Formation Flying

Formation Flying – Brief Comments (by Dean Sanborn)

What is formation flying? There are various definitions ranging from what the Blue Angels do to the old fighter pilot definition of night formation flying as "two airplanes flying on the same heading in the same night." Basically, it’s two or more airplanes intentionally flying within visual range of each other on the same flight plan. You can takeoff and land at the same airport; or join enroute for a landing at the same airport; or takeoff and then break formation for landings at different airports – but you plan it and then fly it with a knowledge of what to expect along the route and what to expect of your wingman or formation partner.

Why Fly in Formation

Multiple airplanes needed for the mission – even if the mission is to get several of the same type airplanes to an airshow static display.

Advantage of enroute flight services – if enroute control is easier to get with two or more airplanes on the same flight plan than two separate flight plans.

Safety of having a wingman for lookout – both in the air and for emergencies.

Fun of flying in formation.

Critical Factors – Planning. Briefing, and Relative Motion

Planning a formation flight includes more than planning a single aircraft flight – you have to take into consideration your wingman. Are the aircraft in the formation compatible performance wise? Takeoff speeds? Cruise speeds? Approach considerations and speeds? Emergency procedures? Are there any aspects of the flight that are restricted to formation flights? Weather forecasts and the impacts on the formation? Are there any additional notifications that need to be made for formations? What will be the radio procedures and discipline for the flight? How should you check-in and what to do if you can’t check-in? What are the back-up hand signals to be used to communicate? Are there any flight filing notifications that must be made on the flight plan or at check in with a controller? You’re planning for two or more so you have to consider the implications and potential impacts of being a flight instead of a single aircraft.

Briefing a formation flight should ensure everyone in the flight understands what should happen and what will be done if something goes wrong – no one should be a member of the formation who does not know the plan for the flight. Your formation flight will be a team and each member must know his/her responsibilities if everything goes right and what to do if something goes wrong. Who leads when? What the sequence of events will be – down to the detail about starting, taxiing, run up, holding short, etc.? How do you decide when to change flight leaders if there’s a problem? Regardless of what happens during the flight, the best ones are those that are planned and briefed so that there are no surprises within the flight – makes for boring debriefs but at least you’re all there to debrief!

Formation flight is controlling the relative motion between the members of the flight. You’re not in formation with traffic you see during a flight – it’s not intentional and the relative motion is what you note to maintain separation. During a formation flight, you decide what your separation will be and you control the relative motion between the aircraft to maintain your formation. It is difficult to imagine the need to fly with wing overlap and minimal separation like the Blue Angels, but you may want to be closer than a quarter mile for visibility – both of your wingman and for others to see all members of the formation. And flight services may want you closer than a mile for its airspace management.

Learning to Fly in a Formation

Learn the performance parameters of your airplane and any others with which you will fly in formation. Are they the same? Are they similar enough that you will not endanger either airplane by flying in formation? Are there adjustments to your normal operating procedures you’ll have to make to be able to safely fly in formation? Do all the pilots in the formation know the performance parameters of all the aircraft in the flight?

Plan and brief each formation flight with all the participants – especially as you learn these skills. Plan airspeeds to be used; plan altitudes to be used; plan rendezvous scenarios; plan formation break ups; plan emergency procedures to be used; plan separation altitudes for each member of the formation.

Start with easier situations – stable airspeed, straight and level. Become comfortable with formation flight in very controlled situations before you advance. Know you can control your aircraft in proximity with others for safe flight and separation before you tighten your formation distances.

Rendezvous – joining to form a formation after takeoff can be done at least a couple of different ways. But they all involve controlling relative closure rates.

Running rendezvous – overtaking with a speed differential. Establish a relative bearing so that closure rate can be determined as you enter the final stages of the rendezvous; maintain a speed differential that allows you to close the distance to the point you will maintain as your formation position.

Rendezvous in a turn – closing the distance between aircraft by maintaining a relative bearing along an arc inside the turning radius of the lead aircraft. This can be done with the same speed but efficiencies are increased by having a higher speed than the lead, thus using both differential speed and a shorter flying distance.

Altitude separation – using relative motion, maintain the lead aircraft on the horizon to control vertical separation. With the lead aircraft on the horizon, you will know that for an emergency break away you should go down, in most cases, to provide separation from it.

Bottom line:

Formation flight can add enjoyment and efficiencies to getting more than one airplane from one airport to another. It is not to be done casually because of the inherently increased risks involved – so plan, brief, practice before you fly formation.

