User:Jigsaw10/sandbox/Run and break

In aviation, an overhead maneuver (US), run and break (UK), or initial and pitch (AU) is a type of visual approach utilized to transition aircraft into an airfield traffic pattern within a small area, and short period of time. The maneuver is routinely utilized at military airfields during VFR to process all types of arrival traffic.

It can be utilized by single aircraft, however it is most commonly practiced by 2 to 4 ship flights in order to gain spacing and assure deconfliction preceding a single ship landing. The overhead break is a visual maneuver only, and IFR aircraft are required to cancel IFR upon reaching initial.

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In aviation, a run is a procedure used by high-performance aircraft to join an airfield traffic pattern without requiring the aircraft to spend a long time flying at low speed. As such, it is a procedure normally used by military aircraft at military airfields, however because it is also used by ex-military types it may sometimes be performed at civilian airfields. This maneuver is also known as initial and pitch; or in the US as an overhead maneuver or overhead break.

Procedure
Initial

After flying an approach in accordance with local SOP, the flight will first request the maneuver and receive a handoff to the airfield's tower controller. It will overfly an initial point at scheduled parameters, and report so to the controller. The flight is usually instructed to report over the runway threshold, and is then cleared to initiate the break.

Altitude and airspeed parameters vary by aircraft, and may be restricted by aircraft flight manuals, airfield procedures, or squadron regulation. They may range from 300 knots and 1500 feet for fighter aircraft, to 200 knots and 900 feet for trainer aircraft.

Most initial points are found 3-5 nautical miles past the runway's threshold along its extended centerline. Its position may vary according to local SOP.

Break

The break is a level 180° turn conducted at a specified profile.

The break utilizes radial G, a reduction in power, or an increase in drag to

Most breaks are initiated over the threshold end of the runway, however the position may be altered by the tower.

Pattern

Approach

Landing

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The pilot circles some distance away from airfield at high speed until the air traffic controller confirms that it is safe for the procedure to begin. Once safely cleared, the pilot aligns the aircraft with the active runway and calls initial at a set time from the airfield (usually 30 seconds or one minute). The aircraft is then flown at high speed along the deadside of the runway in the landing direction at a low altitude, typically less than 500 ft AGL. By contrast, approach patterns at civilian airfields in many countries are typically flown at 1000 ft feet AGL.

The break
At some point during "the run", usually midway down the runway, the pilot will fly the aircraft up and away from the runway in a tight crosswind leg, to position downwind in the pattern to land. This maneuver is performed at high-g which causes significant induced drag; this drag causes a rapid reduction of airspeed. During this the aircraft is configured to land. The aircraft therefore arrives late downwind in the pattern at a safe low speed, configured to land, with minimum time spent at lower speeds.

The Red Arrows sometimes perform a spectacular variation on the run and break, which includes a 9-ship formation loop during the run segment with the aircraft breaking to alternate sides of the runway in a staggered fashion. All the Arrows thus end up at different positions downwind in the pattern to land and can land in sequence.