3D Aerobatics

3D Aerobatics or 3D flying is a form of flying using flying aircraft to perform specific aerial maneuvers. They are usually performed when the aircraft had been intentionally placed in a stalled position for purposes of entertainment or display. They are also often referred to as post-stall maneuvers, as they occur after aerodynamic stall has occurred and standard control surface deflections, as used in flight, are not effective.

3D Aerobatics are typically practiced in aircraft designed for supermaneuvrability, such as the Aviat Eagle, the Sukhoi Su-27 (Russian: Сухой Су-27; NATO reporting name: Flanker), or the Lockheed Martin F-22. Supermaneuverable aircraft typically include some feature that enables them to maintain stable control of the aircraft in situations where there is little to no airflow over control surfaces. Aircraft either achieve this through having designs that allow for high lift at low speeds, large control surface deflections, or thrust vectoring. The Aviat Eagle, after stalling, is able to gain some degree of control after just a few moments of falling to regain velocity, and is then able to resume regular flight. The F-22 Raptor uses its thrust vectoring to maneuver the aircraft with no dependence on airflow over its control surfaces, allowing it to perform acrobatics otherwise impossible for non-thrust vectoring aircraft. Aircraft not designed for post-stall maneuvers, such as the Cessna 172, would place themselves at high risk if attempting such maneuvers due to the likelihood of inducing flat spins, nosedives, or deep stalls, all situations which are nearly irrecoverable, especially at low altitudes.

3D Aerobatics in non-thrust vectoring aircraft are typically reserved for display purposes and hold little use in standard everyday flight. They have some usage in air combat, as the unpredictability of aircraft in post-stall situations allows for sudden maneuvers which may place friendly aircraft in advantageous situations. The Russian Su-27 Flanker can, in theory, lock an adversary with IRST and perform a cobra maneuver in which it suddenly pitches upwards but continues laterally, gaining 90 degrees or higher of AoA, and launches a heat-seeking missile. The missile is able to engage the enemy aircraft after it has overshot the Flanker, often without the adversary realizing a missile has been released. These types of situations are high risk and high reward, and often occur over an extremely short period of time, leading to them being referred to as 'snapshots'.