non RVs, is there something similar?
Not sure where you based, nor what your interests are, but there are groups out there doing some “formation flying”, mostly flying oldtimers. For instance there’s a group on my field flying oldies, called the Veterano, and I think they do fly some formation during air shows, mostly on the Swiss scene.
Another example would be the Classic Formation, displaying their DC-3, 3ea Beechcraft 18, etc. fleet. Met them recently, and the outfit, based in LSZG, is professionally organized, also in regards to formation flying. Joining and learning might be more difficult since one would need experience and/or personal connections, as pretty often around here 
HBadger wrote:
For example in LSZH Zürich, people can do “VFR formation starts” in order to get >1 plane out in the same slot. But i always shied away from that because usually I don’t know the other pilot.
I’ve done that a few times and it’s basically “only” a question of the actual take off. In all cases, we kept in visual distance along the outbound route but with maybe 1 minute between each other, so not in really close formation. We always put the faster plane in front (if the 2nd plane was the faster indeed, which it was in my cases), would only set full power once he was rolling and then simply kept a good distance behind him of course with good visual contact. The idea there is to “share a slot” which is pretty much relevant for runway occupancy. After that, as your “leader” only reports the positions, you should stay reasonably close until you’re out of the CTR and then go where you need to go. With the faster plane in front, usually on the last leg to the last waypoint he had pulled ahead quite a bit and once he left the outbound waypoint accelerated away in no time. With the faster plane in front, you also diminish the risk of “running into” the leader, as the No2 is not really capable to do so as long as both keep power up.
I would not compare this to formation flying or even “flying together”, which is what I think those two did, which implies a much wider distance between them. In any case, for ZRH it’s a thing of the past now, as those few who go there still have ample slots.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
I would not compare this to formation flying
Good points @Mooney_Driver, no comparison.
Flying formation we sometime takeoff as a tight single group… several aircraft staggered on the same runway, taking off as a single unit. As I mentioned, many procedures to be learned and then applied… even the simple act of engine start is done in formation, the leader giving the signal for all to start their engine together. Most of the orders given by the leader are visual, even once airborne, until engine shutdown. Requires precision and a lot of discipline.
4 ship formation in April 2019, or the beginning of the RV-Pilots.eu
A few vids on the net, here’s a short one taken by my friend Luca during the Formation Flying days 2021
Cool videos and pics Dan.
Apart, we should not forget that collisions in formation happen to the very best too…. our airforce display team managed two in recent years… thankfully also without fatalties.
I really think the most remarkable thing in this case is that we will be able to sit together with our friends again after the accident and have a good one to their health rather than another graveyard visit… I’ve had too many of those, the last one of which was also due to a mid air.
