Formation Flying Guide

Bartman

Bartman

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Hi All,

Been making plans to fly with a former Marine pilot who also owns a 7ECA and he's going to try to teach me formation flying procedures. He recommended I read the following manual;


It's 97 pages of information that is an accumulated knowledge base from military operations over the past hundred years but in a format that's appropriate for GA pilots. I'll let you know how it works out but wanted to share the link.

Good luck and be safe!
Bart
 
Thanks for the guide. I'll have to read through that.

we fly formation at work, After a while, formation becomes easier that just flying in a group. Enjoy
 
I have read it - I would think that a brief version would work better.

I do formation, but never more than two aircraft, never with a pilot I am not totally sure of, and never without a thorough and comprehensive pre-brief. Even then I have had one pilot do something unexpected - he just wanted to do something else.

Practice, practice - and safety first.
 
it looks like fun but it scares me a little bit too so I'm happy to do it right even if it does involve reading all 97 pages! what a guide though, right?
 
Bah! What's the worst that could happen? (and yes I'm kidding).

I've only had a few formation experiences but it was with known good FAST card carrying pilots, and it was briefed. I don't know what "thoroughly" means in this case but I've never had any questions before takeoff, never had any scary moments and never pissed off any pilots.

I've been ready to take the FAST clinic but it has been cancelled in my area the past two years in a row.
 
Around here formation flights with ten or more biplanes are commonplace. I refused to join from the get-go, and advised my students to avoid them. They are well-briefed, but often the pilots have had zero experience before going off and buzzing a parade or nursing home.

A couple of my students have attended once or twice, and have had unanticipated conflicts.

Now, with ADS-B, the feds are watching more closely. You still cannot go below 1000' in congested areas, only now when you do, it shows up on Flightaware, or whatever they call it. And there is also an FAR that may require coordination with FSDO if you are carrying passengers of a certain type.
 
I fly a Fire Boss. Its a single engine air tanker (SEAT) modified for scooping. We train quite a bit on formation, and have several ex-military pilots and air show pilots in the company so there is lots of experience to draw from.

I am not ex-military, air-show, or FAST. Just do what my company trains, which is more for getting planes to and from a fire efficiently, and predictably.

Pre-briefs can sometimes be overwhelming for me at times. But I have the attention span of a gold fish, so..... To go off of Bob's comment; Just Stay Predictable. And if you are going to do something off script, announce before you do it. easy peasy.
 
Bartman,
Not to pick a nit...
Your first sentence contains a impossibility, the ain't no such thing as a "former Marine"; retired possibly but never former.
As to a 97 page Military manual being in a format suitable for GA pilots...you're gonna need lots of pictures and shorter words...🙃🙂

JMPO
Chris
 
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