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Formation Flying Clinic Prep

Geico266

Geico266

Well Known Member
I am so pumped, and excited to attend the KC Formation Clinic in a few weeks. As you "pros" can imagine newbies can be a little intimidated. I have a couple of questions and would like some guidance from those card carrying members.

1. I have the RV Formation Manual and have been reading it everyday for a week. Personally, I learn better from doing than reading. Does anyone have in flight videos of the formation flight from beginning to end?

2. Is there any formation flyers in the NE area I can hook up with and do a little ground school & practice work before the clinic? I just want to start practicing and going through the routines now so that I am more comfortable with the ground school and clinic later. :D

3. Any tips from those flying close formation now? What is it like to start? What can I expect? What is the worst and best of formation flying?

I am really looking forward to the challenge.

Thanks in advance for any links, advice, admonishments, and tips. :D
 
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Geico266 said:
I am so pumped, and excited to attend the KC Formation Clinic in a few weeks. As you "pros" can imagine newbies can be a little intimidated. I have a couple of questions and would like some guidance from those card carrying members.

--- snip ---

2. Is there any formation flyers in the NE area I can hook up with and do a little ground school & practice work before the clinic? I just want to start practicing and going through the routines now so that I am more comfortable with the ground school and clinic later. :D

--- snip ---

I am really looking forward to the challenge.

Thanks in advance for any links, advice, admonishments, and tips. :D
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Where in the North East are you located? I am based KVVS and can help out before the clinic if you can fly here. I will be helping at the KC Formation Clinic. Been a carded RV Formation pilot since July 2000. Been in most of the large RV Formations including the 2007 35-ship Guinness record, 2009 37-ship Guinness record, and the 49-ship Guinness record attempt in October 2013.
 
Best advice I can give you:
1) Listen to what the experience folks are telling you.
2) Set your feelings aside when you are getting feedback on your performance.

Good luck. If you can link up with Gary, you better jump on that offer.
 
RV6_flyer said:
Where in the North East are you located? I am based KVVS and can help out before the clinic if you can fly here. I will be helping at the KC Formation Clinic. Been a carded RV Formation pilot since July 2000. Been in most of the large RV Formations including the 2007 35-ship Guinness record, 2009 37-ship Guinness record, and the 49-ship Guinness record attempt in October 2013.
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Sorry, NE = Nebraska :eek:

PM sent.

Here is another video: http://youtu.be/PVVDGXH9DUI
 
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Geico266 said:
3. Any tips from those flying close formation now? What is it like to start? What can I expect? What is the worst and best of formation flying?

I am really looking forward to the challenge:D
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Just remember there are only three transmissions a wingman is allowed to make:

1. "Two"
2. "Bingo"
3. "Lead, you are on fire!"
 
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Geico266 said:
I am so pumped, and excited to attend the KC Formation Clinic in a few weeks. As you "pros" can imagine newbies can be a little intimidated. I have a couple of questions and would like some guidance from those card carrying members.

Thanks in advance for any links, advice, admonishments, and tips. :D
Click to expand...

Larry, check your pms.
 
Thank you one and all who have responded with offers of " tutoring" this formation flying newbie, and advice. Today, I am going to get my first ride along! :eek:

I am so pumped. :D

I hope I have the right stuff!
 
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Trust

Sorry, Flameout. It's too late. Turned out to be a great day and he learned the two rules of aviation!
 
N282S said:
Sorry, Flameout. It's too late. Turned out to be a great day and he learned the two rules of aviation!
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All I can say is wow! :D

Steve "Boomer" Stucky was kind enough to let me ride with him during a formation exhibition over Johnson County airport "Wings, Wheels, & Wine". It is a nice size get together of people and vendors to display big boy & girl toys. Ferraris, Lambos, King Airs, and Cessnas. After we landed the crowd wanted to see RVs! Anyway, the formation newbie flight was very enlightening. It really helped me see the " big picture" for formation flying, exactly what I needed. Now I can understand the manual much better, and be able to ask more refined questions at the clinic. I strongly suggest if flying formation interests you go for a ride along. It is amazing!

Thanks KC Flight Team for the ride along! Can't wait for the clinic!
 
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Nice!

Snowflake said:
For a little more sedate practise videos (please excuse the shaky camera, i'm still working on a good mount for this), here are three I shot while practising for a Remembrance Day flypast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Oi0pnTb2sQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj2R4_dskZY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oJV1Bu9l8w

What always strikes me when viewing these afterwards is how slow everything feels. It doesn't feel that way when you're in there doing it.
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Great Video Rob...too bad you don't have somewhere more scenic to parctice!:rolleyes:

where exactly did you mount your cam? could you feel any rumble in your rudder?
some of our locals also do the Remembrance Day formations, but not quite like you guys! ( well, the 'Snowflakes' in Vernon are pretty darn professional too!)
Funny how the always import the same English channel weather for Nov. 11th eh?

anyone doing Clinics around here? I don't see anything in Oliver this year.
 
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Geico266 said:
Got it!

How much fire do I have to see before I tell him? ;)
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Larry,

Taking a purist approach, some say you have to tell lead he/she's trailing smoke since wingmen aren't worthy of inferring that smoke means fire. I suppose if it's such that you see the flames, then go ahead and tell lead he/she's on fire.

Fly safe,

-Jim

P.S. Green equal tongue in cheek, right?
 
flyboy1963 said:
where exactly did you mount your cam? could you feel any rumble in your rudder?
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My rudder tip is screwed on, so I removed two screws and drilled two holes in the "helmet" mounting plate that came with my Drift HD170 to match the spacing. Two longer screws, and it's very well secured.

I feel no difference in rudder performance, although you can see in certain sections of the video that the vibration is significant. I don't know if that's just the camera or the vertical stab in general, but knowing how these cameras work I suspect it's as much the camera as anything. It's highly RPM dependent, as well... Landings make for very smooth videos. Takeoffs, less so.

some of our locals also do the Remembrance Day formations, but not quite like you guys! ( well, the 'Snowflakes' in Vernon are pretty darn professional too!)
Click to expand...
I suppose they should be almost as good as we are... They did copy our name. :)

anyone doing Clinics around here? I don't see anything in Oliver this year.
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We're a little screwed here on the Canadian West Coast right now... We're down to a single FAST-qualified Check pilot, so we can't get anyone new qualified. We're recommending that people try and hook up with the Arlington, WA crowd if they need certification.
 
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