Simple Guide To Formation Flying

CONTENTS
1. Contents
2. responsibilities and Time Sharing
3. Two ship: Line Abreast (SPREAD)
4. Two ship: Wedge
5. Two ship: Fighting Wing
6. Two ship: Fingertips / Trail
7. Four Ship: Box / Fluid Four
8. Four Ship: Viper4 / Spread 4 / Echelon
9. Three Ship: Viper 3 / Vic
10. Tactical Turns
11. Hook turns / Cross turns
12. Delayed 90 turns / Delayed 45 turns
13. Blank, use for notes
Note :
6000 feet = 1 Nautical Mile
Use Air to AIR Tacan to gauge visual separation in the sim.
F4 Formations
1/13
RESPONSABILITIES & TIME SHARING

Within a formation, tasks
as radar search, nav and
visual lookout are shared.
The image on the left
illustrates the low level
visual lookout the wingman
maintains. The scan is
always made between
near rocks (area that will
affect the flight path in the
next 10-15 seconds) far
rocks (area that will affect
future manoeuvring) leads
position & check leads six.
If time remains, sector 2
and 3 can be checked
Responsibilities 2 ship:
Lead: Navigate Radar Check 6 and Visual lookout
Wingman: Check six & Visual lookout Backup Nav Backup Radar
Responsibilities 4 ship:
Lead: Navigate Radar Check 6 and Visual lookout
Wingman : Backup Nav Check 6 and Visual lookout Backup Radar
Element Lead: Backup Radar Check 6 & Visual lookout Backup Nav
Wing #4: Check Six & Visual Lookout
F4 Formations
2/13
TWO-SHIP FORMATION: LINE ABREAST (SPREAD)
Line abreast formation is a position 0 to 20 aft: 4000 to 12000 feet spacing.

Wingman can be 2000ft higher or lower than lead on the max spacing.
Ideally, wingman will aim for the 0 line and 6000 to 9000 ft spacing for
optimum visual mutual support. At low level the wingman can not fly below
lead.
This formation is commonly referenced as SPREAD with a spacing of 6000 to
9000 feet (1 to 1.5 Nm)
Pros: Very good mutual support, mostly used in Air to Air mission. Each flight
member can easily check the deep sic of his mate.
Cons: hard to maintain formation and route for #2
F4 Formations
3/13
TWO-SHIP FORMATION: WEDGE
In Wedge, #2 has to stay within 30 to 60 of line abreast and between 3000

and 6000 feet spacing. And level with his flight lead. The wingman may
switch side as required during turns or to avoid terrain, obstacles and
weather but must return to original side unless cleared by lead.
Pros: Lead is well protected in the 6 oclock area and is free to manoeuvre
aggressively
Cons: No 6 oclock protection for the wingman. Lead changes are also hard
to make.
F4 Formations
4/13
TWO-SHIP FORMATION: FIGHTING WING
TWO-SHIP FORMATION: WEDGE
Fighting Wing gives the wingman a

manoeuvring cone from 30 to 60 aft
of line abreast and lateral spacing
between 500 to 3000 feet.
#2 is free to move anywhere within
that cone: (any side, above or below
lead) as long as he can maintain his
responsibilities.
Pros: Very easy to fly for #2. Allow
cockpit heads down while
maintaining formation, allows flight
integrity under marginal weather
conditions or in rough terrain.
Cons: No mutual 6 oclock coverage.
Easy detection of formation by single
threat.
F4 Formations
5/13
TWO-SHIP FORMATION: FINGERTIPS

Fingertip is a very close formation where
the wingman aligns the head of his lead
with his wingtip missile rail and the horizon.
And aligns the trailing edge of the nozzle of
his lead
Flying so, the wingman constantly needs to
keep fixated on his lead and doing anything
else might be too demanding.
Pros: Allow to keep the lead visual in
dense weather and the formation flown
when doing overhead recoveries
Cons: Very demanding on wingman and
lead is restricted to smooth manoeuvring
only.
TWO-SHIP FORMATION: TRAIL

Trail formation is quite self explanatory with the wingman going behind
the leader.
Close trail is defined as one to two ship lengths behind the leads aircraft
and below his jet wash.
Trail formation is flown in a cone aft of lead at a prebriefed distance.
Avoid flying too high in leads 6 oclock to avoid loosing sight. Air to Air
tacan can be used to maintain briefed spacing.
F4 Formations
6/13
FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: BOX
In Box, the 2 elements fly line abreast. The trailing element maintains a
spacing of 1.5 to 3 Nm. A slight offset might be used because the F-16 is hard
to see from behind. Use of Air to Air tacan and radar is advised
Pros: Box provides excellent mutual support and lookout. It is difficult to spot
the whole formation visually. Cons: Hard to fly in hi terrain or in poor weather.
FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: FLUID FOUR
Element leads fly line abreast with their wingman in wedge or in fighting wing
as briefed on the outside as the formation.
Pros: Good manoeuvrability, wingmen are kept close, concentration of force.
Cons: Easy to acquire the whole formation visually. Defensive action might
be a problem because of the proximity of aircraft.
F4 Formations
7/13
FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: VIPER FOUR
Element leads fly line abreast. Wingmen position themselves 0 to 30 back

from their element leads and 4000 to 6000 ft spread.
Pros: Very good firepower for BVR, hard for an adversary to spot the whole
formation. Cons: Manoeuvring is difficult in the line abreast, and hard to fly at
low altitude.
FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: SPREAD FOUR

