Transcript Slide 1
T-6B FORMATION
F1101-1105
Updated 8 Jun 2012
PURPOSE
Provide instruction on the basics of formation flight to
include:
underlying formation principles
mission preparation
visual signals
in-flight planning and maneuver execution
radio procedures
formation in-flight emergency procedures
References
Formation FTI, Formation Comm Supplement, Squadron SOP, FWOP.
NOTE: CH 7 (Tactical Formation) of the Formation FTI does not apply to this
Formation Stage.
OVERVIEW
Formation Principles
Chairflying and Briefing the Sortie
Formation Admin
Formation Positions
Ground Operations
Sortie Profile
Contingencies / EP’s
Questions
JPPT SYLLABUS
This brief accomplishes
F1101-5
F1190 Formation Exam
F3101 Formation Sim
F4101-4103
Basic Maneuvering
Speed Brake Demo SSR on F4102
F4201-4202
Pattern Ops / ELP
Safe-for-solo
F1101-5
F1190
F3101
F4101-3
F4201-2
F4301
Form Solo
F4301
FORMATION PRINCIPLES
Why do we fly formation?
Mutual support / protection
Enhanced mission effectiveness
Build confidence during pilot training
FORMATION PRINCIPLES
Formation Lead Responsibilities
Stay clear of traffic, clouds/weather (unless under IFR handling)
Remain within the briefed operations area
Comply with local course rules and ATC instructions
Execute appropriate in-flight checklists
Utilize proper visual and radio communications
Always know where your wingman is
Be predictable (ie. adhere to your contract)
STAY AHEAD OF THE AIRCRAFT!
Plan maneuvers with consideration for weather and airspace.
FORMATION PRINCIPLES
Formation Wing Responsibilities
Always keep Lead in sight
Maintain proper position as directed by Lead (flight integrity)
Comply with all of Lead’s signals and give a timely response
Backup Lead (Navigation, Comms, etc.)
Be prepared to assume the lead at anytime
BE A “THINKING WINGMAN”
and adhere to your contract.
FORMATION PRINCIPLES
Relative Motion
Movement referenced between Lead and Wing in all three
axis
Correct for position by using the ABCs
Altitude
Bearing
Closure/Closeness
Notice LOS movement in the windscreen
3 Step Power Corrections
Coordinated inputs (Pitch / Power, etc)
FORMATION PRINCIPLES
Pursuit Curves
CHAIRFLYING
How to chairfly for success
Begins with a thorough knowledge of the governing documents (ie. FTI, FWOP, etc)
Focus on admin items and comms
Walk out the sortie as a formation pair, making all associated hand signals and head
movements
As Lead, think ahead of the aircraft to minimize “drone time”
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
BRIEFING
Lead is Lead for departure AND recovery (depending
on training requirements)
Lead should plan on briefing the sortie, but can
delegate tasks to his Wingman
Ensure proper preparation
Weather
NOTAMS / TFRs
BINGO/JOKER Fuels
Frequencies (primary and backup UHF and VHF tactical frequencies)
Print out gradesheets (and all other data) if computer not in briefing space
BRIEFING
Who is the designated Section Lead? Tactical Lead?
Section lead = IP responsible for flight
Tactical lead = Pilot in the lead position
Formation Callsign:
Use the tail number of the aircraft who will initially lead out on the sortie
ATC CS – Example: Red Knight 010 Flight
Tactical CS: - Example: Vegas
Note: ATC Callsign stays the same regardless of which aircraft is the tactical Lead at
the time.
BRIEFING
Focus on items that apply to formation
You can leave out many of the details of a Contact brief
Things to cover during the brief:
Joker/Bingo Fuels
VHF and UHF tactical freqs
On scene commander flight responsibilities
Initial reactions for both a/c during emergencies
If out-and-in, the plan for entering the civilian pattern
If info is covered by a governing document, avoid confusion by referencing it
in the brief. Ex: “Lost Sight procedures In Accordance With the FTI”
**An organized brief sets the tone for the flight by clearly briefing up the
sortie flow and any contingencies. Good briefings take practice!**
FORMATION ADMIN
RADIOS
Lead will be directive with the radios. Do not switch until Wing acknowledges with
“TWO”
Use “rolling” frequency changes (i.e. do not un-key the mic between ATC call and
directing flight to switch)
EXAMPLE
Check in
Lead: “Vegas” (or if on VHF, “Vegas Check Victor”)
Wing: “Two”
Frequency Change
Lead: “Vegas switch 5”
Wing: “Two”
Both aircraft switch to channel 5
Lead: “Vegas”
Wing: “Two”
Initial ATC Check in: “Red Knight 010 flight of two”.
