formation/close flying

[Captainkarl]

My friend is due to solo into the training area and I have planned with him for me to go up in my plane with my instructor to get some video/photo footage. Any advice regarding the close-ish proximity flying?

[TheOddOne]

Yes.

Don't.

I tried that once when I'd just got my licence, nearly frightened myself silly. The a/c you're trying to photograph goes from a dot in the distance to filling your window to a dot in the distance again.

Please, please, get some formation training before trying this.

Of course it's possible that the instructor you mention is fully trained in formation flying techniques and you are the passenger doing the photography. But what about your friend in the other a/c? Has he had the appropriate training?

You might like to start making enquiries for a course at North Weald, if that's anywhere near you.

Cheers,
The Odd One

[Say again s l o w l y]

A bad idea. Just because you are an instructor doesn't convey the skills necessary for formation flying. Having an inexperienced pilot flying the other machine aswell is a recipe for disaster.

Get some training first, then think about it, until then don't even consider it.

[Halfbaked_Boy]

We'll heed your advice, cheers guys :cool:

P.S. As a student with 40 hours and as yet no X-Country experience, would it even be wise to take a formation course? How much would a course cost, and do I yet have the 'experience' necessary, because I realise I have more than the 'average' first soloer... if so, what would be a sensible number of hours/length of time to have been flying solo before undertaking such a course?

Also, before someone suggests I should be concentrating on gaining my PPL, the reason I ask is that in a few days I am gonna turn 16, and have an entire year to get my 'trouple' of hours circuits/ten hours of x-countries done and wondered how long a course like this would take to complete... I'm sure a time will come in the next year I'll need something else to occupy my aviating time :cool:

Many thanks,

Jack.

(apologies for my teenage over-enthusiasm! :p )

[Chilli Monster]

As a student with 40 hours and as yet no X-Country experience, would it even be wise to take a formation course? .......what would be a sensible number of hours/length of time to have been flying solo before undertaking such a course?

There is no magical hours figure, because everyone's skills in handling an aircraft are different.

The best guide is when you can fly (and everything else that goes with it) the aircraft without thinking about it, and it's as second nature as driving a car. Then you're coming close - but not until then.

[Halfbaked_Boy]

CM, hi :) Well I don't know if it's overconfidence, but I feel in myself as though I can handle the PA28 without 'focusing' on any of the instruments... have a read of my above post which I have edited :cool:

Plus, I'm just about 16 so driving a car would be like taking my first flying lesson all over again! :p

Cheers for all the advice,

Jack.

[BRL]

Hi guys. It can be done. If both your instructors are formation trained then you can both go up and do what you like.

Now the bad news. Chances are your instructors will just say no to the idea.

It looks good on paper but in reality a non-starter. Do a search here on formation flying and then look on the map for somewhere to stand on the way to video your mate from the ground as what you intend is seriously a bad idea.

Wait untill you have both passed out then take a formation flying course with someone like Ultimate High.

Please take the advice here seriously. We have some of the best formation flyers signed up here on pprune, whatever they recommend please take it seriously.

Regarding your question saying you have 40+ hours, then you clearly don't understand what all this involves or you wouldn't be asking. This is not a bad thing by the way, just trying to put over how serious the risks are involved in formation flying.

I have just searched and brought back to the top a thread when I asked all about this subject a while ago. :)

[Halfbaked_Boy]

BRL, I had no knowledge or understanding of formation flying prior to reading this topic... and I still have no knowledge, but I do now understand how I should go about flying in close proximity to another aircraft; wait until I have my license and need a new challenge.

Thanks to everyone who contributed and enlightened my views on this area of flying :)

Jack.