Starfighter Combat - Basic Combat Maneuvers

Before you can perform complicated combat maneuvers, you must learn and perfect the basic flying skills. From these you can create complex maneuvers that are merely combinations of simple motions. Once you've done this, you can move on to offensive and defensive combat maneuvers. Each has its own entry below. Bombing techniques are also illustrated, while another sections covers the tactics and maneuvers you'll use when you're outnumbered.

The purpose of this section is to teach the basic maneuvers. These maneuvers are the building blocks for more complicated tricks. When you perform a number of these maneuvers back-to-back you have the makings of a superior pilot.

It's important that you take the time to master these basic flight patterns. Make sure you can perform each maneuver smoothly with a controlled entry and exit, especially the exit. When learning these maneuvers give yourself plenty of altitude at first.

Of course, each situation is different, so take note during your practice of how your plane reacts in each maneuver.

• How much altitude do you lose?
• How much do you have to anticipate to get the wings to stop level?
• How much speed do you loose, or gain?
• Do you come close to stall speed?
• How much does the plane change course during a roll?

You need to have an intuitive feel for the aircraft. You don't have all the sensory inputs that a pilot has, such as forces and aircraft vibrations, so you must pay close attention to the instruments during the early phase of training.

Try to fight the urge to move quickly to the more flashy and complicated maneuvers. Taking the time to master basic skills will pay dividends down the road.

Basic Flight Maneuvers

Learn and perfect basic jet fighter flying maneuvers — like the Barrel Roll, Split-S, and Break Turn — before you go head-to-head with an enemy aircraft.

Air combat maneuvering is the combination of a number of simple maneuvers. These maneuvers must be learned and mastered before you try more complicated offensive and defensive tricks.

• Aileron Roll
• Barrel Roll
• Loop
• Break Turn
• Split-S or Descending Half-Loop
• Vertical Half-Loop
• Stall Turn
• Immelmann
• Chandelle
• Lazy Eight