Formation flying

[Genghis the Engineer]

After a longish break, I was out yesterday with a colleague practicing our formation flying - I'm glad to say that it went well and after an hour of leading and half an hour of following I'm reasonably well back into the groove.

But, it did occur to me that it would do me no harm to do a bit of reading and refreshing on the general theory, hand-signals and so on. So, I took a look around at what was available. I found:-

Pdf manual on leaning formation, but mainly aimed at aerobatic pilots (which I'm not). (http://www.edt.com/homewing/FFIman2.pdf)

"Builders books" manual on formation, with video. (http://www.buildersbooks.com/formation_flight_manual.htm) (does anybody know if this is any good?)

Another large pdf, team RV formation training guide. (http://home.hiwaay.net/~sbuc/tvrvbg/teamrvtrainingguide2a.pdf) (I found this very helpful, particular as it was free :D )


Would anybody else like to share any useful formation links or thoughts?, particularly with regard to light aircraft formations?

G

(Edited 1020Z, 16 April by Genghis to correct poor link spotted by FFF)

[FlyingForFun]

Sorry Genghis, can't help.... but can you please check your third link? It appears to be exactly the same as the second... so I can't get to the free ;) PDF file that you found!

FFF
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[White Shadow]

The RAF's training bible used to be the Instructors' Handbooks of -
(1) Elementary Flying Training, AP 1732a, (Tiger Moth, originally) and
(2) Advanced Flying Training, AP 1732b, (Harvard/Oxford)

Wonderful aids. They covered every aspect of flying training, in great detail.
Excellent chapters on everything to do with formation flying.

Don't know where you'd find them now, but worth looking for.

Happy Landings

WS

[Vedeneyev]

http://www.yakclub.com/formation/sop.pdf

[The Ugly Fend Off]

Any particular hand signals that you are after? HEFOM code etc. or control surface sort of stuff?

[White Shadow]

(1) Before you start, decide -
* Who's going to be leader, who No.2, No3, etc and how you'll change.
* Where you'll join up, and where/when/how you'll break off.
* Signals. (Leader does all the RT with ATC, as "Formation XXX")
* Agree correct positions, in various formation patterns.

(2) The one who's leader flies the whole formation, no matter how big. The
others just concentrate on keeping formation.

(3) Maintaining position -
* longitudinal - coarse use of throttle - Early..
* lateral - large adjustments, gentle bank; fine adjustments, rudder.
* vertical - elevators, gently.
Anticipate, anticipate, and adjust other controls, gently, as necessary.
Join up in that order, from below and behind - catch up, move in, get level.

Hope that helps.

WS

p.s. Ah, yes -
If you loose sight of the guy you're formating on, under your wing or under your nose, break off immediately - up, up and away, and rejoin from below and behind.

Enjoy, and take care, folks.

WS

[Milt]

Great care needed if you mix up routine procedures.

Lost my best RAAF mate and the RAF lost a good pilot in an unnecesary mid air near Kimpo during Korean war.

4 Meteor 8s returning fom mission in battle formation. Called by leader into close right vic. RAF No 2 to leader now close left of formation. My mate No 3 and No 4 on right.

Leader called echelon right entering initial.

RAAF procedure requires No 2 to become No 4 for landing.
RAF procedure required Nos 3 and 4 to slide out to allow No 2 to
retain his number in formation.

No 2 tucks under No 1, slides over and pulls up to be beside his leader, fin impacts underside of No 3 and they both go in.

Yuk. What a waste.

Mate gets a lot of remebrance on ANZAC day.

[MLS-12D]

Here is another link (Formation Flying Inc. manual) (http://www.mstewart.net/michael/rv/Links/formation/FFIman2.pdf).

While books and videos are excellent references, I'm sure that Genghis is not suggesting that someone teach themselves formation flying. Far better and safer to find a qualified FAST checkpilot, and proceed through one or more of the three FAST levels of compentence with proper supervision.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I certainly would never suggest that anybody should self-teach - learning properly is scarey enough at times.

Mind you, I know how I learned (1:1 from a friend who was an RAF instructor and CAA display pilot) but I don't know what other routes there are to learn, and presumably others reading this don't either.

G

[ShyTorque]

Lost two RAF mates during formation flying, separate accidents.

The first was during a Red Arrows low level display practice in a Gnat, he flew into the ground. Later, in the early 90s, another Reds mate flew into the back of the leader's Hawk, but they all escaped courtesy of Messrs Martin and Baker.

The other was in RAFG in the 1980s. During a run and break in a Jaguar, he got it badly wrong, resulting in a mid air between his aircraft and a 2 seater. He was probably dead before he hit the ground.

I might have also been a statistic myself, flying as No 2 one day. The boss had a brain fart and forgot what we were doing. He very unexpectedly called "break left, break left GO" from close echelon port. He did, too, but nos 2, 3 and 4 didn't! He flew a circuit to land by himself. We continued on the flypast as per the brief and number 2 assumed the lead! Glad we missed as we didn't have bang seats.

Not as close as a certain RAF CFS instructor who, whilst leading a tailchase of 3 aircraft, suddenly carried out a stall turn and passed head on by his very surprised nos 2 & 3 in the vertical on his way down! By all acounts, it was quite spectaculer but The Red Arrows later declined to include that one in their display!

[Flyin'Dutch']

I think that anyone contemplating to do any formation flying should get proper education and the folks at Ultimate High at Kemble and Goodwood do just that.

They are all (ex-) RAF and know what they are talking about.

FD

PS: No connection with them other than being a satisfied customer.

[DawnB]

I had a job flying air to air photography in the US, great fun but not for the faint hearted.

worst about this thread is some 70 hour ppl will want to try it in the club a/c

Dawn

[CamelPilot]

Some good stuff written here from people who obviously know what they are talking about but................I would add just two or three points.

Brief VERY fully before you fly so that each knows EXACTLY what the other(s) are doing. Do NOT change anything in the air!

If you are still in a high state of practice don't go in close until you have perfected each and every manouvre.

Keep a steely eye on the point you chose on the aircraft you are formating on and remember to anticipate the throttle opening movements on inside and outside turns - you can lose position very quickly if you don't.

[FNG]

There's also formation training at North Weald (Bulldogs) and at Waltham (Cap 10s). I have no association with either outfit.