Spread four is the same as Viper four but the wingman are spread a bit
further. Instead of 4000 to 6000 feet spacing on their leader, they maintain a
spread of 6000 to 9000 feet. It makes it even harder for adversaries to spot
the full flight.
FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: ECHELON

Echelon is fingertip for a
multiple ship formation (usually
four) a very close formation
flown where the wingmen
aligns the head of his lead with
his wingtip missile rail and the
horizon. And aligns the trailing
edge of the nozzle of his lead
Pros: Allow to keep the lead
visual in dense weather and
the formation flown when doing
overhead recoveries
Cons: Very demanding on
wingmen and lead is restricted
to smooth manoeuvring only.
F4 Formations
8/13
THREE-SHIP FORMATION: VIPER THREE
As with most of three ship formation, they are actually four ship with one
aircraft missing. In the case of Viper three, one wingman is amiss and #3
maintains Line abreast on #1 without a wingman.
It will be the same for Spread three, Fluid three,
THREE-SHIP FORMATION: VIC

Lead flies 1.5 to 2
NM in front of the
trailing element. The
lead aircraft
manoeuvres as
desired. The trailing
element uses line
abreast
manoeuvring to
follow.
Pros: Medium to
good coverage for
Lead.
Cons: Not easy to
maintain for
wingmen.
F4 Formations
9/13
TACTICAL TURNS
When flying spread formation (line abreast) manoeuvring needs to be
standardized and prebriefed. Flight members need to know the type of turn,
the parameters at which the turns will be made and the method these turns
are initiated. As such we have tactical turns contracts as part of SOP:
In case of no contract briefing by lead, use SOP contracts:
Under 10.000ft: all turns level made at BUSTER power 400kts.
Above FL100: all turns level at BUSTER power to maintain 0.8 Mach
In both cases, you pull G to maintain the contract speed
Turns are initiated on radio by lead, and must be acknowledged by wingman.
Radio silent manoeuvring must be prebriefed especially the cue for the turn
to start.
Tactical turns types are:
- HOOK turns / CROSS turns
- Delayed 90 Left or Right
- Delayed 45 Left or Right
ALL TACTICAL TURNS ON CONTRACT SPEED !
Note :
It is extremely important that wingmen maintain good initial SPREAD
formation on leads. Any formation error before the turn will result in a
biggest error after the turn most of the time. An inexperienced
wingman SPREAD aft of leads before a cross turn into a CAP will end
up in SPREAD forward after the turn!!!
Wingmen should strive to get back to a perfect SPREAD formation
outside of the turns. DO NOT OVERCORRECT during the turns by
varying your speed. STAY on contract and alter formation in time
(when turn is initiated) or on straight legs
(v)Pilots should be aware of their final heading before initiating the
turn.
F4 Formations
10/13
TACTICAL TURNS: HOOK

HOOK turns are 180 synchronized level turns on contract speed.
Depending on initial formation, the turn may be done away of into the
wingman. In any way, wingman stays responsible for deconfliction and
visual lookout unless he calls blind. After the turn the SPREAD is inversed
in side
TACTICAL TURNS: CROSS TURN

CROSS turns are 180 level turns on contract speed one into the other.
Wingmen remain responsible for deconfliction and visual lookout
throughout the turn. Cross may be close! Ideal to check each aircraft 6
oclock
F4 Formations
11/13
TACTICAL TURNS: DELAYED 90

DELAYED 90 can
be made into or
away from the
wingman, who is
responsible for
deconfliction.
Into the wingman,
leads initiate the
turn, but away
from the wingman,
must be initiated
by the wingman by
turning into his
lead. Turns are
90 level on
contract speed.
After the turn, the
wingman is on the
opposite side of
the SPREAD
formation.
TACTICAL TURNS: DELAYED 45

DELAYED 45 can be made into or
away from the wingman, who is always
responsible for deconfliction.
As for 90 delayed, the initial turn
depends on the direction of the turn.
(into or away from the wingman.)
Turns can be delayed until the other
aircraft crosses the trajectory or can be
made with a 30 cross turn followed by
a S turn to get back in formation. The S
turn can be vertical of powered. The
cross turn is illustrated here.
The SPREAD is inversed after the turn.
F4 Formations
12/13
PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

USE FOR NOTES
F4 Formations
13/13

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CONTENTS

RESPONSABILITIES & TIME SHARING

TWO-SHIP FORMATION: LINE ABREAST (SPREAD)

Line abreast formation is a position 0 to 20 aft: 4000 to 12000 feet spacing.

TWO-SHIP FORMATION: WEDGE

In Wedge, #2 has to stay within 30 to 60 of line abreast and between 3000

TWO-SHIP FORMATION: FIGHTING WING

TWO-SHIP FORMATION: WEDGE

Fighting Wing gives the wingman a

TWO-SHIP FORMATION: FINGERTIPS

TWO-SHIP FORMATION: TRAIL

FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: BOX

FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: FLUID FOUR

FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: VIPER FOUR

Element leads fly line abreast. Wingmen position themselves 0 to 30 back

FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: SPREAD FOUR

FOUR-SHIP FORMATION: ECHELON

THREE-SHIP FORMATION: VIPER THREE

THREE-SHIP FORMATION: VIC

TACTICAL TURNS: HOOK

TACTICAL TURNS: CROSS TURN

TACTICAL TURNS: DELAYED 90

TACTICAL TURNS: DELAYED 45

PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

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