Formation Flying, Inc (FFI)

As some of you may know, I founded FFI in 1999 as a measure of self-preservation. FAA came down with an edict that anyone who wanted to fly formation in FAA waivered airspace had to have a formation card issued by an agency authorized by FAA to do so. My formation demo team, Falcon Flight, had been doing airshows for about 8 years and we wanted to continue. But, there was no agency to issue cards for Experimentals or GA. So, in consultation with several people, I founded FFI and submitted it to FAA. They approved FFI as a formation evaluation and card issuing agency in April of 1999.

As a matter of clarification, FARs allow you to fly formation with other aircraft any time you want as long as you brief it. The only requirement for a formation card is to fly in FAA waivered airspace (ie Airshows). The only place you will see this requirement in print is in the Airshow Waiver Request Approval issued by an FAA FSDO. They are required to put in the Approval Special Provisions a paragraph that says that any pilot wishing to fly formation in the waivered airspace for the airshow must possess a formation card issued by an agency recognized by FAA to do so.

FFI has been evaluating formation pilots since 1999 and now has 163 card carrying formation pilots ranging from Experimentals (mostly RVs, but also a few Ezes, Glasairs, Pitts), Bonanzas, Commanches, and Grummans.

Formation teams have now emerged around the country. In addition to Falcon Flight in Texas, the Blackjack Squadron flies from Arlington WA, the Vanguards in Sioux Falls SD, Team RV formed in Atlanta area, Buckeye Flight within the Ohio Valley RVators, Vulture Flight within the Mid-Atlantic RV Wing, SoCal Flight from LA area, and recently the Blackhawk Squadron in IL. A group is also forming in the New England area. These units have been conducting formation performances or flybys at numerous venues (airshows and fly-ins) around the country, such as Oshkosh, Sun 'N Fun, SWRFI, SERFI, RMRFI, Golden West, NWRFI, Central TX Airshow, Freedom Airshow, Atlantic City Airshow, Las Cruces RV Fly-in, and numerous smaller local airshows around the country.

Although FFI is primarily a formation evaluation agency to provide formation cards for airshow purposes, lately highly experienced formation pilots (Stu McCurdy, Mike Stewart, and Joe Czachorowski) within FFI have been conducting formation clinics to provide classroom and flight training, standardization, and continuation training to pilots becoming involved in the art of formation flying. Clinics have been conducted at Atlanta, Mason City, Lakeland, Parkersburg, Las Vegas, and Millville, with others being scheduled for Mohave and Abilene. Some of these are recurring now each year and the Mason City Clinic, conducted the weekend before AirVenture, has become required participation for those wishing to fly at Oshkosh. The publication accepted for standardization around the country is the T-34 Formation Flight Manual, which is used at these clinics and by FFI evaluators.

Since the only requirement for a formation card is for flying in airshows, the FFI evaluations are all encompassing and require excellent formation skills. An evaluation requires a briefing with complete knowledge of the T-34 Formation Flight Manual, and is accomplished with a required 4-ship conducting formation startup, taxi, runup, 2 X formation takeoffs, joinup, climbout in fingertip and route, steep angle of pitch/bank maneuvering in fingertip, diamond, and trail, echelon turns, pitchout and rejoin, descent to the pattern in fingertip and route, an overhead pattern for touch and gos or low approaches, 2-ship joinups for 2 x formation landings, taxiback, shutdown, and debriefing. Radio discipline and hand/airplane signals are very important.

If this post raises questions or interest, you may post a response or contact me at stumccurdy (at) earthlink.net

Stu McCurdy
FFI

FFI vs FAST and ICAS

The question often comes up about who can evaluate what aircraft for formation cards. By stipulation of FAA when they approved the formation card process, FAST (Formation and Safety Team), evaluates pilots flying warbird, non aerobatic formation, FFI evalates pilots in non-warbird, non-aerobatic formation, and ICAS evaluates aerobatic formation. Also, as stated by FAA on their web site, once an individual obtains a formation card through one of the approved agencies, that pilot with his current formation card can fly formation in other type aircraft in FAA waivered airspace.

