On 2004-08-23 19:16, Paul Tomblin wrote:
One of the guys who founded our flying club 40+ years ago is still a
member. He's got a lot of experience, but quite frankly some things I've
heard about him scare the hell out of me. But nothing quite as bad as
this: He's proposing that the club does a "Missing Man Formation" over
Bill Law's memorial service next weekend.

Let me get this straight, you're going to get four guys who've never flown
formation with each other before, put them in four dissimilar aircraft
(try and find a speed where both the Lance and the Warrior are happy), and
fly a maneuver in close formation with only a week to practice?

What a great way to remember Bill Law - by having a fatal 4 plane mid-air
collision over his memorial service! Oh well, at least the club would get
some new planes out of it. Too bad we'd never get insurance again, and the
club officers would be put in jail for not stopping this lunatic. Oh wait,
I'm a club officer!

I wonder if we've got time to pass a bylaw expelling anybody who tries
close formation work in club planes?


I'd say it's a bit too optimistic.

Of course, it's not impossible, but you need some training flying
formation in dissimilar planes, in order for the display to look good.

My club has an airshow team (Skybirds, all ladies) flying 4-6 PA-28:s
(the same ones used for normal schooling) in formation, but they have
been at it since -91, and they began with good help from an ex AF
instructor.

ESCN/Rolf