Ed Rasimus wrote:
The T-38 roll-rate is listed at 720 degrees per second. The stick
throw is 6" either side of center, with the first 4.5" giving you 50%
of aileron deflection and the last 1.5" giving you the full deflection
for max rate rolls. Dash-1 restriction is against continuous full
deflection rolls with a warning that it is difficult to stop full
deflection in less than two rolls.

The FCF profile involves rolls left and right with first half-rate and
then a full-deflection in each direction. It will make your head spin
and if you are not braced, bounce your helmet off the canopy.

It has virtually NO tactical utility.

The A-4 Skyhawk was likewise rated at 720 degrees/sec. The
tactical utility of this was to knock unwary flight students
in the head with the canopy, a sort of "welcome to the party, Pal!"
stunt practiced by the VT-22 instructors at NASKINGS on a
stud's first hop while I was there.

The routine was thus: after an hour and a half of being bored silly
on a Basic Instruments hop (the first several flight of the
Advanced Jet syllabus were instrument hops in the back seat)
your instructor would take the controls and tell you to pop the bag.
As you enjoyed the scenery, he'd circle out to the 5-mile initial
for a visual entry to the break. He'd come smoking in at the
speed of heat, 325 at least, get approval for a left break, say
over the intercom "Hey, what's that out there at three o'clock,"
then smack the stick over. Usually inertia held you steady while
the ol' Scooter rotated about you, and you got a faceful of
Plexiglas (this practice got kiboshed while I was there, after
a student suffered a mild concussion this way).

Forewarned by a fellow stud, I braced my shoulders against the
sides of the canopy (the only tactical utility of size 46 shoulders)
and rode it out unknocked.

720 degrees a second ***will*** tumble your internal gyros....
when dual you could usually bump your fellow adventurer's
helmet against the 'glas by going full throw unexpectedly.
The humor of this little stunt palled rather quickly.


Jeff