Re: Aviation Safety Magazine - Formation Flying Freq
Areeda said:
On the plus side
"In reality, formation flying- particularly for photo purposes - is best left to seasoned practitioners, behind both yokes as well as the camera"
Good words.
On the negative side:
"The photographer essentially runs the show, so he or she must clearly communicate maneuver requests, give the pilots an explanation of what is wanted next, and then a countdown to a mark to start and stop the maneuver."
My experience says that's a pretty accurate statement. The camera pilot is flight lead, and sets the formation, but the photog has to communicate up/down and in/out to the object ship and let the lead pilot know where they need to go for lighting, background, etc.
In a sidebar about a flight gone bad:
"Then my client told me a platoform of the operator's convenience was replacing my choice. The substitute was too slow to stay ahead of the airliner in right turns - the turns that put us on the outside track. So work with only left turns, my client suggested.
That idea worked only moderately until my platform pilot-who'd already ignored several other instructions-decided we were too close to a Restricted Area. We were cleared into the Restricted Area, but in mentally wrestling with a "girl" pilot and a "hippie" photographer calling the shots, my platform pilot claimed he didn't hear that call. So he started a hard right turn directly into the airliner on our starboard side - and warned us after he started the maneuver."
Probably should have called "knock it off" as soon as they realized the incompatibility issues.
I got some more info on the contents of the article off line, and was disappointed that the author didn't talk about FAST or FFI training/certification. If anyone's interested in learning about what it takes to become a formation pilot, read these articles:
Up Close and Personal: Formation Flying (Jennifer Whitley, AvWeb)
Deceptive Form (Scott Spangler, AOPA Pilot)
Formation Flying (Barry Schiff, AOPA Pilot)
A Continuous Near-Miss (Alton Marsh, AOPA Pilot)
If you want to do it, contact:
For warbirds (including T-34's and other military trainers), Formation And Safety Team (FAST) via your type club.
For civilian types (especially Grumman, Swift, and RV):
Stu McCurdy
Formation Flight, Inc.
3509 Gattis School Road
Round Rock, Texas 78664