9.6. Fuel and G Awareness.

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9.6.1. Objective. Ensure all formation members maintain fuel awareness and are capable of continuing the mission after high-G maneuvering.

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9.6.2. Description. All flight members must understand the factors and assumptions used to determine joker and bingo fuels. Flight members should increase the frequency of fuel checks during high fuel flow ops (ET, low altitude) and when approaching joker and bingo fuels.

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9.6.3. Procedure. Number 1 must continually monitor the flight’s fuel state and adjust the profile, frequency of ops checks, and joker or bingo as necessary.

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9.6.3.1. Unless already on the recovery, number 2 will inform number 1 when reaching joker and/or bingo fuel, and number 1 will acknowledge the call.

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9.6.3.2. It is number 1’s responsibility to monitor the fuel state and G loading of the entire formation. Number 1 must act when any aircraft exceeds G limitations, reaches joker or bingo fuel, or reports an abnormal fuel condition. Number 1 initiates a fuel and G check after the G-awareness exercise, periodically during the sortie and following each set of Extended Trail. Number 2 responds with “same” if fuel is within 50 pounds, and Gs are within 0.5 of number 1. For example, “Texan 1, 800, 4.5 Gs”. If number two has approximately 750 pounds and shows 4 Gs, the response is “Texan 2, same.” If either parameter is not within this tolerance, number 2 should state specific values for both. For example, if number 2 has 750 pounds (within 50) and shows 3.5 Gs (>0.5), the response is “Texan 2, 750, 3.5 G’s.

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9.6.3.3. Any time number 2 is maneuvering behind number 1, number 2 must use caution to avoid areas of wake turbulence. This is especially important in number 1’s 6 o’clock. Any time wake turbulence is encountered, number 2 should unload to approximately 1 G, exit the area of turbulence, and check the G meter. If the aircraft G limits have been exceeded, the formation will terminate maneuvering and conduct a controllability check, as required. (T-2) In the case of an over G, the G meter is not reset until the aircraft is inspected by a certified maintenance technician.

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