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RV Mass Arrival at Airventure

Capflyer

Capflyer

Well Known Member
Just cracked my Sport Aviation magazine that was sitting on my desk for a week and saw that there is an RV mass arrival scheduled into Oshkosh on Sunday, July 27th. Surprising that I have not seen anything about it here. Does anyone have any of the information to get into the flight?
 
I suspect this is the group of formation flyers that fly together the weekend before and formated into Osh.. The way to get into that is to go to that training before hand and join em in. Should be KSQI the weekend before Osh like last year.

Last year we required all attending be formation qualified so we could pull off the world record which, as of yesterday is now an official one. I suspect our 2008 pre-osh KSQI training will be exactly the same.

If you want to be in the large formations at Osh, I recommend attending one of the formation clinics. There is one in Cincy this weekend.

Hope to see you there.
 
Kahuna said:
Last year we required all attending be formation qualified so we could pull off the world record which, as of yesterday is now an official one.
Click to expand...

Kudos to all of those pilots that now hold a world's record. It was the very impressive from the ground. Over Aero Shell the formation was literally perfect. Absolutely PERFECT!

Well Done!
 
Good luck

As Clint Eastwood said ?a man?s got to know his limitations.? For those experienced in formation flying this can be a safe evolution. I am sure that whoever is organizing this takes into account pilot skills, set?s minimum weather standards, provides a detailed formation briefing, realistic practice, and stresses safety as the main concern. As a student helicopter pilot in 1982, my class graduation had a 38 helicopter formation flight on graduation day. While there was an instructor in every aircraft the students did the flying. At Fort Rucker this was the norm every two weeks during the first part of the eighties, and with no incidents that I recall. So it can be done safely and almost routinely. Those involved have to be trained, competent and willing to accept the risk and participate in all the pre event training to mitigate that inherent risk involved in formation flying. Best of luck to all involved and I hope the flight goes off as planned and only wish my RV were complete so I could participate, blue skies!

Tim
 
I guess I'll never get my project done as the drive to the airport is obviously going to be my demise. If that doesn't kill me, maybe the chicken burger-induced stomach virus from the airport cafe' might do it. Or maybe one of the BlackJack guys will collide and pieces come augering through the hangar roof. :eek: Then again, maybe it will be the Slick mags!

Now there's a thread: "Formation flying might do me in, but <insert method of demise here> will get me first".:D

Sorry for the sarcassim, but qualified formation pilots are probably some of the safest and skilled pilots out there. I'm not saying that stuff doesn't happen (which it does), but I'd bet your chances are much better for an incident just tooling around on a busy Saturday afternoon in the local pattern.
 
The Bonanza's do it, why not the RV's. There is some real good pilots in this group and when you have a bunch that are Talking to each other and know how each other flies, than you have a better chance than just flying in and taking a risk of what the airplane in front of or behind can do. I would rather fly in with a group of RV's than fly in with an unknown pilot in and around me. Nothing scares me more than not knowing who is flying close to me. Unless you have flown into airshows like Osh or Arlington you have no idea what I'm talking about.
 
Oh Boy! What did I Start!

Kahuna said:
I suspect this is the group of formation flyers that fly together the weekend before and formated into Osh.. The way to get into that is to go to that training before hand and join em in. Should be KSQI the weekend before Osh like last year.

Last year we required all attending be formation qualified so we could pull off the world record which, as of yesterday is now an official one. I suspect our 2008 pre-osh KSQI training will be exactly the same.

If you want to be in the large formations at Osh, I recommend attending one of the formation clinics. There is one in Cincy this weekend.

Hope to see you there.
Click to expand...


Thank you Kahuna for the answer.
 
Schedule of form clinics and qulifying events?

I'll bet that safety is probably the foundation of the mass arrival (and the preparation for it), so I'll keep the sword in the scabbard, and just divert back to the original posters query ;)...

I've done a search here and on VAF.net, looking for info on the mass arrival. I've seen some dates on form clinics (none near me so far), but would like to learn more about them and the process leading to the mass arrival (is it a qualifying process?). Is there a clinic schedule, including dates, times, places around the country? Is there gouge on the week-prior event mentioned above? Just would like to get up to speed with current info. Not sure if the ever-expanding panel upgrade will be done in time to participate, but it sure looks like fun. If not this year, I'll be an avid spectator this year, and hopefully a participant next year. Been polishing the rust off the old form skills locally, but would enjoy doing it RV style as well!

Thanks for any gouge you can provide!!

Cheers,

Bob Mills
"Rocket" RV-6
N600SS
4SD
 
Kahuna said:
I suspect this is the group of formation flyers that fly together the weekend before and formated into Osh.. The way to get into that is to go to that training before hand and join em in. Should be KSQI the weekend before Osh like last year.

Last year we required all attending be formation qualified so we could pull off the world record which, as of yesterday is now an official one. I suspect our 2008 pre-osh KSQI training will be exactly the same.

If you want to be in the large formations at Osh, I recommend attending one of the formation clinics. There is one in Cincy this weekend.

Hope to see you there.
Click to expand...
Do you have contact info? Name(s), e-mail, phone numbers to hook up with the formation fly-in?
 
rvmills said:
I'll bet that safety is probably the foundation of the mass arrival (and the preparation for it), so I'll keep the sword in the scabbard, and just divert back to the original posters query ;)...

