To perform an Ace Combat 8 PSM in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, use a PSM-capable aircraft, slow to below 500 km/h, briefly release the throttle and center your pitch and roll inputs, then press accelerate and brake together. Wait about half a second in High-G before pitching up; at roughly 90°, the aircraft enters post-stall. Release the brake and keep the throttle on to recover. Known compatible aircraft are listed below; not every plane supports the maneuver.
How do I do a post-stall maneuver?
Practice with altitude to leave room for recovery. Roughly 450 km/h is a comfortable entry target; avoid slowing into an ordinary stall before starting the sequence.
Get below 500 km/h
Use a compatible aircraft and brake until the speed readout is below 500 km/h. Starting at 498 or 499 km/h leaves little margin if your speed rises.
Briefly return to neutral
Release the throttle and stop pitching or rolling. Let the stick return to center briefly before applying the next inputs.
Enter High-G, then wait
Press accelerate and brake together: Spacebar + Ctrl on keyboard, or L2 + R2 on the controller configuration shown below. Wait about half a second before pulling up.
Pitch up into post-stall
Press S on keyboard or pull the analog stick down on controller. The nose rises sharply; reaching roughly 90° marks entry into post-stall.
Recover immediately
Release the brake, keep accelerating, level out, and rebuild speed.
Keyboard inputs
For players asking how to do PSM on an Ace Combat 8 keyboard setup, the sequence is Spacebar + Ctrl, pause about half a second, then S to pitch up. During recovery, release Ctrl and keep Spacebar held.
Controller inputs
For the listed controller configuration, use L2 + R2, pause about half a second, then pull the analog stick down to raise the nose. Release the brake and keep the throttle held to recover.
Do not treat accelerate, brake, and pitch-up as one simultaneous press. Skipping the brief neutral reset or pitching up immediately after entering High-G can prevent the PSM from triggering.
Which planes can PSM in Ace Combat 8?
These are known compatible aircraft. A complete, exhaustive Ace Combat 8 PSM aircraft list is not confirmed yet; absence from this table does not establish that a plane cannot perform it.
| Confirmed capability | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Kulbit-capable | F-22A Raptor; Su-35S Flanker-E; Su-47 Berkut; Su-57 Felon |
| Cobra-capable | F/A-18E; F/A-18F Super Hornet; F-35C Lightning II; MiG-29A Fulcrum; Su-33 Flanker-D; Su-34; ADFX-02 Morgan |
| PSM-capable; Cobra/Kulbit classification not confirmed yet | ADFX-02 Morgan -Pixy-; FA-36 Game; X-40 Nightmare |
The ADFX-02 Morgan -Pixy- entry preserves the confirmed variant name. Its separate Cobra/Kulbit classification is not confirmed yet.
Should I try a Cobra or a Kulbit?
Both use the same PSM entry sequence. Your aircraft determines how far the rotation can continue.
Kulbit: recommended for learning the trigger
Use a Su-57 Felon or F-22A Raptor for a clearer practice rotation. Keep pulling back to complete a low-speed 360° loop, then recover. The larger rotation makes entry into post-stall easier to recognize.
Cobra: recover after the nose reaches about 90°
Pitch up sharply, then recover into forward flight before completing a loop. A Cobra-only aircraft cannot be forced into a Kulbit. A larger rotation is not automatically better: continuing past a useful firing angle can lose that opportunity.
Does PSM require Expert controls?
Whether Expert mode is required for an Ace Combat 8 post-stall maneuver is not confirmed yet. Expert gives you broader, more precise maneuver control: roll with the left stick, then turn by pitching up or down. That does not establish an Expert-only PSM requirement.