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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.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Formation flying for aerial photography is inherently dangerous, evidenced by fatal accidents even among experienced crews who disregarded basic safety rules, such as avoiding maneuvering directly over or under another aircraft.
  • Safe execution demands rigorous preparation, comprehensive pre-flight briefings covering flight plans, coordinated airspeeds, communication, and maneuvers, and is best left to formally trained and qualified pilots.
  • A critical safety protocol is a clearly defined "lost-contact" or "break" procedure, where all aircraft immediately separate in predetermined directions (e.g., 90-degree turns away, high climbs/low descends) if visual contact is lost, prioritizing separation over getting the perfect shot.
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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.

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