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Thread: ITT as reference in formation flying?

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    Member JayPee's Avatar
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    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
    Last edited by JayPee; 02Jan15 at 23:33.

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    Member Ashy's Avatar
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    Yes we do use that to match each other's speed. It just gives you a general placement for your throttles to be set so to speak. As a wingman you will constantly be adjusting your throttles slightly to stay in formation. Remember to adjust in small increments because if you do it in big increments the engines on the a10 cannot keep up mainly due to to the fan speed lag. Another way to really match your speed with your wingman is to hook them and look on your tad and in the bottom right it will give you their groundspeed. Also remember to have your cdu read out your ground speed as well.
    Adapt.... Improvise.... And Overcome....
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    476 vFG Founder Snoopy's Avatar
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    For the A-10 ITT and fuel flow are the most commonly used control instruments for power settings.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ashy View Post
    Another way to really match your speed with your wingman is to hook them and look on your tad and in the bottom right it will give you their groundspeed. Also remember to have your cdu read out your ground speed as well.
    True but as a wingman you shouldn't be looking down at the MFCDs for more than a second or two at a time.

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    Member JayPee's Avatar
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    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?
    Last edited by JayPee; 03Jan15 at 00:35.

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    Senior Member Howie's Avatar
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    AoA for maximum range: 15-16
    AoA for maximum endurance: 17-18
    Last edited by Howie; 03Jan15 at 00:42.

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    476 vFG Founder Snoopy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JayPee View Post
    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?
    Page 479 in the 1A-10A-1-1 (click here) has all the tables for that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Howie View Post
    AoA for maximum range: 15-16
    AoA for maximum endurance: 17-18
    Where did you get this from?
    Last edited by Snoopy; 03Jan15 at 00:43.

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    Senior Member Howie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snoopy View Post


    Where did you get this from?
    Damned if I can remember but I'm sure I read those tick marks on the AoA gauge were for max range/endurance...

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    476 vFG Founder Snoopy's Avatar
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    I see it

    AOA Indicator.
    The AOA indicator (24, Figure FO-1) is placarded ANGLE OF
    ATTACK. The scale is calibrated from 0 to 30 arbitrary units,
    in single unit increments, increasing in a CCW direction. Reference
    marks are provided as follows: At 15.6 scale units a rectangular
    maximum range index
    ; at 17.5 scale units a triangular
    maximum endurance index
    ; at 20.0 scale units a T-shaped approach
    index; from 23.1 to 24.1 scale units a striped stall warning
    index. The red (OFF) flag will appear at the 3 o’clock position
    when the unit experiences a loss of power.

  10. #9
    Senior Member Baxter's Avatar
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    But those are just arbitrary numbers they don't actually correlate to an actual AOA

    And I wish one of the cockpit mods would get the symbology right on the gauge instead of just white bricks

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    Quote Originally Posted by JayPee View Post
    I'll try the GS trick as well without focusing too much on the TAD.
    You really shouldn't be doing that for proper station keeping.
    What does it matter anyway what nr is displayed there? You're either in a correct position or not.
    You got an ITT indication to go with, that gives you a throttle range. You just adjust as required

    Providing CAS when you're all out of HUA!

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