| Immelmann |
| The modern Immelmann ia a time-honered method of gaining altitude and (potenially) change direction. It is a combat maneuver, but not one that you want to use when an enemy is on your six. At the beginning of the Immelmann, you lose speed and become vulnerable to attack. For this reason, you should only use this particular tactic when there's no immediate threat. The modern Immelmann is best used after a nose-to-nose pass, to turn for the next pass and gain altitude for an advantaged position. It is important that you have enough airspeed; the Immelmann is a lot like a loop over. to start, pull back on the stick as if you are performing a loop. When you are exactly vertical (pointing stright up), you are at the decision point of the maneuver. This is where split second thinking and handleing come in handy. If your on the ball, you can roll your aircraft without loseing any sence of position.Whatever direction the top of your head is pointing in when your leave the decision point is the direction your plane will take when you finish the maneuver |
| After the roll, which should take place almost instantly, continue the loop untill you reach the top. At this point, neutrlize (center) the stick. Note that you are, in fact, moveing in the direction that you chose at the decision point, though you are inverted. Roll the aircraft over. You have gained altitude and changed direction, though now your speed is significantly lower. If your opponent remained at the original level, you now have an altitude advantage and he doesn't yet know what direction your going in. |
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