FORMATION FLYING IN RVs – Learn A New Flying Skill

RVs are ideal aircraft for formation flying, from straight and level with gentle manoeuvring to the full gamut of formation aerobatics. For many RV owners the challenge of formation flight is difficult to access because of the lack of good instruction and the cost of getting a dedicated formation flying partner. Clearly a more organised formation flying “school” is the way to go. The RV Squadron has developed a Formation Flying Training Programme and runs RV Formation Days once per month at North Weald. See here for more details. And also see Andy Hill’s web site here.

The Formation Days for 2009 are (either Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weather, but not both). All at North Weald, except for June and September – venues TBC.

3^rd January Report here

24^th / 25^th January Report here

28^th February / 1^st March Report here

21^st / 22^nd March

18^th / 19^th April

23^rd / 24^th May

20^th / 21^st June This is provisional and may need to be changed to 6^th / 7^th June or 4^th / 5^th July

18^th / 19^th July

15^th / 16^th August

12^th / 13^th September

10^th / 11^th October

7^th / 8^th November

5^th / 6^th December

Here are some comments, pictures and videos from previous formation days, (see also September and October)

Here is a quote from Alan Weal, a very experienced airline pilot, after his first day,

“I have flown what I considered to be fairly close to other light aircraft before for some mutual air to air photography. It in no way prepared me for the experience of formation flying. As a pilot who for over 40 years expected to be kept a minimum of 1000 ft vertically or 3 miles horizontally from other aircraft I found being in control of an aircraft in close formation intimidating. [My instructor] spent most of the first detail trying to get me to move in closer whilst my whole instinct was to get further away.

“The training in the safe methods of approaching and breaking away from formation and how to keep station accurately slowly started to convince me that what I was doing was safe provided the SOP's were rigorously adhered to. Towards the end of the first detail the two instructors took over for 5 minutes of steep turns and wing overs in close formation to show what could be achieved by properly trained pilots. I sat through the lunch break in a state of "shell shock" wondering if this was all a bit too exciting for me. However during the second detail it all seemed to fall into place much better and I began to relax more and the closeness of the other aeroplane did not seem so threatening.”

Another quote from experienced RV pilot David Broom after his first day,

“When Alan Weal announced the first flight of G-RISY I said that I was looking forward to getting a chance to look at it closely. After yesterday’s formation flying training day at North Weald I might well have seen enough of it after the best part of 2 hours in close company! Seriously though, I found the day thoroughly worthwhile and enjoyable and await the next session with eager anticipation. Through Pete Pengilly’s and Andy Hill’s efforts to get an RV formation flying training and practice group together it looks like we may have yet another avenue to maximise the enjoyment we get from our RVs. Yesterday’s training session at North Weald was an un-pressurised and non-intimidating event which I think all attendees thoroughly enjoyed, at least us 'students' did. The day was as well structured as it could be with the weather taking a long time to clear. The professional approach to training what could be hazardous procedures made for a very enjoyable day. Not relaxing, the concentration does leave you a little bit drained, but certainly worthwhile, enjoyable and above all, fun. So if you fancy seeing if formation flying in your RV is for you I would suggest that this is an ideal way to find out in the care of a safe pair of hands with very competent instruction and at minimal cost.

I took the pictures below while Andy Hill (in Casper) and Phil Ansell (in the back of G-HILZ with Ellie Hill) enjoyed themselves in the middle of a recent formation training trip.

This links to a You Tube video from the October formation day Video 2