Split S
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The Split S (also called a reversed Immelmann turn or spelled with a hyphen as "Split-S") is one of the oldest air combat maneuvers, but is still considered useful, mostly to disengage from combat. To execute a Split S, the pilot rolls his aircraft inverted and then executes a half-loop, thus ending flying level in the opposite direction.
It is typically used in dog fighting, when the pilot has the opportunity to withdraw from battle. Contrary to popular belief, this maneuver is almost never used to evade target locked air-to-air missiles. However, it can be an effective tactic to not allow an enemy from a range of one's eight o'clock to five o'clock to gain a missile lock while disengaging from a fight, where if there were no enemies, the pilot would simply withdraw by turning 180 degrees.
See also
Pop Culture
- In Top Gun (film), Charlie makes reference to footage of an aircraft performing a Split S.
- In the video game , the tutorial teaches many aerial maneuvers, one of them being the Split S.
This article has been simplified for civilian reference.
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