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.
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
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.
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 
Nice, I’m very glad to hear that the RV guys have something professional in place.
What about non RVs, is there something similar?
HBadger wrote:
All the experience formation guys i know are super strict on who they fly with. Some even only fly with other ex military guys.
They are smart – only do formation if you are trained, and the others are trained. Even then there is an elevated level of risk, but it can be managed. Without training, it’s ruzzian roulette.
How do you learn it?
We have a group regularly flying formation, reserved for RVs (but for -10 and -12s). People from Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland (a couple other countries I might have missed) regularly participate.
We sometimes have rendezvous over the Alps or southern Germany to practice some.
Spring and Fall time sees a few days of what’s called formation clinic, usually taking place in Trento LIDT. All the training is organized thru RV-Pilots.eu and follows the strict Formation Flying, Inc. FFI, syllabus. Qualified FFI instructors, some still active military pilots join in as instructors, and the whole is organized by my friend Tobias, himself FFI qualified flying his RV-7.
Flying the same airplanes helps tremendously by giving the same reference points, same speed range etc. We usually use 130 KIAS as this still permits the outer airplane to keep up during turns.
Formation flying is taken very seriously with briefing/flight/debriefing, is very demanding, and satisfying.
As for myself I basically stopped doing it for different reasons, but will occasionally indulge…
Wow, glad it worked out for the people involved. Yes can celebrate birthdays twice now.
It poses the question: how to do formation flying properly in Europe? How do you learn it?
In America, they have tons of ex military guys who are involved in teaching others. And they take it quite seriously.
Here in Europe, I don’t even know how I would get started.
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.
All the experience formation guys i know are super strict on who they fly with. Some even only fly with other ex military guys.
Dan wrote:
Knowing both pilots as friends with both aircraft based on my field has me and others around here more affected than others…
Yep, same here. I’ve known both for years. Was a heavy case of rubbing my eyes when I saw those pics.
Has to be said the aftermath of the collision was handled quite skillfully. The SC01 managed to land at Emmen AFB, the Arrow just outside it on a meadow. Neither suffered additional damage, but both are in for engine and prop work…
But thank heavens we are not grieving about people this time.
Looks like this was a case of „formation“ flying gone wrong. That would mean this is not a typical midair collision.
