This issue Derek Davis examines two of the most important elements that you will need to consider when dogfighting: energy management and situational awareness
I come in with full power and follow him up and the gap narrows swiftly. He is hanging by his prop, not quite vertically, and I am right there behind him, and it’s terribly clear, having tested the theory less than a minute ago, that he is going to stall and fall away before I do. I have him, he must know that I have him!” Col ‘Bud’ Anderson
E is for Energy !
Energy management is probably the most important aspect of aerial combat. It tends to separate the novice from the veteran. Without energy you can neither fly nor fight. The more energy you have, the greater the options you have at your disposal. Energy management, in simple terms, is concerned with the acquisition and spending of energy. Think of energy as being akin to having a bank account – a situation in which you are constantly saving and spending. In fact, every time you move your controls, you spend energy.
