Thunderbird Pitch & Landing

[Lawndart]

Everyone take a close look at the Thunderbird pitch procedures and landing spacing!

Thunderbird/(Reflection) Pitch
5 G Pull (Instantaneous, aggressive) to 18 deg Nose High
Unload Stick
Float to 20 deg Nose High
Roll 90 deg Towards Downwind
Power Up and Pull (avoid burner if able, but don't restrict yourself)
Line up with smoke trail of preceding aircraft
Fly Downwind at 250 knots (maintain this speed! even after gear and brakes deployment)

Thunderbird Pitch timing
Once the call of the preceding airplane is heard, count 1 second and pull while calling your pitch.

Note: It's important that lead as well as everyone in formation initiates the pitch from "unloaded flight".

Pattern and Landing Spacing
Plan Downwind, Base and Final at 250, 200 and 150 knots respectively for separation planning purposes. Each pilot shall establish Downwind at 250 knots and 1,500ft as quickly as possible after the Pitch, and then hit 200 knots during a continuous Base turn and line up on Final approach established at 150 knots. The descent from pattern altitude of 1,500ft and the initiation of the base turn commences when the preceding aircraft is halfway through its continuous turn to final (approximately 45 degrees off your nose and descending, spacing permitting). Each pilot shall lower the landing gear, deploy speedbrakes and verify full flaps abeam the runway threshold (while still on downwind) and maintain 250 knots. The descent from pattern altitude of 1,500ft will begin for each pilot as the base turn is started. Lead calls the base (point) at his discretion by “1’s Base, Gear Down”. The wingmen call the initiation of their turns by “2’s Gear Down” (3, 4, 5, 6 etc). Note that the speed is maintained and the aircraft configured abeam the threshold. The base turn, speed reduction and descent are all started by referencing the preceding aircrafts spacing and in cockpit reference.

Touchdown 1,000ft down the runway and count your staggered separation (i.e. L, R, L, R, L...). Do not line up for 2-ship element taxi-in until clear of runway and called for by lead or as previously briefed. If neither, line up in single file initially.

[SilverOne]

what do you mean by "unload stick" ???

[Lawndart]

Unloaded flight refers to "zero control input". i.e. disengage trim and release any pressure off the control stick (momentary). Think of it as a hesitation in pitch before you roll and then a hesitation after rolling before starting to add back pressure again.

Lawndart