There isn\'t much I can say that hasn\'t been said. But it\'s worth saying over and over again. Air to air is very dangerous. There are so many variables involved, that it\'s really an accident waiting to happen. That being said, there are ways to mitigate those risks. The main way is to have formation qualified pilots flying the aircraft. Not just some VFR guys who\'ve banged around the patch a few times and have beers together at the end of the day. But guys and gals who have done this more then a few times. Flying is dangerous enough, but when you\'re 20 feet from another aircraft, that takes a whole different level of skill. Then you add in the photographer, who will be calling a lot of the shots in the air. If he/she is not clear in their commands of what the aircraft need to do, then that\'s also asking for trouble. \"Umm...can you move closer?\" Who? Which aircraft? ... Who is in charge of communications? Weather? Terrain? Are you properly strapped in if you\'re flying with the door open? EAR/EYE PRO? FOD? Nothing like trying to change a lens, and having a lens cap fly out the window right towards another plane. Or even worse, the lens or body. Stick your hand out the window next time you\'re on the freeway. Now multiply that by 3 when you\'re in the air. The slipstream is amazingly powerful. Not to mention the physics of two large masses flying in formation. A sudden gust of wind, power/engine failure, etc There are a lot of things that can go wrong.
But when you have a group of pilots who are qualified, and things start clicking, it\'s pure poetry.
[CENTER][/CENTER]
Just cuz your car can go a 150mph, doesn\'t mean that you should drive that fast. Just cuz you can fly two planes closely together, doesn\'t mean that you should.
There isn\'t much I can say that hasn\'t been said. But it\'s worth saying over and over again. Air to air is very dangerous. There are so many variables involved, that it\'s really an accident waiting to happen. That being said, there are ways to mitigate those risks. The main way is to have formation qualified pilots flying the aircraft. Not just some VFR guys who\'ve banged around the patch a few times and have beers together at the end of the day. But guys and gals who have done this more then a few times. Flying is dangerous enough, but when you\'re 20 feet from another aircraft, that takes a whole different level of skill. Then you add in the photographer, who will be calling a lot of the shots in the air. If he/she is not clear in their commands of what the aircraft need to do, then that\'s also asking for trouble. \"Umm...can you move closer?\" Who? Which aircraft? ... Who is in charge of communications? Weather? Terrain? Are you properly strapped in if you\'re flying with the door open? EAR/EYE PRO? FOD? Nothing like trying to change a lens, and having a lens cap fly out the window right towards another plane. Or even worse, the lens or body. Stick your hand out the window next time you\'re on the freeway. Now multiply that by 3 when you\'re in the air. The slipstream is amazingly powerful. Not to mention the physics of two large masses flying in formation. A sudden gust of wind, power/engine failure, etc There are a lot of things that can go wrong.
But when you have a group of pilots who are qualified, and things start clicking, it\'s pure poetry.
[center][/center]
Just cuz your car can go a 150mph, doesn\'t mean that you should drive that fast. Just cuz you can fly two planes closely together, doesn\'t mean that you should.
There isn\'t much I can say that hasn\'t been said. But it\'s worth saying over and over again. Air to air is very dangerous. There are so many variables involved, that it\'s really an accident waiting to happen. That being said, there are ways to mitigate those risks. The main way is to have formation qualified pilots flying the aircraft. Not just some VFR guys who\'ve banged around the patch a few times and have beers together at the end of the day. But guys and gals who have done this more then a few times. Flying is dangerous enough, but when you\'re 20 feet from another aircraft, that takes a whole different level of skill. Then you add in the photographer, who will be calling a lot of the shots in the air. If he/she is not clear in their commands of what the aircraft need to do, then that\'s also asking for trouble. \"Umm...can you move closer?\" Who? Which aircraft? ... Who is in charge of communications? Weather? Terrain? Are you properly strapped in if you\'re flying with the door open? EAR/EYE PRO? FOD? Nothing like trying to change a lens, and having a lens cap fly out the window right towards another plane. Or even worse, the lens or body. Stick your hand out the window next time you\'re on the freeway. Now multiply that by 3 when you\'re in the air. The slipstream is amazingly powerful. Not to mention the physics of two large masses flying in formation. A sudden gust of wind, power/engine failure, etc There are a lot of things that can go wrong.
But when you have a group of pilots who are qualified, and things start clicking, it\'s pure poetry.
Just cuz your car can go a 150mph, doesn\'t mean that you should drive that fast. Just cuz you can fly two planes closely together, doesn\'t mean that you should.
Sagar
Dec 01, 2008 at 01:39 AM
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