General Handling

EFFECTS OF CONTROLS

The Hawk is not a difficult aircraft to fly, however, its flight envelope is much wider than the basic trainer, and therefore the demands on the pilot are increased. The Effects of Controls exercise is designed to introduce the student to the basic handling characteristics of the Hawk, by exploring effects of both the main and ancillary controls. The student will fly the aircraft at high, medium and low speed, fly some basic aerobatics and practise a simulated circuit at height. Whilst flying the Hawk on 208 Sqn, the potential for high cockpit workload is far greater than the student will thus far have been exposed to during his or her training - the secrets of success are preparation, cockpit management and forward planning. Despite the steep learning curve however, most students quickly get used to the Hawk operating speeds and confidence is rapidly developed.

STALLING

Arguably the most dangerous phase of flight in the Hawk is during the finals turn and approach to land. During these periods, the pilot is under a relatively high workload, operating close to the stall and in close proximity to the ground. As a result of these factors, it is relatively easy to inadvertently enter the stalled regime. The necessity of operation under the above conditions leads to the requirement to practice stalling as an academic exercise. The aim of stalling exercises in the Hawk is to teach the pilot to recognise the approaching stall and recover correctly, with the minimum loss of height and performance. In order to afford a greater degree of safety, these exercises are always carried out 5000 feet above ground level in a 'simulated' circuit. Although the Hawk has a moderately swept wing, its stalling characteristics are similar to those of the basic trainer. Its low speed behaviour is docile, and the controls remain effective even beyond the stall. The symptoms of the approaching stall are; Speed low and decreasing, a high nose attitude, buffet, lateral instability (this can be controlled with rudder), a high rate of descent, a fully aft stick position and possible oscillations in pitch.

SPINNING

Although the Hawk is very spin resistant, careless handling of the high performance aircraft can result in its departure from controlled flight - a potentially very hazardous situation. The exercise of spinning is therefore taught to students to increase their confidence in handling the aircraft, and to instill in them the recovery actions necessary in the event of losing control of the aircraft. By this stage of their training, students will have already become competent at spinning several types of aircraft, but unlike with the Tucano, they will not have the pleasure of spinning this aircraft upside-down!

GLIDING AND FORCED LANDINGS

The excellent reliability of the Adour Mk 151 turbofan engine is a comfort to all Hawk aircrew, but in the extremely unlikely event of a major engine malfunction, students are taught how to glide a stricken aircraft to an airfield and achieve a safe landing. The procedure of putting an aircraft without an engine safely back on the ground is known as an Actual Forced Landing (AFL). To rehearse for this eventuality, students are taught Practise Forced Landings (PFLs). Aiming to finish with a visual approach from an intercepted glidepath, a student pilot must first find his way to the nearest suitable airfield. This can be done either visually, or in the event of the emergency occurring above cloud, radar vectors can be gained from an Air Traffic Control Unit to assist the navigation. Not every attempt will be successful however - and just as important as how knowing how to glide most efficiently is knowing how to recognise a situation in which the only safe escape is to 'pull the handle' and eject.

MAXIMUM RATE TURNING

Max Rate Turns (MRTs) are taught to enable the student to quickly obtain the best turning performance from his or her aircraft. Despite the introduction of sophisticated guided weapons, operational pilots must be proficient at air combat manoeuvring, or "dogfighting". They must be capable of sustaining high g-forces of up to 6g while maintaining a good lookout, or tally on the bandit. Here at RAF Valley the students of 208 Squadron are taught MRTs principally as an academic handling exercise, but also to prepare them for when they join 19(F) Sqn and go on to air combat manoeuvring for the first time. The techniques learnt by the students on 208 Sqn will be of great value when they reach the weapons phase. Another use of the MRT is that of collision avoidance. Much of the airspace that we train in around RAF Valley is relatively busy, it is not uncommon to see 4 or 5 other hawks airborne in the same block of airspace. It is important that the student be able to react instinctively to any possibility of a collision, which is why on a routine training sortie the instructors give frequent no-notice practice emergency breaks to ensure that the student stays sharp. At low level the danger of collision is somewhat higher, as there is no vertical separation between aircraft as everyone will be flying at 250 ft. At a closure speed in excess of 1000mph it is essential that both pilots in aircraft approaching head-on know exactly what to do, as there is no time to think of your options in this situation!

NIGHT FLYING

Night flying is an important part of the role of many front line squadrons; Fast Jet pilots must be able to operate their aircraft as confidently at night as by day. During operations the darkness of night will often be exploited to provide the element of surprise. At 208 Sqn students consolidate their night flying skills learnt at Basic Fast Jet training in three dual sorties and one solo night sortie (Royal Navy pilots - four dual sorties and two night solo's). A typical night sortie will include a practise diversion, circuits and upper air work. At 208 Sqn we do not fly low level at night, this is a specialised skill, which is taught on front line squadrons.

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