How do you do this........

[9GClub]

I don't understand your question. With all the power available there, I can't see how you could ding the tail.

Here's my best graphical representation of an Eagle:

<^-------/] .... with the gear retracted...hahaaa

But if that doesn't work for ya, here's the real deal:

http://littleurl.com/?041c

It's not so much a question of power as it is a question of geometry. Look at how far from the nozzles the mains are situated. I'd say they're a little less than two thirds of the way back from the nose. The only thing preventing a nasty tailstrike-- I would submit-- is the sheer thrust available along with the ridiculous (and cool) stabilizer deflection. These two factors essentially rip it off the ground before the geometry catches up with it. With insufficient airspeed and high AOA (i.e. landing rollout), you could make sparks with the Eagle a lot easier than in some other aircraft. Since I've never flown it this is all hypothetical of course, but I am assuming.

What makes this [http://littleurl.com/?041d] crazy is that it's looks like it's at 45 deg AOA-- with the nozzles four or five feet off the ground.

I'm impressed.

 

[AdlerDriver]

9GClub,
No one worries about scraping the tails on takeoff. A pilot would have to be using mil-power (no afterburner) for takeoff, be very heavy and really deviate from normal procedures to even attempt to do it. You definitely can on landing and more than a few dudes have done it.

Typical touchdown attitude is 10 degrees nose-high. Then you pull it up to about 13 to aero-brake. The tails will touch at 17.

 

[9GClub]

Adler,

I was wondering about those pitch figures, thanks for that info (from someone who knows!).

Question though-- do you guys get an actual [precise] pitch figure to gauge touchdown/rollout attitude, and if so, how? AI or HUD or what?

 

[AdlerDriver]

Yes. There is a symbol in the HUD that represents the aircraft nose and is equivalent to the round or square center point of a typical AI aircraft symbol. Just like on the AI, it's used to set aircraft pitch. There is also a pitch ladder in the HUD and together these two sets of symbols allow you set very exacting pitch positions.

I never referenced the HUD for touchdown attitude. That's done based on looking outside and experience. Once on the ground, almost everyone I knew (me included) set aero-brake pitch attitude with the HUD. It was very accurate.
The F-15A/C HUD was not certified for flying instruments. There just weren't enough cues to establish and read accurate roll attitudes and avoid spatial-D problems using it as a sole reference. We were all round dial basic scan kind of guys. The aircraft vector symbol and heading scale in the HUD was very useful to fly a PAR but these were just brought into the normal round dial crosscheck.

 

[malterf15]

Great Pic, Nice Discussion:

Adler has it all correct. In addition the HUD begins to flash when you get close to too high on landing (15 degrees I think). The tails are scraped too often and that's a problem because there's "stuff" in them. The next time you're at an airshow look for the sauder marks repairing a scraped tail.
This picture had to be from a DEMO because usually AB take offs use the normal take off attitude. Even "unrestricted climb" take offs with the vertical departure are level until you get enough knots on the jet to do it (usually 500 ish by the end of the runway).

Gotta love the eagle.

 

[Dumbluck]

500ish, you guys have all the fun

 

[9GClub]

Adler/malter,

Thanks for the info guys, if my eyes were better I'd probably have some first-hand experience with this stuff. Alas.

 

[bobs98tlr]

Adler/malter,

Thanks for the info guys, if my eyes were better I'd probably have some first-hand experience with this stuff. Alas.

Ditto buddy, however we can sit back and have a good time watching and dreaming.

Maybe we sould try and get rich and by our own little toys that might scratch the itch...L39? Eh...it does it for me.

 

[scoreboard]

DING!!

We have a winner, Demo takeoff of a 44FS F15c in Australia at an air show. No, he cannot scrape his tails in this configuration. Note no rails.