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Formation Flying – Brief Comments (by Dean Sanborn)

Critical Factors – Planning. Briefing, and Relative Motion

Learning to Fly in a Formation

Bottom line:

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	Formation Flying – Brief Comments (by Dean Sanborn) What is formation flying? There are various definitions ranging from what the Blue Angels do to the old fighter pilot definition of night formation flying as "two airplanes flying on the same heading in the same night." Basically, it’s two or more airplanes intentionally flying within visual range of each other on the same flight plan. You can takeoff and land at the same airport; or join enroute for a landing at the same airport; or takeoff and then break formation for landings at different airports – but you plan it and then fly it with a knowledge of what to expect along the route and what to expect of your wingman or formation partner.
	Why Fly in Formation Multiple airplanes needed for the mission – even if the mission is to get several of the same type airplanes to an airshow static display. Advantage of enroute flight services – if enroute control is easier to get with two or more airplanes on the same flight plan than two separate flight plans. Safety of having a wingman for lookout – both in the air and for emergencies. Fun of flying in formation.
	Critical Factors – Planning. Briefing, and Relative Motion Planning a formation flight includes more than planning a single aircraft flight – you have to take into consideration your wingman. Are the aircraft in the formation compatible performance wise? Takeoff speeds? Cruise speeds? Approach considerations and speeds? Emergency procedures? Are there any aspects of the flight that are restricted to formation flights? Weather forecasts and the impacts on the formation? Are there any additional notifications that need to be made for formations? What will be the radio procedures and discipline for the flight? How should you check-in and what to do if you can’t check-in? What are the back-up hand signals to be used to communicate? Are there any flight filing notifications that must be made on the flight plan or at check in with a controller? You’re planning for two or more so you have to consider the implications and potential impacts of being a flight instead of a single aircraft. Briefing a formation flight should ensure everyone in the flight understands what should happen and what will be done if something goes wrong – no one should be a member of the formation who does not know the plan for the flight. Your formation flight will be a team and each member must know his/her responsibilities if everything goes right and what to do if something goes wrong. Who leads when? What the sequence of events will be – down to the detail about starting, taxiing, run up, holding short, etc.? How do you decide when to change flight leaders if there’s a problem? Regardless of what happens during the flight, the best ones are those that are planned and briefed so that there are no surprises within the flight – makes for boring debriefs but at least you’re all there to debrief! Formation flight is controlling the relative motion between the members of the flight. You’re not in formation with traffic you see during a flight – it’s not intentional and the relative motion is what you note to maintain separation. During a formation flight, you decide what your separation will be and you control the relative motion between the aircraft to maintain your formation. It is difficult to imagine the need to fly with wing overlap and minimal separation like the Blue Angels, but you may want to be closer than a quarter mile for visibility – both of your wingman and for others to see all members of the formation. And flight services may want you closer than a mile for its airspace management.
	Learning to Fly in a Formation Learn the performance parameters of your airplane and any others with which you will fly in formation. Are they the same? Are they similar enough that you will not endanger either airplane by flying in formation? Are there adjustments to your normal operating procedures you’ll have to make to be able to safely fly in formation? Do all the pilots in the formation know the performance parameters of all the aircraft in the flight? Plan and brief each formation flight with all the participants – especially as you learn these skills. Plan airspeeds to be used; plan altitudes to be used; plan rendezvous scenarios; plan formation break ups; plan emergency procedures to be used; plan separation altitudes for each member of the formation. Start with easier situations – stable airspeed, straight and level. Become comfortable with formation flight in very controlled situations before you advance. Know you can control your aircraft in proximity with others for safe flight and separation before you tighten your formation distances. Rendezvous – joining to form a formation after takeoff can be done at least a couple of different ways. But they all involve controlling relative closure rates. Running rendezvous – overtaking with a speed differential. Establish a relative bearing so that closure rate can be determined as you enter the final stages of the rendezvous; maintain a speed differential that allows you to close the distance to the point you will maintain as your formation position. Rendezvous in a turn – closing the distance between aircraft by maintaining a relative bearing along an arc inside the turning radius of the lead aircraft. This can be done with the same speed but efficiencies are increased by having a higher speed than the lead, thus using both differential speed and a shorter flying distance. Altitude separation – using relative motion, maintain the lead aircraft on the horizon to control vertical separation. With the lead aircraft on the horizon, you will know that for an emergency break away you should go down, in most cases, to provide separation from it.
	Bottom line: Formation flight can add enjoyment and efficiencies to getting more than one airplane from one airport to another. It is not to be done casually because of the inherently increased risks involved – so plan, brief, practice before you fly formation. Back to Top