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Formation Flying Demo at the Mooney Summit


mike_elliott

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An outside view... (see if I got this right...)

There are so many requirements to becoming a formation pilot...

 

Eligibility:

There has to be a dozen or so (non-fluff) pre-requisites before one is eligible to get trained... (plane, flight training, experience)

 

Personal hurdles:

Once the pre-requisite hurdles are clear, a few random hurdles get thrown on... (schedule, weather, maintenance, health issues, BFR)

 

System hurdles:

Another set of hurdles becomes visible to an outsider... (formation specific training, safety pilots, availability issues)

 

Overall:

  • One part drive
  • One part luck 
  • One part stamina 
  • One part funding
  • One part scheduling
  • One part location around the country
  • Great for leaders to refine their skill sets.
  • Great for followers to develop their skills.

 

I'm always impressed when an MSer comes back from their first Formation Training.

Flying is inherently dangerous. Getting trained to this level and being part of this community, mitigates many of the dangers pilots are going to be presented with...

 

Follow-up questions:

On average, how many Mooney pilots get all these ducks lined up each year?  

Does the system have room for more? (Lots of limitations from limited safety pilots, events, to formation experience)

Does the system have limitations? (Is possible to have too many good formators?)

 

Too many questions?  :)

 

One of these days, I'm hoping to have my ducks in a row...

Best regards,

-a-

 

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FWIW, B2OSH had 116 planes this year, so I'd say we have a lot more headroom to grow now that we've adopted "real" formation and standardized procedures that should be relatively straight-forward to extrapolate to a larger group in the Caravan. That is contingent on growing enough element Leads, and of course getting more pilots trained at clinics. I don't think we can have too many. If for whatever reason the Caravan caps registration, I wouldn't be too upset because the clinics and learning/practicing a new skill and meeting others is still enormously fun and rewarding, even if not carried all the way thru OSH in any given year.

I'll say this OSH was my favorite of the 5-6 I've attended, due in no small part to a successful caravan experience. I'm looking forward to more.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk

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4 hours ago, KSMooniac said:

FWIW, B2OSH had 116 planes this year, so I'd say we have a lot more headroom to grow now that we've adopted "real" formation and standardized procedures that should be relatively straight-forward to extrapolate to a larger group in the Caravan. That is contingent on growing enough element Leads, and of course getting more pilots trained at clinics. I don't think we can have too many. If for whatever reason the Caravan caps registration, I wouldn't be too upset because the clinics and learning/practicing a new skill and meeting others is still enormously fun and rewarding, even if not carried all the way thru OSH in any given year.

I'll say this OSH was my favorite of the 5-6 I've attended, due in no small part to a successful caravan experience. I'm looking forward to more.
 

Ultimately, one begins to run out of things like ramp space, hotel rooms and runway (gotta all fit at once!) but you are 100% correct, practically speaking, element leads are the limiting item.  B2Osh is committed to the three-ship as one needs only one lead per three aircraft.  Because this can lead to some potential scrambling when we lose a runway (like in 2016), this can create lead shortages if we need to move to two-ship elements (again, like 2016).  This year we were JUST OK, we had EXACTLY 25 Lead-capable plus Tail for 51 AC.  I also agree that if we were 100% element lead-capable, that would be truly amazing...and I would especially love it because, as a fundamentally lazy person, I could just fly wing!!

Everyone who worked on Caravan XX appreciates that you had a good experience.  For me, the last one is always the best...but next year's will be better!  

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5 hours ago, carusoam said:

An outside view... (see if I got this right...)

There are so many requirements to becoming a formation pilot...

 

Eligibility:

There has to be a dozen or so (non-fluff) pre-requisites before one is eligible to get trained... (plane, flight training, experience)

 

Personal hurdles:

Once the pre-requisite hurdles are clear, a few random hurdles get thrown on... (schedule, weather, maintenance, health issues, BFR)

 

System hurdles:

Another set of hurdles becomes visible to an outsider... (formation specific training, safety pilots, availability issues)

 

Overall:

  • One part drive
  • One part luck 
  • One part stamina 
  • One part funding
  • One part scheduling
  • One part location around the country
  • Great for leaders to refine their skill sets.
  • Great for followers to develop their skills.

