Formation flying - Endorsement?

[Tomo]

Hey Everyone!

 

Just curing my curiosity here.... who has done the formation flying Endorsement?

 

What's involved?

 

Is it worth considering?

 

How long does it usually take to do?

 

Do you have to do it in the same type of aircraft your flying with, or can it be different?

 

Do you learn with another learner in the other aircraft? Ie, two learning with instructors in both acft... or is it someone up to scratch with it?

 

Reading through the Syllabus in the Ops manual, it sounds like pretty good fun.

 

Ta :thumb_up:

 

 

[JimG]

Hi Tomo, you need a mate who is keen to do the endorsement with you and two instructors that have the FF endorsement. The ac have to be similar type and speed , and preferably both high or low wing.

 

Myself and two other guys from our flying school got together in the first half of this year and did the training with Kev Walters near Gatton.

 

Our group did a total of 16.5 hours training to see us all pass the flight test. We flew a tecnam sierra and a sportstar from the school and since we have hired another tecnam from caboolture to fly some 3 plane formation sortees.

 

It very challenging to get it right but the end result is pretty exciting and extremely rewarding.

 

So far we've got together and flew 3 plane formation circuits and landing at the Gatton flyin in may and the Caboolture open day in august this year. That really was a blast!

 

If you wanted to come over to Gatton (on the weekend when Oakey is not active) I'm sure that myself or one of other guys could arrange to fly with who. PM me if you want more info.

 

Cheers

 

Jim:thumb_up:

 

 

[Tomo]

Thanks a lot for that Jim,

 

I would love to do something like that most probably early next yr sometime. Not sure what for, but I'm sure the extra bit of experience will be good for me. Will have to start a saving fund for it though!

 

I certainly will love to come over to Gatton sometime also, looks like it'd have to be next yr now though too... What strip do you fly from over there? I've been to the AG College one, but never actually went to the others.

 

BTW Anyone keen on doing a FF endorsement sometime next yr? I'm not certain about it yet, but no harm in asking!

 

 

[BecM]

Sounds like heaps of fun... I think I'm a bit far away though...

 

That and I won't be back in the air until April at least..

 

Let me know if its as good as it sounds Tomo:big_grin:

 

Fly safe

 

Bec

 

 

[Tomo]

That and I won't be back in the air until April at least..

Whaa? that's bad!

 

 

[BecM]

Actually... very very good.

 

I am due to have our first bub in March :)

 

I think flying is already in her blood:big_grin:

 

She was with me for my exam etc

 

Its all good. But I'll be back up as soon as the Dr gives me the go ahead......

 

Fly Safe

 

Bec

 

 

[Tomo]

Ah yes thats terrific!

 

So she's a her hey?

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Actually... very very good.I am due to have our first bub in March :)

 

I think flying is already in her blood:big_grin:

 

She was with me for my exam etc

 

Its all good. But I'll be back up as soon as the Dr gives me the go ahead......

 

Fly Safe

 

Bec

Congratulations Bec. Very exciting.

 

Ross

 

 

[Relfy]

Great news Bec, congrats! The world needs more pilots!

 

I'm keen Tomo. Late Jan and all of Feb I'm on holidays and looking to do that endo. I'll bring my instructor over from Kingaroy and we can go wherever. Be good to catch up. I went with my instructor on a formation flying endo lesson at Bundy, where I got some good shots of his Renegade. It was great fun.

 

 

[Tomo]

Sounds likes a plan, will have to see If I'm around about then, I could be heading up to NE Arnhem Land sometime in Feb, but I'm not sure yet...

 

BTW Is there a J230 on line over there at Kingaroy? I wouldn't mind coming over and getting a type conversion on one. If so, would you mind sending me the flight school details?

 

 

[stanzahero]

So she's a her hey?

Yep.

Guess that means I'll need GA...

 

 

[Relfy]

They've got a 230 on line at Bundy and a 170 based at Kingaroy. The 230 gets back to Kingaroy a fair bit though because the owner lives there and likes to take it out every now and then. It's a nice ship as it was ga nvfr reg with full glass panel etc, but didn't get much use so they put it back to raa rego and it's now earning it's keep.

 

Shouldn't be too hard to organise something though.

