Procedures
Airframe Grading Parameters
Server-Side Dynamic Scaling
The Runway Safety Officer (RSO) daemon loads airframe profiles from individual JSON definitions. When an aircraft performs a recovery, its parameters (pattern limits, bank angles, glideslope angles, approach speed, touchdown tolerances, and float detection) scale automatically according to the airframe being flown.
Overview
Different airframes have vastly distinct flight characteristics, wing loadings, landing gear structural limits, and recovery procedures. A naval fighter with heavy-duty carrier landing gear (such as the F-14 Tomcat or F/A-18C Hornet) is flown on-speed directly onto the runway without a traditional flare, whereas land-based fighters (such as the F-16C Viper or JF-17 Thunder) require a smooth flare and aerobraking rollout to protect lightweight gear and prevent bouncing.
To ensure objective and fair grading across the entire fleet, the RSO grading engine evaluates each flight pass against tailored parameters:
Default / Baseline Profile
Universal fallback tolerances applied to standard aircraft and unconfigured airframes.
F-14 Tomcat Series
Carrier gear, 800–2,500 ft pattern, 90° max bank, 135 kt approach, wide spacing.
F-16C Viper
Flared touchdown, 75° max bank, 145 kt approach, strict aerobraking profile.
F/A-18C Hornet
Carrier gear, 800–2,500 ft pattern, 90° max bank, 138 kt approach, standard spacing.
JF-17 Thunder
Flared touchdown, 2.5° glidepath slope, 80° max bank, -40 fpm float threshold.
Airframe Parameters Master Matrix
The table below summarizes the key grading parameters, target values, and tolerances across all currently configured aircraft profiles.
| Parameter | Standard / Default | F-14 Tomcat (A/B/BU) | F-16C Viper | F/A-18C Hornet | JF-17 Thunder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Type ID | DEFAULT | F-14A-135-GR / F-14B / F-14BU | F-16C_50 | FA-18C_hornet | JF-17 |
| Touchdown Flare | Flared (Yes) | No Flare (Carrier Gear) | Flared (Yes) | No Flare (Carrier Gear) | Flared (Yes) |
| Pattern Alt Range | 1,000 – 2,500 ft | 800 – 2,500 ft | 1,000 – 2,500 ft | 800 – 2,500 ft | 1,000 – 2,500 ft |
| Downwind Spacing | 0.7 – 2.0 NM | 0.8 – 2.2 NM | 0.7 – 2.0 NM | 0.7 – 2.0 NM | 0.7 – 2.0 NM |
| Max Turn Bank | 60.0° | 90.0° | 75.0° | 90.0° | 80.0° |
| Max Turn G | 3.5 G | 3.5 G | 3.5 G | 3.5 G | 3.5 G |
| Glidepath Angle | 3.0° | 3.0° | 3.0° | 3.0° | 2.5° |
| Target Approach Speed | Dynamic (Std ≤ 15 kt) | 135.0 kt (±15 kt) | 145.0 kt (±15 kt) | 138.0 kt (±15 kt) | Dynamic (Std ≤ 15 kt) |
| Hard Touchdown Limit | -800 ft/min | -900 ft/min | -800 ft/min | -900 ft/min | -800 ft/min |
| Float Touchdown Limit | > -70 ft/min | > -50 ft/min | > -50 ft/min | > -50 ft/min | > -40 ft/min |
| Target TDZ Range | 3.0% – 25.0% | 3.0% – 25.0% | 3.0% – 25.0% | 3.0% – 25.0% | 3.0% – 25.0% |
| Deep TDZ Limit | > 40.0% | > 40.0% | > 40.0% | > 40.0% | > 40.0% |
Core Grading Differences Explained
1. Carrier Gear vs. Flared Touchdown Engine (flared_landing)
- Carrier Gear (
flared_landing: false): Used by the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18C Hornet. These aircraft have robust trailing-link or high-energy absorption landing gear. The pilot is expected to fly the aircraft on-speed directly onto the runway touchdown zone without leveling off to float.- Float Penalty (
FLT/ -0.2 pts): Always triggers if wheel contact sink rate is shallower than -50 ft/min, regardless of where on the runway the touchdown occurs. - Hard Landing (
HRD/ -0.5 pts): Triggers if sink rate exceeds -900 ft/min.
- Float Penalty (
- Flared Landing (
flared_landing: true): Used by the F-16C Viper, JF-17 Thunder, and the Default profile.- Float Penalty (
FLT/ -0.2 pts): Floating is permitted near the runway threshold to bleed off energy. However, if the pilot floats excessively and touches down past the target Touchdown Zone (long/deep, > 25% of runway length) with a very flat sink rate (shallower than -40 to -70 ft/min),FLTis assessed. - Hard Landing (
HRD/ -0.5 pts): Triggers if sink rate exceeds -800 ft/min.
- Float Penalty (
2. Pattern Altitudes & Spacing
- Tactical Altitudes (800–2,500 ft): Naval fighters (Tomcat, Hornet) support shore-based tactical break patterns down to 800 ft AGL without receiving altitude excursion penalties (
LO(DW)/LO(UW)). - Standard Altitudes (1,000–2,500 ft): Air Force fighters and the Default profile expect pattern legs to remain above 1,000 ft AGL.
- Turn Spacing: The F-14 is allowed up to 2.2 NM downwind lateral displacement to accommodate wide turning radiuses with wings swept forward during dirty configuration.
3. Final Approach Speeds & Consistency
- Nominal Speed Targets: Airframes with calibrated weight ranges (F-14 @ 135 kt, F-16 @ 145 kt, F/A-18 @ 138 kt) are graded on maintaining nominal approach airspeed within ±15 knots.
- Speed Consistency (Standard Deviation): For airframes without a fixed nominal target (Default and JF-17), the engine evaluates speed stability—penalizing erratic throttle pumping or airspeed instability exceeding a 15-knot standard deviation (
NER(SPD)).
4. Glidepath Angles
- Standard 3.0° Glideslope: Applied to most aircraft, aligned with standard ILS / PAPI glideslope geometry.
- 2.5° Glideslope: Configured specifically for the JF-17 Thunder to match standard PAC/CAC recovery procedures.
Scoring System Weight Distribution
Regardless of airframe profile, the RSO grading engine distributes the 5.0 total points across four distinct phases of the recovery:
| Phase | Max Points | Monitored Parameters & Deductions |
|---|---|---|
| Downwind & Pattern Legs | 1.0 pt | Altitude stability, downwind displacement/spacing, leg height consistency. |
| Turn Dynamics | 1.0 pt | Bank angle limits (60°–90° per airframe), G load (≤ 3.5 G), base ballooning. |
| Final Approach | 1.5 pts | Glideslope tracking (3.0° / 2.5°), centerline lineup, speed stability, TCH (50 ft). |
| Touchdown | 1.5 pts | TDZ longitudinal position (3%–25%), centerline alignment (≤ 15 m), sink rate. |
| Total Possible | 5.0 pts | Combined recovery score mapped to Letter Grades (OK, (OK), ---, CUT). |