 

I'm always impressed when an MSer comes back from their first Formation Training.

Flying is inherently dangerous. Getting trained to this level and being part of this community, mitigates many of the dangers pilots are going to be presented with...

 

Follow-up questions:

On average, how many Mooney pilots get all these ducks lined up each year?  

Does the system have room for more? (Lots of limitations from limited safety pilots, events, to formation experience)

Does the system have limitations? (Is possible to have too many good formators?)

 

Too many questions?  :)

 

One of these days, I'm hoping to have my ducks in a row...

Best regards,

-a-

 

I was hoping you'd join us this year as well!  

Numbers - This year we had 56 qualified registrants.  This means they demonstrated proficiency recently and paid their registration.  We lose some folks every year due to mechanicals, real life or weather, and that remained true this year.  There were also numerous qualified "regulars" (I would estimate 8-12) that opted out this year for health, family or work conflicts.  We have had double-digit growth year over year, and almost doubled in size since the first all-form group (2012).  Next year I am sure we will have more as well.

So many requirements?  Not at all, at least once you meet the ones you need to meet anyway just to take off: Medical (easier with Basic Med), aircraft, BFR/currency, weather...but those apply to ANY flight.  

Yes, you DO need to get to a clinic.  But we manage to get people up who are "geographically challenged."  Your region is now rich with formation talent!   PM me and I will put you in touch with a regional leader (NJ, right?) who can help get you set up.  

As far as experience, don't be deterred.  While we have some military pilots, most of us are GA-only.  But we have had 100-200 hour private pilots show up and be safe to execute two-ship basic Caravan maneuvers after 2-3 flights.  Then they can get out and practice ... all you need to formate is another like-minded pilot!   So no, there can NEVER be enough formators in my book.  No one who masters basic skills becomes a worse pilot or a less safe one.  Once you do, you will also learn your aircraft more.  And you will have more free time for flying because you will no longer argue on MS about all our Mooney "old wives' tales" (can't land/takeoff no flaps, can't fly final at 90, have to go to 2500 in climb blah blah blah) because you'll have debunked them yourself.  

See you in 2018?

 

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11 hours ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

I'm not much of a "joiner", and flying is more of an internal than external thing for me, but I have always been fascinated by formation flying and have enjoyed watching and have great respect for what you guys are doing.

Jim

 

Jim, you illustrate the point of the caravan being  “a progressive autonomous collective”.  One characteristic that seems to occur frequently in Mooney owners is a strong independent streak.  All we need to agree on is the common goal of formation flight.  the rest is adiaphora.

Come to the dark side -- give it a try!  It's contagious.

Dave Piehler

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On 8/11/2017 at 9:22 PM, mike_elliott said:

One lucky Mooney Summit attendee will get to ride with the Aeroshell Acro team at SNF or OSH next year. Thanks to L3, a ride during their routine practice for their show will be in our silent auction. Talk about formation flying!!!

Very cool!!!

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We have been approved for 18 hrs FAA wings credits for our safety and educational seminars including the Formation flying talk and briefing by Lee and Bucko. The breakdown is 7 hrs basic knowledge, 4.5 hrs advanced knowledge, 4.5 hrs Master knowledge and 2 hrs AMT knowledge. Depending on the agenda next year, we may have some wings credits for flight activities (did someone mention formation flying?) also.

Speaking of Formation flying, our agenda has Lee Fox giving his educational presentation on formation flying at 1000 on Friday Sept 29th, and Bucko giving a public sortie brief for the Flyover at 11:15, followed by the formation fly over at 1130. Plan accordingly as these will be "don't miss" events!

 

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