 

 

[Tomo]

Guess that means I'll need GA...

Or just two aircraft and a formation endorsement for you both... :thumb_up:

 

 

[Al B]

Thanks a lot for that Jim, BTW Anyone keen on doing a FF endorsement sometime next yr? I'm not certain about it yet, but no harm in asking!

Hi Tomo,

 

I'd be interested. Please feel free to shoot me a PM closer to the date if you want and we could sort something out.

 

 

[Tomo]

Hi Tomo,I'd be interested. Please feel free to shoot me a PM closer to the date if you want and we could sort something out.

Cool, I wonder how many you can have in a group to start off with?

 

 

[BecM]

Or just two aircraft and a formation endorsement for you both... :thumb_up:

Sounds like a plan to me

 

Could be fun at Natfly.. the RAA formation flying squadron....

 

Bec

 

 

[Tomo]

.Keep me updated on how your FF endorsement is goin, see who gets there first, QLD or NSW. (Ill probably start in January..)

Will do Cameron, though I have know idea when I'll start yet, I'll worry about that in the new yr I think!

 

 

[poteroo]

Just a quick message to those of you planning to start formation training.

 

Some schools require you have a minimum hours-on-type before you start - I've seen everything from 25 to 100 hrs. Check this 1st. You'll be surprised how clumsy your flying is once you get up close.

 

Plan to learn in still air - go out early in the day. Otherwise, the turbulence will create huge difficulties for the formative first few hours of your training.

 

And, start with 2 aircraft only. Once you've mastered all the positional changes, breakaways and rejoins, arrivals and departures, and circuits....(probably 5-6 hrs)....then you can think about 3 and 4 ship practice. It takes a lot of organising, and somebody needs to 'brief' , and 'lead', each and every flight.

 

Staying current is important - 90 days is a minimum for formstion.

 

happy days,

 

 

[Tomo]

Thanks for that Poteroo, much appreciated....

 

 

[XP503]

G'day Tomo, not sure how far you are away from Boonah but the guys at Airsport Queensland will be able to help you, I think I heard that one guy was waiting for someone else to want their endorsement before he could start.

 

 

[Tomo]

Yeah right? Well I shouldn't have to much trouble finding anyone by the look of it... Will just have to work out when I'm might start now......

 

 

[poteroo]

Just a reminder for you WA pilots - the SAAA Fly-in weekend at Denmark, 27th Feb to 1st March), will feature formation flying as it's main activity. There will be briefings for endorsed and non-endorsed pilots as well as lots of FF. If you are a pilot - bring your ID, (better still....wear it), and sit in on these.

 

We expect over 50 aircraft, and there will be a couple '1st ever' display in Australia EXP aircraft.

 

happy days,

 

 

[Mazda]

Did people get around to doing this? It's one thing I've wanted to do for a while. I've made enquiries about doing it before and was told anywhere from 5 to 10 hours, with 7 hours being a figure quoted to me. This was in GA, for a two ship initial rating.

 

Poteroo is right that it does require professional pre-formation briefings and currency - i.e. it's not much good doing it if you don't have regular people to fly with!

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Did people get around to doing this? It's one thing I've wanted to do for a while. I've made enquiries about doing it before and was told anywhere from 5 to 10 hours, with 7 hours being a figure quoted to me. This was in GA, for a two ship initial rating.Poteroo is right that it does require professional pre-formation briefings and currency - i.e. it's not much good doing it if you don't have regular people to fly with!

Hi Mazda .. I did it some years ago ... and it is terrific to see a real live a/c off your wing tip looking just like you see the pictures in the magazines.:big_grin: Checking my log book, it didn't take me long at all to get endorsed .. but at the time I was doing a lot of glider towing which is really tied together formation flying isn't it!!

 

With regard to staying current, we often flew formation when enroute ..... to a fly in or airshow or something ...

 

And the preflight briefing is vital so that everyone knows what to expect, what the signals are, who is to be where and what forms are to be practiced. etc etc.

 

One thing I learnt ... its the ultimate in precision flying. There is no half measures ...either you are in position or you are not! Its made me really appreciate the RAAF aerobatic formation flying.

 

 

[shags_j]

I really want to do this.