The Mooney Caravan - A Brotherhood of Pilots

[Dave Marten]

Here is an article written by an avid Mooney Pilot. AirVenture 2014 is right around the corner. Much more to follow so get ready!

 

 

The Mooney Caravan: A Brotherhood of Pilots

by Chuck Crinnian

Little did I know that signing up for a mass arrival of Mooney aircraft into Oshkosh years ago was going to result in a continuing aviation experience of a lifetime.   Simply put, pledging this fraternity of aviators and going through the first ritual of the mass arrival of Mooneys into AirVenture created a lifetime bond with pilots from not just the United States, but from around the world.  This bond is regularly strengthened with gatherings to perfect the craft of formation flying.  The Mooney Caravan is not just a once a year group adventure into AirVenture, it is a total package of flying skills, camaraderie, mutual support and long lasting friendships.   Let me tell you our story.

 

The concept of the Mooney Caravan began in 1998 when a post was made on an email list to recruit Mooney pilots to camp together in the North 40.  This attracted 42 aircraft to arrive at the same time in a string of aircraft into Oshkosh.  Safety was the primary concern.  However, over the years, it became evident that this “gaggle” of aircraft was not a “formation” of aircraft- safety was not enhanced.  There were no incidents, but a few close calls.  There had to be a better way.  The Beechcraft B2OSH group had adopted formation flight practices from the get go.  It was decided to have a hard look at this format and change how we did things.

 

In 2011, the Mooney Caravan became a hybrid flight with the first half in 3 ship formation elements and the last half in the traditional gaggle of 2 lines of aircraft.  The basic formation training in the lead half showed superior safety and arrival style points.  Thus, in 2012 the Mooney Caravan became all formation.  To achieve this goal, we needed to get participants trained in basic formation skills and keep them proficient.  We needed to accomplish this mission with pilots from around the country with a wide range of aviation experience and attitudes.  Chris “Toro” Shopperly, as president of the organization, went to work with his organizational skills and started things rolling.

 

To our rescue came Maj. Dave “SARDOT” Marten, a USAF test pilot and Mooney driver.  He reviewed the training manuals from the various formation flying associations and devised a complete training manual to cover not just the basics, but also offer the formation student a path up through advanced maneuvers.  The next step was to implement formation training clinics at various locations around the country.  A typical formation clinic starts with a ground school on Friday evening to cover the basics, often coupled with a demo formation flight in which the new formation pilot can ride along as a right-seat observer.  Then the next morning, get the “newbies” into the air with a safety pilot and get their first exposure to station keeping.  Over the next day and a half, the newbie will fly several sorties and gain competence in station keeping, element (2 ship) takeoffs, and element (2 ship) landings.  These are the foundations for the Caravan and all that is required for entrance into the ritual of the Mooney Caravan from Madison to Oshkosh.  I should tell you, once your basic formation training is accomplished, you will be assigned a call sign.  There is usually some significance behind this name.

 

We have found in our clinic experience is that most pilots end up wanting more.  So, we give them more.  Once a newbie has progressed and is competent in the basics, we introduce more advanced skills.  The next layer will introduce cross-unders, echelon turns, more advanced station keeping with lazy eights, and overhead breaks.  After this intermediate stage, we then transition into 4 ship work.  Through this progression of developing a formation pilot we emphasize safety with comprehensive briefing and de-briefings on each sortie.  We now have a cadre of Mooney safety pilots across the country.  They have become our “Formation Evangelists”.

 

Enough about flying, let’s get back to the “brotherhood”.  Although AirVenture is about airplanes, it is really about people.  The foundation of a fraternity is a common goal or experience.  We all went through the trials and tribulations of learning formation skills.  In each clinic, strangers meet newbies and friendships start.  We all arrive in Madison one or two days early.  Some of the safety pilots assist others in honing their formation skills.  The evenings are spent together sharing stories about life and flying.  Throughout the year, clusters of “Caravanners” get together at impromptu gatherings throughout the year to fly together.  Finally, for the week at AirVenture, we all camp together, and gather in our large Mooney tent for nightly activities. 

 

 

Throughout the years, I have amassed a fair number of close friends through association with the Mooney Caravan.  This is a diverse group with folks from many walks of life and experiences.  Many are willing to lend a hand in either an aviation issue or answer a question in business, medical, or legal matters.  I know that when I travel to some other area of the country, I can call on a brother Caravanner to ask advice or get together and talk Mooney.  In fact, now many of us who are based in the same region of the country fly formation across the country to get to the Mooney Caravan assembly point in Madison.

 

You may ask, “so why is this important”.  One real life example from last year involves a flight of 6 from Norfolk NE to Madison.  Three quarters of the way there, one of the aircraft developed a bad mag and was falling behind.  That aircraft was escorted by one of the wingmen to the nearest field that had a mechanic.  Our flight lead “SARDOT” coordinated with ATC to get priority handling.  Also, he secured a mechanic to standby for the ailing aircraft.  “Smash” in the sick aircraft only had to concentrate on flying the disabled aircraft while “Buzz” escorted him looking for traffic and keeping watch on fields in case of a dead-stick landing.

 

If you fly a Mooney and want to go to AirVenture, I strongly recommend you look into the Mooney Caravan.  The basic formation skills can be obtained with just a little effort.  But be warned, it is addicting.  Before you know it, you may find that your first “ritual” has evolved into an experience that will last a lifetime.  You have become one with the brotherhood.  Your commitment, flying safety, flying skills, and overall enjoyment of aviation will be intensified multifold.  As your first step to pledge the brotherhood, go to www.mooneycaravan.com or www.mooneycaravan.shutterfly.com  Feel free to contact any of the directors listed.

 

Chuck Crinnian MD, EAA 1021464, holds an ATP and CFI certificates, flies a Mooney 231 and a CJ-6A, is an aviation medical examiner.  E-mail him at chiefpilot@aviationdoc.net

Mooney Pilots,

 

 

 

 

[RocketAviator]

Hope one day to be a part of this great experience.