RAF Rivet joint and the SU-27s

[Recc]

Originally Posted by golfbananajam

For my education, is there any reason that Rivet Joint flies a stretched figure 8 pattern rather than an oval (https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae01d0)?

It isn't unique to rivet joints or even western surveillance/ AWACS aircraft; I believe that mainstays fly the same pattern. I don't know, but would guess that it is just straightforward geometry. f you assume that they are operating relative to a fixed baseline that is constrained by a perceived threat or a national border and want to spend most of their time in straight and level flight then a fig8 minimises the mean deviation from that baseline relative to an oval. Also, an oval would mean much longer intervals when the maximum range of the aircrafts surveillance capability was not being used.