Air Combat Fantasy Camp pilot instructor Charlie "Hays" Gray with camper Jack Planchak.

If you've ever longed for the thrills of high air combat without all the danger, Air Combat USA is right up your alley. Each camper takes off with an instructor in a Marchetti SF260, a training airplane with a top speed of 236 knots. You'll maneuver through a series of dogfights, learning the same tactics and maneuvers taught by the military. Up, up and away!

Camp Details

• Campers must be age 14 and over, and no pilot's license is required.
  
• Don't worry about motion sickness! If you feel queasy the instructor will take over for you and give you a smooth ride.
  
• There are three programs to choose from: The Right Stuff, Red Star Adventure and Top Gun. You can also design your own adventure if you wish.
  
• There are no simulators. After about two hours of class, campers go right to flying the plane.
  
• Once airborne, the campers pilot the aircraft 90 percent of the time as they maneuver to shoot a laser-targeting system that activates a smoke release on the "enemy" plane once it's hit.
  
• Attendees participate in two dogfights with another plane, with an instructor guiding them through the fights and debriefing afterward.
  
• Flying techniques learned include: High & Low Yo-Yo's, Lag, Pure Pursuit and Gunsight Tracking & Lead.
  
• At the end of the day you will receive a G-1 Navy leather flying jacket and earn the rank of Major in the Air Combat Fighter Squadron.

Accommodations

Please contact the Air Combat staff for help in locating reasonable accommodations in the city you choose to attend.

Logistics

• Cost: $995 - The Basic Air Combat Maneuvers (discounts given when two or more book together)
  $1,695 - The Fighter Lead-in Program
  
• Time: Camps are one day long
  
• Seasonal: Camps are held at various airbases throughout the year. Please check the Air Combat Schedule for exact dates and times.

Contact Information

Air Combat USA®, Inc.
P.O. Box 2726, Fullerton, CA 92837
800-522-7590
www.aircombatusa.com
Camps are held in over a dozen cities across America.

Additional Resources

Incredible Adventures
Sarasota, FL
800-644-7382
www.incredible-adventures.com
Specializes in putting Fantasy Camps together for large and small groups, including the one-day Air Combat USA Camp

Aces in Command: Fighter Pilots as Combat Leaders by Walter Boyne

Air Warriors by Douglas Waller