Rafale Flys High

Asian Aerospace 2000 -- The display of the Rafale here is almost as tight as the competition it is hoping to win against the Eurofighter Typhoon and new F-16 International to be Singapore's next generation fighter.
While the noise and tight turns are dramatic, the goal is not to please the crowds but to impress those who will fly and buy the aircraft.

"The display program is designed to show the maneuvering and excess power capabilities of the Rafale," Dassault test pilot Denis Garnier told Show News.

It begins with a high speed loop 45 degrees towards the central point, followed by a wingover to prepare the inverted flight run. Then, after a cloverleaf, a square dance is performed to show rapid attitude changes, both in roll and pitch, according to Garnier.

Next, a barrel roll to reduce speed rapidly to 100 kts., a low speed pass, a low speed 360 degree turn, and a low speed departure loop "showing its perfectly safe behavior at low speed and high angle of attack," said Garnier.

Another wingover, a 9g, 360-degree left turn before a double Immelman, followed by a spiral descent to come in front of the central point for two consecutive rolls, followed by a barrel roll to exit towards the downwind leg.

All that in five minutes, and Garnier's logbook entry will just read "local flight!"