Formation Flight Survival Rules

Unless youre trained for it, we dont think its a good idea. But if you must-a photo mission, for example-here are some safety tips.

D Higdon

Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Aerial photo formation flying is inherently dangerous, as evidenced by fatal accidents, and should only be attempted by highly experienced and formally qualified pilots and photographers.
Thorough pre-flight briefings are critical, covering flight plans, communication, coordinated airspeeds, maneuver signals, and especially a well-practiced "lost-contact" (break) procedure for immediate, safe separation.
Strict adherence to fundamental safety rules, such as never maneuvering directly over or under another aircraft and utilizing additional observer pilots, is paramount to mitigate the significant risks involved.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Many pilots lust after hanging one of those magazine-cover-quality air-to-air shots of their airplane on the wall. Speaking as a pilot lucky enough to spend part of my life working my cameras to create some of those photos, you should think long and hard before forming up on another airplane. What you dont know can easily kill you.

With some solid planning and execution, one of those great photos could soon be hanging on your wall. But, even armed with solid preparation, flying formation for photos presents some significant risks, even if you have some well-founded formation flying experience.