GA Formation Fly Over US Cities.

anumerick

anumerick

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Allen
Blue Angels, Thunder Birds, ANG have performed fly overs throughout various cities.

This got me thinking. Since there are only a few places to fly to, and a lack of fly-in breakfasts, diner's, etc. Let's organize a GA fly over US cities - this is a great way to show our support for the first responders, medical workers, postal workers, etc... and to keep us from going insane. :)

That said, I'm not thinking of a small formation flight of 6 or 8 aircraft, rather 30+ GA aircraft in formation. I've spoken to several ATC controllers and they said due to the low number of flights, this would be ideal time to organize something like this. (Details of the formation and flight to still be worked out based on the number of aircraft involved.)

Best of all, we would be doing something together and still practicing social distancing. :D


****Post if your interested and include your type of aircraft and city. And from there we can organize a bit more. Memorial Day would be a ideal time to make this happen.

(Aircraft & City)
Grumman AA5A - Detroit.
 
No thanks, I'm a little concerned with mostly what I would consider amateurs flying in formation over populated areas. I'm voting bad idea too.
 
Unless you’re flying an RV, you got no business doing flyovers...or overheads.


 
PaulS said:
No thanks, I'm a little concerned with mostly what I would consider amateurs flying in formation over populated areas. I'm voting bad idea too.
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its only a bad idea if its done by people with little to no formal training. formation flying is not difficult, it is just demanding and requires training, proper briefing and execution. there are plenty of groups that have the proper training and procedures to do it safely.
 
I totally understand how doing something like this can make you feel better. I struggle to understand how it does anything to make the medical professionals feel better. They're not participating. They're working so they likely won't even see it. I know I'm probably just being short sighted or something but I don't understand how a flyby that someone doesn't see is supposed to make them feel supported.
 
There's a group in KC called the Beechnutz. They do a lot of formation flying, including over the city a few weeks ago.

But these guys practice this all the time.
 
Matthew said:
There's a group in KC called the Beechnutz. They do a lot of formation flying, including over the city a few weeks ago.

But these guys practice this all the time.
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Yep, Beechnutz and KC Flight did a joint flyover when one of our fellow KC aviators became seriously ill (he's on the mend) from COVID19. This was before the Blue Angels and T-birds. It was a pretty cool sight, must have been 30 aircraft in formation. They've done a few since. But like Matthew said, both groups are always practicing formation flying. It's not something that I would want to do, on a whim.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
I totally understand how doing something like this can make you feel better. I struggle to understand how it does anything to make the medical professionals feel better. They're not participating. They're working so they likely won't even see it. I know I'm probably just being short sighted or something but I don't understand how a flyby that someone doesn't see is supposed to make them feel supported.
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Well, the TBirds, the BA, the ANG, etc all need flight time. May as well do something that the local media will use as a "warm fuzzy" segment. It's one reason the B-2 stealth based at Whiteman usually do a flyover during Airventure. It's a "local" flight (meaning not overseas and not over Nevada) that's useful for training. And PR.
 
The great unwashed see the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds as what they are....part of the military...and the general public has a positive attitude toward the military. Those same folks think that "little airplanes" are a hazard, apt to fall out of the sky at any time and kill a schoolyard full of kids. Plus they are noisy (jet noise is acceptable, somehow, while piston/prop noise is not). Bad idea.
 
There were 5 Cubs in formation down the Hudson River Exclusion last year. No horrific deaths were reported.
There were vastly larger formations of GA aircraft to Oshkosh last year (and many years prior). No horrific deaths were reported.
I fly the Cub in formation for one of the Rhinebeck shows. None of us have died.
If you are going to do anything in the Hudson Valley, sign me up.
 
Uh, nah, don't do it. Well, maybe if you can chain the wing tips together or something. Other than that, too puny of a show. Would be like a swarm of bothersome gnats. Not enough noise. Maybe if you took off all the mufflers... nah, don't do it.
 
All the flyovers I’ve seen on TV, looks like half the hospital took a break and went outside to see it. Also, these flyovers are a great PR tool for recruitment; their primary mission for the demo teams anyway. Plus, gotta stay proficient some how.
 
unsafervguy said:
its only a bad idea if its done by people with little to no formal training. formation flying is not difficult, it is just demanding and requires training, proper briefing and execution. there are plenty of groups that have the proper training and procedures to do it safely.
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Yes, I know there are groups that do this safely, but the op didn't ask if one of those groups should do it. I still don't think it's a good idea and I think the potential net positives for GA are minimal. But it's still a free country, have at it. I hope if someone decides to do it, they know what they are doing and don't F it up for the rest of us.
 
Velocity173 said:
All the flyovers I’ve seen on TV, looks like half the hospital took a break and went outside to see it.
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Ok. So? Still not seeing how it 'shows support' for anyone. I mean yeah, we all enjoy seeing formation fly overs. But we're pilots so we like that sort of thing. For most who aren't pilots its mostly going to be a 'shrug oh look at that, yep, ok back to work'.

