Bonanzas to Oshkosh Formation Training
Formation Training REQUIRED
Pilots flying in the Bonanzas to Oshkosh flight from to Oshkosh must attend one of our regional clinics. Bonanzas to Oshkosh veterans who are formation proficient & current: Please sign up for a clinic and help out as a safety pilot. Thank you!
You should not contemplate this formation flight without the requisite skills and currency. It is inappropriate to subject yourself, your passengers, the safety of other planes/passengers and the future of Bonanzas to Oshkosh to inadequate preparation.
With adequate formation practice the formation flight into Oshkosh is exhilarating and an experience to remember forever.
Regional Clinics
There are multiple Training Clinic options for obtaining the necessary experience and practice: Please review the available Training Clinics below.
All Bonanzas to Oshkosh participants are required to attend one of the regional clinics.
Training Documents
Bonanzas to Oshkosh formation procedures and protocols are based on FFI guidance. Formation Flying, Incorporated is a private organization authorized to issue FAA-approved Airshow Formation Waiver cards. Bonanzas to Oshkosh is NOT an airshow-precision formation flight; we are an en-route formation designed to get us to Oshkosh together safely. FFI has a program for pilots to earn cards and fly in airshows. Bonanzas to Oshkosh formation guidance is based on the RV Formation Guide and its Bonanza Supplement. Each can be found in the documents section at
www.ffi.aero
For those interested, FAST expanded and updated the T-34 Manual. It's called the It's called the Formation Pilot's Knowledge Guide, and is available at flyfast.org/sites/all/docs/FAST_FKG_2.0.pdf. It's an excellent reference, but note that where it differs from FFI guidance, FFI rules.
The excellent
Darton Video will remain highly recommended.
The
Darton International video "Formation Flying - The Art". This may be ordered from the T-34 Association. It is an outstanding ground school, approximately 6 hours long, and includes extensive video airborne footage demonstrating all the techniques and maneuvers. There is enough here to improve even the experienced formation pilot's skills and is very highly recommended. The Darton video set can purchased here:
www.actechbooks.com/products/act235