Air Combat USA is headquartered at Fullerton Municipal Airport, Fullerton, California. We offer flights year-around at this location. Flights are also available at airports in cities across the country
Please call for current schedule and reservations:
800 522 7590Fax: 714-522-7592
Mailing Address
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS:
Air Combat USA, Inc.
P.O. Box 2726
Fullerton, CA 92633
Physical Address:
Air Combat USA, Inc.
230 N. Dale Place
Fullerton, CA 92633
Gift Certificate & Promotional Video
A flight with Air Combat USA makes a truly unique gift. When you purchase a gift certificate from Air Combat USA for a friend or loved one, we offer you more than the standard certificate. Instead we personalize our (VHS) promotional videotape, which is approximately four minutes long. The videotape describes the program complete with footage of the briefing and the flight. As the recipient of your gift watches the video, your own personal message (i.e., Happy Birthday, Love Jane) will scroll across the screen. This same videotape is used to record his or her own flight experience.
What You Will Learn In Phase I
Phase I coven:
Getting fitted with the proper gear
Ground school, which will include:
Basic Air Combat Maneuvers (ACM)
High and Low Yo-Yo's Lead, Lag, and Pure Pursuit Gunsight Tracking
- Military Rules of Engagement (ROE)
- Safety Brief
- Physiological Effects of "G" Forces
- Flying Characteristics of the SIAI Marchetti SF260
Flying six combat engagements
Debriefing and review of the videotapes
Three Advanced Phases Available*
Phase 11 covers:
Prebriefing, which will include:
Review of Phase I
Maneuvers for Airspeed and Lateral Separation
High Side Attacks
Defensive Maneuvers
Rolling Scissors
Flying a minimum of six combat engagements utilizing new tactics learned
Debriefing and review of the videotapes
Phase III covers:
Review of Phase I and II
High Speed Fighter Tactics Including:
Fly-through Extension
Pitch-Back
Head-Fake
Nose Low Slice Turn
Immelmann Attacks
Flying a minimum of six combat engagements
Debriefing and review of the videotapes
Phase IV (Preparation for Your Trophy Flight) covers:
Review of all previous phases
Unrestricted Air Combat Maneuvers (ACM) within the Military Rules of Engagement (ROE)
Flying a minimum of six combat engagements Debriefing and review of the videotapes An F-4 Phantom stick grip trophy will be awarded to all of those who complete all four phases.
*When scheduling all four phases at one time, the guest pilot is entitled to a substantial discount on each phase.
Q: Can I do this? Will I have fun?
A: Absolutely! Second only to safety is our pledge to you to have FUN! FUN! FUN! It is an experience you will talk about and remember forever. Everyone can do it. During your mission you will be continually coached by your instructor pilot to ensure a successful mission, and you will walk away with a unique sense of achievement that will be difficult to top.
Q: How does a customer sign up for advanced Phases II - IV?
A: A customer may register for all four Air Combat phases by
calling our National Headquarters in Fullerton, CA. Phases II-IV focus on more complex maneuvers and appeal to the frustrated fighter pilot or aviation enthusiast. For best results the phases should be spread out over four days to allow ample time to assess the video tapes from each flight and prepare for the next phase. Several Air Combat USA locations make great family getaways with reasonable lodging and a variety of local attractions.
"Paul Harding, a 46-year-old executive from Manhattan, usually flies on commercial air lines, but also likes flying the unfriendly skies. 'After I tried this the first time, I was hooked,' he said. 'I've gone three times and I hope to go up again."
Excerpt from Feature Story
Philip Good
The New York Times, June 20,1993
Q: Do people ever suffer motion sickness while engaging in air combat?
A: Based on our experience, less than 10% of our guest pilots suffer from motion sickness. We attribute this low rate to the fact that you are in control of the aircraft. You are far less likely to become ill while in control than as a passenger. Secondly, you will be taught to focus on your opponent at all times; not the horizon. This will not only ensure you get the kill, it will provide a more stable reference point. Nonetheless, this is your experience. Should at any time during the flight, you begin to feel uncomfortable, simply lighten up on the controls and tell your instructor. He will do what he can to make your flight more enjoyable.
Q: What kind of people do this?
A: Air Combat USA's customers come from all walks of life and ages. Katrina Mumaw flew her first mission at age eight. Helen Wallace is a great-grandmother from Washington and after flying Phase I, has returned to fly Phases II and III. In general, 90% of our customers are either armchair fighter pilots who dream of such an experience, or adventure seekers who are continually stretching the edges of the envelope.
Q: Do I need any flying experience?
A: About half of our customers do not have a pilot's license, and many have never flown in a single-engine aircraft. Less than 550 of the pilot population have ever had any air combat experience. Any advantage a pilot may have over a non-pilot is soon neutralized when they take the stick of the Marchetti and engage in aerial dogfights.
"I am a former US Air Force pilot, now 58 years old. The ride was more than I anticipated. I was able to pass through those moments of nostalgia that I had experienced as a former pilot." '
Robert Hales
Saratoga, California
Commonly Asked Questions
Q: How safe is it?
