Greetings,

The selection of maneuvers will depend on a variety of factors which include:
1) The rules of the particular event. Top Gun, ScaleMasters, and IJMC all have slightly different rules
2) The flying field as runway size, wind direction, and any obstacles
3) The jet itself and it's characteristics
4) Your personal likes/dislikes and comfort zone

Below, I'll give some examples as to how these can affect your selections.

Generally speaking, all events consist of ten maneuvers including flight realism which is judged over the entire flight. The mandatory maneuvers are:
- take off
- landing
- high speed pass
- low speed pass
- flight realism
ScaleMasters also has the Horizontal 8

So that leaves 4-5 remaining maneuvers.

IJMC requires that each of the remaining maneuvers be selected one from each group (one from Group 1, one from Group 2, etc) and these groups and diagrams can be download from their site. Top Gun and ScaleMasters are a bit more open in terms of selection but there are specific limitations. For example, you can only do one CONTINUOUS roll maneuver (excluding the slow roll). Consult the rules. Top Gun allows a mechanical option (eg tank/bomb drop) but ScaleMasters requires that the mechanical option is performed as part of another maneuver and they are scored together. Details on how each maneuver is performed vary per event. Example: on the slow pass, some require you to start the gear retract sequence as you pass show center while you leave the gear down for the entire pass at other events.

My maneuver list at Top Gun last year was:
1) Take Off
trim pass - a great way to take a lap, make sure everything is trimmed, gives an idea of the wind direction & speed at altitude
2) Tank Drop
3) Ascending Airshow Break
4) Roll
5) High Speed Pass
6) Low Speed Pass
7 & 8) Touch and Go
9) Landing
10) Flight Realism

I was flying a BVM Rafale which is so very predicable to land and easy to take off so I selected the Touch and Go as it let me get judged for two take offs and two landings. This worked great right up until the last round which occurred during strong/gusty 90 degree crosswinds blowing in your face. Jack Diaz advised me not to do a T&G but I tried it anyway and got burned. The winds were very strong on the approach and I had to fight it down. I flared with the jet over the centerline and a strong gust hit and pushed the jet towards the kill line and judges. The runway at Top Gun is a "typical" width and the judges/pilots are at the edge of the runway. When the wind blew the jet off the centerline and towards us, I had no choice but to drop it to the runway. This broke the nose steering cable, I lost steering, and aborted the remainder of the flight. Up to that point it was great (78/80 points) but not having the last two maneuvers gave me 78/100 and I dropped from 6th to 12th. Jack was right (he usually is).

This year, with the Gripen which has a horrible take off, my selected maneuvers were
1) Take off
trim pass
2) Tank Drop
3) Ascending Airshow Break
4) Roll
5) Two Point Roll - plane looks awesome on an inverted pass
6) Immelmann - my least favorite maneuver - I hate being inverted-high-close in as I find it easier to be disoriented
7) High Speed Pass
8) Low Speed Pass - done as late as possible as the plane is lighter due to fuel burned and you can leave the gear down since landing is next
9) Landing
10) Flight Realism

Each of these maneuvers has their own challenges. Maneuvers have to be centered unless you have the freedom (and a good reason) to call an offset. They must all start/finish parallel to the runway, and at the same height. Turns must be round/consistent. The high speed and low speed should ideally be flown (according to Jack who is always right) through exactly the same line through the sky. Your caller can make you or break you and practicing together is key to determine who calls starts/finishes, the counts, etc. The Gripen is a short winged delta so it is harder to get the wings exactly level than a Fouga for example. During the Immelmann, a wings level error will result in the plane tracking in or out in the climb. Rudder correction will help but it may not be enough. When the plane is almost at the top of the half loop, the spotter can tell the pilot to half roll to the left or right to correct the track and bring the plane back on the parallel line.

The bottom line is practice, practice, practice. Be critical of yourself. Try to fly PERFECT. At Top Gun, you need an average score of about 9.5+ to be in the Top 3, and 9.25 to be in the Top Ten.

Regards,

Jim