Formation landing
The truth is that you may only need to do a formation landing in anger a few times in a twenty year career.
The problem with that is it is a difficult skill. The time to find out just how difficult is not when you need it in anger. That would be dangerous.
This may of course be similar to the PFL issue. How many aircraft have been lost practicing formation take offs and landings versus how many would have been lost if it were not a capability?
My take on it is that it appears to be an issue of instructor skill. The USAF typically trains IPs rather than QFIs and the T-38 has awful rear seat visibility.
These two things combined mean that even a pilot with many hours may not have actually had a very lengthy instructor work up and in a seat with poor visibility may not have been aware of the impending danger.
Knowing when to take control is a key tenet of instruction. In fact very recently I had to take control from a senior officer on landing. It can happen any time with anyone.
For the record, I agree with teaching formation take offs and landings to students.
I don’t mean this to be controversial just saying it as I see it.
BV