Truck drivers are also putting themselves at risk keeping the shelves stocked. But I guarantee you if I told my drivers that a bunch of old ladies who were into knitting were getting together as a group and knitting a blanket that said 'thank you truckers' on it and they were going to take that blanket and hang it on the wall of their knitting club, the response would be [blank stare for 10 seconds] followed by 'so does that mean you're paying me a bonus????'

If it doesn't do anything for them, they do not care. With rare exception I don't think truckers are terribly unique in this respect.
 
With the right media coverage it could be good. But way too many weekend warriors that don’t leave the pattern or only fly to one other airport would wanna jump on for the cool factor. That will end up a problem.
 
There is a guy that likes to film formation flying over on fb east coast private pilots group. The stuff looks pretty tight at times but I could never even imagine trying that. It is not for me.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
Ok. So? Still not seeing how it 'shows support' for anyone. I mean yeah, we all enjoy seeing formation fly overs. But we're pilots so we like that sort of thing. For most who aren't pilots its mostly going to be a 'shrug oh look at that, yep, ok back to work'.

Truck drivers are also putting themselves at risk keeping the shelves stocked. But I guarantee you if I told my drivers that a bunch of old ladies who were into knitting were getting together as a group and knitting a blanket that said 'thank you truckers' on it and they were going to take that blanket and hang it on the wall of their knitting club, the response would be [blank stare for 10 seconds] followed by 'so does that mean you're paying me a bonus????'

If it doesn't do anything for them, they do not care. With rare exception I don't think truckers are terribly unique in this respect.
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It’s a symbolic show of support and it’s the best way that military aviation can show it. Your reaction is completely the opposite from what I’ve seen in the news. The biggest story in the Atlanta news last night showed people all over Atlanta coming out to see 2 C-130s doing hospital flyovers. In every interview, healthcare professionals expressed deep gratitude for the military’s show of support. Makes them “feel appreciated” for all their hard work.
 
We had the Thunderbirds flyover today here in Los Angeles. I watched it and typically enjoy these kinds of things, but honestly it was pretty underwhelming. It just seemed like a waste of resources.
 
Think 5 bo s did it over Hudson not too long ago. Cool and all if done by proper pilots who knows what they are doing. Opening this to any joe blow is a recipe for disaster for rest of us.
 
Fly overs were a regular thing from the end of WWII to the early '60s.
Every wing in the country would periodically put everything they owned into the air to "show the colors".
We had a lot of military bases in the NY, NJ, CT and Ma area, so we saw a lot of large wings in formation, especially during the summer.
 
Velocity173 said:
It’s a symbolic show of support and it’s the best way that military aviation can show it.
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Ok but I assume you realize this thread is proposing an event that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the military. If symbolism alone is all there is to support a military flyover it certainly begs the question of why a civilian flyover has any merit at all don't ya think?

Your reaction is completely the opposite from what I’ve seen in the news.
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And knowing the the news in this country is a for profit enterprise and also knowing that its incredibly easy to only show video which supports a particular agenda or goal, I have to wonder why exactly you think this alone is sufficient evidence of point you're attempting to make.
 
Our local aviation association planning on doing one next Saturday. I think it’s a great idea...

Now if we form up like blue angel wanna bed- yea that cud be bad... but we have done it for neighboring towns parades and such before... we fly about 1/2 mile apart in a line...

We are thinking about hitting several area towns... our thinking wasn’t as much a show for hospital workers... which is awesome. But our intention is more for bored ppl and kiddos.

We wonder why GA is fading but think it’s a bad idea to show off GA to bored kids? There would be a lot of kids looking skyward... I never didn’t look when I was a kiddo (still do)... I’m not saying a fly over will save GA pilot decline but shrinking back cuz grumpy old lady might complain... nope not me... they aren’t going to close our airports cuz one Saturday people heard planes for 15 mins...

We are in Greenville MI. 6d6
 
Velocity173 said:
It’s a symbolic show of support and it’s the best way that military aviation can show it. Your reaction is completely the opposite from what I’ve seen in the news. The biggest story in the Atlanta news last night showed people all over Atlanta coming out to see 2 C-130s doing hospital flyovers. In every interview, healthcare professionals expressed deep gratitude for the military’s show of support. Makes them “feel appreciated” for all their hard work.
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Instead of symbolic and also very meaningless stunts like that they would better start opening the economy because soon there won’t by any healthcare professionals left ...
https://ktla.com/news/california/th...s-laid-off-or-furloughed-as-covid-19-spreads/

https://www.pennlive.com/coronaviru...its-quite-surreal-for-all-of-us-one-says.html
 
Warmi said:
Instead of symbolic and also very meaningless stunts like that they would better start opening the economy because soon there won’t by any healthcare professionals left ...
https://ktla.com/news/california/th...s-laid-off-or-furloughed-as-covid-19-spreads/

https://www.pennlive.com/coronaviru...its-quite-surreal-for-all-of-us-one-says.html
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Apples and potatoes

Two different discussions which have no direct connection... dining or not doing a flyover doesn’t open or keep closed the economy...
 
