Power Loop: the impressive maneuver of an F-22 Raptor fighter at an exhibition in Hawaii

@DefAviation ES 8·16·2022 · 21:55 0

A few days ago, the Kaneohe Bay Air Show was held at the United States Marine Corps Air Station in Kaneohe Bay, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

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One of the highlights of that airshow was the F-22 Raptor Demo Team, a display fighter whose pilot manages to get the most out of this impressive plane, which is the most expensive fighter in history of aviation. There is an especially impressive maneuver called Power Loop that is characteristic of this aircraft, as it can do it thanks to its steerable thrust vectoring nozzles. The F-22 Raptor Demo Team itself has published the video of that moment:

This maneuver consists of executing a turn with the aircraft almost "hanging" in the sky at the end of a climb in which the F-22 decelerates as it climbs. Once above, the fighter makes a tight turn on itself thanks to its steerable nozzles, something that no other aircraft can do to this extent. In the case of the Hawaii display, the maneuver was coupled with a formidable condensation trail that covered much of the fighter. Here you can see a video of AirshowStuff in which this maneuver is best seen: