6.5. Energy Management. Efficient energy management allows the sortie profile to be accomplished with minimum wasted time and fuel. Energy level is defined by airspeed (kinetic energy) and altitude (potential energy) and is manipulated with power, drag, and G loading. Plan maneuvers in an order that minimizes the requirement for deliberate energy that make use of the inherent energy gaining or losing properties of individual maneuvers.

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6.5.1. Altitude and Airspeed Exchange. Potential energy (altitude) and kinetic energy (airspeed) can be traded; for example, 1,000 feet of altitude equals approximately 50 knots of airspeed with the canopy bow on the horizon and power at maximum. Techniques include:

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6.5.1.1. Altitude for airspeed - MAX power with the canopy bow on the horizon, approximately 15-20 degrees nose low.

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6.5.1.2. Airspeed for altitude - MAX power, wings level, and clock/exhaust stacks on the horizon or glareshield/fire lights just above the horizon (approximately 15 degrees nose high).

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6.5.2. Optimum Energy Level. In a typical MOA, optimum energy for aerobatic maneuvering is 180-200 KIAS at an altitude midway between the top and bottom area limits. Energy planning may need to be altered if the airspace is limited by weather, ATC restrictions, or other limiting factors.

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6.5.3. Losing Energy. Energy may be decreased with low power settings, increased drag (e.g., speed brake), or increased AOA (G loading). A simple way to lose energy is to perform a constant speed descent until the desired energy level is reached.

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6.5.4. Gaining Energy. Energy gain is enhanced with low AOA (avoid flight near zero G) and high power. The best method to gain large amounts of energy is a wings level climb at 140-160 KIAS with MAX power.

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6.5.5. Energy Planning. Individual maneuvers are energy gainers, energy losers, or neutral. Energy losers include spin, traffic pattern stalls, cloverleaf, split-S, nose-low recovery, ELP stalls, and high G turns with lower power settings. Energy gainers include power-on stalls, nose-high recovery, Immelmann, and Chandelle. Constant awareness of total energy state aids in correct maneuver selection and effective profile management which allows a smooth flow between maneuvers with minimum delay. For example, airspeed exiting a Cuban Eight will be very close to entry airspeed for a loop. Another example: if trying to exit the area for return to base (RTB) at the bottom of the area, have sufficient energy near the end of the profile to accomplish ELP stalls as the last item. ELP stalls lose energy, and the lower altitude and slow airspeed at the completion of the maneuver may help expedite recovery.

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