Subsequent calls to the same controller: “Red Knight 010 flight”
FORMATION ADMIN
VISUAL SIGNALS
Clear, correct signals to avoid confusion
Initiated with hand nearest wing (with the exception of the lead change)
Give the signal high enough for wing to see it from the parade position
Head nod to acknowledge should be big enough to be seen, but not move the airplane
LEAD
1. “Wing in position”
2. “Crossunder signal”
3. Pass signal
4. Look
5. “Acknowledged”
WING
1. After seeing the signal “Crossunder signal”
2. Head nod to acknowledge
If Wing missed the signal, shake it off
FORMATION ADMIN
VISUAL SIGNALS
Crossunder
Cruise
Breakup and Rendezvous
Ops Check
Speedbrake
Gear Down
Gear Up
Climb/Descend
Field in sight
You Land
Frequency change
Lead Change
FORMATION POSITIONS
Parade
Fixed position approximately on the 45 deg bearing line
Exhaust stack below and tangent to the leading edge of the wing at the midpoint of
the wing
Lower UHF antenna over the inboard aileron cutout on the opposite wing
Pitot tube on the prop arc
PARADE
PARADE
INSUFFICIENT STEPDOWN
PARADE
ACUTE WITH POWER
ACUTE WITH AILERON
PARADE
SUCKED WITH POWER
SUCKED WITH AILERON
FORMATION POSITIONS
Cruise
Purpose is to allow for more maneuverability
for lead and better task management for wing
Either side of Lead, on the 60 deg bearing
line
Approx 20’ of stepdown
3 to 6 Plane widths between aircraft
Use turn radius instead of power to hold position
Visual References
Forward tip of Lead’s ventral fin over the Opposite
wing’s inboard aileron cutout
Exhaust stack tangent
Pitot tube on the Prop Arc
Note: At distances further than 3 plane widths, Lead’s
exhaust stack will be hidden by the wing
CRUISE
GROUND OPERATIONS
PREFLIGHT
Set VHF Tac Freq after turning on the battery
Wing may return TCAS to Stby after the TCAS check
COMPLETE Before Taxi checkist
CHECK IN
UHF 2, VHF Tac Freq
TAXI / RUN-UP (see next slide)
IAW FORM FTI
Stagger Taxi vs Taxi in Trail
APPROACHING THE RWY
At NSE, Auto Switch to Tower 200’ prior to the hold short
GROUND OPERATIONS
TRAIL TAXI POSITION
GROUND OPERATIONS
STAGGER TAXI POSITION
GROUND OPERATIONS
RUNUP POSITION
Remain predictable
Do not overlap wings
Watch out for taxi edge lights
Alternate Runup Technique: Leave one parking space between a/c
Primary Runup
Alternate Runup
RUNWAY POSITION
INTERVAL TAKEOFF
INTERVAL TAKEOFF
In position Lead will pass
runup signal
Both aircraft set 30%
Both aircraft will inspect each
other, Wing gives thumbs up
and Lead returns
Lead will pass kiss off signal
and advance power to max,
normal takeoff maintaining
their ½ of the rwy
Wing will time for 5 seconds
then perform normal takeoff
on their ½ of the rwy
SECTION TAKEOFF
SECTION TAKEOFF
In position Lead will pass runup signal
Both aircraft set 30%
Both aircraft will inspect each other, Wing gives thumbs up and Lead returns
Lead will raise his arm and slowly lower it to the canopy rail
Upon hitting the canopy rail both aircraft will release brakes
Lead will smoothly advance power to 90% within 3-5 seconds
Wing will maintain position with power
75-80 knots Lead will smoothly begin rotation
Wing will match rotation through lift off
Safely airborne, Lead will signal for gear and flap retraction
SECTION TAKEOFF
DEPARTURE
RUNNING RENDEZVOUS
LEAD
Easy to get task saturated here. Chairfly the departure
Hold your contract! 160KIAS and a stable platform
Monitor Wing’s closure.
WING
Maintain Proper Stepdown and Lateral Spacing from Lead
Crosscheck your Airspeed and LOS to Determine Closure
Departure
If Weather Allows, Send Wing to Cruise for Departure to the Working
Area
FENCE/OPS CHECK
FENCE CHECK
Accomplish prior to beginning the area profile
Wait until you have coordinated for a working block in the airspace
Acknowledge with “2” THEN perform checks and report numbers.
