Actually avoiding a HO is very easy to do....
The 1st thing to realize is that the merge starts at 5.0...most folks are reactive not proactive...
@nd thing to do is decide what merge your flying...are you co-alt higher or lower...are you co-e or pos or neg...I'll assume co-e/co-alt for now...
I've got three basic options...an angles opener, an energy opener or a "read and react"...the 3rd is the toughest by far. Will assume I'd like a phonebooth fight so we'll go angles....at 5.0 I'll start to look at what con is doing...assume he's flying right at me level for now...I'll fly to a point a few degree's of him...I want some horizontal seperation...at 4.0 I'll start a gentle dive I'deally I'll be a bit below and to the side at 2.0 usually if the con wants to HO he'll go nose to nose about now go down and "off nose a bit then at 1.4 or so pull up and in to him...bout 1 in 100 he even hits you...if he's flying straight you pull up and into him literally trying to Zoom thru him...I'll cut my throttle here to maximize angles gain...basically your flying an oblique vertical lead turn.
Tons of films around from AH1 show this type of stuff pretty well...