A: Air Combat USA is absolutely committed to safety. Our aircraft are maintained in strict accordance with the Federal Air Regulations and our instructors, both military and civilian, have enviable credentials. Most are former military pilots from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps., several are graduates of Red Flag and the Navy Fighter Weapons School. Biographies of each instructor pilot are available upon request. The military rules of engagement establish safe minimum altitudes and distances between the airplanes throughout the maneuvers. Our proven training techniques will put you at ease at the controls and give you the confidence to execute even the most complex air combat maneuvers.
During your Phase I mission, you will try your hand at formation flying and practice the various maneuvers discussed in ground school until you are comfortable with the airplane. Then the real fun begins as you and your instructor work as a team to out-smart, out-maneuver, and out-gun your opponents through six "g-puffing" dogfights. A direct hit will register through our patented electronic tracking system including sound effects, and smoke will trail from the other aircraft. Three cockpit cameras will record the action including a gunsight mounted camera that capture the sights and sounds of every kill.
Postflight Debriefing
When you return to home base after your flight, we will play back the videos taken from each aircraft simultaneously far a chance to relive your kills and view the dogfights from your opponent's perspective. Your instructor pilot will offer suggestions and relate the flight activities to the ground school theory, giving you even greater insight into the art of aerial combat.
"'Fire now,' Mr. Armstrong said, 'Keep firing. You can't run out of bullets.' An intermittent electronic tone pierced the cockpit as the Marchetti fired its electronic bullets. Then, as the other plane centered in the cross hairs, the tone became continuous, indicating a hit, and a trail of smoke shot from under the fuselage."
Excerpt from Feature Story
Jay Romano, The New York Times, May 23,1993
Ground School and Prebriefing
As our guest-pilot, you will be fitted with a flight suit, helmet, and parachute in preparation for your flight. During your ground school you will cover the tactical maneuvers required to get results during your flight. The integrity of the Air Combat USA multi-phase program is based on highly trained instructor pilots and a field tested course outlines. Each mission is tailored to your level of experience, ability and aggressiveness, from armchair to ace. Whether you sign up for Phase I or all four phases, the course is designed to provide you with a complete fighter pilot experience. For more details, ask us for a copy of a complete course syllabus.
You're At The Controls
Having completed your ground school instruction, you are now ready to roll back the canopy and climb into the cockpit of the SIAI Marchetti aircraft alongside your instructor pilot. The side-by-side seating is unique to this military aircraft and allows you to have more time at the controls of the aircraft than tandem-style front/back seating. You will fly the aircraft up to 90% of the time.
"...their instructors, whether civilian or military, wouldn't need to feel inferior in the ready rooms of any airforce in the world."
Excerpt from Feature Story
Peter Lert, Sr. Editor
Airshow International, Summer 1993
Skilled Pilot/instructors
Our instructor pilots come from both military and civilian ranks. The instructor pilot's credentials are enviable, and our proven training techniques will ensure that you learn the techniques as taught by the military and have a great time doing it.
Powerful, High-Performance Aircraft
The SIAI Marchetti SF260 is a current productions Italian-built, fighter-aircraft. It has 260 horsepower, can fly at 270 MPH, FAA certified to +6 to -3 G's, and can perform unlimited aerobatics. It was originally designed to transition student pilots to jet fighters. It is maneuvered by the stick grip complete with gun trigger, identical to the F4 Phantom. The pilot and guest-pilot sit side-by-side with dual controls. The Marchetti is used by dozens of Air Forces worldwide. Air Combat USA owns and operates a fleet of SIAI Marchetti aircraft nationwide.
"I cannot begin to explain the thrill and exhilaration I felt upon realizing a dream I have had since childhood, flying an aircraft in an actual dogfight."
Rick Coffey,
New York, New York
"I've never experienced anything like my 'combat' session. The pilot of the other Marchetti wasn't an auto parts guy from New Jersey, he was the enemy. It's amazing to me how quickly a marketing consultant can change into an aggressor. Splash one auto parts guy on one of the best days of my life. I'll be back."
Eric Fischer
New York City, New York
"Mr. Baker used plastic planes to demonstrate the basic maneuvers of air-to-air combat, stressing that the primary rule was to 'keep the other aircraft in sight.' On a board behind him were cryptic reminders for fledgling pilots: 'Lose sight, lose fight,"Be Aggressive,' and 'IYACYAT, " which stands for 'If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying,' Mr. Baker said."
Excerpt from Feature Story
Jay Romano, The New York Times, May 23, 1993
"...what a battle it was! It is with great pleasure I commend you on the two pilots responsible for the training, safety, and most of all for the unmitigated joy of being prepared for combat flight at Johnson County Executive Airport on August 5."
Charles F Taylor,
Independence, Missouri
The Ultimate Gift
At Air Combat USA, you actually fly air-to-air combat. This is not a simulator, instead, you will take the stick of a state-of-the-art military trainer aircraft and engage in aerial dog fighting. No pilot's license is required. Air Combat USA has been in business since 1989, and flown over 8,000 guest-pilots across the nation. Our proven track record ensures that your fighter pilot experience will be the most memorable of your life. Your entire flight and each of your victories will be captured on videotape to keep the memory alive for years to come.