Flight will accomplish the pre-aerobatic checklist and Ops Check
OPS CHECK
“Angry Ops Check”
“2”
“Angry Two, 4.5, 870”
“Angry One, 4.3, 880”
Note: JPPT still requires individual Ops Checks every 20 minutes
AREA PROFILE
FENCE IN
4 PARADE TURNS
CROSSUNDER
4 PARADE TURNS
BREAKUP AND RENDEZVOUS
LEAD CHANGE
REPEAT
FENCE OUT
RECOVERY
AREA PROFILE
PARADE TURNS
TURNS INTO
Power reduction
Maintain parade references
Roll about Lead’s longitudinal axis
VMC TURNS AWAY
Power increase
Match Leads roll rate
Each aircraft rolls about their own axis
IMC TURNS AWAY
Power increase
Maintain parade references
Roll about Lead’s longitudinal axis
TURNS INTO
VMC TURNS AWAY
IMC TURNS AWAY
CROSSUNDER
CROSSUNDER
CROSSUNDER CONT’D
B&R
BREAKUP
LEAD
Signal-Acknowledge-Kiss Off
Max power, G to maintain 200 kts
Approx 180 deg of turn
200 kts (Approx 54%)
Wing calls, Wing flash
30 deg AOB until in position
WING
Acknowledge
3 seconds after Lead, Max power and
G to maintain 800-1000 ft
After rollout, expeditiously orient in
trail
B&R
B&R
RENDEZVOUS
Co Altitude, Co Airspeed
60 deg bearing line (tip of vert stab
midpoint on the wing)
1-2 ship widths away, begin Joinup
Phase
JOINUP
Establish step-down
Nose-to-tail separation
Stabilize directly behind Lead
VMC Turn away position
B&R
B&R
B&R
ACUTE
B&R
SUCKED
UNDERRUN (In a turn)
LOWER
LEVEL
IDLE (As Required)
SPEED BRAKE (As Required)
CALL
“Angry 2, underrun”
Rejoin to Parade
UNDERRUN (Straight & Level)
LOWER
IDLE (speed brake as req’d)
LATERAL
CALL
“Angry 2, underrun”
Rejoin to Parade
LEAD CHANGE
SIGNAL
If using visual signal, Wing must be on the right side
Lead will pass the signal, Wing will acknowledge
LEAD
Ensure lateral separation
Get stepdown (visual reference of AOA probe on Orange/White)
Slide back until the parade references align (approximately the 45 deg bearing line)
Move up into a parade position on the left side (then TCAS & SQ Stby)
WING (New Lead)
Eyes forward, maintain current Alt and Airspeed
Prioritize: Monitor the new Wing. Then, once Wing is in a safe position (good
technique is behind your wingline), start your admin responsibilities (TCAS, SQ,
ops check, etc)
RECOVERY
Send Wing to Cruise (if applicable)
FENCE OUT
Clear Wing off for ATIS
CR recovery (see formation communications supplement / FWOP)
When do you bring Wing back into parade?
Homefield Break (3 sec break is the standard break)
CONTINGENCY/EPs
KNOCK IT OFF
Safety of flight issues
Lead or Wing: “Angry Knock It Off”
Lead: “Angry One Knock It Off”
Wing: “Angry Two Knock It Off”
TERMINATE
Complete with maneuvering
Initiated by Lead:
Lead : “Angry Terminate, Angry One Terminate”
Wing: “Angry Two Terminate”
Initiated by Wing:
Wing: “Angry Two, Request Terminate”
Lead: “Angry Terminate, Angry One Terminate”
Wing: “Angry Two Terminate”
CONTINGENCY/EPs
NORDO
Get Leads attention
Hand signal
Pass the lead to the NORDO aircraft for troubleshooting
Inside VFR entry point?
HEFOE
Hydraulics
Electrical
Fuel
Oxygen
Engine
ASSUMES NORDO!
CHASE POSITION
30-60 DEG CONE
OUT TO 500’
CONTINGENCY/EPs
BLIND
Is this an IMC or VMC procedure?
Wing: “Angry Two, Blind (Altitude)”
Lead: “Angry One visual, at your left 10 o’clock, low”
Wing: “Angry Two visual”
Lead: “Angry Two cleared aboard”
Wing: “Two”
Rejoin IAW B&R procedures
If both A/C are blind, follow FTI procedures
Lead must remain predictable and be directive to ensure deconfliction!
CONTINGENCY/EPs
LOST SIGHT
Is this an IMC or VMC procedure?
Treat as a Critical Action Item
Straight & Level
-Wing turns away
- 30 degrees HDG
(min)
- 30 seconds
- Parallels Lead’s HDG
2
1
Turns
- Outside of turn
- rolls wings level
- 30 seconds
- resume turn to HDG
- Inside of turn
- maintain AOB
- turn to HDG
- no less than 30
degrees HDG change
SUMMARY
Formation Principles
Chairflying and Briefing the Sortie
Formation Admin
Formation Positions
Ground Operations
Formation Profile
Contingencies/EP’s
Questions
QUESTIONS?