Formation Flying Article

"How To" by our Pilot Staff
Post Reply
Rotorblade
Posts: 192
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2005 3:57 pm

Formation Flying Article

Post by Rotorblade » Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:29 pm

Seahawk
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:59 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by Seahawk » Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:59 pm

Pretty impressive thanks
Image
User avatar
Redeye
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 852
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 1:48 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC

Post by Redeye » Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:20 pm

scooter
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:32 am
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Contact:

Post by scooter » Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:10 pm

Ahh...they used a T-38 from Vance...they should've used one from Laughlin or Willie :)
User avatar
Lawndart
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 9290
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:36 am
Location: Mooresville, NC

Post by Lawndart » Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:23 am

In the second article (posted by Redeye), the difference in turns talked about made me think of how the Thunderbirds likely setup for the "Trail-Banana" (Echelon Pass only flown during a "Low Show"). Inbound from the left in a flat (not turning yet) echelon, they basically maintain their normal "wing sight picture" with the tip of the sidewinder rail on the back edge of the canopy. Then when lead initiates the roll for the pass they simply roll and automatically change to their echelon stack instead of flying up to maintain the wing sight picture, essentially with each pilot rolling about his own axis, thereby keeping the spacing but altering the formation so it looks as if they are in trail from the ground with each pilot hidden beneath the previous one. Makes for a nice accordion effect as they pass show center too! In reality though, they are flying a true echelon turn and the optical illusion from the ground making it seem as if they are tucked underneath one another...

The transition from a "heavy" left fingertip formation to a left echelon sounds fun to try and probably one of the easiest transitions you can do, since it only involves movement along one axis during the turn when each pilot rolls individually instead of "flying the wing".

Just some food for thought... :wink:
LD
Post Reply