Training and Safety

Fighter pilots aren’t all that different from the rest of us in the general aviation world. They love flying, follow checklists, and even make a few mistakes—and they learn from those mistakes just like we do. Larry Brown of Colorado Springs, Colo., is a retired Air Force F-15 pilot who is using the lessons he learned as a fighter pilot as a GA pilot in his Cessna P210. Brown, who has 2,600 hours total time during his 32 years of flying, also was an instructor pilot and flight examiner in the Air Force T-38 and instructor pilot in the T-52, the military’s version of GA’s Diamond DA40. In this biweekly series, he shares his personal experiences and lessons learned to help all of us become better pilots.

Fly like a fighter: Weird wind

An aircraft cleared for takeoff took a little longer on the takeoff roll, but after becoming airborne, it climbed to 30 feet agl and leveled off slightly. Then it stayed at 30 feet agl, passing the departure end of the runway and continuing at that low altitude for at least another half mile.

Fly like a fighter: Sinus block

No pilot in the Air Force ever enjoys being placed on DNIF (duties not to include flying) status. But sinus congestion can ground anyone. After being treated and checked, an Air Force pilot is cleared to fly again but experiences severe pain during a formation instrument approach at only 1,000 feet agl.

Fly like a fighter: Crosswind controls

The Air Force Academy had guidance for the Diamond DA40 of maximum wind for takeoff (26 knots), maximum wind for landing (35 knots), and maximum wind for taxi operations (35 knots). Former Air Force instructor Larry Brown suggests all pilots should all have their own limits for the airplanes they fly.

Fly like a Fighter: Cross-controlled in tight formation

An Air Force student was doing a magnificent job of flying close formation, at night and in the weather, while cross-controlling a T-38 in a slip. When the instructor instructed him to get his right foot off the rudder, there was no response.

Fly like a Fighter: Which way is up?

After an uncontrolled snap roll, Air Force F-15 pilot Larry Brown finds his aircraft 40 degrees nose low, inverted, accelerating toward the ground. Enter the importance of upset recovery training.

Fly like a Fighter: To go or not to go?

Who aborts an F-15 during takeoff because of a lack of thrust? Retired Air Force F-15 pilot Larry Brown shares why he should have aborted a takeoff in which he used 6,000 feet of an 8,000-foot runway to get airborne.

Fly like a fighter: Cheers to the man on the mic

In early spring our squadron in Germany was sending 12 F-15s to Denmark to participate in a NATO flying exercise. The weather was overcast over Europe, and the forecast in Denmark was for low ceilings, poor visibility, and rain throughout the day. We scheduled three launches of four F-15s each spread apart by 20 minutes. I launched with the second group of four.

Fly like a fighter: Where'd my maps go?

A negative-G guns jink sprays maps, charts, and approach plates onto the top of retired Air Force pilot Larry Brown's F-15 canopy, teaching him a valuable lesson he adheres to today in his Cessna P210--even though he won't be doing any negative-G pushovers.

Fly like a fighter: A peek into space

After a zoom climb up to FL500, retired Air Force F-15 pilot Larry Brown looked toward the horizon and saw the curvature of the earth below, a small piece of blue sky above, and black above that.

Fly like a fighter: Down we go

Aside from drag devices, fighters also have the option of performing a low-power but high-G descending spiral to keep the airspeed under control while making a rapid descent. But, alas, not all of these options are available in general aviation airplanes. From cruise at 8,000 feet to 12,000 feet msl, would you consider ripping your throttle to idle to expedite your descent?

Fly like a fighter: Where's the runway?

Turning final as the No. 2 ship in an F-15 formation, pilot Larry Brown realized they had a big problem: The sun blinded them from seeing the runway.

Fly like a fighter: When 'VFR' is 500/2 with rain showers

A quiet, VFR flight from Okinawa, Japan, to Osan, Korea, in an F-15 quickly turns hectic as the weather deteriorates at the destination. A mad scramble to review instrument approaches and set up the navigation radios gave fighter pilot Larry Brown a few lessons in planning ahead - something he does to this day in his Cessna P210.

Fly like a fighter: Belly check

With its bubble canopy, the visibility from the cockpit of an F-15 is awesome. But you can't see directly underneath the jet. An F-15 instructor teaches that after a sustained turn for more than 180 degrees, it's time for a belly check.

Fly like a fighter: Look ma, one hand

On a 3,800-mile flight from Brisbane, Australia, to Okinawa, Japan, F-15C pilot Larry Brown worried that he'd have to make an embarrassing radio call to his flight lead: He was flying with his knees while he tried to free his right hand, which had gotten stuck beside his seat.