ITT as reference in formation flying?
Recently I watched a stream of ZeroMass and Snooze's BAI flight. If I've understood them correctly they were using their ITT as reference to match speeds for formation flying given that their weight/loadout was roughly equal.
Did I understand this correctly? And if so, how accurate is this to e.g. referencing fan RPM? I'm not an expert on aircraft engines but I'd personally consider the temperature in one part of an engine to be a more of an indirect derivate instead of a direct predicator of speed like the fuel flow or the RPM.
I couldn't find anything about this in the 74th vTS Formation Guide Change 3. However, I do vaguely recall a tutorial on AAR where the author mentioned something about ITT to match the tanker's speed but I'm not quite sure anymore. I couldn't find anything about this either in the 74th vTS A-10 Air-to-Air Refueling Guide Change 1.
Thanks
ITT as reference in formation flying?
OK thanks for the clarifications! I'll try the GS trick as well without focusing too much on the TAD.
Btw, if there is no such thing as the pressure of having to be somewhere on a certain time, what is the most fuel efficient setting at which you are not burning too much fuel while your nose high attitude isn't causing too much drag either? I imagine this is directly related to weight, amongst other factors, so is there a chart of some kind? And if not, perhaps a simple ROT?