The pilot may own a warbird and an RV. He chooses in which aircraft he wants to fly for his evalaution and goes through the training and recommendation process in that aircraft. Once he gets a recommendation for an evaluation through a card holding Flight Lead, passes an evaluation, and receives his formation card, that card is accepted by FAA at the credentials review for an airshow, even though he is flying the other type aircraft. For instance, Doug Rozendaal has a FAST card issued to fly warbirds in formation, but he could fly his RV-4 with me at Oshkosh using his FAST card.

That being said, the Flight Lead is in charge of his formation. A FAST Flight Lead of a warbird flight might not accept a card issued by FFI, and visa versa. That is the Flight Lead's prerogative, he is in charge of that flight and is required to know the capability of every pilot in his flight. However, in most instances cards will be accepted by Flight Leads of both agencies and one's formation ability normally precedes him.

Stu McCurdy
FFI

Angle of Bank/Pitch

The question often comes up about what angle of bank and pitch is expected for an FFI evaluation. Please remember that the only requirement for an FFI formation card is for the individual who wants to fly his non-warbird in a non-aerobatic formation in FAA waivered airspace, so the expectation during the evaluation is "Airshow Quality".

The angle of bank and pitch will be driven somewhat by the type aircraft. FFI evaluators are not looking at an attitude indicator while conducting a check ride. More importantly, FFI evaluators are looking for lead to fly smooth, well planned series of maneuvers which are toward the limit of what might occur during an airshow (not straight through flybys). They are looking for wingman to fly welded wing on lead without pitch or wingrock oscillations (an occasional small bobble is overlooked).

So, there is no specific angle of bank or pitch, but for example, RV Lazy 8 maneuvers in Fingertip, Diamond, and Trail should be in the neighborhood of 60* bank and 45* of pitch. Echelon Turns should be level 45-60* of bank for at least 180* of turn. Pitchouts should be level 45-60* of bank for 180* of turn. Other aircraft, depending on power and maneuverability, will have modified expectations.

Tell me, Stu... what is "Waivered Airspace"? You mention, "Like OSH", but in what way?

Do you mean where temporary control zones have been established?

Can we fly in formation in Class E without a FFI?

Please forgive my naivete' as my only experience has been riding right seat in my buddy's Grumman.

I plan to get my FFI when the RV is done, but I may as well start leaning this stuff now.

Basically, where can we fly in formation, before and after getting the FFI?

CJ

Flying in waivered space

You can fly in formation anywhere, from E-A. BUTT... When an airshow applies for waivers to allow for certains FARS to we "waved", like low level acro, then the "waiver" that the FAA gives, which is a very formal document, tells the airshow exactly what they can and cant do. One of the provisions of the waiver requires that any formation flying be done with pilots holding FAA approved cards from an approved program. The FFI is one of those approved programs.

So you can fly all day anywhere in any airapace under vfr or IFR. But when it comes time to fly in an airshow, the FAA wants to protect image and safety by requireing you have one of these cards.

I hope this is clear.
Kahuna

IFR Formation

Kahuna,
What is the process for filling IFR as a formation? Does lead just file a normal IFR flight plan and add "flight of X" in the remarks or does each member of the flight have to have a flight plan?

Filing IFR for Formation

I will answer for Kahuna. You are correct, file a single flight plan and put Flight of X in remarks. But, if you do this the controllers will expect just the leader to squawk and for all members of the formation to remain within 1 mile of the leader and at same level, unless given a block altitude. Also, it makes it easier on the flight members if lead has 2 radios. Then he can switch freqs with Center on one radio and keep the formation on a single inflight freq on the other without having to checkout and checkin the flight all the way along.

Additional info

When filing an international flight plan, they will require the N-numbers of the other aircraft. About half the time when taking a flight into or out of an ADIZ, they will want them too. This is, IF they will allow the flight plan into/out of the ADIZ at all as a formation. SOme controllers will take it, some wont.
Kahuna

RV Supplement to the T-34 Formation Flight Manual

After several drafts coordinated with formation group leaders around the country, the RV Supplement (Version 1) to the T-34 Formation Flight Manual (4th Edition) is now complete. It fills in the holes of the T-34 Manual for RV specific operations and standardizes RV formation procedures and techniques so that when we all get together we are all doing it the same way. I have asked Doug Reeves to put it on his site available to download. It will print out on 8 1/2" by 11" paper, but then should be cut down to 5 1/2" by 7" Landscape and placed inside the front cover of the Manual so it becomes part of, not separate from, the Manual.