Originally Posted by
2Planks
All nav students completed the Basic JP course following the Basic Dominie Phase (classic navigation using radar and a couple of Air Position Indicators). Some later courses did start with a handful of Bulldog trips. The basic JP syllabus was at 240 kts initially and increased to 300 in the second half. It taught the basics of visual navigation at 250 feet using map and stopwatch using half mil charts for the route and 50 thou OS maps for IP to Tgt runs.
Following the Basic phase students were streamed Group 1, fast jet, or Group 2, heavies. The Group 2 guys returned to the Dominic to learn the dark arts of astro etc. The Gp 1 guys then did a low level phase on the Dominie using the radar at 500 ft, as a potential lead in to terrain following radar. But it was essentially about sensor management and mental capacity assessment. Following this phase the studes returned to the JP where there was a common phase and following role disposal an advanced Air Defence or Strike Attack phase where role specific formation exercises were completed.
Happy Days!
Some of my most attentive customers, the JP lads.
There is a marvellous official RAF film extant of the briefing, planning and flying a JP low-level navex ............ yhe use of the specialised 50 thou and stopwatch fills me with admiration: bad enough at 60 mph in a car.