I really have tried not to become too involved in this thread but MB's latest post has catalysed me out of my cosy stupor!
Surely, if you're on final and somebody in a fast and noisy machine calls initial and expects you to get out of their way in half a minute, they're not only selfish and dangerous, but illegal too?
Nowhere above does it state that a/c RIAB'ing have the right of way.
Nowhere above does it state that the "initial" call immediately precedes a/c forming up on final.
The call of "initial" happens about a mile out and is to let the formation a/c, who will only be concentrating on lead's aeroplane and not their position relative to the ground, know that the RIAB is about to happen.
Unlikely as it is, as lead generally tries pretty hard to arrive with minimal disruptance to other circuit traffic, if you are on final and hear "Initial" then you can expect the RIAB aircraft to land after you. If you are on a long, high draggy final you may see the faster formation aircraft zip by you BUT they will break and extend downwind to allow you to land first.
Even if a tyro PPL stude on a solo cross-country encountered a formation RIAB at a destination, without even knowing what was going on, should he conform to the circuit as taught he should neither be alarmed nor inconvenienced.
Stik