Nodding rapidly when starting take-off run
 

It's a "GO!" signal for the benefit of the other pilot(s) during a formation takeoff. :)

It's to signal to the wingman when to do something - in this case it is to release the brakes so that they begin the takeoff roll together.

Les Anglais formidable are not afraid to remove leur main from the control column of a stationary avion de chasse. Of course, le pilot de chasse could have an escargot stuck up his nose.:)

Why would they need to nod to each other I thought that they would have that new fangled contraption what's it called oh yes 'wireless' that's it and it allowed people to talk to each other I don't know what will they think of next

Wireless is unsecure, nods are for secret stuff ;)

... and are as good as a wink!

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...y117svgmed.png

.....sorry to butt in, but memory tells me there was a short Air Clues article about how to completly do over your wingman on take off with the nod and sundry signals...

..it was well read in the groundcrew crewroom with lots of smiles....:ooh:

Sometimes the nod is preceded by a couple of taps with a hand on the front of the helmet (Oooh Matron!) at the start of a take-off roll.
:eek::\:eek:

The 'chop' meant brakes off, the 'nod' meant burners a few seconds later.....

A Jag Mate :ooh: once described how he'd got some complicated 4-ship mission plan worked out in RAFG; leading his formation he also needed to start a stopwatch just before brakes-off for some obscure reason. So, wind-up signal, hack...and he knocked his stopwatch flying, so bent forward to pick it up....:\

When he looked back up, all he could see was 3 pairs of afterburners roaring....well, pottering....off ahead of him down Bruggen's runway.....:hmm:

Radios are all well and good - but a busy frequency malfunctioning box/aircrew or any distraction could lead to your No.1 steaming off without you.

The main principle of formation is looking at each other - it's no.1's job to keep everybody else in - from the word 'go' to landing. Keeping eyes on is the main principle of everything. Pilots even learn how to communicate with gestures to explain they're out of fuel, have a system failure or want to slow down, level off or turn.

Singletons on carrier catapults are doing the same thing with the deck crew - everyone needs to work together and more importantly communicate effectiely. Big, deliberate gestures is the way it's done.

Posted again! No idea why it was deleted! :confused:

I've seen the odd Pilot with a "twitch" that makes watching for the head tap very important or the whole formation could be "off"!!

;)

Perhaps the pilots seat is occupied by a nodding dog!

Coarse Combat
 

From the back of my logbook, an exerpt from a longer article attributed to Sqn Ldr K.G.Holland, Wildenrath, Feb 1977. The article covers the brief, mission and debrief. This bit concerns the formation take-off.


"Improving the Needle

The best way to spread the already well-sown seeds of confusion is on the take-off. When everybody in the section is ready for the off, tap your head three times, nod it, wait five seconds, then let go the brakes. The take-off should then be a complete shambles but remember that the leader is always right. Anyway, it'll give them something to think about on the climb. The only other thing you can do is to call non-existent aircraft and roast the rest of the formation for not seeing them. The section is now mentally prepared for the fray."

Vintage stuff.

Sqn Ldr K G Holland
 

Unfortunately, killed taking off in a two seater Harrier from a forward site having forgotten to lower the flaps after taxying over wet ground. This was jun 82 and he was OC 4 Sqn by that time

Only to be outdone by Mr Newman and 'Reheat Reheat GO!..........Now!'

Monty - you don't happen to have a copy of 'The Art of Coarse Combat' you can scan, do you?

KG's son was on here a year or so ago and we talked about it. My boss for a while. A sad loss. Well I recall his 'cosmic top trivia' stamp for useless paperwork. (Usually mine......)

Well, the visual signal stuff was not developped and trained for the time when the radios are not functioning. Those procedures have been developped for combat operations in comm-out conditions.

It is possible to conduct a complete 4-ship low-level mission without doing one single radio call. We trained it, did it and it worked. There are signals for a variety of situations, with the whole aircraft, with hand or head signals, and finally close in with the grease pencil.

Comms can be jammed, can be listened at, can be jiggled with and they give away your position and finally your intention.

franzl

I once saw a pilot confuse the taps and nod and ended up headbutting his outstretched palm before letting off the brakes and leaving me and my student well behind as we could do nothing but laugh :)

Anymore good dits from the late SL Holland - never heard that before, class :D

nod head, release brakes, then realise the parking brake is on..! Must be an F3 SOP...!!