Huckster79 said:
Apples and potatoes

Two different discussions which have no direct connection... dining or not doing a flyover doesn’t open or keep closed the economy...
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My reply was not to you but someone who attempted to justify a flyover in order to celebrate newly unemployed ( and probably quite desperate ) healthcare “heroes” , which is basically an exercise in stroking your own ego. I am not against flyovers but they can be perfectly executed and be just as enjoyable without any underlying “cause”...
 
Some of my first posts here were describing the gang of "adventurous" young men who flew formations of Cessna 150s all over the South Bay Area back in the late '70s.

12-13 ship formations with overhead breaks and formation landings on a closed runway were routine...

Those were amazing days...
 
I think you could get the same effect with a somewhat smaller formation. 30 airplanes is a really large amount of metal to herd around, even if they are all small planes. I'm sure the plan would be something on the order of everyone flying straight and level for some fixed route, but the act of getting everyone to and from those positions is very fraught with error if not briefed in excruciating detail to folks who are experienced with that sort of thing. I've been flying formation for a long time now, every single work day, and a 30 plane formation would have the hair on the back of my neck standing to be quite honest. Your basic 2-4 ship formations are easy to manage, and easy to rejoin/breakup, but when you are talking about that sort of a mass of metal, it becomes much more complicated. I've been part of 8-10 jet formations doing somewhat dynamic maneuvering, and it was never the busy part of the routine that was scary.......it was the administrative task of getting together or getting away from one another that was. Just some unsolicited food for thought.
 
The Bandits team in Raleigh just did flyovers on Thursday over the local hospitals. I was picking up dinner and saw them in formation for a few seconds before they turned on the air show smoke and went behind the trees.
 
Not sure the general public, would see a formation of rich airplane owners doing a flyover as a good thing ,as they practice stay at home policy.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
I totally understand how doing something like this can make you feel better. I struggle to understand how it does anything to make the medical professionals feel better. They're not participating. They're working so they likely won't even see it. I know I'm probably just being short sighted or something but I don't understand how a flyby that someone doesn't see is supposed to make them feel supported.
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it's not about them.
That said, it's just a diversion....entertainment

frfly172 said:
Not sure the general public, would see a formation of rich airplane owners doing a flyover as a good thing ,as they practice stay at home policy.
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yep. As far as a lot of folks know, anyone that owns an airpane must be a gazillionaire. And to your last point, "as they practice stay at home policy" add to that those that can't stay at home but feel that they must expose themselves because their jobs don't allow stay at home...and those fighting to keep their businesses open...and those fighting to get their unemployment checks....
 
Juliet Hotel said:
Ok but I assume you realize this thread is proposing an event that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the military. If symbolism alone is all there is to support a military flyover it certainly begs the question of why a civilian flyover has any merit at all don't ya think?

And knowing the the news in this country is a for profit enterprise and also knowing that its incredibly easy to only show video which supports a particular agenda or goal, I have to wonder why exactly you think this alone is sufficient evidence of point you're attempting to make.
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Ok, well my comment and others above were pertaining to the military in particular. I take it you knew that’s who I was referring to.

If we’re talking civilian flyover only, I don’t think it’ll garner as much attention but I’m sure the healthcare community will still appreciate the gesture. I’d say most people like to be recognized in either a private or public way for doing a difficult job. That’s all this is.
 
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Warmi said:
Instead of symbolic and also very meaningless stunts like that they would better start opening the economy because soon there won’t by any healthcare professionals left ...
https://ktla.com/news/california/th...s-laid-off-or-furloughed-as-covid-19-spreads/

https://www.pennlive.com/coronaviru...its-quite-surreal-for-all-of-us-one-says.html
Click to expand...

Yes apples to potatoes. Whether we’re talking military or civilian, they have nothing to do with layoffs. They’re not celebrating someone getting laid off, they’re showing respect for all those still in the fight.

As far as needing to open the country, well that’s the subject for an entirely different thread.
 
bobmrg said:
The great unwashed see the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds as what they are....part of the military...and the general public has a positive attitude toward the military. Those same folks think that "little airplanes" are a hazard, apt to fall out of the sky at any time and kill a schoolyard full of kids. Plus they are noisy (jet noise is acceptable, somehow, while piston/prop noise is not). Bad idea.
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An RV formation team (one that trains frequently and operates very professionally) did a flyover last week where we used to live in CA. It was very well received, overwhelming positive response from the public.
 
For you grumpy guys complaining that the flyovers are a waste of resources or that pilots shouldn’t be flying, their budget for the flight time was set some time ago. They’re going to fly one place or another regardless. I expect the planes and type of flying they do takes just a bit more frequency to stay outstanding than what most of us fly.
 
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