Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
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Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2004 12:53:28 -0400
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Subject: RE: The older I get the better I was
Thread-Topic: lml Digest #957
Thread-Index: AcSUwbbgUuhrYhaqSf2TxrCbqciUBwAM6KQQ
From: "Halle, John" <JJHALLE@stoel.com>

I learned formation flying as a "nasal radiator".  Like everything else =
in training, it was challenging and pretty scary at first.  After a =
while, it was just part of the drill (at least most of the time.)  The =
first time you ever drove a car on a crowded freeway, I bet you felt the =
same way and for most of the same reasons.  The human mind is amazingly =
adaptable.  Some take advantage of it and some never learn.  Try not to =
fly formation with the latter.  The conditions also matter.  Night =
formation in a combat zone gets the attention of even the most jaded =
ace.  Most of the time, flying formation is a lot more routine.  There's =
not much magic to it and, ex-miliatry pilots' egos notwithstanding, it =
can actually be learned and performed quite well by miserable civilians. =
 FWIW, as a student Navy pilot, I once almost ran my instructor into a =
midair.  He didn't like it much either and was unrestrained in saying =
so.  Even military pilots occasionally err.  If you wouldn't fly in the =
guy's cockpit, you definitely don't want to fly on his wing.  You also =
want to take it slow, work hard to learn and BRIEF EVERYTHING IN =
ADVANCE.  Unlike most military formation (and the T-34 training manual), =
Lancair formation involves quite restricted visual communication for =
anything other than left echalon.  You need to have a radio link at =
least for backup.  On second thought, forget hand signals.  They're fine =
in a combat zone but hopefully, SAMs will not be your problem.

I would love to be a part of any effort assuming I can get there from =
Oregon.  Anyone up for Redmond?