Effective Date: 15 June 98

Handling Qualities Testing

Current MIL 8785C Type Testing

Aircraft Flight Phases

Aircraft flight phases have been established in MIL-8785C so that the requirements can be classified to specific operational tasks which are performed during most aircraft missions. The flight phases, as defined in MIL-8785C, are classified as follows:

Category A - Those nonterminal phases that require rapid maneuvering, precise tracking, or precise flight-path control. The following flight phases are in this category:

Air-Air Combat (CO)

Ground Attack (GA)

Weapon Delivery/launch (WD)

Aerial recovery (AR)

Reconnaissance (RC)

In-Flight refueling (RR)

Terrain following (TF)

Antisubmarine search (AS)

Close formation flying (FF)

Category B - Those nonterminal flight phases that are normally accomplished using gradual maneuvers and without precision tracking, although accurate flight path control may be required. Included in this category are:

Climb (C)

Cruise (CR)

Loiter (LO)

In-flight Refueling (tanker) (RT)

Descent (D)

Emergency descent (ED)

Emergency deceleration (DE)

Aerial Delivery (AD)

Category C - Terminal flight phases are normally accomplished using gradual and usually require accurate flight-path control. Included in this phase are:

Takeoff (TO)

Catapult Takeoff

Approach (PA)

Waveoff/Go-around (WO)

Landing (L)