Couple films

[PFactorDave]

I have.  Get under the merge.  Make them pass through your lift vector.  If they invert, race to make it inside their best turn circle, which may involve turning into them to cut the angles.  Not just the initial merge, any merge where it's possible.Don't invert on a merge and pull on a shot unless you're sure the shot is there.  This is a "Doc, it hurts when I do this" Doctor replies "Well stop doing that" kind of thing.  How to respond instead?  It depends, change the speed, change the separation, and the response changes.  The constant answer is don't bite on the trap.  If you can make the turn and get the kill then it wasn't a very good trap.

Ok, I get it.  Watched the film a couple more times and see where I think I went wrong.  Coming into the 2nd merge, I had my lift vector on the bad guy rather then having it directed toward my next turn.  In addition to that, I entered the 2nd merge nose down.  The lift vector and nose down attitude made my manuever roughly equivelent to a Split-S while he was doing roughly a flat turn which allowed him to get his nose on me.  Fortunately he missed.

Pardon me if I seem a bit thick sometimes...  Sometimes I need to think about it a couple different ways before I'm certain that I understand the concept.

Thanks for putting up with me! 

EDIT to add:  Here is a link to the clip we are talking about that has been shortened down to just the important bit.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=ea9273c6ecfdbe5dab1eab3e9fa335ca4b62fb1e7c2ad1e9

Here's a snap shot of the positioning at the second merge. 



Showing how I am nose down with my lift vector pointed toward the con.  Even though that wasn't the direction I was going to turn (perhaps I should have continued the vector through another immelman in that direction).  After watching the film over and over I wonder if I would have been better off, after the first merge, to hold my immelman in its original direction for a bit longer and not rolled in toward the con until the downside...

[Murdr]

Sounds like you got it.  And yes it would have helped if you had not gradually rolled your lift vector on him as you turned, but instead let your lift vector lag benind him until you at least got close to 180.  But, if you look at the film with trails you'll see that before the first actual merge when he started turning, you were still about 15 degrees nose down.  So even before the merge you were that far behind in the angles. 

It can be minor factors like not being as agressive initially with high G's when starting your turn, having a negative attitude when starting your turn (eg. being nose below level if your reversal is intended to be a vertical turn), your opponent initiating their turn early.  Those little things can add up to put you out of position for a second merge, even if in theory you've chosen a better performing turn.

[Murdr]

My turn for a question back at you Dave.  Have you found anything helpful in the films I posted, or had any questions from the films?

[PFactorDave]

My turn for a question back at you Dave.  Have you found anything helpful in the films I posted, or had any questions from the films?

I absolutely love having films from those of you who are more skilled.  In the case of your films, I have gone to the effort to parse them down to just the actual engagements to make it easier to watch them repeatedly.  I usually will begin by watching the film from the cockpit, seeing what you saw.  I try to imagine what I would do moment by moment and compare it to what you actually did.

Then, I will usually watch from the external view with trails on.  This of course gives a clearer impression of the "Big Picture".  Watching each move, with "why did he do that" in mind is pretty instructive.

I wish that there were more of these films available.  Maybe getting the other Trainers to select a few of their own films to have linked on the Trainers site would be in order.  I know that there are a few films there, but last I checked they were very basic films.  People like me are craving examples of good ACM choices.  Learning the actual manuevers isn't that hard, learning when to employ them is the trick.

Just a thought.

[Murdr]

I actually stopped posting films for quite awhile unless it was to show a point or teach something specific.  It's a fine line between an informational "here's an example of flying sucessfully", and "hey! look at how great I am!".  I can mention your thought though.

Aside from the obvious tactical observations, one thing where films are invaluable is "seeing" the positions from the cockpit view and making a mental link between what you see and what that represents in a 3d environment.  I "see" opponents flight paths seconds in advance.  By that I mean I *know* where their best possible flight path will put them, and am actually maneuvering in anticipation of where they will be.
But that comes from experience.  Where you may watch a film clip and think the situation was "cutting it close", I may see it as "by a mile".  Films can help get an insight into the nuance of reading positioning by watching someones who has seen this same positioning a thousand times before and maneuvers accordingly.

I've recently axed my old site engine where I had brief write-ups posted with films, but the actual films are still here if anyone's interested.  The newer ones, are indexed here, including the ones posted in this thread.

[The Fugitive]

I think watching your films has help me a lot, tho I'm no super pilot    I still have a good time. What I think would be a lot of work, but very helpful..... you got nothing to do for the next couple of weeks right?..... When you start talking "lift vectors" and such I have a hard time putting that into a picture and KNOW I have it right. I'd love to see a film that you explain as your flying, and use the more technical terms as the "lift vector" and such. There seems to be a bunch of "signals" I could be using while fighting that either I am totally missing, or are applying at the wrong time.

UNderstanding these advanced concepts might be just what some need to move up to that "next level"..... for me they have to make the planes much bigger so they can draw a barn on them so I have half a chance at hitting them   

As far as you worrying about the "fine line" of posting your films, I thin as long as you keep worrying about it you'll be ok. You do post films that have a point to them, and you almost always point out the point on the boards where you post it. WHen you start posting films willy nilly and all they are are 6 or 7 cherry picks like some post then I'm sure you'll hear about it.

[MajWoody]

Dave, This might be a little off topic but do you have a forward/up view? It looks like you are flapping back & forth between straight up & forward to see the forward up view & it may cause you to be lacking somewhat in your sa.

Just a thought.   

[PFactorDave]

Dave, This might be a little off topic but do you have a forward/up view? It looks like you are flapping back & forth between straight up & forward to see the forward up view & it may cause you to be lacking somewhat in your sa.

Just a thought.   

I actually do have a forward up view, it involves pushing the hat forward with my thumb while also pressing a button with the same thumb.  I alternate between doing that and just flipping like you mentioned.  Some days it depends on the small amount of arthritis in my hands.

I definitely know what you mean about the forward up being helpful.