I've done a search here and on VAF.net, looking for info on the mass arrival. I've seen some dates on form clinics (none near me so far), but would like to learn more about them and the process leading to the mass arrival (is it a qualifying process?). Is there a clinic schedule, including dates, times, places around the country? Is there gouge on the week-prior event mentioned above? Just would like to get up to speed with current info. Not sure if the ever-expanding panel upgrade will be done in time to participate, but it sure looks like fun. If not this year, I'll be an avid spectator this year, and hopefully a participant next year. Been polishing the rust off the old form skills locally, but would enjoy doing it RV style as well!

Thanks for any gouge you can provide!!

Cheers,

Bob Mills
"Rocket" RV-6
N600SS
4SD
Click to expand...

Allow me to respond to your excellent ? with a few statements that will help clarify.
1.Our mass arrival into Osh is not like the Cessnas or Bonanzas in several respects. They(Bon's and Ces's pilots) are not evaluated for their skills prior to doing their mass arrival. They essentially fly loose 4 ships in a loooong trail. They do it safely. All of the pilots associated with the RV mass arrival are qualified with check rides who's standard is air show quality. These are the FFI standards which are documented and published. ALL the pilots arriving in the RV mass arrival last year, and in 2008, are FFI card holding, current, active members who could fly in waivered air show space at any time. This standard is much higher and the training more rigorous than what you see with the Bonanzas or the Cessnas. But they dont put 30 planes next to each other like we do. You could argue whether or not they need the same training or not, but Ill let their safety record speak for its self.
2.While is called a mass arrival, its a formation arrival. Not a gaggle or anything else. And being a formation raises the skills required and the stakes to participate.
3. If you would like to learn more about formation flying and what is required by the FFI, I recommend the Team RV Media Gallery.
Also go to the formation training section of the media gallery and download the "FFI Formation Standards and Proficiency Program " pdf. That is the standard we use for evaluations of pilots for air show waivers.
Let me know if you have any queestions. I have some experience with this subject matter.
Best,
 
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I find this most distressing.

I built a 9 so I won't be tempted to do aerobatics (been there, done that.) I chose not to do formation work because I don't believe I have the time to devote to it. But I TOTALLY respect those who do both. I stand in awe of those so skilled, and would never suggest that they would endanger anyone. I have attended Oshkosh since the early eighty's, and yes, there have been a few spectators injured. But very few. What other event so large can claim this?

I flew in last year for the first time, and I admit a bit of trepidation. But I now KNOW it was safer than driving in. In fact a few years ago one of our group was almost hit by a crashing helicopter--in Chicago on the way to Osh!

I only have experience at about 20 Oshkosh events. If your expereince is different, fine. If you aren't comfortable at Oshkosh, don't go. It will probably make it a better time for us all.

Bob Kelly
 
Thanks Kahuna!

Kahuna said:
Allow me to respond to your excellent ? with a few statements that will help clarify.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info and the link Kahuna! Just went on Team RV, created an account and a new "favorite" in Explorer. Will get smart on it all, and engage when I get the machine back in the air! :D

Cheers,

Bob Mills
 
RV Oshkosh Arrival

Sorry to get in this discussion late.

The Sport Aviation "Large Formation Arrivals Scheduled" speaks of the various FAA coordinated and approved arrivals. I have previously led the RVs from the Pre-Oshkosh formation clinic into Oshkosh by going through Ripon arrival. Last year I coordinated the 35-ship arrival with FAA ahead of time. This year I persued the Letter of Agreement and have an approved Arrival and Time for the formation.

Each year I schedule a Pre-Oshkosh Advanced Formation Clinic for those FFI formation card holders wishing to fly the large formation at Oshkosh. Last year it was for the 35-ship to celebrate Van's 35 years at Oshkosh, now formally a Guinness World Record. This year I have no set number. After a formation warm up Saturday morning, we practice at the clinic on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning what we are going to do at Oshkosh. Then we launch for OSH to do what we practiced. This year we have an approved arrival time and airspace on Sunday.

So, the RV Mass Arrival is for the RV Large Formation. It is not a Mass Arrival for RVs in general.
 
Questions of safety of flight in formations were raised and I split the thread out to discuss them. Go here to continue off in that direction.
 
Indiana Larry said:
I do not want to be arrive when the mass arrival group does. Will someone please tell me what time slot to avoid?
Click to expand...

Ummm, you might wanna check the date on this thread... it's over two years old. These guys were talking about OSH 2008.
 
jbDC9 said:
Ummm, you might wanna check the date on this thread... it's over two years old. These guys were talking about OSH 2008.
Click to expand...

Yea, but the thread was fresh a few hours ago. Someone resurrected it with a new message and it must have been deleted.

This is shaping up to be one tough year to fly in - formation or otherwise. Wisconsin is being pounded with rain again today. There may be a break come Sunday, but it is forecast to go more rain by Wednesday of next week.

Sunday does look to be a decent day but there's no way the airport will have parking for everyone as if it were a dry year. It would be one huge bummer to arrive and find the place closed due to saturation (water, not airplanes).

I do believe I will carry enough fuel to do a 180 and fly home - or shelf the idea of flying and drive it - a most disagreeable thought.
 
David-aviator said:
I do believe I will carry enough fuel to do a 180 and fly home - or shelf the idea of flying and drive it - a most disagreeable thought.
Click to expand...

David,
If it's too wet to park an airplane on the field, where do you think you can park a car? Better take an ATV! :eek:
I can't make it this year - you all have fun in the mud. :)
 
You would be here

If us (RV's) would schedule an arrival like Bonanza, Stinsons, Cessnas, and others officials would probably call the leader and tell you to form up and come on in. I came in Friday and about the only aircraft that is allowed in are group arrivals. Just my 2 cents!!! I am not referring to a formation arrival, just normal except all together.
 
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