Air Combat Simulator Dictionary

Accelerated Stall

n. A loss of control where the plane's angle of attack exceeds it's ability to maintain smooth airflow over the wings and control surfaces. Often happens at high speed. Lessening control input usually recovers control.

Compression

n. Loss of control due to extremely high speeds. Reduction of throttle will usually recover control, unless in a steep low-level dive. Compression can be avoided by throttling down early in a steep dive.

High Yoyo

n. A manuever used to conserve kinetic energy and maintain position. A plane about to over- shoot an advesary will pull high, turning speed into altitude, turn while moving slower, and then descend, maintaining position behind the other plane. Useful when the other plane can turn better. See low yoyo.

Low Yoyo

n. A manuever used to pick up speed and overtake an advesary. The pursuing plane dives gently, picking up speed from both descent and the engine's work.

Immelman

n. Half of a loop-the-loop, where the plane pulls up until upside down, and then rights itself and levels off.

Split S

n. Half of a loop-the-loop, opposite of the Immelman, where the plane describes half a circle by diving and leveling off at the bottom.

Lead

n. Pointing the aircraft's nose ahead of the advesary's, in order to compensate for bullet flight time. Unless the distances are extraordinarily short, some amount of lead must be pulled to shoot the other plane.

Stall

n. A loss of control where the plane's speed and angle of attack is too slow and steep to maintain lift and control. This usually occurs by trying to climb quickly at a low airspeed.

Copyright © 1995 Ken Marsh All rights reserved.