advance the throttles to MAX.


[6] Use careful nosewheel steering commands to keep the aircraft running straight down the center of the runway.


[7] Press the HOTAS Pinky Button or INSERT to disable NWS (nosewheel steering).


[8] Gently pull back on the stick to raise the nose to 10 degrees pitch on the ADI and hold it.


[9] Maintain 10 degrees of pitch. Raise the landing gear by pressing G and the flaps by pressing L.SHIFT + F. The landing gear horn will sound while the landing gear is in transition.


[10] Adjust your pitch angle to maintain 180 kts. Indicated Airspeed (KIAS) in the climb and check the Vertical Velocity Indicator (VVI) to monitor your rate of climb.


Your desired rate of climb will depend on a number of factors, including the aircraft weight, range and altitude of the steerpoint. However, 180 KIAS is a good average climb speed.


[11] Maintain a heading of 300 degrees at 180 kts. Level out at 5,000 ft.


Scan your instruments vertically from the HUD down to the ADI and HSI and then horizontally across the front dash from the airspeed indicator to the altimeter and Vertical Velocity Indicator (VVI).


[12] Approaching 5,000 ft. Let's level out here. We'll pick up some airspeed in MAX engine power.


[13] You're off-course. Turn to heading 300 degrees.


[14] Flying over water can be disorienting, so let's turn inland. Turn right to 040.


[15] Watch your altitude. Maintain 5,000 ft.


[16] Let's talk a bit about airspeed.


While you may want to fly at maximum speed to get to where you're going as fast as possible, you have to keep in mind fuel consumption and designated times of arrival. As such, you will generally fly at speeds less than maximum and preferably close to your cruise speed, which is the most efficient speed for your current aircraft payload and altitude.


[17] Let's try to decelerate. There are a number of ways you can reduce airspeed, including reducing engine RPM, opening the speedbrakes, and pitching the nose up to climb. For now, let's simply reduce engine power.


Pull the throttles back and watch the airspeed indications on the HUD and front dash begin to decrease.


[18] Good. Now let's accelerate by advancing the throttles back to MAX.


[19] While the A-10 can reach speeds well in excess of 400 kts, your cruise speed will generally be around 300 kts. Stall speed will be around 120 kts.


[20] Now let's perform a climb. Take the nose up to 20 degrees of pitch by referencing the ADI on the front dash. Climb to 12,000 ft.


[21] Watch the altitude and airspeed readings on the HUD and instrument panel. Take note of the altitude increasing and airspeed decreasing. Check the VVI to monitor your rate of climb.


It's critical to maintain control of your airspeed or you will quickly approach a stall scenario. If your airspeed begins to fall below 160 kts, reduce your climb rate by lowering the nose to a smaller pitch angle.


[22] The A-10 does not have a very high thrust-to-weight ratio, so it cannot zoom climb like fighter jets. However, what the Hog lacks in engine power, it makes up for in engine durability and endurance.


[23] Your airspeed is falling too low. Reduce your pitch angle and try to maintain at least 160 kts.


[24] Level out at 12,000 ft.


[25] The A-10's service ceiling is 45,000 ft. However, given the nature of the A-10 design and function, you are likely to spend most of your time at altitudes below 25,000 ft.


[26] Watch your altitude! Maintain 12,000 ft.


[27] The next maneuver will be a dive. Before we begin, keep in mind a couple of things: although we are 12,000 ft. above sea level (ASL), the surface of the earth can be a lot closer, so we'll only drop about 5,000 ft. and recover at 7,000. Also, our speed will increase rapidly in the dive and we need to be careful not to overspeed the aircraft. Overspeeding is highly dangerous and can lead to catastrophic structural failure.


[28] Pull the throttle back and push the stick forward to make your pitch 20 degrees nose down. Watch your altitude decrease and your speed increase as you dive. Recover at 7,000 ft.


[29] Airspeed is getting high! Recover now.


[30] Altitude, altitude! Maintain 7,000!


[31] Coming up on 7,000 ft. Level out.


[32] For our last maneuver of the day, we'll try a level turn.


Turning is not difficult, but turning well does require attentiveness and coordination. The goal of a level turn is to complete the maneuver with minimal deviation in speed and altitude from your initial conditions.


A level turn will consist of initial roll input on the stick, followed by a slight pull and rudder input into the turn to maintain altitude and minimize side-slip as indicated by the slip ball on the ADI. However, too much input on either the stick or rudder will quickly increase drag and angle-of-attack, leading to a drastic loss of speed and potential loss of control.


[33] We'll perform a 360-degree LEFT turn from a heading of 040 at 7,000 ft. and 280 kts. Go ahead and set the jet to these initial conditions.


[34] Set. Stabilize at this speed and altitude before starting the turn. Remember, try to maintain the airspeed and altitude throughout the turn. Use the Total Velocity Vector (TVV) on the HUD to maintain altitude and step on the ADI ball using the rudder to minimize side-slip.


Begin when ready.


[35]


[36] Well done. We will end our training flight here.


[37] You deviated too far from the starting conditions. Stabilize again on a heading of 040 at 7,000 ft. and 280 kts for another try.


[38] Set. Begin when ready.


[39]


[40] Well done. We will end our training flight here.


[41] Another miss. It's time to RTB. Better luck tomorrow.