freightdog

Just wanted to know if anyone had the history (or good war story) on how the overhead approach came to be in existence and where it's history can be traced to.

Spongebob

It goes back to at least WWII, but I'd bet earlier. The intention is to enter the landing patter with a lot of energy and "break" into the pattern. That way you have a shot at fighting anyone who followed you into the landing pattern looking for an easy kill.

As an aside, it's also a really efficient way to recover aircraft ashore or afloat. And it just looks damn cool.

HTH
Spongebob

HercDriver130

We even did overheads in C-130's...... we also did a tactical overhead with one 360 turn to final from 10,000 ..... very tight very high rate of decent... very cool.

UAL T38 Phlyer

In tradional air-traffic flow, one gradually descends and slows down as you approach an airfield. The problem is, the slow guys up-front start to bunch-up the guys in back, unless you have lots of miles of separation. (Imagine recovering 500 airplanes, like WWII).

So, if everyone maintains their normal cruise speed until the "break," spacing can be reduced. The break is about 2-3 gs in a T-38 or any other fighter-type aircraft; it could be more, but that is sufficient to slow to gear-speed in 180 degrees of turn. You can vary the g in the break to accomodate tower instructions for spacing.

While the history does go back to at least WWII, in Vietnam (and later), once shoulder-fired SAMs were invented, the break meant you were always turning the tail of your airplane away from any shooter, or, he only had a few seconds to point at the back of the airplane. This was significant as early man-portable SAMs could only shoot at rear-aspect.

Besides that, it looks cool and is damn fun!!

USMCFLYR

I like to use all of my gas in the training area too instead of saving an extra 1,000#s for being dash 4 on a TCN or PAR approach. The overhead aopproach allows a number of aircraft to arrive at the field and get on deck in a quicker and more efficient manner - thus saving time and fuel and in some instances - it is tactically viable. I'll agree with everyone else too that it is just more fun that the 10 mile visual.

USMCFLYR

KC10 FATboy

I remember being allowed to enter the break at 330 kts, 45 degrees of bank, in a KC-10 at an unspecified forward deployed base!

Yes, I know its not a fighter and we are very speed / bank limited, but it was really really cool. Unfortunately, some "old guy" was at the base one day and saw a KC-10 come up initial. Suddenly we were forbidden to even using the overhead -- something everything USAF pilot is trained to do at UPT.

It was brought back later to our "procedures", but they put more limits on our speed and bank.

USMCFLYR

That is unfortunate. I like to see the Marine KC-130s come into the break.
So bringing a KC-10 into the overhead at 330 kts and 45 degrees AOB place you at the proper abeam distance for you normal pattern - or is there even a specified pattern that you fly (meaning certain altitude and distance abeam)?

USMCFLYR