Flight of Two Formation Flight | Morristown to Blairstown | MooneyM20C Ranger | N6887N

[PilotFun101]

Subscribe and Fly Along! Pat and I decided to do formation flight out of Morristown to Blairstown. Always have a brief on the ground and radio communications in the air. Thanks for Flying Along!

 

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This Video is for entertainment purposes only and is not to be considered flight instruction in any way. Please contact your local CFI for flight instruction.

[carusoam]

What kind of work did you have done at blairstown?

Best regards,

-a-

[PilotFun101]

Nothing.  Its a great place to eat and hang out.  My buddy Pat gets his Mooney serviced there.  

[N201MKTurbo]

A couple of friendly suggestions,

You passed your lead on take off, this puts your lead in the wingman roll which isn't what you briefed. If you are the wingman your job is to maintain position on the lead. The lead navigates and informs the wingman of any maneuvers or altitude changes.

While enroute in loose formation you should be trying to keep the lead dead nuts on the horizon, I think you were just trying to maintain an altitude. In close formation you should be using the lead as your horizon and maintaining your stepdown.

At one point you drifted behind the lead. This is a bad place to be because of wake turbulence. Have you practiced "boxing the wake"?

I was taught to maintain a sight line on the lead. The sight line should be approximately a 45 deg line off the nose of the lead. On a Mooney I have found the tip of the spinner and the inboard aileron edge works well. You should strive to stay on this sight line. It makes it easier to hold position. If you are too slow or behind you will drift out the sight line, If your are too close or fast you will get too close to the lead and need to side step away and reacquire the sight line. You should brief before the flight the minimum distance before you sidestep away. I would start with 100 feet until you get more comfortable with holding the sight line.

Have you briefed and practiced right and left echelon turns? They are different? Have you practiced changing from right to left echelon? Turns are different depending on which side you are on. It all has to do with visibility, you can never lose sight of the lead. If you do you must side step away. It is different for low wing and high wing aircraft.

 

Enjoy this video. Back in the early 90s, a friend of mine's father had a VHS tape of this and we watched it about a hundred times and went out and practiced a lot.

 

 

[carusoam]

PF101,

Are you familiar with the Mooney formation Flying group?

We have a branch on the NE coast around here...
 

http://www.mooneycaravan.com

 

If not, check their schedule for training, if interested...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[PilotFun101]

Thank you for the information.  We kept it pretty far apart because of the winds.  The cameras make it look a little different.  But thank you for all the great information.  Love hearing and learning more each day in aviation. 

[steingar]

How many pilots does it take to change a light bulb?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  One to change the bulb, and 4 others to tell him how he could have done it better.

Edited February 17, 2020 by steingar

[gsxrpilot]

Be careful, formation flying gets addictive. You'll never want to fly alone, and then you'll be skipping the lunch stops and just flying 

I'm curious about the suction mount you're using on the front windshield. There's so much curve in the windshield, I haven't had a lot of luck with a mount there.

[N201MKTurbo]

2 hours ago, steingar said:

How many pilots does it take to change a light bulb?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  One to change the bulb, and 4 others to tell him how he could have done it better.

I try not to be a smart ass, but some times I just can't help myself. If you don't like my advice I will gladly refund what you paid for it! 

[skydvrboy]

On 2/16/2020 at 10:19 AM, N201MKTurbo said:

You passed your lead on take off, this puts your lead in the wingman roll which isn't what you briefed.

In hind sight, since lead took the wrong side of the runway (upwind) this worked out well to keep him out of wake turbulence. 

I know this may sound harsh, but if you want to fly formation, why not get some training?  The best would be to attend a formation clinic, but if that's not an option at least read about it http://www.ffi.aero/documents.htm, http://www.ffi.aero/files/FFI FORMATION GUIDE V3.1 JUN 1 2018.pdf or watch a training video.

 

 

[PilotFun101]

2 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

Be careful, formation flying gets addictive. You'll never want to fly alone, and then you'll be skipping the lunch stops and just flying 

I'm curious about the suction mount you're using on the front windshield. There's so much curve in the windshield, I haven't had a lot of luck with a mount there.

I have no problem with my windshield with the suction cups.  There is a flat spot I found for the right camera. 

[gsxrpilot]

Just now, PilotFun101 said:

I have no problem with my windshield with the suction cups.  There is a flat spot I found for the right camera. 

Is that a GoPro suction mount? Or are you using an after market mount?

[PilotFun101]

2 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

Is that a GoPro suction mount? Or are you using an after market mount?

After market 

[gsxrpilot]

Just now, PilotFun101 said:

After market 

Can you send me a link to it? I have the GoPro suction mount, but it's way to big and keeps falling off.

[PilotFun101]

4 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

Can you send me a link to it? I have the GoPro suction mount, but it's way to big and keeps falling off.

Sure thing

https://www.amazon.com/Sametop-Suction-Compatible-Session-Windshield/dp/B01EF3Q8SU/ref=asc_df_B01EF3Q8SU/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312021382923&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2141396381228227524&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004281&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-360197624835&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60647562605&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312021382923&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2141396381228227524&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004281&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-360197624835

[gsxrpilot]

Thanks! That's a significantly smaller suction cup than the GoPro version. So it won't need as large a flat spot on the windshield. I went ahead and ordered one.

[PilotFun101]

3 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

Thanks! That's a significantly smaller suction cup than the GoPro version. So it won't need as large a flat spot on the windshield. I went ahead and ordered one.

Perfect. No problem.  Thats why I got it.  Its just a little cheap one. But it works well.  

[Yetti]

Wing...  and then turning into the Lead.   skeery.

[Ned Gravel]

On 2/17/2020 at 7:51 AM, PilotFun101 said:

Thank you for the information.  We kept it pretty far apart because of the winds.  The cameras make it look a little different.  But thank you for all the great information.  Love hearing and learning more each day in aviation. 

You might wish to join us this year in Hickory, NC for the east coast formation clinic.  Lots of good practice of an enjoyable skill.  Good group too.