Overhead Approach / Break

[flightlogic]

I just call it a short approach...
The tower approves it.... pull power, roll hard. Roll out just before touchdown.
Fun and safe.

[Low Pass]

Originally Posted by BillL

. . . I went flying with an F-111 pilot in a T6 and after the early morning aerobatics (my first, and it was fantastic) he came in for what he called a "carrier landing". It was on a 9500 ft runway so it did not take much, but we lined up on downwind at 300ft AGL and 45deg on the left wing to the runway. He configured the flaps, gear, then pulled back the power did a (maybe 60deg) bank in a descending left turn at constant airspeed and then perfectly timed the roll out and touched down on the runway. This was 25 years ago and the airspeed is a little fuzzy but he performed this maneuver as smooth as spreading molasses on toast.

I have been searching for the details of this technique on the internet and can not find it. Can someone help by giving it a proper name?

Might try searching for "carrier break." A fun variation on the overhead approach.

[fixnflyguy]

I do a similar version when at small/private strips like my home base often. The RV is perfect for that type approach, and I dislike a long drug out pattern when I don't need it. The plane even feels better "loaded up" a little, but things happen quickly, so be careful!

[rsultzbach]

The advantage of the carrier break is in allowing the quick break up of a formation flight into the landing pattern. For a single airplane it does not provide much advantage. Remember, at 60 degrees angle of bank your stall margins are reduced. An AOA gauge would be nice to see how close to stall you are during the break maneuver. I would suggest practicing your break at high altitudes so if you do stall, you have altitude to recover, before trying it at pattern altitude. There are a lot of subtleties in how much interval (seconds) you use between aircraft breaking and how many g's you pull in order to arrive on downwind with equal spacing and a workable time crossing the threshold between landing aircraft. Good luck with your learning the break maneuver. I would suggest a formation clinic to learn the proper and safe way to break up an echelon formation into a landing pattern. Safe flying.

[gereed75]

If you are serious about learning how to fly "the break" and a Navy type approach, I suggest that you take a look at the Navy basic training flight manual, known as the FTI. It used to be available on line if you search "navy primary fti".

This is an excellent training document. The T-34 C performance is somewhat similar to an RV. The methods taught in this manual are excellent, particularly the emergency procedures.

The form guys use the T-34 form manual as the basis for their training.

Check it out, i'll try to find a link...... here you go http://www.cnatra.navy.mil/pubs/fold.../P-330_CH9.pdf

all 250 pages. Your tax dollars at work. The basis of this teaching method is flying by a set of standard procedures. This works particularly well to fly consistent approaches to landing and also for dealing with emergencies.

You can seriously improve your flying skills and safety margins by spending some time reading and embracing the concepts taught here. Carry on sailor!

[GeneL]

Check the FAR-AIM for 360 Overhead approach. It's FAA approved.

[BillL]

Wow, this is more than I could have expected! Thanks, I looked for the "carrier break" and most are for turbine (jet) use, but the pattern was much the same. I guess Charlie used the lower (300ft agl) altitude to match the T-6 performance. It may not have been 60 deg bank, but it seemed pretty hefty to make the 180 and descend to touchdown. I do remember the airspeed was rock solid all the way to final transition to touch down.

I definitely will only pursue this after some flight time after first flight and not close to the ground.

That Navy document is very interesting, I have added it to my pilot soft library f along with the FAR-AIM.

Thanks to all who responded, this is an approach that is on my list to learn. It appears to save some time, and if there are low light conditions, then the runway is not so far away. It could also be used in emergency conditions if needed.

Also, it was a really fun end to a great experience.

[Sig600]

Carrier break vs a normal overhead simply refers to the altitude. We use an 800' break and 600' pattern at the boat vice whatever patter altitude is. Procedures are the same, in a carrier break you're at 600' at the abeam vice 1k-1500' pattern altitude.

I just came back in for the break an hour ago in my -8. Over the numbers at 800'/170 kts... Roll to 60-70 deg, power to idle, level pull through 90 degrees of turn, then increase the bank and pull... This bleeds the energy fast, you can "squat the airplane" through the next 90 degrees of turn. This gives me about 100-110 knots at the 180... Keep the nose up, fly downwind to flap speed, dump full flaps, start your 180 to landing, maintain 75 kts in the power off descent (maybe a little power to shallow it out), roll final over the approach lights (or airport fence)... Land normal. Much faster than trying to slow at three miles and slow/configure. It's all energy management....

[n5lp]

I have an old carrier pilot friend who has described this approach to me many times (he flew an F4F). In that type of airplane there is no forward visibility so they had to do a continuous turn until touchdown in order to see anything including the LSO. He also described how far the rudder was deflected during this power on approach. This exact approach would seem to have limited practical use in today's airplane. Maybe a Pitts could using something similar though.

[RVG8tor]

Originally Posted by n5lp

I have an old carrier pilot friend who has described this approach to me many times (he flew an F4F). In that type of airplane there is no forward visibility so they had to do a continuous turn until touchdown in order to see anything including the LSO. He also described how far the rudder was deflected during this power on approach. This exact approach would seem to have limited practical use in today's airplane. Maybe a Pitts could using something similar though.

You really need to learn more about the maneuver, it is not just for aircraft with difficult over the nose visibility. It is an efficient and practical way to work a pattern, that is why it is used at all military bases. At pilot training bases most of these planes come to initial as singles.

Here is a practical application; Sanford tower switched me from 09L to 09R problem was they wanted me to follow another aircraft which would have required me to make aggressive turns and slow to a very low speed. I asked tower for the overhead pattern as a better way to sequence with the traffic, they approved. I flew to to initial pitched out and landed with good spacing with the other aircraft, I maintained good energy, I was in a better position had I lost an engine and this also allowed additional traffic to sequence into the runway.

Every military pilot knows the value of the overhead pattern, I personally think it should be taught and used in the civilian world.

The pattern is getting more use due to the number of RVs flying, I know at my airport the tower has never denied me the overhead, I also work around those in the traditional pattern.


Stay Calm
and
Fly the Overhead