RAF Lookout Training
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RAF Lookout Training
Out of interest, can someone describe the current RAF ‘lookout scan’, as taught during flying training? Has it changed at all in the last year or so? Just curious to see how it has changed since my day!
Just "Do it More!" 
Generally scanning parts of the sky, remaining eyes fixed motionless on a 'sector' for a few seconds, before moving on elsewhere. This gives you a better chance to make out relative moving objects, compared to moving your eyeballs constantly.
Generally scanning parts of the sky, remaining eyes fixed motionless on a 'sector' for a few seconds, before moving on elsewhere. This gives you a better chance to make out relative moving objects, compared to moving your eyeballs constantly.
Lookout...Attitude...Instruments.
"A beer for every aircraft I see in your sector - and I'll buy you one for every aircraft you see in mine!" worked quite well when TWU instructors taught us battle formation! And in those days there were a LOT of other aircraft to be seen in the land of the Viet-Taff....
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"A beer for every aircraft I see in your sector - and I'll buy you one for every aircraft you see in mine!"
There's a story (probably apocryphal) of a QFI saying this to his stude who a few minutes later was first to spot the Red Arrows en-route to an airshow somewhere - cue one unhappy QFI.
There's a story (probably apocryphal) of a QFI saying this to his stude who a few minutes later was first to spot the Red Arrows en-route to an airshow somewhere - cue one unhappy QFI.
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Keep your head moving. The eye senses movement. If you stare you wont see the one that hits you. ..And if its on a collision there's no relative movement.
.
I had the best eyes in RAFG at one time. Now I can't read the paper.
Mind you, at 92 years of age I guess you knew that
.I had the best eyes in RAFG at one time. Now I can't read the paper.
Mind you, at 92 years of age I guess you knew that
Plus move the head to avoid the canopy combing blindspot. Wasn't there a mid-air in Germany with a 104 on a constant closing to a Harrier, hidden behind the canopy arch?
Thanks O-D. I knew someone of your vast years and experience would be able to delve into history - coz you know, "from our study of history the mistakes of the past will not be repeated". 
But you try and tell that to the kids of today, they won't believe you.
But you try and tell that to the kids of today, they won't believe you.
Last edited by BBadanov; 22nd Dec 2010 at 10:06.
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Al,
It's not apochryphal. On a LL Nav from CF in Tuc, I spotted the Reds ( and the BBMF!) to my QFI's couple of 'spots'.
I can't recall him buying my beers!
Duncs
It's not apochryphal. On a LL Nav from CF in Tuc, I spotted the Reds ( and the BBMF!) to my QFI's couple of 'spots'.
I can't recall him buying my beers!
Duncs
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From the front, look along the horizon to behind the wingtip, then up over your head and back to the horizon, being sure to look around canopy parts. Repeat to the other side. Repeat with excessive head movements to keep the QFI happy (and yourself alive)
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An instructor wrote "LOOKOUT!" in big letters in my training record - bloody cheek! It was me who spotted the paraglider rising to our front while he was glegging over his shoulders. And the light aircraft that came from behind a cloud, dead ahead.
Still it gave me the proper neck-aching scan pattern beloved of old, bold fighter pilots and glider instructors.
Still it gave me the proper neck-aching scan pattern beloved of old, bold fighter pilots and glider instructors.
However, there was one TWU instr who called a tally left 8 o'clock going away and whilst I scanned for it he snapped on 8G. Recovery to Brawdy spent looking over my left shoulder with a cricked neck whilst he chuckled was bloody hilarious.
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Thanks Re-heat, that’s the sort of detail I was interested in. So the lookout scan starts from 12 o’clock? Can anyone confirm if this is still the approved technique, as currently taught?
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Lookout starts from the 12 o'clock - unless you're about to turn. Say you are going to turn right: look round to the right as far as you can, then scan up and down around the horizon all the way round as far as you can to the left, then back over the top to the right again. Then look ahead and select the turn attitude etc etc. Once settled in the turn, then revert to the "lookout -attitude - instruments" scan; looking as far round into the turn as you are able.
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I used to be able to spot the SWO at 100 paces...... any good
Mind you, at 92 years of age I guess you knew that
Hat off to you for mastering this internet thingy............real question for you in relation to this.
Did you ever figure when 22 that 70 years later you would be communicating to thousands of people the world over and you would not have to leave home to do so.
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The trouble is that starting at 12 and searching rearwards severely degrades your chance of seeing traffic that you are most likely to be in conflict with. I was hoping that things might have moved on a bit.
And as for age....1 Apr 18 seemed like a suitably auspicious date!
And as for age....1 Apr 18 seemed like a suitably auspicious date!